Pearl Certification
Last Updated: Mar 19, 2025You've probably heard of Energy Star, LEED, and Passive House - but have you heard of The Pearl National Home Certification - Pearl Certification for short? It is a game-changer in the high-performance home industry.
Table of Contents
- What Is Pearl Certification?
- What Are the Benefits of Pearl Certification?
- What Are Pearl Certification's Main Areas of Focus?
- What Types of Homes Can Be Certified with Pearl?
- How Many Homes Have Been Certified with Pearl?
- Where Is Pearl Certification Most Adopted?
- What Are the Steps to Pearl Certification?
- What Are the Levels of Pearl Certification?
- How Much Does Pearl Certification Cost?
What Is Pearl Certification?
Cynthia Adams and Robin LeBaron founded the Pearl Certification program in 2015. It is a third-party certification that has certified thousands of homes across the United States and is quickly growing in popularity.
Unlike many home certification programs, the Pearl Certification focuses primarily on homeowner education to ensure homeowners are equipped with the knowledge to keep their homes performing well.
The Pearl Certification can target existing homes. As such, you can get your home certified by Pearl no matter when it was built, as long as it follows the program's requirements. If you plan to complete an energy retrofit, you can improve your home while increasing its monetary value with the Pearl Certification.
What Types of Homes Can Be Certified with Pearl?
Only single-family homes, duplexes, and townhomes can be Pearl Certified. Condominiums and large multi-unit buildings cannot be certified.
How Many Homes Have Been Certified with Pearl?
At the time of publishing, nearly 32,000 homes have been Pearl Certified, and almost 54,000 homes have been Pearl Scored.
Where Is Pearl Certification Most Adopted?
Homes have achieved Pearl Certification in almost every state in the US, with the most concentration near Phoenix, Arizona, the Northern Virginia region, and around Atlanta, Georgia. Are you looking for a Pearl Certified home near you? Take a look at this interactive map provided by Pearl.
What Are the Levels of Pearl Certification?
You will be able to achieve one of four levels of Pearl Certification: Pearl Platinum, Pearl Gold, Pearl Silver, or Pearl Certified Assets. Like most certification programs, the Pearl Certification is based on a point system. What is unique about Pearl, however, is that the point system adjusts based on location. For instance, a building shell's components are worth more in an extreme climate like that in Maine that relies more on heating and cooling than a building shell's elements in a milder climate like North Carolina.
How Much Does Pearl Certification Cost?
On average, the Pearl Certification costs $450. However, if you work with a Pearl Agent, this fee can often be waived.
Maria Saxton
Located in Roanoke, Virginia, Maria Saxton holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Design and Planning from Virginia Tech. She works as an Environmental Planner and Housing Researcher for a local firm specializing in Community Planning, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Historic Preservation. Her dissertation explored the environmental impacts of small-scale homes. She serves as a volunteer board member for the Tiny Home Industry Association.
