Energy Disclosure helps you understand how your home uses energy
Homes of any age can be energy efficient with the right improvements. Every home sold in Minneapolis and Bloomington receives an energy score that measure how efficiently it uses energy. Find your score and learn how you can make your home more efficient with energy disclosure.
How to improve your energy score
Step 1: Review your Energy Disclosure Report.
Your energy score and information about how to improve it are in your Energy Disclosure Report. The benefits of a higher energy score include:
- Better comfort year-round
- Healthier indoor air
- Reduced environmental impact
Step 2: Reach out to an Energy Advisor.
Energy Advisors from local nonprofit Center for Energy and Environment are the go-to solution to improve your home's energy efficiency. Energy Advisors can:
- Offer free, no pressure home energy advice
- Refer you to high-quality contractors and assist in scheduling bids
- Connect you to the best utility rebates, state and federal incentives, and low-interest financing available
Step 3: Show off your energy efficient home.
When you maximize your energy score, you can apply for the Energy Fit Home certification. The benefits of certification include:
- Highlighting your investment in a comfortable, energy-saving home
- Boosting your home’s resale value 2%–6%
This program is supported by
Home Energy Project Resources
This page lists practical and cost-effective improvements to make your home more comfortable and lower energy bills year-round.
You can learn if your home has recommended improvements from your Energy Disclosure Report or a Home Energy Squad visit.
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Your Energy Disclosure Report is included as part of your Minneapolis Truth in Sale of Housing report or Bloomington Time of Sale Housing Inspection report. Look up your Energy Disclosure Report on the Find Energy Scores tab.
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If you do not have an Energy Disclosure Report, you can schedule a low-cost Home Energy Squad visit to learn about your home’s energy efficiency.
Recommended Energy Improvements and Incentives
An Energy Advisor can answer your questions about energy improvements, determine which rebates and incentives you are eligible for, and connect you with rebate-eligible contractors.
Insulating and air sealing your attic is one of the most effective energy improvements you can make to your home.
When it comes to attics, air sealing should always accompany insulation. Air sealing closes gaps that allow warm air to leak into the attic. Common sources of air leaks include pipes, recessed can lights, electrical wires, and the chimney. Individual air leaks may be small, but they add up and compromise the effectiveness of the insulation.
Attic insulation and air sealing also increase your home's durability by mitigating ice dams and moisture buildup in the attic.
Learn more about attic insulation and air sealing.
Incentives for Bloomington and Minneapolis residents:
- $1,300 rebate from CenterPoint Energy ·
- Up to $1,200 federal tax credit on material costs
- Available early 2025- Up to $1,600 income-qualified rebate from the federal Inflation Reduction Act. You can check if you meet the income qualifications on the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Area Median Income Look-Up Table.
Additional incentives for Minneapolis residents:
- $1,300 bonus rebate from the City of Minneapolis for all residents
- $3,000 bonus rebate from the City of Minneapolis for residents of Green Zones
Want personalized guidance? An Energy Advisor can help determine which incentives you are eligible for, connect you with rebate-eligible contractors, and more.
Ensuring your exterior walls are fully insulated is the best way to keep your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
Exterior walls are often the biggest surface area of your house facing the outdoors. If you have inadequate insulation, you are likely losing a lot of energy to the outdoors. This can result in more uneven indoor temperatures and higher energy bills. Quality wall insulation makes your home quieter, more comfortable, and more affordable to heat and cool.
Learn more about wall insulation.
Incentives for Bloomington and Minneapolis residents:
- $1,500 rebate from CenterPoint Energy ·
- Up to $1,200 federal tax credit on material costs
- Available early 2025- Up to $1,600 income-qualified rebate from the federal Inflation Reduction Act. You can check if you meet the income qualifications on the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Area Median Income Look-Up Table.
Additional incentives for Minneapolis residents:
- $1,500 bonus rebate from the City of Minneapolis for all residents
- $3,000 bonus rebate from the City of Minneapolis for residents of Green Zones
Want personalized guidance? An Energy Advisor can help determine which incentives you are eligible for, connect you with rebate-eligible contractors, and more.
Heating systems typically last 15 to 20 years. You may be able to avoid a stressful and expensive emergency replacement by scheduling a replacement if your system is old enough.
We recommend choosing a high-efficiency replacement. High-efficiency systems keep your energy bills low, offer better comfort, and feature better safety controls. A high-efficiency system means 96% AFUE or better for furnaces, 91% or better for boilers, or a variable-speed compressor for heat pumps.
Learn more about furnaces and boilers.
Incentives for furnaces and boilers:
Incentives for heat pumps:
- Up to $2,000 rebate from Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy.
- Up to $2,000 federal tax credit on project costs
- Discounted electric rate from Xcel Energy if you primarily heat with electricity
- Available early 2025- Up to $8,000 income-qualified rebate from the federal Inflation Reduction Act. You can check if you meet the income qualifications on the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Area Median Income Look-Up Table.
- Available early 2025- Up to $4,000 federal rebate match from the State of Minnesota
Additional incentives for Minneapolis residents:
- $1,000 bonus rebate from the City of Minneapolis for all residents
- $2,500 bonus rebate from the City of Minneapolis for residents of Green Zones
Want personalized guidance? An Energy Advisor can help determine which incentives you are eligible for, connect you with rebate-eligible contractors, and more.
Adding storm windows to single-pane windows is a cost-effective way to reduce drafts and save energy. Installing new double or triple pane windows increases possible savings. However, because of the high upfront cost of new windows, we recommend first considering storm windows for any single-pane windows.
Learn more about storm windows.
Want personalized guidance? An Energy Advisor can help determine which incentives you are eligible for, connect you with rebate-eligible contractors, and more.
Air conditioners typically last 10 to 15 years. Modern heat pumps are a high-efficiency alternative to traditional air conditioners. Heat pumps operate the same as an air conditioner to provide cooling. Heat pumps can also provide green, energy efficient heating in the spring and fall.
Learn more about replacing your air conditioning.
Available incentives for heat pumps
- Up to $2,000 rebate from Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy.
- Up to $2,000 federal tax credit on project costs
- Available early 2025 - Up to $8,000 income-qualified rebate from the federal Inflation Reduction Act. You can check if you meet the income qualifications on the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Area Median Income Look-Up Table.
- Available early 2025 - Up to $4,000 federal rebate match from the State of Minnesota
Additional incentives for Minneapolis residents:
- $1,000 bonus rebate from the City of Minneapolis for all residents
- $4,000 bonus rebate from the City of Minneapolis for residents of Green Zones
Want personalized guidance? An Energy Advisor can help determine which incentives you are eligible for, connect you with rebate-eligible contractors, and more.
Water heaters typically last 10 years. If your water heater is at retirement age, it may be beneficial to schedule a replacement now. We recommend choosing a high-efficiency system with sealed combustion for the lowest energy bills and to keep indoor air healthy. A heat pump water heater is a high-efficiency, green alternative to a traditional gas system.
Learn more about water heating.
Available incentives for gas water heaters
- Up to $500 rebate from CenterPoint Energy
- Up to $600 federal tax credit on project costs for gas water heaters
Available incentives for heat pump water heaters
- Up to $500 rebate from Xcel Energy (if replacing an electric water heater
- Up to $2,000 federal tax credit on project costs
- Available early 2025 - Up to $1,750 income-qualified rebate from the federal Inflation Reduction Act. You can check if you meet the income qualifications on the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Area Median Income Look-Up Table.
- Available early 2025 - Up to $4,000 federal rebate match from the State of Minnesota.
Additional incentives for Minneapolis residents for heat pump water heaters:
- $200 bonus rebate from the City of Minneapolis for all residents
- $1,500 bonus rebate from the City of Minneapolis for residents of Green Zones
Want personalized guidance? An Energy Advisor can help determine which incentives you are eligible for, connect you with rebate-eligible contractors, and more.
More resources
- For financing, visit the CEE Lending Center.
- For specialized financing for qualified Bloomington residents, visit the Bloomington Housing and Redevelopment Authority.
- For weatherization and energy conservation services for low-income families and individuals, visit the Weatherization Assistance Program .
- For more information about the City of Minneapolis’ Truth in Sale of Housing program, visit the Truth in Sale of Housing home page.
- For more information about the City of Bloomington’s Time-of-Sale program, visit the Time-of-Sale home page.
- For a low-cost, in-depth evaluation of your home’s energy use, schedule a Home Energy Squad visit.
- For more information about how Energy Scores are calculated, download our Energy Score Summary.
- To see if you qualify for federal income-qualified incentives, download the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Area Median Income Look-Up Table.
- For a wholistic reference on home energy conservation, download the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Home Energy Guide.
Find an Energy Score
Search for an address to download its Energy Disclosure Report
Browse the map of all energy scores. Select a dot to see a snapshot of a home's results.
Tips for using the map
- To search by address use the “Search Address” bar.
- To filter by neighborhood in Minneapolis, use the “Minneapolis Neighborhood” drop-down menu. Uncheck the “All” option to deselect all neighborhoods, and then check the box for the neighborhood(s) you want to view.
- Hover over an individual home to display its address, energy score, the average score for the neighborhood. You can also view individual components of the score and any energy badges the home has earned for high-efficiency features, and download the home's individualized report.
- Zoom in or out with your mouse wheel. Or double-click to zoom in, and hold shift while double-clicking to zoom out.
- On a PC, click "Ctrl" + "Z" to undo. Use the arrows in the bottom toolbar to undo, redo, or reset.
- The bottom toolbar also offers a full-screen option on the far-right side.
- At any time, click the home icon in the map's upper left to reset to the default view.
More on individual cities
The City of Minneapolis’ Truth in Sale of Housing (TISH) energy disclosure policy began January 1, 2020. Inspected items in Minneapolis include wall and attic insulation, heating, and windows.
Learn more about the Minneapolis Truth in Sale of Housing Program
The City of Bloomington’s Time-of-Sale (TOS) Housing Evaluations ordinance was passed on August 7, 1995. The ordinance was updated on September 13, 2021, to include an energy disclosure requirement starting April 1, 2022. Inspected items in Bloomington include wall and attic insulation, heating, windows, air conditioning, and water heating.
Learn more about the Bloomington Time-of-Sale Inspection Program
Resources for Real Estate Agents
Energy efficiency is valuable.
Energy efficiency has value in the buying and selling process. With motivations ranging from saving on utility bills to reducing emissions, homebuyers are more interested than ever in energy efficiency at home. Benefits include a more comfortable at home, lower energy bills, lower carbon emissions, and a higher resale value.
Save your clients energy and money.
Connect your clients to a free or reduced-price Home Energy Squad visit to help them save money, stay comfortable, and learn about their home. Home Energy Squad is available for Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy customers.
Gift a visit. Realtors can purchase Home Energy Squad visits for clients at half the original price.
Refer a client. Clients can mention their realtor referred them to the Home Energy Squad and receive the visit for half the original price.
Energy Advisors make improvements easy.
Energy Advisors are ready to help your clients tackle any home energy improvement project. Energy Advisors are a free service available to clients in any city, featuring:
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Convenient answers for questions about energy efficiency
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Start-to-finish project guidance
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Connection to local, utility, and federal incentives and low-interest financing
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Recommendations for high-quality contractors
Resources
Client resources
- CEE's Energy Advisors: Free efficiency project consulting. Real estate professionals can call on behalf of their clients or refer their clients directly — download an Energy Advisor informational flyer.
- Home Energy Squad: Home energy visit service through Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy. Contact Arbor Otalora-Fadner for more information on how to gift a low-to-no cost visit to your clients.
- CEE Lending Center: Loans and grants for rehabilitation and energy efficiency projects.
- Energy Badge Flyer: Sample of a third-party verification that showcases high-performing home energy features and their benefits. Find them at the end of the Energy Disclosure Report.
- Home Energy Hub: Website with helpful posts and relevant topics written by CEE's energy experts.
- CenterPoint Energy Approved Contractors: List of air-sealing and insulation installers who qualify for CenterPoint's rebate program.
Trainings and education
UPCOMING:
2023 CEU classes through MAR: The Value of Going Green
An energy efficient home has valuable advantages over a home without energy upgrades, including better comfort and lower utility bills, but how can you tell the difference? Join The Value of Going Green to learn how to use energy disclosure policies, the MLS, and your eyes to identify and highlight energy efficient houses in the real estate transaction. Topics covered in this course include:
- Describing how energy efficiency improves a homeowner’s quality of life and the value efficiency improvements can have at resale.
- Learning how to find and highlight energy efficient homes using the MLS, Time of Sale energy disclosure, and energy certifications.
- Summarizing the science of how energy improvements work, the resources available to homeowners to make improvements, and tips for spotting improvements at a glance2 hour CE webinar.
- This class will be offered quarterly in 2023. Check MAR’s education portal to see registration for the next available session.
RECORDED:
Bloomington Time-of-Sale Energy Disclosure (February 2022): A video summary of the City's new energy disclosure program.
Contact Arbor Otalora-Fadner for inquiries on customized training opportunities.
Additional Reports
- Realizing the Value: An Appraiser-Led Analysis of the High-Performing Home Premium in Leading Midwest Markets (Elevate Energy)
- Home Energy Efficiency for Real Estate Professionals (U.S. Department of Energy)
- The Misconception That Buyers “Don’t Care” About Home Performance (Energy Logic)
- Summary of studies on resale premiums for energy efficient homes (CEE research summary)
Energy Advisors are your go-to solution for home energy questions.
Energy Advisors take the guesswork out of projects by working with you start to finish. We will help you determine where to start and will connect you to financing, utility rebates, and high-quality contractors.
Energy Advisors are cost-free, pressure-free, and available anywhere. We are here to help you achieve your home energy goals!