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Pearl Certification
You've probably heard of Energy Star, LEED, and Passive House - but have you heard of The Pearl National Home Certification - Pearl Certification for short? It is a game-changer in the high-performance home industry.
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What Is Pearl Certification?
Cynthia Adams and Robin LeBaron founded the Pearl Certification program in 2015. It is a third-party certification that has certified thousands of homes across the United States and is quickly growing in popularity.
Unlike many home certification programs, the Pearl Certification focuses primarily on homeowner education to ensure homeowners are equipped with the knowledge to keep their homes performing well.
The Pearl Certification can target existing homes. As such, you can get your home certified by Pearl no matter when it was built, as long as it follows the program's requirements. If you plan to complete an energy retrofit, you can improve your home while increasing its monetary value with the Pearl Certification.
What Are the Benefits of Pearl Certification?
With an overarching goal of reducing US carbon emissions, this certification aims to keep you and your family healthy and comfortable - all while saving energy and money. With a controlled interior air environment, you will see a decrease in drafts and hotspots and increase air quality and comfort through consistent temperatures.
Once a home achieves Pearl Certification, homeowners and real estate agents see clear benefits. They are then equipped with the marketing material to effectively communicate the home's sustainable features to potential buyers, which is incredibly valuable with the increased demand for high-performing homes. Pearl Certified homes can sell for 5% more than the average house with this advanced marketing. So, suppose your home is valued initially at $300,000. In that case, this increase in value means you can likely sell it for about $315,000 if it is Pearl Certified. Effective marketing is especially crucial in 2020 when virtual real estate marketing is more important than ever with the global pandemic.
As a whole, energy efficiency is quickly becoming one of the most desired home features in the real estate market. As a whole, energy-efficient homes have been found to sell for an average of 9% higher than conventional homes.
What Types of Homes Can Be Certified with Pearl?
Only single-family homes, duplexes, and townhomes can be Pearl Certified. Condominiums and large multi-unit buildings cannot be certified.
How Many Homes Have Been Certified with Pearl?
At the time of publishing, nearly 32,000 homes have been Pearl Certified, and almost 54,000 homes have been Pearl Scored.
Where Is Pearl Certification Most Adopted?
Homes have achieved Pearl Certification in almost every state in the US, with the most concentration near Phoenix, Arizona, the Northern Virginia region, and around Atlanta, Georgia. Are you looking for a Pearl Certified home near you? Take a look at this interactive map provided by Pearl.
What Are the Levels of Pearl Certification?
You will be able to achieve one of four levels of Pearl Certification: Pearl Platinum, Pearl Gold, Pearl Silver, or Pearl Certified Assets. Like most certification programs, the Pearl Certification is based on a point system. What is unique about Pearl, however, is that the point system adjusts based on location. For instance, a building shell's components are worth more in an extreme climate like that in Maine that relies more on heating and cooling than a building shell's elements in a milder climate like North Carolina.
After your home achieves Pearl Certification, you will receive a Pearl Certification Report and Home Investment Plan. To learn what these resources are, below are examples of each:
- Pearl Certification Report example from Charlottesville, Virginia
- Home Investment Plan example from Sleepy Eye, Minnesota
Once you have a Pearl Certified home, Pearl offers an additional app called Green Door. This app provides homeowners with educational resources and connects them with certified Pearl contractors for maintenance and repairs. Having just launched this month, we, here at Rise, are excited to follow its progression.
How Much Does Pearl Certification Cost?
On average, the Pearl Certification costs $450. However, if you work with a Pearl Agent, this fee can often be waived.
Keeping in mind the savings you will experience in utility bills with improved energy efficiency, you are likely to recoup the certification costs in little time. Depending on the extent of your energy-saving features, you can save a significant portion of your annual utility bills. In addition, if you ever decide to sell your home, you will likely see up to a 5% increase in price. A win-win for both you and the environment!
Maria Saxton
Located in Roanoke, Virginia, Maria Saxton holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Design and Planning from Virginia Tech. She works as an Environmental Planner and Housing Researcher for a local firm specializing in Community Planning, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Historic Preservation. Her dissertation explored the environmental impacts of small-scale homes. She serves as a volunteer board member for the Tiny Home Industry Association.
