Shopping for a home that’s energy efficient isn’t always easy. While hardwood floors, two-car garages, and swimming pools are typical searchable attributes, energy efficiency data and green building certifications are not so easily found.

Anyone who has built a new home or made a major home renovation knows that legal rules called codes help influence many aspects of the project—from how efficient your furnace should be to the proper way to install electricity.

Buildings consume a lot of energy. The more than 5 million commercial buildings and 115 million residential households in the United States consume around 40 percent of the nation’s total energy and 70 percent of all electricity. That’s a lot of energy—specifically, a lot of wasted energy.

It’s important that pro-energy code stories are present in the media. If you believe that Minnesotans want new homes built to energy efficient standards, write a letter to the editor.

Earlier this year, Fresh Energy wrote about the amazing success of the First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis, whose energy-efficient building upgrades earned top achievements in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Battle of the Buildings.

The U.S. Green Building Council recently released its 2011 list of top U.S. states for LEED-certified commercial and institutional green buildings, and Minnesota came in at number 10.

Do you want a healthier school environment for your kids, one that improves their learning environment, boosts test scores, and decreases missed school days? What if schools could save money at the same time?

Buildings account for over 40 percent of total energy use in the United States—more than either the transportation or industrial sectors—and over one-third of total greenhouse gas emissions come from the building sector.

The idea that it can be affordable to build green and energy-efficient homes has often seemed improbable and out-of-reach, especially in the homebuilding sector. But not anymore.

Increasing building efficiency and saving businesses money? Minnesota’s up to the challenge!