Home Energy Assessments

A home energy assessment, also known as a home energy audit, can help you comprehensively understand your home's energy use, comfort, and safety. An assessment can help you determine how much energy your home uses, where your home is inefficient, and which problem areas and fixes you should prioritize to save energy and improve the comfort of your home. 

The City of Piedmont has two policies that require home energy assessments.

If your property is undergoing one of the following, you must submit a home energy assessment to the City:

1. Application for a Design Review Permit, where projects may have an energy impact
   *To read the policy, please click here. 
   *To read a factsheet about the policy, please click here. 

     2. Sale or transfer of a property in Piedmont
*To read the policy, please click here.
* To read a factsheet about the policy, please click here. 

REQUIREMENT FOR DESIGN REVIEW PERMITS

On July 20, 2020, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 55-2020, establishing a Home Energy Assessment Policy for the Planning & Building Department. The policy requires a Home Energy Assessment to be completed for projects which require design review permits and which may have an energy impact, and to require the Home Energy Assessment to be submitted with an application for a design review permit. The Home Energy Assessment can be in the form of either a Home Energy Score or a Home Energy Audit. The Home Energy Assessment must be prepared no more than five years prior to the date the design review permit is initially submitted.

Exceptions to this policy include:

1. The residential building was constructed within the past ten years;
2. The application is for minor modification; or
3. When determined to be unnecessary by the Director of Planning and Building because the proposed alteration(s) are unrelated to the building's energy use.  

REQUIREMENT FOR SALE OR TRANSFER OF A PROPERTY

On February 2, 2021, the City Council adopted Ordinance 751 N.S., establishing a Home Energy Assessment Policy for each person who sells or transfers an interest in real property in Piedmont. The Home Energy Assessment can be in the form of a Home Energy Score or a Home Energy Audit. The Home Energy Assessment must be prepared in the past 5 years to prospective buyers and the City, in addition to all other disclosure documents. The Home Energy Assessment Policy went into effect on March 3, 2021.

Exceptions to this policy include:

1. The residential building was constructed within the past ten years

WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW IF I AM SELLING A PROPERTY?

If your home is listed for sale on or after March 3, 2021, you are required to provide the following information to prospective buyers and the City. Send all of the completed forms to Planning & Building Administrative Assistant Mark Enea at [email protected] 

1.  A property records search provided by the Planning & Building Department for a nominal fee established by the City Council. This report shall show the building permit history for the property, including which improvements have been approved. The current fee for a property records search is $93. Download a copy of the Property Records Search Form here.
2. A sidewalk inspection provided by the Planning & Building Department for a nominal fee established by the City Council. The current fee for a sidewalk inspection is $153. Schedule a sidewalk inspection.
3. A Home Energy Score or a Home Energy Audit prepared no more than five years prior to the date of the property is advertised or listed for sale, unless the home was constructed within ten years prior to the date of such advertising or listing. Read below to find out information on how to obtain a Home Energy Score or a Home Energy Audit. 

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HOME ENERGY SCORE AND A HOME ENERGY AUDIT?

Home Energy Scores

• Home Energy Scores are guided by a series of requirements from the Department of Energy and can help homeowners identify areas to improve energy efficiency in their homes and save money.
• An assessor will conduct a walk through and provide suggestions and a score from 1-10, with 10 being the best score. A Home Energy Score will take less than 3 hours to complete. You can see a sample Home Energy Score from the DOE here.
• A Home Energy Score will cost a few hundred dollars, averaging $200-500:
  • Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN) provides a $200 rebate for conducting a Home Energy Score. Learn more here: https://www.bayren.org/hes

• Home Energy Audits are more expensive and time consuming, but will also provide more detailed suggestions for energy improvements.
• While a Home Energy Score may just include a walkthrough, an Audit will include measurements in each room of the home. You can see a sample Home Energy Audit here.  
• Home Energy Audits can cost several hundred dollars, averaging $500-$1,000. 

WHERE CAN I FIND A HOME ENERGY SCORE OR A HOME ENERGY AUDIT PROVIDER? 

• If you are trying to receive a Home Energy Score, please visit this webpage. This page contains all the locally trained assessors who can provide you with a Home Energy Score. 
• f you are trying to receive an Home Energy Audit, please review this list of local businesses who provide the service. This list is not comprehensive, as many other local businesses can provide you with a Home Energy Audit. 
•  BayREN hosts an online search tool to find locally trained contractors and provides contact information to speak with a Home Energy Advisor, free of charge.