Energy Disclosure helps you understand how your home uses energy
Homes of any age can be energy efficient with the right improvements. Every home sold in Minneapolis and Bloomington receives an energy score that measure how efficiently it uses energy. Find your score and learn how you can make your home more efficient with energy disclosure.
How to improve your energy score
Step 1: Review your Energy Disclosure Report.
Your energy score and information about how to improve it are in your Energy Disclosure Report. The benefits of a higher energy score include:
- Better comfort year-round
- Healthier indoor air
- Reduced environmental impact
Step 2: Reach out to an Energy Advisor.
Energy Advisors from local nonprofit Center for Energy and Environment are the go-to solution to improve your home's energy efficiency. Energy Advisors can:
- Offer free, no pressure home energy advice
- Refer you to high-quality contractors and assist in scheduling bids
- Connect you to the best utility rebates, state and federal incentives, and low-interest financing available
Step 3: Show off your energy efficient home.
When you maximize your energy score, you can apply for the Energy Fit Home certification. The benefits of certification include:
- Highlighting your investment in a comfortable, energy-saving home
- Boosting your home’s resale value 2%–6%
This program is supported by
Home Energy Project Resources
Each Energy Disclosure Report lists practical and cost-effective energy improvements that produce significant energy savings. Below is a full list of recommended energy improvements and resources.
Recommended Energy Improvements
- Attic insulation — Insulating and air sealing your attic is one of most effective energy upgrades you can make to your home. This improvement will lower your energy bills and make your home more comfortable and less likely to develop problematic ice dams.
- Wall insulation — Adding wall insulation is one of the best energy improvements to decrease energy bills and increase comfort all year.
- Heating system — Replacing an old, inefficient furnace or boiler with a high-efficiency system will lower your energy bills.
- Storm windows — Adding storm windows to single-pane windows is a cost-effective way to improve comfort and save energy at home.
- Air conditioning (Bloomington only) — Replacing an old, inefficient air conditioner with a high-efficiency system will save money on cooling. Modern heat pump technology is an alternative that provides energy efficient heating and cooling.
- Water heating (Bloomington only) — Replacing an old, inefficient water heater with a high-efficiency system will save money and help keep indoor air healthy.
Rebates and Financing
Utility Rebates
CenterPoint Energy and Xcel Energy offer generous rebates to help cover the cost of energy improvements. Have questions? Contact our Energy Advisors.
Attic insulation: Up to $500.
Wall insulation: Up to $500.
Heating system: Up to $500 for gas equipment and discounted electric rates for using an air source heat pump or other electric equipment as the primary home heat source.
Storm windows: No rebates available.
Heat pumps and air conditioning: Up to $450.
Water heating: Up to $500 for gas equipment and up to $500 for electric equipment.
Financing and help with next steps.
Financing is available to make energy improvements easier. The City of Minneapolis and the Bloomington Housing and Redevelopment Authority are offering limited financing for qualified residents in 2022. Additional low-interest lending options are available from CEE’s nonprofit lending center.
Energy Advisors from CEE are here to help coach you through the energy upgrade process. Advisors can answer questions about your energy score or recommended improvements, as well as connect you to useful resources like dependable contractors, utility rebates, and low-interest financing.
More resources
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Schedule a Home Energy Squad visit to learn about your home’s energy use
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The Weatherization Assistance Program for home weatherization and energy conservation services for low-income families and individuals
Find an Energy Score
Search for an address to download its Energy Disclosure Report
Browse the map of all energy scores. Select a dot to see a snapshot of a home's results.
Tips for using the map
- To search by address use the “Search Address” bar.
- To filter by neighborhood in Minneapolis, use the “Minneapolis Neighborhood” drop-down menu. Uncheck the “All” option to deselect all neighborhoods, and then check the box for the neighborhood(s) you want to view.
- Hover over an individual home to display its address, energy score, the average score for the neighborhood. You can also view individual components of the score and any energy badges the home has earned for high-efficiency features, and download the home's individualized report.
- Zoom in or out with your mouse wheel. Or double-click to zoom in, and hold shift while double-clicking to zoom out.
- On a PC, click "Ctrl" + "Z" to undo. Use the arrows in the bottom toolbar to undo, redo, or reset.
- The bottom toolbar also offers a full-screen option on the far-right side.
- At any time, click the home icon in the map's upper left to reset to the default view.
More on individual cities
The City of Minneapolis’ Truth in Sale of Housing (TISH) energy disclosure policy began January 1, 2020. Inspected items in Minneapolis include wall and attic insulation, heating, and windows.
Learn more about the Minneapolis Truth in Sale of Housing Program
The City of Bloomington’s Time-of-Sale (TOS) Housing Evaluations ordinance was passed on August 7, 1995. The ordinance was updated on September 13, 2021, to include an energy disclosure requirement starting April 1, 2022. Inspected items in Bloomington include wall and attic insulation, heating, windows, air conditioning, and water heating.
Learn more about the Bloomington Time-of-Sale Inspection Program
Resources for Real Estate Agents
Energy efficiency is valuable.
Energy efficiency has value in the buying and selling process. With motivations ranging from saving on utility bills to reducing emissions, homebuyers are more interested than ever in energy efficiency at home. Benefits include a more comfortable at home, lower energy bills, lower carbon emissions, and a higher resale value.
Save your clients energy and money.
Connect your clients to a free or reduced-price Home Energy Squad visit to help them save money, stay comfortable, and learn about their home. Home Energy Squad is available for Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy customers.
Gift a visit. Realtors can purchase Home Energy Squad visits for clients at half the original price.
Refer a client. Clients can mention their realtor referred them to the Home Energy Squad and receive the visit for half the original price.
Energy Advisors make improvements easy.
Energy Advisors are ready to help your clients tackle any home energy improvement project. Energy Advisors are a free service available to clients in any city, featuring:
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Convenient answers for questions about energy efficiency
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Start-to-finish project guidance
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Connection to local, utility, and federal incentives and low-interest financing
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Recommendations for high-quality contractors
Resources
Client resources
- CEE's Energy Advisors: Free efficiency project consulting. Real estate professionals can call on behalf of their clients or refer their clients directly — download an Energy Advisor informational flyer.
- Home Energy Squad: Home energy visit service through Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy. Contact Arbor Otalora-Fadner for more information on how to gift a low-to-no cost visit to your clients.
- CEE Lending Center: Loans and grants for rehabilitation and energy efficiency projects.
- Energy Badge Flyer: Sample of a third-party verification that showcases high-performing home energy features and their benefits. Find them at the end of the Energy Disclosure Report.
- Home Energy Hub: Website with helpful posts and relevant topics written by CEE's energy experts.
- CenterPoint Energy Approved Contractors: List of air-sealing and insulation installers who qualify for CenterPoint's rebate program.
Trainings and education
UPCOMING:
2023 CEU classes through MAR: The Value of Going Green
An energy efficient home has valuable advantages over a home without energy upgrades, including better comfort and lower utility bills, but how can you tell the difference? Join The Value of Going Green to learn how to use energy disclosure policies, the MLS, and your eyes to identify and highlight energy efficient houses in the real estate transaction. Topics covered in this course include:
- Describing how energy efficiency improves a homeowner’s quality of life and the value efficiency improvements can have at resale.
- Learning how to find and highlight energy efficient homes using the MLS, Time of Sale energy disclosure, and energy certifications.
- Summarizing the science of how energy improvements work, the resources available to homeowners to make improvements, and tips for spotting improvements at a glance2 hour CE webinar.
- This class will be offered quarterly in 2023. Check MAR’s education portal to see registration for the next available session.
RECORDED:
Bloomington Time-of-Sale Energy Disclosure (February 2022): A video summary of the City's new energy disclosure program.
Contact Arbor Otalora-Fadner for inquiries on customized training opportunities.
Additional Reports
- Realizing the Value: An Appraiser-Led Analysis of the High-Performing Home Premium in Leading Midwest Markets (Elevate Energy)
- Home Energy Efficiency for Real Estate Professionals (U.S. Department of Energy)
- The Misconception That Buyers “Don’t Care” About Home Performance (Energy Logic)
- Summary of studies on resale premiums for energy efficient homes (CEE research summary)
Energy Advisors are your go-to solution for home energy questions.
Energy Advisors take the guesswork out of projects by working with you start to finish. We will help you determine where to start and will connect you to financing, utility rebates, and high-quality contractors.
Energy Advisors are cost-free, pressure-free, and available anywhere. We are here to help you achieve your home energy goals!