The world’s adoption of green renewable energy has been remarkably sluggish. Only recently have we begun to see increases in American solar panel installations. You could credit this to a shift in attitude or the global energy crisis. More people have begun to realize that they cannot completely rely on energy companies to produce their power. The tech-real estate giant Zillow began to display Sun Numbers on its listings. Of course, this confused many people. Nevertheless, the following guide will explore what Sun Number Zillow is.
What is Zillow?
Woman looking for a property on a Laptop
You may have stumbled on this article and are curious about what Zillow is and why they have Sun Numbers. Initially, Zillow began as a search engine that home buyers and renters could use to find listings and advertisements. Through partnerships with companies such as Yahoo!, they’ve established one of the biggest networks for real-estate advertising on the internet.
What is a Sun Number?
Home with the solar panel system
A 2019 Zillow study revealed that homes with solar energy systems sell more than those without (%4.1 more). This was an indicator that home buyers have begun to consider the solar potential of their future domiciles. However, it’s not just about the eco-friendliness of these homes. A house with a solar energy system can lower the total cost of electricity.
Nevertheless, Zillow introduced the Solar Number to make it easier for homebuyers to determine a listing’s solar potential. However, it’s important to note that this isn’t an invention of Zillow. Instead, the combined efforts through a partnership between Zillow and the American Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) produced the Sun Number Score.
The Sun Number began appearing next to 35 million Zillow listings in 2016. The website also reveals the score’s meaning next to key information, such as the year the house was built, the size of the lot, etc. Home buyers and sellers aren’t the only ones who stand to benefit from using the Zillow Sun Number. Solar installers can use it to determine the viability of installing solar systems in homes. It can also help installers determine the type of solar system (Grid-tied vs. Off-grid vs. Hybrid Solar Systems) that would suit your property the best. But how do Zillow and SETO calculate the Sun Number Score?
How Does Zillow Calculate The Sun Number Score
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Zillow represents the Sun Number Score using a number from 1 to 100. Zillow and SETO form the Sun Number Score by aggregating the following components:
Building Solar Score
Accounts for most of the Sun Number’s Score (80%). Zillow uses 3D visualization of the property to measure this score. They measure attributes such as:
- Roof Pitch
- Roof Orientation
- Roof Shading
- Roof Size/Roof Plane (In Square Footage)
Regional Climate Score
The country, state, province, or region of your home is important. The average weather conditions of a house will also help determine a home’s solar readiness.
Phoenix Arizona, is the sunniest place in America, with the sun shining 85% of the time. Hence, it typically has a high median Sun Number along with Las Vegas. The regional climate score makes up 8% of the final Sun Number Score.
Electricity Rates Score
This component makes up another 8% of the final score. It uses your region’s average cost of electricity. Suppose the average electricity rate in your region is lower or more affordable (on average) than in other regions. In that case, there’s less reason to migrate over to solar – at least from a cost standpoint.
Likewise, if your region’s energy costs are higher than average, there is precedent to move over to solar. As such, it will push your Electricity Rates Score up. Accordingly (and most importantly), this will increase your property’s final Sun Number Score.
Solar Cost Score
Since Solar Installers naturally have different prices from state to state, so it’s important to consider the installation cost when calculating the Sun Number Score. Of course, this component includes the price of solar components in your region. The lower the price, the higher the solar cost score.
What Does The Sun Number Zillow Mean for You?
Woman searching for rental property.
The national median Sun Number Score in America is 78. However, it would be best if you weren’t comparing your home’s score to the national average. Instead, there are median numbers for each metropolitan area. As such, you should endeavor to meet the median of your home’s region:
Conclusion
Purchasing a home and actively migrating to a solar-powered system can be complicated. However, homeowners and buyers should not hesitate to ask pertinent questions, such as what the Solar Number Zillow means. The above guide answers this question. However, this isn’t the only solar rating that buyers should be aware of. Nevertheless, if you have any other light and LED-related questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
