HERS ratings & energy code compliance
Home Star Iowa works directly with home builders to handle blower door testing, HERS ratings, energy code compliance documentation, and ENERGY STAR certification — so you can focus on building. Rob Novak is a RESNET-certified HERS Rater and QA Designee with over 15 years of building science experience.
Services for home builders
From code compliance documentation to a confirmed HERS rating, we handle the testing and paperwork your project needs to pass inspection and market its efficiency — on a timeline that fits the build schedule.
Energy Code Compliance (IECC)
Iowa follows the IECC. Before a certificate of occupancy is issued, your project needs to demonstrate compliance — typically through a REScheck report or third-party field verification.
Energy code testing →HERS Rating
The Home Energy Rating System index scores a home’s projected energy performance. A HERS 100 is the reference home; most new construction targets the 50–70 range. We perform both projected and confirmed ratings.
ENERGY STAR Certified Homes
A nationally recognized third-party label buyers understand. We handle the rating, inspections, and certification paperwork so your home meets the program threshold and field-verification requirements.
Blower Door Testing
A calibrated fan depressurizes the house to 50 pascals and measures total air leakage — the real ACH50 number your code official requires, not an estimate.
Blower door testing →Duct Leakage Testing
Where ducts run outside conditioned space, we measure how much heated and cooled air is lost before it reaches the rooms it was meant for — documented for compliance.
REScheck & Field Verification
We review your plans, generate REScheck compliance documentation, verify insulation, air sealing, windows and mechanicals in the field, and sign off for permit and CO purposes.
REScheck reports →How a builder project runs with us
Pre-construction call
We review your plans, identify compliance pathways, and confirm what ratings or certifications apply to your project.
Projected rating / REScheck
We generate compliance documentation from plans before breaking ground, so requirements are clear from day one.
Rough-in inspection
We verify insulation and air sealing details before drywall — catching code deficiencies before final inspection, not after.
Final inspection + blower door
Post-construction verification and a confirmed HERS rating with a calibrated blower door test.
Report delivery
You receive all documentation needed for permit closeout, lender submission, or program certification. Turnaround is fast — construction schedules don’t wait.
Why use an independent, third-party rater
Iowa code increasingly requires third-party verification — not self-certification. Using a RESNET-credentialed rater means your documentation holds up at inspection and permit closeout, your HERS rating is defensible for lender, program, and MLS purposes, and you have a building science resource on the project who catches problems before they become punch-list items. Practically, it separates the rating function from the builder — which is exactly what lenders, programs, and ENERGY STAR all require.
What a HERS rating does for your homes
A number buyers and lenders trust
- Qualify homes for ENERGY STAR certification
- Meet lender requirements for energy-efficient mortgage products
- Differentiate listings — HERS scores are increasingly shown on MLS
- Satisfy utility program requirements for rebates or incentives
Ratings at every stage
As a RESNET-certified rater, Rob performs both the projected rating (from plans) and the confirmed rating (post-construction with blower door verification), providing the documentation your buyer, lender, or program requires.
- Projected rating from plans before you build
- Confirmed rating with on-site blower door verification
- Volume pricing available for production builders
A few things builders ask
Do I need a HERS rating for every new home I build?
How far in advance should I contact you?
What areas do you serve?
What does it cost?
Can you work with production builders or just custom homes?
Who runs your rating
Rob Novak holds RESNET HERS Rater and QA Designee credentials and is BPI-certified across building analyst, shell, heating, and mechanical disciplines. He comes from 15 years in HVAC before founding Home Star Iowa — which means he reads a set of plans and a mechanical schedule as one integrated system, not two separate problems.
Building in Eastern Iowa? Let’s handle the testing.
Independent HERS ratings, energy code compliance, and ENERGY STAR certification for Iowa builders.
Home Star Iowa provides independent HERS ratings, energy code compliance testing, and building performance verification for new construction in Cedar Rapids and the surrounding Eastern Iowa region. Energy code references Iowa’s residential energy standard (the 2012 IECC with state amendments); confirm the edition and testing requirements your local building official enforces.