CTV News has learned the Ontario government is considering making home energy audits mandatory before posting a property for sale.

The energy audits would pinpoint spots where homes waste heat and electricity. The property would be given a rating number similar to what consumers see on home appliances.

The government is working on a plan that would not force sellers to pay the $350 cost of the audit. The government is looking at possibly using revenue from the Cap and Trade carbon taxes to subsidize the audits.

Ontario Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli says that creating mandatory audits would be “about reducing emissions.”

“It’s about a healthier planet and healthier communities because it will result in significant emission reductions,” Chiarelli said.

The executive director of the Windfall Ecology Centre, Brent Kopperson, says that making audits mandatory would be a benefit to the consumer.

“It gives you the opportunity to compare one home to another with respect to its energy usage and cost,” Kopperson said.

However, there is concern that a low rating could stigmatize a home, lowering its value. But home owners would be given the opportunity to make changes to their home and have it re-evaluated.

The government wanted the audits to be rolled out by the end of 2015 but has now pushed back that deadline after concerns about the cost from stakeholders.