A growing number of states and local jurisdictions recognize a verified HERS Index Score as a pathway for demonstrating residential energy code compliance. See where HERS is recognized Find a HERS Rating Company One target. Many ways to reach it. HERS® Index: The Guided Path to Code Compliance Prescriptive energy codes tell builders exactly what to install. A performance path sets a target instead and lets builders decide how to meet it, weighing material costs and homeowner comfort, because no two homes are the same. The HERS Index makes that approach workable. It measures whole-home energy performance on a single scale, and every score is verified by an independent, certified HERS Rater rather than self-reported. Jurisdictions get a measurable, enforceable outcome. Builders choose a path that makes sense for the budget. Where HERS Is Recognized The List Keeps Growing Some states have adopted a statewide pathway. Others have incorporated an Energy Rating Index option into their energy code. In some regions, adoption has come at the local or municipal level. Texas A statewide compliance pathway built on the HERS Index, usable in place of the state energy code or any local stretch code. Texas has the deepest data on how a performance path works at scale: participation nearly doubled while the median HERS Index improved by eight points. Read the Texas story → Southern Nevada Building code jurisdictions across the region recognize the HERS Index as a pathway for meeting local energy code requirements. Southern Nevada details → Utah Adopted the 2024 IECC alongside a HERS Index target of 67, giving builders a streamlined performance-based compliance option. Utah details → Massachusetts An Energy Rating Index compliance option in the state energy code, with municipalities adopting HERS Index targets through the Stretch Code. Massachusetts details → On the Horizon More States Coming Additional states are developing performance-based compliance options. Contact us to talk about how a HERS-based pathway can work in your jurisdiction. What It Looks Like in Practice How a HERS Compliance Path Works The specifics differ by jurisdiction, but the structure is consistent. A target is set. The jurisdiction establishes a HERS Index threshold, often varying by climate zone. The builder chooses the path. With the guidance of a HERS Rater, the builder chooses any combination of materials, equipment and construction practices that meets or beats the target HERS Index Score. Mandatory requirements still apply. A performance path sets a target; it does not remove the floor. An independent rater verifies the result. A certified HERS Rater inspects and tests the home under RESNET protocols, including blower door and duct leakage testing. The score is achieved and the home is registered. An official certificate is generated to demonstrate energy code compliance. That independent verification is what makes the pathway workable for code officials. The score is not a claim. It is a measured, tested, third-party confirmed result recorded in a national registry. Code Officials and Policymakers Considering a Performance Pathway? Jurisdictions weighing a HERS-based compliance option usually have the same questions. Does flexibility weaken outcomes? Is it enforceable? What does verification involve? Texas offers the clearest evidence available. Our Texas resources document how the pathway was structured, how builders responded, and what happened to energy performance across the state. Read the Texas Model white paper Read The Texas Bet Contact us about your jurisdiction Ready to Get Started? Find a Rater A certified HERS Rater can walk you through the compliance path in your jurisdiction. Questions about adopting a pathway? Contact us. Find a HERS Rating Company Related Links By State Texas Southern Nevada Utah Massachusetts For Code Officials How verification works ANSI/RESNET/ICC Standard 301 Contact RESNET about your jurisdiction Texas Resources The Texas Model white paper The Texas Bet HB 3215 full text and FAQs Texas builder and code official guides For Builders Find a HERS Rating Company Search for IECC and HERS compliance specialists
