Earn 12 RESNET CEUs at NCBPA Conference

The North Carolina Building Performance Association, or NCBPA, is a not-for-profit trade association that provides education and services to building performance contractors throughout the state of NC. The organization is hosting its annual High Performance Buildings Conference in Charlotte on July 12-13, and certified HERS Raters can acquire 12 RESNET CEUs simply by attending both days of the conference!

The RESNET HERS Rater Certification is valid for 3 years and must be renewed with the completion of 18 hours of RESNET-approved professional development training.

Ways to Get RESNET CEUs

There are a number of ways that certified HERS Raters can earn RESNET continuing education units. Like other standards boards, RESNET will not accept the same activities each renewal cycle, so HERS Raters must be on the look-out for fresh content and new events.

A common option for first-time HERS Raters is completing the ENERGY STAR v3 training program, which is exactly 18 hours in duration and qualifies Raters for new business concerning the ENERGY STAR Homes Certification program.

Another common option is the RESNET Building Performance Conference, which is held annually and hosted by the Residential Energy Services Network. In the last several years, the conference was held on the West Coast, namely Scottsdale, AZ (2017, 2016) and San Diego, CA (2015). The 2018 conference will be held in Orlando, FL on February 26-29. The RESNET Conference offers the total 18 hours of RESNET CEUs, but registration can be between $550-$800 depending on when you buy tickets and whether you qualify for the “member” rate.

NC Building Performance Association Conference banner

The NCBPA Conference is a great option for HERS Raters in the Southeast. The two-day registration fee ranges from $195-$290 depending on when you buy tickets and whether you are an NCBPA member. The conference is comprised of 40 sessions, with topics that impact the following building types:

  • Single-family homes
  • Commercial and office buildings
  • Governmental and institutional buildings
  • Retail stores and restaurants
  • Agricultural buildings
  • Multifamily buildings
  • Leisure and hospitality buildings
  • Healthcare and hospital facilities
  • Warehouses and data centers
  • Manufacturing and industrial facilities

Participants will be able to acquire CEUs for multiple certifications and boards, including LEED, AIA, BPI, RESNET, NAHB, PDH, CEM, PEM, CFE, ASHRAE, and AIC.

Remember, though, that a total of 12 RESNET CEUs will be available at the NCBPA Conference. HERS Raters will still need to acquire 6 RESNET CEUs during their 3-year renewal cycle.

For more information, please visit the NCBPA website or review the RESNET HERS Rater Certification process guidelines.

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Greenbuild Conference Expands to China, India

Greenbuild is the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building. Since 2002, the event has been held annually in the United States. As LEED certification has expanded internationally, so too has the Greenbuild conference – with the launch of Greenbuilding Brazil in 2009 and Greenbuild EuroMed in 2015 (for European and Mediterranean countries).

For the first time ever, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) – the creators of the LEED green building rating system – will offer Greenbuild in China and India.

If you’re new to LEED and want to begin learning green building terms so you can participate in sustainability events like Greenbuild, start with reading our What is LEED? overview series.

Why Greenbuild is Expanding

Mahesh Ramanujam, president & CEO of USGBC and GBCI, identified China as the largest market and India as the third largest market for LEED outside the U.S. Expanding the Greenbuild Conference to these locations is one of the ways in which USGBC can bring resources to advance more rapid adoption of green building practices in these countries.

Green building is projected to grow 20% in India, specifically, by 2018.

China certified 35 square meters of LEED space per person in 2016, accounting for nearly 1,000 LEED-certified projects.

Emerging economies like China, India, and Brazil are engines of green growth, and development varies from two to six-fold over current green building levels.

In addition to the U.S.-based Greenbuild Conference in Boston on Nov. 8-10, 2017, USGBC will offer the following Greenbuild events around the world:

  • Aug. 8-10, 2017: Sao Paolo, Brazil
  • Oct. 17-18, 2017: Shanghai, China
  • Nov. 2-5, 2017: Mumbai, India

Last year’s Greenbuild conference took place in Los Angeles, CA and included an overall attendance of 18,079. There were 531 exhibiting companies participating in 138,960 square feet of exhibit and display space on the trade show floor.

Greenbuild exhibition floor image

This is truly an exciting announcement. After 15 years, the world’s largest green building conference has gotten so large that the USGBC can conceivably host FOUR Greenbuild expos back-to-back in four completely different locations. This is sure to be a massive undertaking, yet time and time again, USGBC has shown that it can plan and organize a Greenbuild event as efficiently as a well-oiled machine. Those involved clearly feel confident with the task at hand.

I’m looking forward to all the photo and video footage from the international events. Hopefully we will have more to share (statistics and takeaways) in the Fall after these events occur! Stay tuned.

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Nevada Solar Makes a Comeback

In early 2016, we talked about a solar tarrif decision in the state of Nevada that increased service charges for net-metered solar customers and lowered compensation for net excess solar generation from a retail rate to a wholesale rate. In other words, the local utilities were doing what they could to block net metering, which would then limit homeowners with solar panels from selling excess electricity to their utility at a reasonable rate.

The decision angered solar companies, who believed that the new policy would lower net metering compensation to the point where rooftop solar no longer made sense. As a result, several solar companies, including Sunrun and Tesla-owned SolarCity, halted operations in Nevada – which led to an estimated 2,600 jobs being lost.

For more information about net metering and other legislative policies that encourage solar energy growth, check out this post on state solar policies.

There has been an ongoing debate since 2016 to determine how to move forward. But earlier this month, Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval signed a bill to reinstate net metering and entice residential solar installers from SolarCity and Sunrun to return to the state.    

According to NPR, the new legislation enables homeowners with solar panels to sell excess electricity to the utility at a reduced rate. The Nevada law also creates new protections for homeowners, such as a guaranteed net metering rate for 20 years.

How This Policy Impacts Solar Jobs in Nevada

After an 18-month absence, Nevada can begin to reclaim its position as a top state for solar energy jobs.

Prior to the change in state policy, Nevada boasted more solar jobs per capita than any other state. In 2016, Nevada slipped to the fourth position for solar jobs – which is actually pretty good considering its legislative woes. Nevada is destined to be a major solar market, so it’s great news that the governor has recognized this and taken actionable steps to help the state reach its potential.

Sean Gallagher, vice president of states affairs for the Solar Energy Industries Association, predicts that the new legislation can help the state gain thousands of solar jobs that were lost.

Both SolarCity and Sunrun pledged to resume sales in Nevada if Governor Sandoval signed the bill, and it certainly sent a unified message when the governor held the signing ceremony at a Tesla facility in Las Vegas.

Nevada Governor Sandoval presents Tesla VP of Business Development with a vanity license plate

Tesla Chief Technical Officer JB Straubel added that the new legislation would bring in “millions of dollars in positive economic benefit” over time and that the company would resume selling solar systems immediately.

The Sunrun company website hasn’t yet added Nevada to its list of states where they operate, but this will likely change in the coming weeks. The company distributed a press release on June 6 announcing its plans to re-enter the Nevada solar market.

Through its ups and downs, Nevada seems like a happening place to be for residential solar installations. This new legislation will only make things better.

If you’re interested in starting a career as a solar installer, learn more about Everblue’s NABCEP PV Installation Professional program, which provides over 100 hours of online and live content related to photovoltaic electricity, solar panel installation, and solar design and sales strategies.

Image by Steve Keegan of Reuters

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Is LEED Certification International? An Introduction to LEED Earth

Yes, LEED Certification is intended to be international, and this flexibility is part of the reason why LEED Certification has grown to be the most widely used green building rating system in the world, with 1.85 million square feet of construction space certifying every day.

If that statistic alone is enough to get you pumped about LEED Certification, enough to make you want to learn more about it right now, visit our What is LEED Certification? series and become familiar with the basic terms, certification process, and benefits.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the organization that created the LEED standards, offers two awesome opportunities to encourage LEED Certification around the world. The opportunities fall under what’s called the LEED Earth campaign.

What is LEED Earth?

LEED Earth is a campaign that offers LEED Certification at no cost to two types of building projects:

  • The first projects to certify in the over 100 countries where LEED has yet to take root
  • The first LEED Platinum project in any country to certify using the newest version of LEED (LEED v4)

What this means is that LEED Earth encourages green-building trailblazers in developing countries to bring LEED Certification and environmental awareness to their communities.

Benefits of the LEED Earth Campaign

This is a tremendous opportunity for individuals to stand out from other professionals in their field – by potentially being one of the first professionals in their country to earn a LEED professional credential as well as a free LEED Certification achievement. While others may eventually share in those achievements, nobody can compare to the person who earned it first.

There is a massive opportunity for personal marketability and a somewhat intangible benefit of revolutionizing real estate development in developing countries. After the notoriety earned from that first LEED Certification project, one might expect to see more eyes being opened to the benefits of green building and eventually more LEED Certification projects to follow suit.

The USGBC has identified the countries that remain eligible to participate in the LEED Earth campaign. Click the image to see a larger version in a new window.

is LEED certification international? Yes, and LEED Earth will help support it

Currently, there are a total of 32 countries recognized by the LEED Earth campaign. In early June 2017, the USGBC highlighted recent additions to the campaign, including Armenia, Trinidad and Tobago, French Polynesia, Nigeria, Oman, Morocco, Montenegro and Cambodia. Costa Rica achieved its first LEED v4 Platinum building as part of the program.

Why USGBC Wants to Encourage LEED v4 Platinum Projects

With regard to the second type of building project, the USGBC wants to encourage building professionals to implement the newest strategies and technologies, knowing that such practices result in greater energy savings and indoor air quality.

Every few years, the USGBC undergoes a rigorous review of its LEED standards and debuts an updated version of the program. The most recent version, called LEED Version 4, was introduced in late 2014.

Project teams were given an opportunity to choose between satisfying LEED 2009 standards or LEED v4 standards when pursuing LEED Certification for their building projects. The USGBC initially set a deadline for June 2015 as the time when all projects had to register under LEED v4 guidelines. However, the market needed additional time to understand the changes from LEED 2009 to LEED v4, so the USGBC pushed the deadline to October 31, 2016. Now, all LEED projects must pursue certification under the LEED v4 standards.

Since LEED Certification is still trickling to various countries, the shift to LEED v4 has equally trickled down. Therefore, the USGBC wants to reward project teams that certify under the newest version. The second part of the LEED Earth campaign pushes project teams to not only pursue LEED v4 but to achieve the highest possible certification level, which is LEED Platinum. This results in the best-of-the-best design, construction, and operations practices.

While this may appear daunting, the prospect of earning that LEED Platinum Certification at no cost is rather appealing.

How to Join the LEED Earth Campaign

If you’re reading this post, and you live in any of the countries listed in the graphic above, you should definitely consider earning a LEED credential and aspiring to earn the free LEED Certification for your country.

Your first step will be to enroll in LEED Green Associate training and pass the LEED Green Associate exam. From there, you might choose to advance to a LEED AP professional credential or begin working with a project team on a potential LEED Certification project.

You should also visit the LEED Earth website and request information from the USGBC regarding any necessary paperwork to officially record your involvement with the campaign.

The LEED Earth campaign is such a great idea and awesome opportunity that will continue to support LEED Certification internationally. As a USGBC Education Partner, we at Everblue would love to assist you in your journey of LEED knowledge. Our LEED training courses are comprehensive and include a vast range of study materials. I’m pumped thinking about how much you will learn and the positive environmental impact and economic growth that you can bring to your community!

Start learning about LEED today – our online training courses give you immediate access to the knowledge. LEED Certification is available internationally, and so is LEED training! Call us at (800) 460-2575 to get started!

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Solar Ready Homes Must Become Common Practice

There is a growing trend in new construction called “solar ready homes.” This phrase refers to viewing a home as an entire package and considering all of the building strategies, including rooftop solar, that would satisfy homeowner demand and result in a more durable, energy-efficient, and healthy home.

Over the last 10 years, residential building contractors have been increasingly changing their mindset to more of a house-as-a-system mentality anyway. At one time, it was not uncommon to have subcontractors who specialized in a specific area only. Now, contractors are striving to become more well-rounded and thus advertise themselves as home performance professionals who specialize in whole-house systems. With greater environmental awareness, and studies revealing the massive benefits of energy efficiency, it is becoming standard practice for building professionals to have familiarity with many aspects of a home and to consider all of the potential at the outset.

Before we continue, if you’d like to take a moment to learn more about the employment outlook for solar contractors or gain information about how to add solar skills to your business, visit our Getting Started With Solar series.

Why Solar-Ready Building Practices Are Important

Architects, engineers, and builders must work together in the design stage to optimize a home’s orientation and roof in a way that would allow for maximum energy production either from initial solar panel installation or future adoption.

“It is the worst kind of antiquated thinking for any new homes to be constructed that are not solar ready,” said Neal Lewis, the executive director of the Sustainability Institute at Molloy College.

In addition to homeowners wanting to save money on utility bills and do their part to improve the environment, more and more municipalities are requiring net zero energy from new residential and commercial construction. In other words, state and local governments are starting to incorporate rooftop solar guidelines into their building codes and adopt the most up-to-date electric and safety codes.

For example, one of our posts last year discussed the six California cities that require rooftop solar panels. And just last month, the Fremont City Council voted to require solar panel installation on new housing developments. Needless to say, CA home builders must be knowledgeable in solar-ready building practices in order to be compliant with their local code requirements.

solar ready homes image

Adrienne Esposito, executive director at Citizens Campaign for the Environment, noted that design changes that accommodate solar arrays are simple to include during the building process and could be difficult and costly to change after construction. With municipalities across the country moving more in the direction of clean energy, it would certainly be forward-thinking for builders and architects to design with solar in mind now than pay the price later.

What’s great about solar-ready homes is that the added clean energy maximizes financial returns and can cover 100% of energy needs, including electric loads, vehicle charging, heating, and cooling of the entire home. This is the direction that homebuilding is going.

Next Steps

Moreover, builders may also want to consider “battery ready” building practices. This refers to the process of making solar energy available during times when the solar panels themselves may not be producing energy (such as night time and bad weather). The batteries store the electric energy for later use.

If you work in a residential building trade, you know that consumers are taking a more active role in understanding building practices – purely from the standpoint of wanting to lower energy costs, increase thermal comfort, improve indoor air quality, reduce environmental impacts, etc. Solar is the next stop on the bus.

Home builders have a great opportunity now to stand out with their solar-ready homes.

If you want an introduction to solar energy systems and processes, take a look at our PV101 Solar Associate webinar. This 40-hour online webinar provides a thorough overview of solar photovoltaic and solar heating systems, allowing you to talk-the-talk and walk-the-walk on a job site. At a competitively low price of $599, you can begin your journey of becoming a solar-ready builder as early as…today! This course is also approved for 20 continuing education units from the Building Performance Institute (BPI).

Give us a call at (800) 460-2575 to learn more about how solar can impact your career in the residential construction industry. You can also email us at [email protected] with your questions, and we’ll point you in the right direction!

Image courtesy of Modernize

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LMS vs. CMS: What’s the Difference?

Within the world of online learning, you’ve maybe heard of a learning management system (LMS), but there’s a very similar acronym that you might also stumble upon: CMS.

Both acronyms represent online systems that manage content, but they refer to different types of content and have different uses.

  •  LMS stands for Learning Management System
  •  CMS stands for Content Management System

    • Yes, online courses are technically content, but, as you can imagine, training courses are more appropriately categorized under “learning” than just “content.”

    LMS vs. CMS e-learning

    So what type of content does a CMS organize?

    A CMS is largely used to manage website and blog content. WordPress, for example, is a content management system. If you’ve used WordPress to publish a blog post for your company or manage e-commerce product pages, then you know that all those pages of content are housed within one central WordPress CMS platform.

    CMS systems typically come equipped with themes that were created by a developer. In other words, you can quickly implement a design and structure that another person painstakingly coded him or herself. This saves you from having to be the one to write all the code from scratch. That said, themes usually include a variety of options and permissions so that you can build from the theme’s foundation and personalize the look and feel of your website.

    How LMS and CMS work together

    Let’s say that you work for an online training company. Your typical customer journey will involve visiting your website, purchasing a course, logging in to view that course, and participating in the required activities. That journey involves touching the CMS and the LMS.

    You might think of the CMS as the “front end” and the LMS as the “back end.” The front end is publicly accessible to anyone who encounters it. The back end is locked down to only users with appropriate credentials and permissions (ie, paying customers).

    So, to retrace the customer journey:

  • Prospective customer visits your website = CMS
  • User purchases your course = shopping cart (can be integrated into the CMS)
  • Client logs in to view the course = LMS
  • Client participates in the required activities = LMS

    • As you can see, the conversation doesn’t have to be LMS vs CMS because the two systems work together.

    Examples of CMS systems include WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, and Magento.

    Examples of LMS systems include Moodle, Canvas, Blackboard, and Brightspace.

    Any organization with a website needs a CMS, but not every organization needs an LMS. You only need an LMS if you will be offering some kind of online training – either to paying customers or to internal employees/stakeholders.

    We specialize in online course delivery and instructional design. For more information about packaging content in CMS and LMS systems, give us a call at (800) 460-2575.

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    Over 200 MA Municipalities Adopt Stretch Code

    Massachusetts has long been a leader for energy efficiency. Since 2008, Massachusetts has pledged to upgrade its building code every three years to align with the most recent version of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). In other words, MA builders and contractors will be routinely required to implement new strategies and technologies that lead to better, safer, and more energy-efficient homes.

    If you want to learn more about how contractors are becoming energy efficiency experts working with builders to ensure that new homes are meeting building code requirements, browse our What is RESNET? section and learn about the RESNET Certification program.

    One of Massachusett’s most admirable accomplishments occurred in 2009, when it became the first state to adopt an above-building code appendix called the Stretch Code.

    What is the Stretch Code?

    The Stretch Code offers guidance to builders and contractors who want to design new homes with energy performance in mind. The appendix takes the “base” building code requirements to the next level by providing cost-effective construction strategies that yield greater energy savings than the “base” code.

    In 2015-2016, the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) hired an independent building energy consulting firm to look at the cost-benefit trade-off of building new single-family and multi-family homes to the 2015 Stretch Code. Every test conducted showed homeowners seeing a positive cash-flow from day 1 after purchasing a 2015 stretch code home vs. a 2015 base code compliant home.

    Another interesting component to the MA Stretch Code is that municipalities can choose to adopt it in lieu of the base building code. As of June 7, 2017, 203 municipalities had adopted the Stretch Code, with more expected in the upcoming months. In fact, it appears that two municipalities adopted the Stretch Code in just the last three weeks.

    To put that into perspective, Wikipedia notes that there are 351 municipalities in total in Massachusetts – based on the form of government, there are 295 towns and 56 cities.

    Massachusetts stretch code adoption image

    Click to enlarge image

    So 203 out of 351 total municipalities results in approximately 58% of the state going above and beyond the base building code and choosing to implement the most cutting-edge green technologies in their new housing stock.

    It’s no wonder that Mass. is one of our best states for RESNET HERS Rater training. The local building codes certainly encourage energy-efficient building practices, and it’s clear from the widespread adoption of the Stretch Code that energy-efficient building practices are indeed preferred.

    If you’re a MA home builder, you need to remain competitive with the necessary understanding of building code requirements. Likewise, residential contractors performing ancillary services must also be aware of the preferred energy-saving strategies.

    For more information about how you can maintain a competitive edge in the MA residential housing market, give us a call at (800) 460-2575 or email [email protected] with your questions.

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    NABCEP Solar Inspector Certifications Now Available

    NABCEP recently distributed an email that officially marked the launch of the two new solar inspector certifications, one for photovoltaic systems and the other for solar heating systems.

    If NABCEP and photovoltaic are new terms for you, please take a moment to review our Solar Overview series where we will cover ways in which individuals can pursue solar energy as a career and add these skills to their business.

    If you’re as intrigued about these new NABCEP certification credentials as we are, keep reading!

    Become a Certified Solar Inspector Now

    It appears as though the exams for the Photovoltaic System Inspector (PVI) and Solar Heating System Inspector (SHSI) certification exams are now available.

    When you visit the NABCEP website, you’ll see “PV and Solar Heating System Inspector Certification Programs” in the left sidebar menu. From there, you’ll find links to the NABCEP System Inspector Handbook, Job Task Analyses, and NABCEP Testing Portal.

    How the NABCEP System Inspector Certifications Fit In

    If you’re familiar with the NABCEP credentialing program, you know that there are several credentials/certifications that you can earn.

    solar inspector certifications join NABCEP list

    The 1 superscript shown beside the Certifications heading comes with this note: “While this Handbook tries to differentiate between NABCEP Certificants and NABCEP Credential holders, the term ‘Credential’ applies to both.”

    Oh, how I wish I could explain the thought process here! I’ll try my best…

    The NABCEP Associate program used to be called the NABCEP Entry Level program and existed to demonstrate one’s proficiency with basic solar electric and solar thermal concepts. Because there were no continuing education requirements for the NABCEP Entry Level designations, NABCEP largely referred to these titles as “Credentials.” You would possess a Certificate of Knowledge, not a Certification. The “Certifications” were more advanced, had more eligibility requirements, and had continuing education requirements.

    In August 2016, NABCEP rebranded the Entry Level program to the new title of Associate. Aside from the name change, one of the biggest differences between the Entry Level and the Associate designations was the introduction of continuing education requirements for Associate professionals. Following this pattern, you would think the Associate titles would be considered “Certifications” but…no?

    So what I take away from the footnote is that anyone with any of the titles in the above graphic would be in possession of a NABCEP Credential. NABCEP, however, adds an extra layer of significance to the credential holders in the left column, stating that they have a “Certification,” whereas folks living in the right column have only a “Credential.”

    Now that we’re clear on that terminology, let’s try to understand why the PV System Inspector and Solar Heating System Inspectors are considered “Certifications.”

    How to Qualify for the NABCEP Solar Inspector Certifications

    As we just noted, the NABCEP Certifications generally have a long list of eligibility requirements.

    What we find particularly interesting about the new solar inspector certifications are the lack of stated prerequisites. The name alone implies that the candidate should have some familiarity with photovoltaic and/or solar thermal systems, but NABCEP does not explicitly state what they expect that familiarity to be. After all, how can you inspect something that you have no experience with?

    You might say that a solar system inspector provides quality assurance that a solar installation was set up correctly, and how intriguing that the prerequisites for these exams do not specifically identify any education or experience requirements.

    Eligibility Requirements

    To take the NABCEP PVSI or SHSI exams, a candidate must:

    • Be at least 18 years old
    • Complete an application
    • Sign and agree to uphold the NABCEP Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct
    • Pay all applicable exam fees to NABCEP

    The NABCEP System Inspector Handbook states that the NABCEP solar inspector exams are intended to test the knowledge of someone who is familiar with photovoltaic and/or solar thermal systems. Applicants should know how to assess the safety and operation of a system and be able to verify code compliance via interpretation of design plans and building documents, conduct on-site inspections, and report results.

    So, while not stated in the eligibility requirements, it seems fairly suggested that a candidate have some kind of education or experience before attempting the solar inspector certification exams. NABCEP is just not stating explicitly what that education or experience should be.

    Solar Inspector Knowledge Areas

    Let’s take a look at the learning objectives from the PVSI and SHSI Job Task Analyses to get a better idea of what knowledge candidates should possess before attempting the solar inspector exams.

    Photovoltaic System Inspector Exam – 4 primary knowledge areas

    The PVSI exam tests a candidate’s competencies regarding 15 tasks organized into 4 performance domains:

    • Inspecting Electrical Components and Systems (44% of exam)
    • Inspecting Energy Storage Components and Systems (21%)
    • Inspecting Mechanical/Structural Components and Systems (21%)
    • Documentation for the System Inspection (14%)

    Solar Heating Inspector Exam – 5 primary knowledge areas

    The SHSI exam tests a candidate’s competencies regarding 13 tasks organized into 5 performance domains:

    • Appropriate System Design for Applications
    • Structural
    • Mechanical and Solar Loop
    • Plumbing/Potable Piping
    • Electrical

    The exam proportions for each SHSI knowledge area do not appear to be available yet.

    Within each performance domain, the tasks are categorized according to their priority or importance using three levels:

    • Critical
    • Very Important
    • Important

    If you’re following along with the Job Task Analysis for the SHSI Certification, you’ll notice that Very Important is highlighted yellow early on in the document, but the matching color beside the task(s) is labeled only as Important. Important is highlighted blue early on in the document, and the matching color beside the task(s) is labeled as Useful. It’s a little confusing. The prioritization levels are much more clear and consistent in the PVSI Job Task Analysis.

    Next Steps

    There’s no doubt that the PV System Inspector and Solar Heating System Inspector Certifications have value and fill a much-needed gap in the solar workforce. With the increase in solar installations and more rigorous solar standards being written into the National Electric Code, there needs to be educated, experienced, certified individuals who can competently inspect the work and make sure it was done correctly and with safety in mind.

    But…I have to wonder if NABCEP has jumped the gun in introducing these exams. There are several inconsistencies and vague areas that need to be clarified. The optimist in me wonders if NABCEP introduced these exams in this state in order to help those who need the certification “now” and will fix the inconsistencies later after having had a score of individuals go through the process. But it’s difficult to advise people when there’s not enough information to make an educated decision…

    What I’d Like to See Fixed

    If possible, I would wait to pursue the solar inspector certification until the following areas have been resolved:

    • Outline specific education and/or experience requirements
    • Clearly define the difference between a “certification” and a “credential”
    • Provide a recommended career pathway (PV Associate first, then PV Installation Professional, then PV System Inspector)
    • Clarify the importance of the SHSI performance domains by assigning proportional exam weights to each
    • Correct the priority levels in the SHSI JTA so that the Very Important/Important and Important/Useful categories match

    Only then would I feel more comfortable recommending these new certifications. Again, there IS value in solar system inspection, and introducing these exams is a great step for NABCEP and the solar workforce. I just want to know that the information that has been presented so far will be fleshed out.

    As it stands now, the PV and Solar Heating Inspector Certifications are listed under the Associate Program and above the Get Certified link in NABCEP’s menu. On a somewhat subconscious level, you might think that the inspector certification is the middle step in the credential process…but is it? I’m sure NABCEP just wanted to offer visibility and prominence to its new certifications, but if they are, in fact, certifications (like PV Installation Professional and PV Technical Sales), shouldn’t they be listed under the Get Certified link?

    If You Are New to Solar

    We recommend that you begin with the NABCEP PV Associate program.

    This credential demonstrates a broad understanding of solar energy systems, electricity, safety, and system maintenance. You can qualify for this entry-level exam with Everblue’s NABCEP PV Associate course.

    After You’ve Passed the NABCEP PV Associate Exam

    We recommend that you pursue the NABCEP PV Installation Professional exam.

    Once you have the fundamental knowledge, you can push yourself further by understanding the technical intricacies of solar panel installation. This is an advanced certification with a multitude of eligibility requirements. The Training requirement can be achieved through Everblue’s NABCEP PV Installation Professional program.

    After You’ve Passed the NABCEP PV Installation Professional Exam

    You may choose to pursue the NABCEP PV Technical Sales exam or the NABCEP PV System Inspector exam.

    Only after you’ve demonstrated entry-level and advanced proficiency in solar photovoltaic system design, installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting should you consider pursuing these ultra-advanced exams (in my opinion).

    It’s like when you’re a business owner – the most successful business owners understand how all the bits and pieces work together on a “daily tasks/transactions” level as opposed to those business owners who bark orders without any understanding of what processes are necessary to satisfy the command. In solar terms, an individual will be far more successful as a salesperson or as an inspector if he/she has a sufficient understanding of how solar systems are designed, installed, and maintained.

    This is just my two cents and my initial impression of the new NABCEP solar inspector certifications. Perhaps I’m being too critical of something so new, and perhaps the areas of weakness listed above were already intended to be fleshed out. Let us know what you think about the solar inspector certifications by commenting on Everblue’s Facebook page or dropping us a line on Twitter to @everblue_edu.

    For more information on how to get started with a career in solar energy, give us a call at (800) 460-2575 or email us at [email protected].

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    The Best Time to Buy Your LEED Exam: How to Know When You’re Ready

    No, we’re not aware of any seasonal promotions for the LEED Exams, but we do have a few tips and tricks that will help you save money and/or make the most of your educational investment. In fact, follow our tips below, and you’ll feel much more confident about buying your LEED exam!

    If you’re new to LEED and want to take a quick step back to understanding the LEED certification process, please visit our Getting Started With LEED series.

    If you’ve researched LEED and know that one step in the process is to purchase your LEED exam from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), then keep reading!

    How to Register for the LEED Exam

    Naturally, as you’re researching LEED, you’ve probably stumbled on the USGBC website. The USGBC created the LEED standards in 1993 and manage the dissemination of all LEED-related information.

    As you’re learning about the LEED credentials on the USGBC website, you see buttons inviting you to “Register for the Exam.” This link takes you to an Account Login page. If you don’t already have a USGBC account, you’ll need to create one.

    But what a second – if you’re early into your LEED research, should you buy your LEED exam now?

    The answer is no, and there are three reasons for that.

    • You don’t understand the LEED green building concepts yet! Cart, meet Horse.
    • You don’t understand all the LEED exam price options. You want to save money, right?
    • There is a one-year “application period” to take the exam. Let’s tackle this one first.

    When to Take the LEED Exam

    When you purchase your LEED exam, you essentially buy yourself a one-year period to learn the topics, study, and schedule your testing appointment.

    That seems like plenty of time, right?

    when should you buy your LEED exam?

    Well, the reality is that sometimes, life gets in the way. A lot can happen in one year, and you don’t necessarily know what your schedule is going to look like over the next few weeks and months. Something unexpected could pop up and completely derail your learning and study efforts.

    Not to mention, with the potential for LIFE to happen, you might have difficulty remembering when exactly you purchased your exam – and thus, when your application period is set to end.

    Thankfully, the USGBC offers an opportunity for refunds and exam rescheduling. Both are allowed with no penalty with at least 30 days’ notice before the exam date. Both are allowed with a $50 fee within 3-29 days of the exam session. Neither is allowed within 2 days of the exam.

    So it’s possible to recognize at least one month before your exam date that you’re not ready and that you want to (a) get a refund and (b) initiate the process again later. But this is a slippery slope. It’s always easier to prepare for an exam when you have a tangible exam date in front of you. How many times have you said to yourself, “Yeah, I’ll get to that” and never do?

    Preparing for an exam can already be a somewhat stressful experience. There’s no sense adding the USGBC application period on top of that! It would be pretty awful if you came into your final weeks of eligibility and realized that you didn’t feel ready to take the exam.

    Verdict: Purchase your LEED exam when you feel ready to feasibly take the exam within 3-4 weeks.

    This will keep your study efforts on track and solidify your commitment to this goal. Don’t be worried about exam availability – the LEED exams are offered Monday through Saturday from 8 AM to 8 PM based on availability in the Prometric computer lab. It is very possible to find a LEED exam appointment within 1-2 days.

    LEED Exam Pricing

    This is where we talk about saving money!

    The USGBC website lists the LEED Green Associate exam fee as $250 for non-members and $200 for members.

    USGBC Members

    USGBC member logoThe “membership” listed here refers to Company Membership. Companies can pay an annual fee (at various levels) to be considered a USGBC National Member. Individuals who are full-time employees of a USGBC National Member Company are eligible for the $50 discount. Individuals who are members of their local USGBC chapter are not eligible for this $50 discount.

    Full-Time Students

    Full-time students can purchase their LEED Green Associate exam for $100. During the registration process, the candidate will be asked to supply some basic information to verify their student status.

    Veterans

    The USGBC also has a relationship with the Veterans Administration to reimburse the cost of the LEED Green Associate and LEED AP exams through VA Licensing and Certification benefits.

    Full Exam vs. Specialty Only Exam

    Finally, if you’re looking at the LEED AP exams on the USGBC website, you’ll see exam pricing for the “Full Exam” and the “Specialty Only Exam.” The Full Exam is made up of the 2-hour LEED Green Associate exam, immediately followed by the 2-hour LEED AP Specialty exam (no breaks). As you may know, it is required for all candidates to pass the LEED Green Associate exam before they can become a LEED AP Specialty, so the USGBC offers this combined GA/AP exam to fast-track candidates to the LEED AP Specialty level. Therefore, the Specialty Only exam contains only the 2-hour LEED AP Specialty exam contents. This assumes that a candidate has already taken and passed the standalone LEED Green Associate exam on another occasion.

    There are some things you need to know about the combined GA/AP exam.

    • If you are new to LEED, you should not challenge the LEED Green Associate and LEED AP exams at the same time. That’d be quite a risk to take because if you fail either part – Green Associate or AP – you walk away empty-handed.
    • The “Full Exam” does not skimp on the material. When you choose this option, you are signing yourself up for the actual LEED Green Associate exam (100 questions in 2 hours) and the actual LEED AP Specialty exam (100 questions in 2 hours). This can be pretty overwhelming and exhausting.
    • There is a $50 discount if you opt for the “Full Exam” versus taking the standalone LEED Green Associate exam and the standalone LEED AP Specialty exam on separate occasions. However, as we mentioned, if you fail either part of the Full Exam, you walk away WITHOUT any LEED credential. If you pass the LEED Green Associate portion, you can contact USGBC customer service and request for that credential to be counted. This request comes with a $50 application fee. So, at the end of the day, you did not save any money. In fact, you kind of wasted $350 on the LEED AP Specialty portion. You could have waited until you were legitimately ready for the LEED AP Specialty exam and spent the $350 then, with positive results.

    Summary: Veterans and full-time students have the best LEED exam discounts, as do employees of USGBC National Member Companies. Also, there are some pros and several cons to taking the “Full Exam;” do your research and think critically about whether this is the right choice for you.

    First You Learn, Then You Test

    And this is where we talk about putting the cart before the horse – or, actually, our recommendation to stick with the traditional way of achieving a goal, which is to learn the concepts and then buy the exam.

    cart before horse image

    Folks working in the building design, construction, and operations industries often make the mistake of thinking that their personal work experience alone warrants them the knowledge to pass the LEED exam. While this is possible (especially for those who frequently work on LEED projects), it is not common.

    LEED is a unique green building certification system with specific criteria and compliance options. Folks with industry experience certainly have an advantage of being familiar with building terms and processes, but this is not the same as understanding LEED-specific terminology and LEED certification requirements.

    It should be noted that the LEED exams specifically evaluate a candidate’s understanding of the LEED rating system requirements. The exams are not vague and do not cover the complete range of construction processes. For these reasons, it’s important that a candidate intentionally learn and study the LEED exam knowledge areas.

    There are a number of ways to learn about LEED – classes, books, practice quizzes, flashcards, workshops, study groups, semester-based degree programs, etc. The way you choose to learn about LEED should align with your learning style, budget, and work/life schedule.

    Of course Everblue is a USGBC Education Partner and its LEED Exam Prep training courses have resulted in a 99% first-time pass rate on the LEED Green Associate exam. We’ve trained hundreds of thousands of professionals worldwide from various educational and work backgrounds. Our course formats touch on a range of learning styles, budgets, and time commitments; we’re proud that our student success rates have been consistent since 2008 and apply to these adaptive and flexible needs.

    Recommendation: If you’re ready to learn about LEED, start now with one of our LEED Green Associate Exam Prep training formats.

    Hopefully by now you feel a bit more confident about buying the LEED exam – now having a sense of the allotted time frame after buying your exam, the different LEED exam pricing options, and how to get started with LEED training.

    If you have any other questions about taking the LEED exam, please give us a call at (800) 460-2575.

    Register now for LEED Green Associate
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    How to Install Solar Panels in Idaho & Overview of Electrical Licenses

    On July 1, 2017, the state of Idaho implemented the 2017 version of the National Electric Code (NEC), which sets the foundation for electrical safety in residential, commercial, and industrial occupations. Currently, only one other state has implemented the 2017 NEC code, though more states are expected to put its rules into effect this summer. This code update is important, especially when we think about how to install solar panels in Idaho.

    By adopting the most up-to-date version of the NEC Code, Idaho stands out as a leader for supporting electrical safety and encouraging the growth of solar installation jobs. As we will go over in this post, Idaho offers two pathways to licensure for those interested in adding solar installations to their business – one involves becoming a licensed electrician, and the other involves earning a NABCEP Certification.

    If you want to learn more about the NABCEP Certification program, please visit our Introduction to Solar series.

    How to Install Solar Panels in Idaho

    If you’re ready to learn how to install solar panels in Idaho (including the Idaho electrical license requirements), keep reading!

    becoming an idaho electrical contractor chart

    The state of Idaho offers the following electrical licenses (in order of achievement):

    • Apprentice Electrician
    • Journeyman Electrician
    • Master Electrician
    • Electrical Contractor

    The Idaho Photovoltaic (Solar) Installer license is one of nine Specialty Electrical Licenses. To earn a specialty license, an individual can follow this pathway of licensure:

    • Specialty Electrician Trainee
    • Specialty Electrical Journeyman
    • Specialty Electrical Contractor

    becoming a solar installer in Idaho chart

    For more information about the eligibility requirements for each license phase, please visit the Idaho Division of Building Safety website.

    Why Earn the Specialty License vs. the Electrician’s License?

    The Specialty Electrical licenses offer an opportunity for individuals to install solar even if they are not licensed electricians.

    Let’s look at the Journeyman phase as an example. The Journeyman Electrician must document a minimum of 6,000 hours of work experience as an apprentice, have completed four years of approved electrical apprenticeship school, and pass an exam. On the Specialty side, the Electrical Specialty Journeyman must document a minimum of 4,000 hours of work experience, show proof of NABCEP Certification, and pass an exam.

    As you can see, the 4-year technical education can be “substituted” with a professional solar panel installation certification from NABCEP.

    In short, there is a long and formal process to become a licensed electrician. However, if you get NABCEP certified, you can earn the Specialty Electrical license with much less time and money. To see what the NABCEP Certification process would look like, see our page on the NABCEP PV Installation Certification requirements.

    Not to mention, if your goal is to install solar, the Specialty Electrical license is simply a better fit than the traditional electrician’s license. After all the time and money spent, licensed electricians are able to perform a wide range of actions – but solar installers don’t need all that. They just need to be able to connect to the service panel with a breaker or disconnect. Solar installation is a specialty skill set, and Idaho provides a quick and easy pathway to obtain the specialty license.

    A few specific notes about the Photovoltaic (Solar) Installer License:

    • The license holder must be employed by a licensed electrical contractor whose license is in the same category.
    • The license holder may not countersign a contractor’s application as a supervising specialty journeyman except for work in his specialty.
    • Applicants for this license class must provide proof of photovoltaic installer certification by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) or equivalent.

    Any person with the solar photovoltaic license can perform the following types of installations:

    • Solar Photovoltaic DC Systems: Install, maintain, repair, and replace all electrical equipment, wires, and accessories up to and including the inverter.
    • Solar Photovoltaic micro-inverter/AC Systems: Install, maintain, repair, and replace all electrical equipment, wires, and accessories up to and including the AC combiner box.

    Are You Ready to Join the Solar Workforce?

    If you live in Idaho, and you want to add solar installation to your list of skills, let us help you work toward the NABCEP Certification with our NABCEP PV Installation Professional training program.

    Our multi-course Combo program covers a comprehensive range of solar energy topics, including electrical safety, solar design and sales, and hands-on solar panel installation.

    With this set of fundamental skills under your belt, you’ll be well-equipped to begin documenting your 4,000 hours of work experience (equivalent to 2 years) and preparing for the Electrical Specialty Journeyman exam and license.

    For more information about installing solar panels in Idaho, give us a call at (800) 460-2575 or email [email protected].

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    Learn more about Everblue's NABCEP Certification Training