WHY BUILD AN EARTH ADVANTAGE HOME?

INCENTIVES

Earth Advantage certified homes qualify for the Energy Trust of Oregon Incentives. Builders are awarded financial rebates for building more energy efficient than code. 

HIGHER QUALITY/LESS RISK

Earth Advantage certified homes require far more inspections than code built homes. These inspections offer higher quality control that insure components and systems are installed to plan. Builders have an opportunity to make adjustments before the homeowners move in, improving the experience of the occupants.

BRAND VALUE

Earth Advantage certified homes are held to a higher standard than code built homes. If you want to set yourself apart from the competition, Earth Advantage homes add brand value by telling the market, you’re better. 

CARBON-FREE & ESG REPORTING

As we evolve towards a more climate-conscious society, the need to report environmental and social impact becomes more relevant. Investors, developers, and consumers seeking this information can turn to Earth Advantage certification to manage and measure their climate impact. 

 

SINGLE FAMILY SERVICES
 

Earth Advantage Certification
LEED for Homes Certification
PHIUS+ Field Verification
Energy Trust of Oregon Utility Incentive Package
ENERGY STAR
Indoor AirPLUS
Watersense 
Energy Modeling
45L Federal Tax Credit

Single Family Contacts

Marc Cregeur

Marc Cregeur

Green Building Consultant
Greater Portland Metro Area
Email Marc

Matt Douglas

Matt Douglas

Manager, Central Oregon Residential
Central Oregon Region
Email Matt
Rebecca Heilig

Rebecca Heilig

Director of Carbon-free Construction

Email Rebecca
 

View the 2023 Earth Advantage Award Winners



 


The Value of Earth Advantage Single-family Certification

Peace of Mind

  • Homes are performance tested for air tightness, bath fan ventilation air flow, and whole building mechanical ventilation. These vital systems are paramount to construction quality.
     
  • Inspected for quality: two rigorous on-site inspections of every home bring accredited building scientists into the quality control process of your home’s construction.


Better Indoor Air Quality

  • Programmable outdoor air exchange with a whole building mechanical ventilation system improves indoor air quality by reducing airborne pollutants in your home.
     
  • Duct floor registers protected during construction keep construction debris out of the ducts which extends the life of your forced air heating system and improves the quality of the air you breathe.
     
  • All bath fans are tested for ideal performance level, ensuring that your home can properly remove moisture – the single biggest cause of construction defects and many health concerns.

Reduced Cost of Homeownership

  • Stringent minimum performance requirements in energy and water consumption save you money every month, allowing you to spend on other aspects of your home or use the savings for your own dream fulfillment.
     
  • Inspected for Quality means Earth Advantage experts have inspected your home and played a critical Quality Control role to remedy defects, many of them before the interior walls are covered, that would likely go undetected for years if not corrected while your home was being built.

Year Round Comfort

  • The industry’s most rigorous air sealing and insulation checklist produces homes that are virtually draft free. Air sealing coupled with higher insulation levels  mean your house can stay warm with very little energy consumed.
     
  • A balanced forced air heating and ventilation system creates the ability to circulate air back to the furnace resulting in better airflow throughout the home and more even, comfortable room temperatures.

The Energy Bill Gurantee


Own an Earth Advantage Certified Home? We’re so confident in your home’s energy efficiency, we’re willing to put money on it. 

Earth Advantage certified new homes are high performance homes, designed and built to last with minimal impact on the planet or your budget. Select builders offer this guarantee with the purchase of their homes, adding an additional layer of financial security to your purchase. Talk to your Earth Advantage builder to see if they offer our Energy Bill Guarantee. 

How Does it Work?
  • Step 1: An Energy Performance Score (EPS) or Home Energy Rating System (HERS) is produced for your Earth Advantage certified new home that states the predicted yearly energy use for your home.
  • Step 2: You review your annual utility bills to see if they exceed the usage prediction.*
  • Step: 3: If your annual utility usage exceeds our prediction, we will refund the difference, each year – for up to three years after your home purchase. 
*Under normal operating and occupancy conditions

 


 

Energy Bill Guarantee: Frequently Asked Questions

Earth Advantage is guaranteeing the usage of energy, Earth Advantage does not guarantee energy rates and cost.

Earth Advantage assumes the number of people in the house is the number of bedrooms plus one. For example, a 3 bedroom house assumes 4 people. Thermostats are assumed to be set no higher than 72 degrees in the winter and no lower than 75 degrees in the summer. The Energy Bill Guarantee is intended to reinforce the value of your home in real terms—energy savings.

If an addition/modification, electric vehicle, or other energy consuming system was added after closing, the guarantee is void.
 

To account for this we use industry standard weather normalization data. This data includes the extreme temperature days expected every year.

No. The Energy Bill Guarantee is based on nationally accredited energy modeling inputs with no added variance or buffer.
 

Each Earth Advantage certified home is modeled in industry approved software that takes into account all of the facets of the home that contribute to energy usage. This includes insulation levels and application, window quality, mechanical systems, appliances, lighting, as well as the results of performance testing on the home, and ductwork. Using this information, the energy modeling software can accurately predict how much energy a home will use under normal use.

If your energy usage is in excess of the guarantee, submit a claim here