CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., March 29, 2024 — Pearl Certification, the national provider of independent, third-party certification of high-performing and energy-efficient homes, has achieved another milestone in its path to transforming the U.S. housing market. As of today, Pearl has certified high-performing features in over 200,000 homes across 49 states. Driven by a mission to decarbonize U.S. homes, which account for 20% of the country’s carbon emissions, Pearl Certification provides homeowners with the tools they need to improve their homes’ energy efficiency, comfort, health — and value.
“While many homeowners want to create a living space that is comfortable and efficient to run, they’re unaware of the value these high-performing, sustainable features add to their home,” said Cynthia Adams, CEO and co-founder of Pearl Certification. “As a result, they choose to invest in cosmetic features that, while attractive, count less at appraisal time. Pearl’s certification captures the performance features that are often ‘invisible’ to homeowners — insulation, HVAC, and solar energy, to name a few — and translates them in terms that appraisers, buyers, and lenders can understand.”
Every Pearl Certification includes detailed information on how a home’s energy use compares to others in its area, plus investment-grade documentation for appraisers, technical specs on performance features, and marketing materials sellers and their agents can use to showcase these valuable home investments. A recent appraiser study shows that when properly marketed, Pearl Certified homes sell for an average 5% more than comparable homes.
“Our goal has always been to build a market that rewards energy efficiency,” said Robin LeBaron, Pearl’s president and co-founder. “To do that, we not only engage homeowners directly but also train top real estate agents in how to effectively market high-performing home features and partner with public entities who can help scale that transformation.”
Homeowners can access their certification through Pearl’s free, award-winning Green Door app, and then continue their home performance journey by generating customized home improvement plans, discovering home energy rebates and tax credits, and connecting with local, vetted contractors and real estate agents in the elite Pearl Network.
The company has now set its next certification milestone: one million North American homes certified in the next five years.
About Pearl Certification
Pearl Certification is the gold standard in high-performing home certifications, bringing visibility to the valuable features that make them healthy, safe, comfortable, and energy- and water-efficient. Pearl is the only national sponsor of the U.S. Department of Energy's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program and is a partner with the National Association of REALTORS® Green REsource Council. Pearl has certified and provided appraisal addenda on over 100,000 homes in 44 states and Washington, D.C. Pearl Certified homes sell on average for 3.5-6% more than comparable homes, according to independent appraiser studies.
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Pearl Certification is transforming the housing market. We’re making a visible difference nationwide for homeowners and the businesses that serve them.
