Vinyl Design windows and doors recently helped Hudson Signature Homes achieve a Platinum Pearl Certified rating on a newly built model home. Only 3% of all homes in the United States meet this stringent energy standard. This was also the first platinum certified home in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia area.
What is Pearl Certification?
Pearl Certification is new to the residential building industry. It was initially developed in the Washington D.C. and Maryland area and has since expanded nationwide. Based on building science and developed by experts in residential construction, energy efficiency, and real estate, Pearl certification indicates that a home is energy efficient, safe, comfortable, and provides a healthy environment.
Previous certification programs focused exclusively on new construction or commercial projects. Pearl Certification is unique because new and existing homes can qualify. It creates a record of a home’s energy efficiency. Think of it like a CarFax for your house. While Carfax seeks to identify potential problems, Pearl allows a buyer or seller to focus on the energy saving features built into a home.
How Does Pearl Certification Work?
A points system is used to denote every high-performing asset in your home. High-performing assets are anything that makes your home more comfortable, healthy, and energy efficient. Assets often include the insulation in your attic and walls, your HVAC system, Smart thermostats, and ENERGY STAR appliances. It’s important to understand that the Pearl system looks at more than just the actual assets. It also evaluates their performance and when they were installed.
For example, Vinyl Design windows and doors are Energy Star certified. However, a homeowner may wonder how that affects their home. Pearl Certification requires a blower door test, which measures the airtightness of a structure. Mountainview windows and door are exceptionally airtight allowing them to pass the blower door test. An added benefit to having efficient windows, is the builder was able to make the windows larger and capture more natural lighting.
The Pearl Certification Points System
To determine your home’s score, it is divided into four categories.
• Building shell, which includes the foundation, walls, roof, and windows.
• Heating and cooling system, including the air conditioners, duct work, furnaces, heat pumps, and
other equipment responsible for keeping your home a consistent temperature.
• Baseload or equipment used throughout the year, such as appliances, electronics, and water heaters.
• Home management, including information boards and Smart devices that are used to maintain and
improve your home.
The Three Levels of Pearl Certification
There are three levels of Pearl certification. Depending on a home’s score, it may be categorized as:
- Pearl Silver: In most cases, this home has a good building shell or heating/ cooling factors.
- Pearl Gold: Homes that are categorized as Pearl Gold are built to modern energy code and have both a good building shell and heating/ cooling system.
- Pearl Platinum: The absolute best of the best, Pearl Platinum homes have a good building shell and heating/ cooling system, along with plenty of extras, such as energy efficient appliances, lighting, and energy monitoring devices.
What Does Pearl Certification Mean for Sellers?
For potential sellers, Pearl certification means that you can not only be sure that buyers will be interested in your home, but that they will be likely to pay more for it. When marketed properly, Pearl certified homes sell for 5% more than similar homes [1].
Why Should Potential Buyers Look for a Pearl Certified Property?
If you are a potential buyer, a Pearl certified home means you are getting a safe, healthy, comfortable home that will give you peace of mind. It also indicates that the property is water and energy efficient. In other words, not only will the home be healthier for your entire family, but it’ll also be cleaner, quieter, and cost less to operate, which is definitely a huge bonus.
Whether you are looking to sell your home or buy a new home, be sure to look for a home that has received its Pearl certification.
Upgrading your windows and doors to Vinyl Design can help increase the energy efficiency of your new or existing home.
1] https://pearlcertification.com/
Hudson Signature Homes certification info: https://user.pearlcertification.com/registry/2442/
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