In light of research documenting the lower default risks of mortgages for energy-efficient homes, the Vermont Green Home Alliance invites lenders and appraisers to consider two exciting courses scheduled for October 13-14, 2016 in Concord, New Hampshire:
- Introduction to Green Buildings Principles & Concepts
- Case Studies in Appraising Green Residential Buildings
The Alliance reports that using Home Energy Rating Scores (HERS), homes built to the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)-required by Vermont’s Residential Building Energy Standards--are 28-35% more efficient than those built to the 2009 IECC or earlier. Furthermore, a national study of 71,000 single-family mortgages found that "default risks are on average 32 percent lower in energy efficient homes, controlling for other loan determinants."