RESNET® Builder of the Month

Q: What is special about a HERS-Rated home?

 

A: A HERS-rated home has undergone a comprehensive independent assessment of its energy performance. Unlike standard homes, a HERS-rated home is issued a specific Index Score based on a national blueprint established by RESNET.  

 

Think of it like a golf score; a lower score is better.  

 

A lower HERS score signifies a more airtight building envelope, superior insulation, optimized HVAC systems, and fewer structural air leaks. Ultimately, a HERS-rated home delivers heightened indoor comfort, superior indoor air quality, and substantially lower monthly utility bills compared to standard resale homes. 

 

Q: Why should consumers ask for the HERS Index Score on homes they are shopping for?

 

A: Consumers should look for the HERS Index Score because it pulls back the curtain on a home’s future operating costs. While two homes might look identical on the outside, their energy efficiency can vary wildly. 

 

Knowing this score enables direct, apples-to-apples comparative shopping, helps buyers anticipate monthly budgeting realistically, and secures future resale value. Premier Fine Homes has an average HERS rating of 49.5. 

 

Q: Why does Premier Fine Homes choose to have its homes HERS-Rated?

 

A: As Tallahassee’s #1 Hometown Builder, Premier Fine Homes prioritizes blending quality and affordability. We choose to have our homes HERS-rated through ES Green to provide unambiguous, third-party-verified proof of our construction quality.  

 

By subjecting our designs to strict ENERGY STAR guidelines and Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) criteria, we demonstrate a tangible commitment to modern, state-of-the-art building practices. We don’t just claim our homes are efficient; we certify it. 

 

Q: Why should consumers expect energy-efficient homes?

 

A: Modern homebuyers deserve homes built for the future, not the past. With rising energy costs, a home shouldn’t just look beautiful; it must operate intelligently to protect the buyer’s wallet.  

 

Beyond financial savings, choosing an energy-efficient home enhances structural integrity and ensures a balanced indoor environment resilient against the intense hot and humid climate of North Florida.  

 

Building codes evolve, and consumers should expect a professional builder to surpass minimum regulations to deliver a higher baseline of comfort and value. Premier Fine Homes has been building HERS-rated homes since 2009, over 17 years of commitment, with numerous awards for holding ourselves to a higher standard. 

 

Q: How many homes does your company build with HERS Ratings every year?

 

A: Premier Fine Homes constructs an average of 150 homes annually across major master-planned communities like Canopy and pocket neighborhoods in the Greater Tallahassee region, such as Landon Hills and Conservation of Summerbrooke, along with our newest artisan series community, Summerhill, scheduled to open in October 2026.  

 

Because we have fully integrated high-performance green building protocols directly into our standard operations, 100% of our newly constructed homes receive independent HERS ratings. 

 

Q: How do you market HERS-Rated homes?

 

A: We market our HERS-rated homes by focusing heavily on transparency, long-term financial health, and lifestyle benefits. Through our website, social media, and digital walk-throughs, we emphasize our certified ENERGY STAR and FGBC statuses.  

 

Our New Home Specialists actively educate prospective buyers on what a lower HERS score means for their wallets. We routinely highlight how our tight construction, high-grade insulation, and precision engineering work together to create a superior product. 

 

Q: How do your customers feel about HERS-Rated homes?

 

A: Our homeowners express overwhelming satisfaction, which is reflected in our strong local reputation due to the consistency in quality of the homes we build. Buyers frequently report an immediate drop in their monthly utility expenses compared to their previous residences.  

 

Comfort is consistently one of the top things customers mention, especially even temperatures in every bedroom rather than just an average across the house, and superior indoor air quality thanks to whole-home dehumidification, which is critical for indoor comfort in Tallahassee’s hot, humid climate.  

 

They highly value the peace of mind that comes with a home that holds its structural integrity, keeps allergens out, and maintains optimal indoor temperatures effortlessly, even during peak Florida summers. 

 

Q: What rating company do you work with, and can you talk about how working with them helps to achieve your goals of building energy-efficient homes? 

 

A: We partner exclusively with reputable, independent, certified RESNET Level 1 HERS Raters at ES Green. This separation of duties is crucial; the rating entity remains a neutral third-party inspector. They act as an extension of our quality assurance pipeline.  

 

By collaborating with them from the initial blueprinted computer simulations through final field testing, ES Green ensures that our framing, HVAC engineering, and insulation match our high corporate standards for every single address. 

 

Q: What specific value has your HERS Rater brought to your projects?

 

A: ES GREEN provides direct, actionable value across the entire lifecycle of our builds: 

 

Pre-Construction Modeling: They analyze all Premier Fine Homes plans via certified energy simulation software to catch design vulnerabilities before any dirt is turned. 

Diagnostic Onsite Testing: They perform physical tests like blower-door diagnostics (verifying a tight building envelope) and duct leakage testing. 

Reduced Utility Costs: ES Green’s ratings and diagnostics translate directly into lower monthly utility bills for homeowners, with documented HERS Index scores available for buyer comparison. 

 

Elevated HVAC Standards: Having a third-party inspector on our homes provides an added layer of inspection and assurance that best building practices, especially those related to home performance, are implemented on every build. Most importantly, our HVAC systems are held to a standard that code-minimum new construction homes never have to reach. 

Financial Incentives to Homeowners: Local buyers also benefit directly from the City of Tallahassee’s Peak Performance Home Incentive, which pays up to $2,000 for new homes achieving a HERS Index of 55 or below.