Valuing Green Home Designs: A Study of ENERGY STAR® Homes

A number of researchers have attempted to isolate the incremental effect of energy efficiency on home value; however, few studies have benefited from the availability of a comprehensive and continuous indicator of home energy efficiency such as the ENERGY STAR® program. This case study builds on past research by comparing original sale prices between ENERGY STAR qualified homes and non-ENERGY STAR qualified homes in Fort Collins, Colorado. Sale prices were analyzed using hedonic regression analysis. Results indicate that ENERGY STAR homes originally sold for $8.66 more per square foot than non-ENERGY STAR homes.