Page 20 – Everblue Training

Sustainable Disaster Response Becomes a Focus for Council

Stephen Bushnell has worked in U.S. property and casualty insurance for over 40 years. From 2012-2015, he served as the first and only insurance and risk management professional elected to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) National Board of Directors, where he helped shape the future of USGBC and its LEED green building program. Shortly after his time with USGBC, Stephen started to focus on sustainable disaster response initiatives.

In 2016, Stephen branched out from USGBC’s overarching mission of transforming the built environment to be healthier and energy-efficient through LEED Certification and focused his efforts on disaster relief and sustainable rebuilding. It was then that he founded the Sustainable Disaster Response Council (SDRC). SDRC gained a lot of attention in Feb. 2017 when it announced that USGBC had joined as a founding member to support its cause. To be fair, USGBC had already been working on resilience and disaster relief causes.

What is the Sustainable Disaster Response Council?

The Sustainable Disaster Response Council is a member-driven organization that brings together a diverse group of leaders committed to advancing best practices for sustainable disaster recovery and restoration. Its members and strategic partners represent:

Disaster response and property restoration firms
Large property owners and managers
The architecture, engineering, and construction community
The insurance sector
Experts from industry trades, NGOs, academia, and government

SDRC’s mission is to promote sustainability in disaster response and property restoration – helping American homes, businesses and communities turn every loss into smart investments in a stronger, safer, healthier and environmentally responsible future.

With this strategy in mind, multiple stakeholders stand to benefit.

Homeowners and businesses reinvest energy savings.
Commercial property owners improve tenant satisfaction and employee productivity.
Insurers turn claims into a down payment on risk reduction and resiliency.

Why Sustainable Disaster Response is Important

Each year, U.S. property owners face billions of dollars in damages – from localized fire and water damage to large-scale natural disasters. Since 1980, 203 extreme weather events in the U.S. have led to $1.1 trillion dollars of damage.

In 2016 alone, there were 13 extreme weather events that affected property owners and cost over $1 billion each. Those events included 7 thunderstorm/tornadoes, 1 hurricane, 2 hailstorms, 3 floods, and 1 wildfire.

importance of sustainable disaster response

Sustainable disaster response efforts will benefit taxpayers who end up paying for disaster response and restoration in the form of higher insurance premiums and taxes. From 2011-2013, $136 billion in federal disaster relief spending averaged nearly $400 per household per year.

The USGBC and SDRC

As the creator of the LEED green building standard and an internationally respected force for promoting green building, USGBC will serve as a strong partner for SDRC and bring invaluable expertise to growing the organization.

“Focusing on disaster response is a natural evolution for the green building movement,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, USGBC President & CEO. “Owners of more than 15 billion square feet of building space worldwide already use LEED to demonstrate how buildings can dramatically reduce their energy and water consumption – but we also know LEED certified projects have diverted more than 80 million tons of construction and demolition waste from landfills, and that’s just one example of how green buildings can directly contribute to sustainable disaster response and property restoration.”

SDRC Initiatives & Next Steps

SDRC’s first order of business will be to develop a roadmap that ties together best practices for construction and demolition waste, land use, energy, water, materials, and other aspects of rebuilding and restoring properties and infrastructure in a more sustainable way.

The council will then develop two industry standards:

Will define and validate sustainability throughout the lifecycle of common disaster response and property restoration projects
Will certify the sustainability of disaster response and property restoration contractors’ products, services, and operations

These steps will inevitably link to building codes and standards that govern the safety, quality, and performance of building products, services, and professionals. SDRC will take this a step further by also advocating for policies that prioritize sustainability in disaster response and property restoration. These efforts should help public sector leaders connect the dots between existing infrastructure programs and funding opportunities.

Stephen Bushnell had been recognized for establishing a connection between sustainable design and risk reduction long before SDRC and found success using this specialty expertise to advise commercial and residential property owners. It certainly appears as though he has identified an important gap in the industry, and as climate change continues to impact weather conditions, sustainable disaster relief and restoration will continue to grow in importance.

With hurricane and tornado seasons upon us, now is a great time to begin learning about sustainability and energy efficiency. If you’re interested in environmentally responsible building, start learning now about the LEED green building process. At Everblue, we offer live and online training courses to help you become a LEED Green Associate. Continue reading about LEED online or call us at (800) 460-2575.

Florida Blower Door Testing & Energy Code Compliance

When the Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation Version 5 adopted mandatory air infiltration testing (ie, blower door testing) for new construction homes and residential units, enforcement authorities sought greater clarification on who qualified as an “approved entity” to do the testing.

Sections R402.4.1.2 and R104.5 indicate that a Florida blower door test must be done by an approved third party Energy Auditor or Energy Rater. Both titles require certification – either from the Building Performance Institute (BPI) or Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) – to qualify.

blower door test

Builders, HVAC technicians, and other home performance professionals equally wondered how exactly they should go about acquiring the blower door testing skills and certification to comply with code.

To learn more about blower door testing and its benefits, please visit our Blower Door & Duct Leakage Test Training page.

Many states leave this language vague in the building code, which requires professionals to contact their local code official, or Authority Having Jurisdiction, to see how they would prefer to see the code met.

BPI Certification Valid for Florida Blower Door Testing Requirement

The Building Performance Institute (or BPI), known for its nationally-respected home energy auditor certification program, recently obtained a set of non-binding interpretations from the Building Officials Association of Florida (BOAF) that provide guidance for meeting the blower door requirement in Florida. BOAF is an association of building officials, building inspectors, plans examiners, and building code compliance professionals in the state of Florida.

The BOAF interpretations recognize individuals who possess a BPI Certification as qualified individuals to perform blower door testing.

The interpretations go on to say that BPI-certified professionals meet the criteria set forth in 553.990-999 and the Florida energy code for test entities.

BPI CEO Larry Zarker submitted three separate inquiries to BOAF as a means of clarifying the blower door testing requirement and requesting consideration of BPI’s certifications, not limited to BPI Infiltration & Duct Leakage, BPI Building Analyst, and BPI Envelope.

In all three cases, BOAF ruled “yes” in support of BPI Certification as a compliance pathway to the Florida blower door testing requirement.

As Larry Zarker noted in his requests:

BPI Infiltration & Duct Leakage qualifies professionals to perform the blower door and duct leakage tests in single and low-rise multi-family residential buildings.
The BPI Building Analyst and BPI Envelope certifications qualify professionals to evaluate the structure of a home, which leads to comprehensive whole-house recommendations that consider insulation, mechanical systems, airflow patterns, and frequently identified failure points.

BOAF granted approval of BPI Certification as a valid Florida blower door testing certification based on the following points:

The BPI Program is a national program that includes classroom and field training and examination.
The program to become a BPI rater has prerequisites before one is permitted to take the training.
BPI partners with the USDOE on rating existing homes.
BPI certified raters are subject to a quality control program.
The raters may only operate on code-related items with the approval of the code official.
There is no requirement for a local jurisdiction to accept reports it does not believe are correct.
The program is an additional resource for departments that may not have the expertise to conduct increasingly complicated energy audits for new or existing construction.

“This is an important development for the building industry in Florida,” Zarker said. “Home builders need affordable options for testing to prove they meet the requirements of the Florida building code.”

blower door test certification training

Building code officials and stakeholders nationwide have started to recognize the importance of energy efficiency in new home construction. In addition to reduced energy expenses, homeowners living in energy-efficient homes can expect improved indoor air quality and thermal comfort. More and more building codes around the country are starting to require air infiltration assessments via blower door testing and duct leakage testing to improve efficiency and human health.

Blower door testing in new Florida homes becomes mandatory on July 1, 2017.

Everblue, an approved BPI Test Center, is currently offering the BPI Infiltration & Duct Leakage training in Tampa, FL.

If you’re looking to obtain the blower door test certification in Florida, we hope that you will join us for training! Everblue offers discounts for corporate groups, and we can provide this training on-site if your business is located elsewhere in Florida.

The BPI Infiltration & Duct Leakage course focuses specifically on blower door and duct leakage testing. The program includes:

a 2-hour webinar
4 hours of hands-on field training with equipment
a field certification exam

Get certified to perform blower door testing in Florida! Call us at (800) 460-2575.

Learn more about Everblue's Blower Door Test Certification Training

Types of LMS

While an LMS platform can solve many online learning and assessment problems, you should know that there are different types of LMS platforms. In general, they’re all designed to accomplish the same goals, but there are some slight differences.

Web-Based LMS vs. Installed LMS

In the beginning, organizations had to install LMS software on their own server and maintain it themselves. This involved big setup fees and maintenance agreements. Like most things involving technology, there has been a shift in the industry to move things online. And it makes sense. Web-based LMS platforms involve fewer setup expenses and are maintained by the vendor who created it. That means that the vendor is responsible for developing and improving its technology. Depending on how tech-savvy you are, you’ll want to research which type of LMS is best for you and your organization. More likely, you’ll want to end up with a web-based LMS.

SaaS (Cloud) LMS vs. Hosted LMS

If you choose to go with the web-based LMS, there are generally two options therein – SaaS or Hosted. SaaS is a method of software delivery and licensing in which software is accessed online via a subscription, rather than bought and installed on individual computers. With this option, the vendor who created the LMS controls its security and upgrades. Alternatively, with the hosted LMS, you can host the software on your server and control it (including uptime and security). Hosting the LMS also means that you’re responsible for making any upgrades to the system, as they become available. If you’re not sure which option makes sense for your organization or want more information about these options, give us a call at (800) 460-2575 We can build and customize the system for you and help you with LMS Hosting.

Free vs. Not Free

There are free LMS platforms available, but they typically require that you have someone in-house with technical skills who can customize and manage the software. If you’re willing to spend some money, you can install and setup LMS software with a commercial vendor.

Open Source vs. Closed Source

All LMS software will fall under one of these categories – open source or closed source. Open source refers to software where its original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. This gives LMS administrators the most freedom. Closed source, on the other hand, refers to computer programs whose source code is not published, so when you choose this option, you’re buying into the original program and how it was designed. You’ll be locked into its original settings, which may be okay if you’re looking for a quick and easy system to implement.

LMS Brands

Just when you think you have all the technical questions answered, then you have to determine which “brand” LMS you’re going to use. The most well-known LMS platforms are Canvas, Blackboard, and Moodle. Perhaps you used one of these systems when you were in college. Many organizations use these leaders, but more LMS brands are popping up. And in some organizations, where IT skills are prevalent, there might be the option to build a proprietary LMS system. There are several options to consider. Hopefully we can help you ask the right questions and help you find all the information you’re looking for.

If you’re new to the process of LMS installation, it can be overwhelming having to answer all these questions – or to research what some of the terminology even means! We have 10+ years of experience working in different types of LMS systems, and we can guide you through all the decision-making steps. Simply call (800) 460-2575 to get started.

ECAD Energy Professional Must Perform Austin Home Energy Audits

The Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure (ECAD) ordinance, listed in chapter 6-7 of the Austin, TX City Code, states that energy audits and disclosures are required for all homes and buildings that are served by the Austin Energy utility and located within Austin city limits. The home energy audits must be completed by ECAD Energy Professionals, such as BPI Building Analysts or RESNET HERS Raters.

If you work in the home performance industry in Austin and want to adhere to this law, it’s probably better that you become a RESNET HERS Rater. In addition to this legislation, the state of Texas operates under the 2015 International Residential Code, which includes a home energy rating system that HERS Raters are familiar with.

HERS Raters in Texas will find business from:

home builders who need to comply with the 2015 energy code requirement and
home sellers and Realtors who need to comply with the ECAD ordinance

Austin’s Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure Ordinance

The Austin Energy website identifies a series of property types that fall within this local law, including single-family homes, duplexes, multi-family properties, and commercial buildings.

Austin Energy logo Key facts about the ordinance:

All homes that receive electric service from the Austin Electric Utility AND are located within Austin city limits AND are at least 10 years old must have an energy audit done before they can be sold.
The energy audit must be performed by a BPI Building Analyst or RESNET HERS Rater.
The results of the energy audit must be disclosed to potential buyers.
A copy of the energy audit findings must be shared with the Austin Energy director within 30 days.
An energy audit aligned with this law is valid for 10 years.

For more information about requirements and exemptions, please see the Austin Energy ECAD ordinance.

How to Become an ECAD Energy Professional

Qualified ECAD Energy Professionals are certified BPI Building Analysts or RESNET HERS Raters.

An individual can get his or her name and company recognized by Austin Energy and listed on the ECAD Energy Professionals List by:

Attending an Austin Energy orientation
Meeting Austin Energy guidelines
Choosing specific markets to provide services (residential, commercial, and/or multifamily)
Earning the BPI Building Analyst or RESNET HERS Rater certifications

With the nationally respected BPI and RESNET energy auditor certifications, an individual will demonstrate an understanding of duct leakage, insulation levels, air conditioning systems, and solar heat gain through windows.

An ECAD energy audit takes about one hour per 1,000 square feet of property. The average estimated cost of an audit is from $200 to $300 for a typical single-family home 1,800 sq. ft. or smaller with one air conditioning system. ECAD Energy Professionals, however, may set their own prices.

ECAD Energy Professional with clients

This energy efficiency ordinance is a great opportunity to reduce energy usage in Austin, TX homes and lower electric bills. In addition to the economic and environmental benefits, home occupants will also benefit from improved indoor air quality and enhanced thermal comfort. These required energy audits at time of sale help to provide a positive experience for new homeowners while also increasing the property value for existing homeowners.

If you’re a home performance contractor working in HVAC, insulation, or windows, and you want to become a RESNET HERS Rater, get started today with an Everblue training course! Our RESNET HERS Rater Training program will help you achieve this goal in no time. Our one-time fee includes all the requirements and exams needed to become a HERS Rater. If you have any questions about the HERS Rater certification process, give us a call at (800) 460-2575.

Learn more about Everblue's BPI Building Analyst Training

Learn more about Everblue's RESNET HERS Rater Training

HERS Rater Training Process Undergoes Some Changes

We recently participated in a webinar hosted by Laurel Elam, the Quality Assurance Manager at RESNET. During the presentation, Laurel shared details of RESNET’s achievements in 2016 and spoke to expected changes to the HERS Rater Training process in 2017/2018.

To learn more about RESNET or how to become a HERS Rater, visit our New to RESNET? Start Here section now.

Between building codes, rebate programs, and an overall focus on improving energy-related expenses in new home construction, the RESNET HERS program is becoming increasingly more popular. The team at RESNET has been working tirelessly to keep up with the demand and to service the professionals in its network.

RESNET logo

Many of RESNET’s noted achievements in 2016 live at a high level – ie, adopting new technical standards, evaluating HERS score consistency, calibrating rating software, and expanding upon the existing Quality Assurance program.

The biggest takeaway(s) from the webinar are the expected changes to the HERS Rater Training process in 2017 and 2018.

HERS Rater Training is Now Required for Rater Candidates

Anyone interested in becoming a certified RESNET HERS Rater must:

Complete HERS Rater training
Pass the RESNET Core Exam
Pass the RESNET Practical Simulation Exam
Pass the RESNET Combustion Safety Simulation Exam
Complete 5 home energy ratings
Sign a contract with a RESNET Quality Assurance Provider

Prior to Feb. 16, 2017, candidates were given the option to challenge the certification exams listed above. In a wise move, RESNET has decided that candidates can no longer attempt the certification exams without first participating in HERS Rater training.

This is a smart decision because these exams are very technical, and it’s unlikely that a candidate would pass without formal guidance from a Certified Rater Instructor.

RESNET is doing its due diligence to encourage candidates to view RESNET HERS Rater Certification as a serious career transition or enhancement, not just something that can be achieved overnight by anyone. Reasonably, a candidate has better chances of passing if he/she takes the time to participate in training and learn the material the correct way. There’s no sense in being rushed and possibly risking this opportunity by trying to play fast and loose.

An Improved HERS Rater Exam is Coming

Taking into account that RESNET is growing and the home performance industry itself is maturing, it seems only natural that RESNET would update its certification exams to reflect newly adopted technical standards.

In its quest to maintain quality and consistency, RESNET has contracted with a psychometrician to review all RESNET test questions and references.

The new RESNET exams should be available later this year, possibly in the Fall.

The New Candidate Field Assessor Designation

We mentioned earlier that RESNET has been working to expand its Quality Assurance program. The new Candidate Field Assessor designation, scheduled to launch in January 2018, will fill a role in the Quality Assurance (QA) process. Although QA is generally considered a step after a candidate earns the HERS Rater Certification, this new position will impact how candidates get certified.

As it stands now, RESNET Accredited Rater Training Providers (like Everblue) are required to include two home energy ratings as part of their HERS Rater training course. Remember that HERS Rater candidates must achieve five home energy ratings in total. The remaining three ratings are to be supervised by the candidate’s QA Provider. Only after a candidate passes all exams and completes all ratings can he/she actually earn the HERS Rater Certification.

HERS Rater training candidate

The two training ratings will eventually transition to the responsibility of the QA Provider, not the Training Provider. This doesn’t mean that HERS Rater Training companies can’t offer hands-on field training to candidates during a course, but those activities will soon be considered an optional component of the training course. That means that after someone completes a training course and passes their exams, their next step will be to sign on with a QA Provider and complete all five home energy ratings.

What is a Candidate Field Assessor?

The Candidate Field Assessor is a senior HERS Rater who will be responsible for overseeing a Rater candidate’s probationary ratings.

QA Providers will have Candidate Field Assessors on staff to oversee the Rater candidates. Think of it this way – QA Providers want their best Raters to train the newbies entering the industry.

Historically, this responsibility has been delegated to the Quality Assurance Designee (QAD), but QADs are busy, and the creation of the Candidate Field Assessor adds an extra level of quality assurance built into the certification process. All certified HERS Raters are required to submit their ratings to the QA Provider anyway, so adding this process to the certification requirements gives Rater candidates exposure to what will be expected of them going forward.

handshake image

Another benefit to having Candidate Field Assessors is the geographic flexibility it provides QA Providers. Everblue, for example, has partnered with RATERusa in St. Louis, MO to offer QA services to Everblue’s RESNET students. Certified HERS Raters are required to work with their QA Provider on all home energy ratings, allowing 10% to be audited and 1% to be audited onsite. While the majority of this relationship can be handled online or by phone, there 1% audit must be handled in person. Instead of the St. Louis-based QAD at RATERusa traveling to Massachusetts to audit a Rater’s homes, RATERusa can hire a Candidate Field Assessor in MA so that travel expenses are minimal.

Stay tuned. More information about this change will likely be revealed closer to its expected launch in January 2018.

What’s great about RESNET is its attention to quality at every phase of every process. While it may seem overwhelming now to look at all the certification requirements, HERS Rater job titles and responsibilities, and quality assurance components, it all makes sense as you work your way through the ladder.

If you’d like to add home energy auditing to your career, get started now with RESNET HERS Rater training or call us at (800) 460-2575.

LMS Implementation Steps

Before you even get technical, look at these LMS implementation steps to ensure that you’re set up for success.

In-House Talent

Who’s going to oversee the implementation and manage its ongoing use? Do you need to hire an experienced LMS administrator, or can you shift responsibilities within your existing team? Make sure that your employees understand the intent behind the LMS and how it might affect their jobs. See if anyone has an interest in “owning” the project. Just like an LMS inherently encourages professional development with the online courses it maintains, managing the implementation and usage of the LMS is also an opportunity for employee growth!

Existing Software

In order to run your business, you’re probably using a variety of systems, for marketing, lead generation, sales, customer service, accounting, etc. Should any of these systems integrate with your LMS? What more could you accomplish if the LMS partnered with one of your existing processes? With a webhook, you may be able to replace manual employee work with automated procedures. Examine all of your software and their uses, and see if any synergy exists.

Comparison Shop

Be sure to do your due diligence to research all the LMS platforms and vendors that exist. Installing an LMS for the first time can be a big project, and you want to make sure that you’re moving forward with all the right decisions. When you choose a vendor, look for customer reviews and see what you can learn from their other clients. Also find out if the vendor provides customer support; if you end up having questions later, will you be on your own to figure them out? You want to make the right choice, so do all the research upfront.

Features vs. Needs

When implementing a new process or software, it can be really easy to get caught up in all the features, AKA “the wants.” Do you really need all of the features? Make a list of the items that you actually need. In some cases, the features lead to additional expenses. Keep it simple by focusing on what you need to operate and to have a fantastic learning experience.

Reporting

The reporting module inside the LMS can be telling. What does it track? Are you able to download the results? Choose an LMS that offers reporting functionality that you’ll use, with the information that will be helpful to your business.

Content Creation

Are you able to create courses from within the LMS, or will you need a separate platform to do that? If the LMS offers course creation, what does the end product look like? Does the course look as engaging as you’d hoped? Maybe it makes more sense to create the course in another platform, such as Adobe Captivate or even PowerPoint, and then upload it to the LMS. Do what’s right for you.

Pricing

Likely the most important factor to consider, pricing can certainly push you in one direction over another. You’ll want to look at the pricing model of different LMS vendors. For example, do they charge per student, per course, monthly, or annually?

It’s probably best to do some upfront research before contacting an LMS vendor. When you’re ready to comparison shop and learn more, set up a 30-minute demo or conference call to ask your specific questions. If you have questions about these LMS implementation steps, try calling us at (800) 460-2575.

LEED for HVACR Technicians: Why You Should Get Accredited

Contractors working in heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and/or refrigeration (HVACR) may wonder how LEED certification can improve their career and grow their HVACR business. As a comprehensive green building program, LEED seeks to optimize all systems in a building to ensure maximum efficiency, energy savings, and occupant comfort. HVACR plays an important role in that process. Thus, there are applications of LEED for HVACR technicians, especially those who pursue the MSCA GreenSTAR program.

If you’re new to LEED and want to get a better understanding of how it works, please visit our What is LEED? overview series.

If you’re familiar with LEED already and want more information about how to use it to further your HVACR career, keep reading.

Become a GreenSTAR

The MSCA GreenSTAR program recognizes HVACR professionals who demonstrate a commitment to environmental stewardship. This designation represents a contractor’s understanding of the latest green technologies in HVAC as well as a contractor’s ability to deliver energy-efficient and cost-effective indoor environmental solutions.

MSCA GreenSTAR program is like LEED for HVAC technicians

The Mechanical Service Contractors of America, or MSCA, is the leading national trade association for HVACR contractors. MSCA created the GreenSTAR Qualified Contractors Program in 2007 in direct response to the growing demand for LEED certification in commercial buildings.

LEED is identified as a prerequisite in at least four different ways on the MSCA GreenSTAR application. It’s clear that an HVACR company cannot claim an interest in environmental stewardship and sustainability without having demonstrated legitimate experience or exposure to LEED concepts.

How LEED for HVAC Technicians Fits into the GreenSTAR Program

LEED certification concepts are closely tied to the MSCA GreenSTAR approach. Like LEED, MSCA diagnoses and services buildings using a “whole building” approach. GreenSTAR contractors view buildings as an ecosystem – people, air, water, equipment, and systems all operating together to maximize the quality of the environment while minimizing resources and optimizing return on investment.

building with green wall image

Similar to how LEED impacts the design, construction, and operations of building projects, MSCA believes in a predictable building efficiency cycle. This includes building efficiency into every decision and meeting goals every step of the way. The cycle rotates among three stages: Evaluation, Solutions, and Savings.

During the Evaluation period, an MSCA GreenSTAR contractor will identify benchmarks and offer energy conservation recommendations in a report.
Solutions can range from commercial energy audits, retro-commissioning, green preventative maintenance programs, utility bill analysis, and LEED certification.
Savings come from INCREASED equipment lifespan, property values, rental income, tenant satisfaction and comfort, and employee productivity. There are additional monetary savings from DECREASED energy costs, energy consumption, operations and maintenance costs, and down times.

LEED and GreenSTAR Empower HVACR Contractors & Clients

The MSCA GreenSTAR designation demonstrates environmental service excellence in the mechanical and HVACR industries. An MSCA GreenSTAR contractor possesses the skills and expertise necessary to deliver energy-efficient and cost-effective indoor environmental solutions to meet customer needs and ensure tenant satisfaction.

Companies with this designation can assure their clients that they specialize in cost-reduction strategies and energy-efficient solutions.

How HVAC Companies Benefit from MSCA GreenSTAR

Provides an opportunity to stand out and be a leader
Illustrates commitment to ongoing green building training and education
Demonstrates proven LEED experience
Highlights an understanding of equipment upgrade and energy efficiency issues

What Clients Get When Working with a MSCA GreenSTAR Company

Reduced energy costs
Improved air quality
Improved water efficiency
Improved employee productivity & satisfaction
Assurance that all federal and local environmental regulations are met

How to Earn the MSCA GreenSTAR Designation

The GreenSTAR designation is exclusive to MSCA STAR companies that have proven their commitment to environmental stewardship and are recognized as leaders in the green movement within the HVAC industry.

According to MSCA, fewer than 1% of HVACR contractors nationwide qualify for the GreenSTAR designation.

Specifically, a company can apply for the MSCA GreenSTAR designation after meeting the following criteria:

Company must be an MSCA member
Company must have MSCA STAR Qualification
Company must employ at least one LEED accredited professional
Company must be a USGBC Member – either with a local chapter or the national organization
Company must verify that at least 25% of all employees have participated in a green training or education program
Company must offer specific sustainable services and recommend “green” procedures and equipment
Company must develop an internal “green” policy and/or acquire LEED certification, of any type, of its building
Company must participate as a project team with a LEED EB or LEED NC registered project within the past three years

Companies can pursue this designation by completing the application on the MSCA website.

It’s a wise and strategic move for HVAC companies to acquire knowledge and technical experience in the green building space; LEED Certification has nearly become standard practice in federal and municipal buildings, as well as homes and multi-family apartments, offices, hospitals, and retail buildings nationwide.

If you’re interested in learning more about LEED for HVACR technicians, visit our LEED Green Associate Exam Prep training or call (800) 460-2575.

Register now for LEED Green Associate Exam Prep

RESNET Simulation Exams Moving to WebGL Platform

The Residential Energy Services Network, or RESNET, recently sent out an email notification regarding the technology that powers two of its HERS Rater Certification exams – the CAZ Simulation and the Practical Simulation. Due to unexpected Internet browser updates, these two exams will have limited availability through May 15, 2017.

If you’re new to RESNET and looking to understand how to get certified, please visit our Getting Started With RESNET series.

If you’ve participated in RESNET HERS Rater Training and have completed all requirements except for the CAZ Simulation Exam and/or the Practical Simulation Exam, keep reading…

How to Access the RESNET Simulation Exams

The RESNET simulation exams operate through a plugin called Unity. This plugin enables video game software to work as designed, with interactivity and realistic scenarios. Unfortunately, many of the Internet browsers are moving beyond Unity and adopting other simulation platforms like WebGL.

For the last few months, RESNET had been recommending that candidates use Mozilla Firefox to access these exams. Firefox was the last Internet browser to support the Unity plugin.

Going Forward

On Mar. 7, 2017, Firefox unexpectedly made changes to its browser that resulted in mass disruptions on software programs using the browser.

RESNET has been working with Interplay, the developer of the interactive exams, to find a short-term workaround and a long-term solution to this issue.

RESNET and Interplay plan to move the simulation exams to the WebGL platform by May 15 for future use.

In the meantime, candidates are encouraged to contact Interplay directly if they are needing to complete these exams before a deadline. RESNET may offer a grace period to existing Raters because of this technology glitch.

Solar Installation Equipment Provided by Everblue Partners

Everblue Training, a nationwide provider of solar energy training courses, has begun partnering with leading equipment manufacturers who are providing widely used or cutting-edge solar products. This type of mutually beneficial relationship will enable Everblue to familiarize aspiring solar installation professionals with the brands and products used in the solar industry.

solar panel installation training image

In its quest to keep pace with a rapidly-changing industry, Everblue is teaming up with manufacturers nationwide that have demonstrated a commitment to an alternative energy future and have developed innovative solutions to current energy issues.

“We want our solar installation training to reflect where the industry is going,” said Vince DiFrancesco, Everblue’s Solar Program Manager. “The current trajectory is module-level power electronics and system architectures, battery-based systems, integrative grounding and bounding equipment, and rapid shutdown-compliant equipment. We’re looking for partners who see this shift in the making and are preparing to meet the demand.”

DiFrancesco expects to see a continued transition from grid-connected string-inverter systems to module-level power electronics with battery backups that are rapid shutdown-compliant, driven primarily by policy and code. And with pressure being put on net-metering programs and solar incentive programs, stakeholders are looking for self-consumption and storage solutions as well.

The 2014 National Electric Code first mandated the rapid shutdown requirements, which are even more stringent in the 2017 code. With rapid shutdown now a requirement, solar installations in states that have adopted the codes will need to include a compliant solution such as module-level micro-inverters or DC-to-DC power optimizers.

These policy and code changes will inherently offer options during the solar design and installation process. Everblue’s equipment partnership program will enable the NABCEP-approved solar training provider to introduce these various strategies and techniques during its course using the most effective, modern technology.

Specifically, Everblue is pursuing partnerships with companies that develop microinverters, battery systems, racking, non-isolated string inverters, modules, and rapid shutdown-compliant equipment.

For more information about the Solar Training Partners program, please contact Everblue by emailing [email protected] or by calling 877-755-3287.

About Everblue
Everblue is the nation’s leading training provider for solar panel installation, green building, and energy efficiency. Its curriculum is focused on short-term courses for individuals in the green technology field or those seeking a career path in solar and energy efficiency. Everblue’s courses are approved by the American Institute of Architects, Building Performance Institute, Green Business Certification Institute, Interstate Renewable Energy Council, North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners, and North American Technician Excellence. Since its founding in 2008, Everblue has trained over 70,000 professionals worldwide.

Benefits of Using an LMS

The greatest benefit that an LMS offers is that it’s based in technology, meaning that everything is fast. If you need to update a setting that affects many courses and participants, you do it once and it’s done. If you need to accommodate hundreds of people taking the same test at the same time and all getting instant scores, an LMS can get it done much faster than a human grading paper-and-pencil exams.

We believe that any modern organization that offers professional development and growth opportunities should be offering those activities in an online format. We could explain the benefits of online learning all day, but for now, we’ve distilled our beliefs to the most important ones below.

Top 5 Benefits of Using an LMS

Create Engaging Courses – you can design your training to fit a user’s learning style (audio, visual, etc.) by incorporating text, images, and videos into your LMS platform. With this type of variety and interactivity, you’ll keep your participants focused and interested.

Reach More Users – you can invite users from all over the world to join your secure LMS portal. This is incredibly helpful if you work for an organization that has remote employees. Now, nobody can miss out on the training.

Provide Consistency – now that you’re reaching more people with your online learning, the LMS offers the ability to maintain a consistent message. No matter where users are located, they benefit from receiving the same high-quality training, just as you’ve designed it.

Easy Tracking & Reporting – as an LMS administrator, you can track the progress of all your participants. You’ll be able to see who has finished the program, what activities still need to be completed, and – more importantly – who’s never even logged in!

Better User Results – because participants are more engaged with the online course content, you can count on them paying more attention and retaining the information. You’ll see in the quiz scores just how effective online learning can be!

To learn more about LMS hosting or to see a demo of how one works, give us a call at (800) 460-2575.