Financing to Make Your Home Energy-Efficient

Guide to Green Mortgages: Requirements, Loan Types & More

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ByChris Woolston
Contribution by1 expert

Updated: November 4, 2022

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Most people who want to "go green" have selfless motives: Cutting back on pollution, saving natural resources and making the world a cleaner, healthier place. But as a homeowner, an energy-efficient dwelling can also make sense for the pocketbook. In fact, an eco-friendly home can be such a great investment that many lenders are getting in on the business by offering "green mortgages." These loans — offered by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and banks — are specifically designed to finance energy-efficient homes. If you shop around for the right mortgage and use the money wisely, you may end up saving a significant amount of money while doing your part to protect the environment.

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Types of Green Mortgages

There are three basic types of green mortgages: FHA, VA, and conventional.

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Energy-Efficient vs. Energy-Improvement Mortgages

There are two basic type of mortgages that can help consumers transition to green housing: An energy-efficient mortgage, or EEM, and an energy-improvement mortgage, or EIM.

Energy-Efficient Mortgage

An energy-efficient mortgage, which is generally rolled into a primary mortgage so there is only one monthly payment, can help you purchase a home you plan to make greener. The lender will take future energy savings into account when determining the size of the loan. In other words, you may be able to get a larger loan — and a more valuable house — than you would with a regular mortgage without requiring a larger down payment.

Energy-Improvement Mortgage

An energy-improvement mortgage can help you pay for eco-friendly improvements to your existing home, perhaps including new windows, insulation or an upgrade to your heating and cooling system. If you already have a mortgage, the lender can increase the loan amount to cover the costs of your energy upgrade. The lender repays the borrower for expenses from the improvements from an escrow account. This will increase your monthly mortgage payment, but you may save money overall through lower energy bills.

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How Do Green Mortgages Differ from Regular Mortgages?

A green mortgage really isn't much different from a regular loan. You'll likely have the same interest rates, and of course, you'll still have to make monthly payments. However, the lender may agree to give you a larger loan to cover the costs of the upgrades. Say, for example, you're looking to get an FHA loan for a $200,000 home. If you took out an EEM to cover an extra $10,000 in improvements, the size of the mortgage, after your down payment, would be about $201,600.

If you bought the house as is with a regular FHA loan, the mortgage would be $192,000. With a 30-year fixed mortgage at an interest rate of 5.5 percent, that would add up to a monthly payment of $1,145 for the EEM and $1,090 for the regular mortgage. That's an extra $55 each month, which should be more than covered by savings from your green improvements.

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OTHER FINANCING OPTIONS

You don't have to get an official green mortgage to upgrade a home, whether it's your own home or a house you're buying. As Dakota Gale, branch manager of Green Mortgage Northwest in Portland, Oregon, explains, many people use "rehab" loans from credit unions to refurbish their homes.

When purchasing a home, many people simply include the costs of planned improvements in the existing mortgage without the extra complication of a green mortgage.

They'll have to qualify for the full value of the mortgage, but most borrowers can manage that. Gale adds that many states and cities have programs specifically designed to give homeowners loans to improve their home's energy efficiency.

Qualifying for a Green Mortgage

Qualifying for a green mortgage is essentially the same as qualifying for a regular mortgage. The lender will still evaluate your credit history and your income. The only difference is the extra cost of energy upgrades won't be considered in the qualification process.

Say you're looking at a house that would require a $200,000 mortgage. If you planned to add $10,000 worth of energy improvements through a green mortgage, you would only have to qualify for a $200,000 mortgage, not $210,000.

Lenders treat new energy-efficient homes like any other home. They'll look at your credit history, income, and overall ability to pay without any consideration of the money you'll save on energy bills.

If you're buying an existing home and want to make it greener through an EEM, you'll have to have the home evaluated to get a HERS rating. You'll also have to meet the standard qualifications for the basic mortgage.

Three Green Home Options: Build, Buy or Improve

There are three ways to end up in a green home. The simplest approach is to buy an existing green house, although it will take some research to know for sure if the house is as efficient as advertised. Or you can have a new house built that fulfills all of your green dreams. For most people, the least expensive way to achieving a green house is to fix, adjust and improve the house they already live in. In all cases, you'll likely need financing to cover the costs.

Building a New Green Home

If you're starting from scratch, you'll want to be energy-conscious from the very beginning.

  • Start by finding a local green builder who has partnered with Energy Star. These builders are already well-versed in the latest eco-friendly building techniques.
  • Similarly, shop for products with the  Conventional Loans label. This indicates an EPA-certified ability to conserve energy.
  • Buy products with the WaterSense label. WaterSense is an EPA partnership program where approved products have been independently certified to save water.
  • Consider using highly reflective roof paint or shingles. These options absorb less heat, and can therefore, cut air conditioning costs.
  • Recycle leftover scraps of metal and other materials. Recycling options vary from state to state.
  • Eliminate ozone depleting substances from the construction process.
  • For insulation, use materials with the recommended R-value, or thermal resistance, that corresponds best with your climate and heating system.
  • Maximize the use of natural light through windows and skylights.
  • Consider home solar panels, especially if you live in a place like the southwest, with a lot of sunlight.
  • Consider planting dense evergreens and shrubs. They can naturally create shade in the summer but still allow heat in during the winter.

Buying a New Green Home

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Making Your Existing Home 'Green'

If you're concerned your home may not be as energy-efficient as it could be, you can get an efficiency audit from an Energy Star certified inspector. Among other things, the inspector will likely conduct a blower door test to check the air-tightness of the house. If the test detects significant air leaks, you can discuss possible solutions with your contractor. You may need new insulation, weather-stripping or duct work. See below for quick ways to green your home.

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THE ADVANTAGES OF A GREEN HOME

Green homes not only are better for the environment but are cost-effective. Although benefits can vary widely from house to house, the U.S. Green Building Council estimates energy-efficient buildings can, on average, cut carbon emissions by about one-third while reducing energy use by about one-fourth. Researchers at the University of California at Berkeley recently studied 11 homes in northern California that had been significantly retrofitted to improve efficiency. One house reduced its energy use by 96 percent, while the average savings of all 11 homes was 43 percent. Considering the average U.S. household spends roughly $1,400 each year on electricity, savings can really add up. Energy-efficient homes also have a higher resale value.

An energy-efficient home can also pay off in other ways, including tax credits and rebates at the local, state and federal level. The Energy.gov site has a searchable database with information on specific tax credits in your area. You can get a 10 percent credit on federal income taxes for any Energy Star rated purchases, including central air conditioning, insulation, roof, water heaters, windows, doors and skylights, in 2015 or 2016. This credit only applies if you're buying or improving an existing home, not if you're building a new home, and it can't be used on rental properties.

Many local governments also offer rebates for energy-efficient purchases. For example, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power offers rebates of up to $1,000 for homeowners who upgrade old pumps for in-ground pools. Con Edison, the energy company covering most of New York City, offers cash rebates for customers who upgrade their heating and cooling systems, including up to $1,000 for a new water boiler. You can search for rebates and other special offers by zip code here.

9 Quick Ways to Green Your Home

Here are some simple things you can do to make your more home more energy-efficient and less wasteful:

  • Install LED lights, which last longer and waste less energy than incandescent or fluorescent bulbs.
  • Use motion sensors to turn lights on and off rather than traditional light switches. This can also save on energy.
  • Turn the thermostat down at night and when you leave the house.
  • Unplug your computer and appliances when you're not using them.
  • Use rechargeable batteries.
  • Fix leaks inside and out.
  • Wash your clothes in cold water.
  • Leave grass clippings on the lawn rather than bagging them.
  • Shop for products with the WaterSense and Energy Star label.

Common Questions and Answers About Green Mortgages

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Dakota Gale is a mechanical engineer who shifted gears to provide energy-efficient financing services. His company, Green Mortgage Northwest, has helped thousands of buyers in Oregon and Washington with their sustainable financing needs.

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About Chris Woolston


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Chris Woolston is a freelance science, health and travel writer whose work has appeared in Nature, the Los Angeles Times, Hippocrates, The Chronicle of Higher Education and elsewhere. He lives with two Aussiedoodles; his wife, novelist Blythe Woolston; and assorted other family members in Billings, Montana.