Page 22 – Everblue Training

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].

Learn more about Everblue's NABCEP Certification Training

LEED Exam Qualifications: Who Can Take the LEED Exam?

Regardless of your education, occupation, or work experience – you ARE eligible to sit for the LEED Green Associate exam. There are no official LEED exam qualifications, other than the fact that you’ve studied LEED and are ready to sit for such a technical exam!

Having work experience or education in a related field of architecture, engineering, construction management, etc. certainly offers some advantages in terms of a base familiarity of green building terms and strategies. But overall, there are no LEED exam qualifications that state a candidate possess a particular degree or number of years of work experience.

If you’re new to LEED and want an introduction to how this green building program can further your career, check out our LEED Overview section.

If you’re ready to take your knowledge of sustainability and green building to the next level, keep reading!

Who Should Take the LEED Green Associate Exam?

You should seriously consider taking the LEED Green Associate exam if you:

are interested in learning about green building strategies, and
want to know how to apply those techniques to commercial and residential buildings to lower costs, reduce energy and water use, and improve indoor air quality

The LEED exam measures a candidate’s understanding of only the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards. The exam’s singular focus on LEED terms and strategies offers an even playing field for anyone who wants to demonstrate their proficiency in the subject.

That said, we recommend that anyone interested in earning a LEED professional credential should participate in some kind of LEED Green Associate exam prep education. A course focused on LEED topics is the most effective way to learn the material and to become familiar with the LEED exam interface and credentialing process. Everblue offers three formats of its LEED Green Associate Exam Prep.

The LEED Green Associate Exam is open to all ages.

Prior to 2016, the U.S. Green Building Council (the organization that created the LEED standards) listed a minimum age requirement for those interested in taking the entry-level LEED Green Associate exam. This requirement was eliminated in September 2016.

Now, individuals of all ages may register for the LEED Green Associate exam. The LEED credentials offer a variety of academic and professional opportunities for young individuals. Students can use the LEED credentials to transition their education toward a building trade or related field, or they can use it as a marketable designation to stand out from other young professionals in the environmental industry.

questions about LEED exam qualifications

Unlike other professional credentialing programs, the LEED program has trickled down from active building professionals to college and K-12 students. The fact that LEED has become mainstream in multiple tiers of education proves the relatability and importance of the subject matter. Just as our previous post highlighted all the different building structures that can be impacted by LEED, there are many different groups of people who can also share in the value that LEED offers.

Particularly because the LEED Green Associate exam highlights a base understanding of high-level green building concepts (as opposed to a single green building job), college and high school students are equally qualified as working business professionals to reap the benefits of LEED training. In fact, full-time students are eligible for an extra benefit when it comes to the LEED certification exams – they get a 50% discount on the cost of the LEED Green Associate exam, bringing their total to only $100.

What are you waiting for?

Since its founding in 2000, LEED has practically become standard practice in the building and construction industry. What’s more, the LEED Green Associate knowledge areas impact more than just the architects and engineers working on a LEED project. There are broad applications for students and professionals in a variety of industries.

For more information about who should get LEED, give us a call at (800) 460-2575. We’re happy to answer your questions and set you in the right direction!

Register now for LEED Green Associate Exam Prep

LEED Certified Buildings Come in Every Shape and Size

Many individuals working in the construction industry are familiar with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program and have long considered it a value-add for commercial office buildings. But did you know that the LEED certification standards also apply to homes, communities, transit stations, and cities? Thus, all buildings can be LEED certified buildings.

If you’re new to LEED, please visit our Getting Started With LEED series.

LEED for Cities USGBC graphic

LEED Focus Areas

The U.S. Green Building Council, or USGBC, created the LEED certification standards in the year 2000. Tasked with promoting sustainability-focused practices in the building and construction industries, USGBC staff and stakeholders identified key performance indicators of high-performance green buildings. They summarized these findings into categories that would form the basis of the LEED certification standards.

In short, all projects trying to become LEED certified buildings would have to meet criteria and achieve goals in the following areas to be worthy of the label:

Location and Transportation
Materials and Resources
Water Efficiency
Indoor Environmental Quality
Energy and Atmosphere
Sustainability Sites
Regional Priority Credits
Innovation

Moreover, there are unique responsibilities and strategies that apply to new construction projects versus existing buildings projects. For this reason, the USGBC designed several pathways, or LEED Rating Systems, to help guide project teams to meet the LEED certification standards according to their building type.

The LEED Rating Systems

In the early and mid-2000s, the only types of projects seeking LEED Certification were generally summed up into three categories: new construction, existing buildings, or interior fit-outs.

As LEED has grown in popularity, the program has evolved to include multiple building types. New construction, existing buildings, and interior fit-outs still play a core role; however, the USGBC has expanded their definition of building types that belong in these categories and have added new categories.

Let’s take a look at the LEED Rating Systems and the common market sectors that fall within these categories.

LEED for Building Design and Construction

New construction & major renovations
Core & shell development
Schools
Retail
Data centers
Warehouses & distribution centers
Hospitality
Healthcare
Homes & multifamily lowrise
Multifamily midrise

LEED for Building Operations + Maintenance

Existing buildings
Retail
Schools
Hospitality
Data centers
Warehouses & distribution centers

LEED for Interior Design + Construction

Commercial interiors
Retail
Hospitality

LEED for Homes

Homes & multifamily lowrise
Multifamily midrise

LEED for Neighborhood Development

Plan certification
Built project certification

The USGBC recently introduced three new rating system pilots too: LEED for Cities, LEED for Communities, and LEED v4 O+M: Transit.

Although we’re at the early stages of the new pilot categories, it already appears as though there will be some stark differences with how they will be carried out; LEED for Cities and LEED for Communities, for example, will be managed through USGBC’s new software platform called Arc, instead of LEED Online. Also, Transit appears to be a segment of LEED for Building Operations + Maintenance instead of its own rating system.

We look forward to watching how these pilots grow and evolve. We’ll be sure to write unique posts about each, so check back with us!

LEED certified buildings come in all shapes and sizes

It’s rather impressive that the USGBC has been able to grow the LEED certification program the way it has. There’s no turning back now. LEED is here to stay and will soon be standard practice for the design, construction, and operations of ALL building types.

To get involved, you’ll want to participate in a LEED training program and study to become a LEED Green Associate. At Everblue, we specialize in LEED exam prep training, and we can help you transition into a sustainability-focused role within your organization. Get started today!

Image Source: GBCI.org and USGBC.org

Blower Door Equipment Discount from Retrotec Now Available

Individuals who plan to start a home performance company will need blower door, duct blaster, and manometer equipment at a minimum to offer a home energy auditing service and/or to meet building code requirements. Though we only offer energy auditor training, we have partnered with Retrotec to include a blower door equipment discount to our students!

Retrotec blower door If your goals fall within either bucket, but you’re not sure how to get started, give us a call at (800) 460-2575. We’ll help provide guidance on whether you should enroll in BPI training or RESNET HERS Rater training.

Participants in both courses will learn fundamental principles related to building science, combustion safety, and air infiltration. During both courses, participants will be given the opportunity to set up and operate blower door and duct blaster equipment.

Newly certified energy auditors then go on to either work for an established home performance company (that has energy auditing equipment available to use) OR start their own home performance company (and therefore need to buy their own equipment).

Everblue and Retrotec’s Energy Auditing Equipment Partnership

Everblue has been offering BPI training and RESNET HERS Rater training for close to 10 years. Our course participants come from a variety of backgrounds, including HVAC, insulation, home inspections, lighting, and general contracting. Other than the desire for professional development and marketability, one shared need among all of our students is access to high-quality, affordable energy auditing equipment.

We have partnered with Retrotec, a leading manufacturer of blower door and duct blaster equipment, to offer a 12% discount to course participants who need energy auditing equipment. Retrotec has been manufacturing blower door and duct testing equipment for over 30 years. During this time, Retrotec has been a trailblazer for integrating digital technology into traditional building diagnostics.

For example, some of Retrotec’s recent accomplishments include:

2013 – Retrotec released the first Touch Screen WiFi gauge.

2015 – Retrotec redefined the market when it programmed its DM32 to control every manufacturer’s test devices. During 2015, Retrotec also achieved the internationally recognized ISO 17025 accreditation for both pressure and flow, allowing calibrations performed by Retrotec to be accepted by every government and industry organization, body, and standard.

2016 – Retrotec released rCloud, which is the only automated testing app that geolocates test location, automatically performs blower door or duct tests to common standards, and creates secure compliance reports that can be shared immediately and viewed from anywhere.

How to Get the Blower Door Equipment Discount

To qualify for the Retrotec equipment discount, you must enroll in a BPI training course or a RESNET HERS Rater training course with Everblue.

After the training has concluded, Everblue staff will send out a unique registration form to all participants with the reduced rates for equipment.

If you have any questions about becoming a certified home energy auditor or using blower door testing equipment, give us a call at (800) 460-2575.

Learn more about Everblue's RESNET HERS Rater Training

Portland Home Energy Score Policy: What It Means

The Portland City Council unanimously voted to adopt the “home energy score policy” in 2016 with an expected effective date of January 1, 2018. This policy aligns with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Home Energy Score program and requires an on-site home energy audit from an approved Home Energy Score Assessor.

If you’re new to the concept of home energy auditing and want a better understanding of what goes into a home energy audit, please visit our Energy Auditor Training page.

If you are a home inspector, HVAC contractor, or another residential profession, keep reading or jump to our section about How to Become a Home Energy Score Assessor.

About the Portland Home Energy Score Policy

The policy requires sellers of single-family homes to incorporate the following practices prior to listing a home for sale in the City of Portland:

Obtain a home energy performance report, including a home energy score, from a licensed home energy assessor.
Provide a copy of the home energy performance report to all licensed real estate agents working on the seller’s behalf.
Include the home energy score and the attached home energy performance report in any real estate listings.
Provide a copy of the home energy performance report to prospective buyers who visit the home while it is on the market.
Provide a copy of the home energy performance report to the City of Portland for quality assurance and policy compliance.

To learn more about the home energy score policy, see the Portland City Code Chapter 17.108.

The Value of a Home Energy Score Policy

Requiring a home energy score at the time of sale will help homebuyers, sellers, and owners make informed decisions about energy efficiency improvements.

As the City of Portland notes, consumers regularly consult scores and labels, such as miles-per-gallon ratings on cars and nutrition labels on food, to make informed decisions. The same process could be conducted for real estate decisions.

Home Energy Score for Houses

The home energy policy equates a visible property value to the energy efficiency improvements that homeowners have made to a home; otherwise, homebuyers would no way of knowing or understanding the before and after conditions of the home in question.

At least 20 studies of homes with green certifications have shown that green-certified homes sell for up to 4% higher than a comparable home. Why is this? Homebuyers are willing to spend a little more for green-certified homes because they know that they can expect lower energy bills, better thermal comfort, and better indoor air quality.

How It Works

The U.S. Department of Energy created the Home Energy Score tool to represent the energy efficiency of a home. The Home Energy Score tool provides the energy data to create the home energy performance report. Specifically, the report includes a numerical score from 1-10, where 10 represents a more energy-efficient home and 5 is the performance of the average home. This number provides an easy-to-understand reference point for the comparison of energy performance between single-family homes.

The Home Energy Score is considered an asset rating, which means that the score is based on how the home was built, not how the home is used. An asset rating looks at the structural characteristics and large equipment in a building. After conducting an on-site home inspection, a Home Energy Score Assessor will be able to create a home energy performance report that identifies cost-effective energy efficiency improvements, opportunities for more energy savings, opportunities to improve comfort, and opportunities to improve indoor air quality.

How to Become a Home Energy Score Assessor

To become a Home Energy Score Assessor, and take advantage of new business earned through this policy, you will need to:

Work with a Home Energy Score Partner
Hold a relevant energy auditor certification
Complete the Home Energy Score Simulation Training & Test
Score a home with a mentor

Working with a Home Energy Score Partner

Home Energy Score Partners include various types of organizations (utilities, state agencies, local governments, non-profits, contractor associations, etc.) that administer the delivery of the Score on a local, state, or national basis.

There are five partners available in Oregon:

American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI)
Building Performance Institute (BPI)
Eugene Water & Electric Board
International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI)
Oregon Department of Energy

ASHI, BPI, and InterNACHI are all national partners. Eugene Water & Electric Board serves Eugene, OR and the surrounding McKenzie River area. Oregon Department of Energy serves the state of Oregon.

Holding a Relevant Energy Auditor Certification

The Department of Energy (DOE) lists a variety of relevant credentials that will be accepted for the energy auditor certification requirement, including RESNET HERS Rater, CalCERTS Rater, and LEED Green Rater.

The certifications that make the most sense to acquire are probably going to be ASHI Inspector, InterNACHI Home Energy Inspector, and BPI Building Analyst Certification. These particular credentials:

satisfy the Home Energy Score Assessor requirement
are available in Portland, and
are recognized nationwide

BPI, specifically, was DOE’s first nationwide Home Energy Score Partner. If you’re familiar with the BPI energy auditor certifications, you know that there are several single-family designations. The Home Energy Score program will accept a minimum of the BPI Building Science Principles certificate. Since the Building Science Principles program does not take participants into the field to perform a hands-on home energy audit, it would be better for a candidate to pursue the next level of certification, which is BPI Building Analyst. With the BPI Building Analyst training, you learn about residential building science and home energy auditing techniques.

Everblue offers BPI Building Analyst training courses in the Portland area to help individuals prepare for this policy. Call us now at (800) 460-2575 if you’d like to join the training.

Completing the Home Energy Score Simulation Training and Test

After you earn the BPI Building Analyst Certification, you’ll need to complete a BPI Rater Application. DOE will then email a welcome packet with instructions on how to access the Home Energy Score Simulation Training and Test.

During this process, a candidate will learn how to use the DOE Home Energy Score software tool to generate a home score and a prioritized list of recommended energy improvements (with estimated cost savings tailored to the customer’s home).

The training consists of three practice/challenge homes. A candidate must score at least 80 or better to move onto the two test homes. On the testing portion, a candidate must score at least 90 or better on the test homes and a score of at least 80 or better on the 20-question multiple-choice test.

Scoring a Home with a Mentor

To comply with DOE’s Quality Assurance protocols, all candidates are required to have a building science professional (mentor) accompany them on their first walk through of a home being scored. A BPI Client Relations Representative (CRR) will contact the approved assessor to coordinate one home as a mentoring session.

Home Energy Score Assessors must upload all information into the DOE website.

If a candidate chooses to go with BPI Certification, he/she can expect for BPI to track their progress with the Home Energy Score program. A BPI rater will need to renew their status annually. Raters in good standing are not required to re-take the Home Energy Score exams.

Commercial & Residential Energy Legislation in Portland

In 2015, the Portland City Council took a step forward on the commercial real estate side, by adopting mandatory energy benchmarking and disclosure. The home energy score policy will soon act as a residential companion to the commercial reporting.

Several U.S. cities have passed similar disclosure policies for the homes market, including Austin, TX; Berkeley, CA; Santa Fe, NM; and Boulder, CO. Internationally, residential disclosure policies are currently in effect in the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Australia.

If you’d like to qualify as a Home Energy Score Assessor and gain new business in Portland, we can help you by providing the BPI Building Analyst training. You can also call us at (800) 460-2575 to discuss the BPI Building Analyst training in more detail.

Learn more about Everblue's BPI Building Analyst Training

NABCEP Discounts for Certified Professionals

There are a number of reasons why a solar professional would pursue NABCEP Certification, from increased credibility and marketing value to competitive advantage and eligibility for state and utility incentive programs. But there are also tangible benefits for professionals who have earned NABCEP Certification, and that’s what we’re going to look at today.

If NABCEP is a new acronym for you and you’re interested in enhancing your career with a solar certification, please visit our Getting Started With Solar series.

If you’re already NABCEP-certified or are just doing research to see how NABCEP Certification can benefit your career, keep reading!

NABCEP logo

Solar Industry Discounts Available to NABCEP Professionals

Intersolar North America

intersolar logo Intersolar North America has become the most attended solar event and the premier networking platform for the North American solar industry. Co-located with ees North America and SEMICON West, Intersolar North America takes place annually at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. NABCEP and Intersolar North America have partnered to offer free expo access to NABCEP-certified professionals as well as a 20% conference discount and a 20% discount on the Installation Workshop Package. The Installation Workshop Package is valued at $95 and includes an expo ticket. The conference tickets range from $475-$950, depending on whether a participant wants to attend all three days or just a single day.

NABCEP Career Center

NABCEP offers its own career center for solar employers and jobseekers. Through its job board portal, individuals can post job openings, get career coaching, get help writing a resume, post their resumes, apply for job openings, and get new job notifications sent to their email inboxes. NABCEP offers a 10% discount to certified professionals who want to post a job opening.

Prosight Specialty Insurance

prosight insurance logo NABCEP and ProSight Specialty Insurance have collaborated to promote NABCEP Certification by offering insurance premium credits to qualified solar installation companies that have achieved NABCEP Company Accreditation or have certified professionals on staff. The available discount is up to 10% insurance premium credit.

Wunder Capital

NABCEP-certified professionals can receive a 50% discount on loan service fees through Wunder Capital. Loans include flexible, short-term working capital for commercial solar PV system procurement and construction needs as well as long-term financing for solar customers.

RENVU Solar Equipment Distribution

RENVU is a leading solar equipment distributor, reducing solar equipment costs via smart distribution and automated processes. The RENVU MegaWatt Club offers free shipping on all orders, $100 off permitting packages, and preferred club member prices. NABCEP-certified professionals can receive a 40% discount for the first year of their MegaWatt membership.

ONGRID

ongrid logo All individuals with the NABCEP PV Installation Professional or NABCEP PV Technical Sales certifications can receive a 10% discount on the OnGrid Tool, which is a sales software with the capability to automatically create proposals that include financial analysis, financing, environmental impact, and system performance. The discount is valid for monthly and annual subscriptions.

Let It Shine by John Perlin

NABCEP credential holders and employees of NABCEP Accredited PV Installation Companies can receive a 50% discount on the cover price of John Perlin’s book Let It Shine: The 6,000 Year Story of Solar Energy. The retail value of the book is $29.95.

Women in Solar

Women in Solar is the leading non-profit membership organization for women in the solar energy industry. Their mission is to promote the involvement of women in the advancement of all aspects of the solar energy industry. All female NABCEP credential holders can receive 25% off the annual membership fee. Membership is available through tiers, such as Professional ($150), Sustaining ($500), Student/Retiree ($60), and Lifetime Member ($1,500).

GuildQuality

GuildQuality logo GuildQuality is a customer satisfaction surveying software used in the remodeling, home building, and home improvement sectors. NABCEP-certified professionals and NABCEP accredited companies can receive a 20% discount on survey fees, with full access to performance reporting and marketing tools. This software offers a great opportunity for solar companies to measure client needs and determine how well their installers exceeded client expectations.

SolarNexus

solarnexus logo SolarNexus is a uniquely tailored customer management software. The program helps independent solar sales and installation companies manage their customer leads and sales opportunities. NABCEP Accredited Companies or companies with NABCEP-certified professionals on staff can get a 10% discount on the SolarNexus solar business management platform. Regular pricing per user can range from $59-$139 per month.

HelioScope

The HelioScope platform is a cloud-based design and performance modeling software, which enables solar professionals to create layouts, bill-of-materials, and bankable production estimates in only minutes. All NABCEP-certified professionals can receive a 10% discount on the monthly or annual HelioScope license.

Start Now with Solar Training

As you can see, NABCEP Certification not only leads to greater career mobility and peer recognition but also business development savings and company-oriented benefits. If you’re serious about working as a solar contractor, NABCEP Certification is undoubtedly a strong career move.

If you’re ready to become a certified solar professional, please visit our solar training page. We’ll help you prepare for the NABCEP PV Associate and NABCEP PV Installation Professional exams. You can always call us at (800) 460-2575 to discuss which training course is best for meeting your career goals.

Energy Code Varies by State; How Progressive is Your Region?

Those working in the residential and commercial building industries know that codes and standards are as good as gold. Building codes are put into place to provide guidance and standardization. When a state “adopts” a particular version of the building code, builders and contractors working in the state must adhere to the requirements listed therein. In addition, the building code covers a range of topics and building types; what we’re going to focus on here is the energy code.

If you’re looking to gain blower door and duct leakage skills to be compliant with your local code, please visit our Get Certified in Blower Door Testing page or call us at (800) 460-2575 to discuss how a blower door training course will help you achieve that goal.

Though based on best practices for building, safety, and energy efficiency, building codes get reviewed and updated every three years in order to reflect changes in technology, materials, and processes. States can choose to adopt the newest version of the building code and/or make modifications that best serve their geographic and climate needs.

What is Your State Building Code?

The best resource for finding your state’s building code is the www.energycodes.gov website maintained by the U.S. Department of Energy. Note the tabs for Commercial and Residential. From this site, you can filter by state and see what the current code is for commercial and building projects in your area. You can also see a colorful map that shows how your state code compares to other states.

state energy code map

At Everblue Training, we refer to this map every time we talk to someone interested in blower door and duct leakage testing because 9 times out 10, they want to add these skills to meet their local building code requirement.

Blower door and duct leakage testing largely refers to measuring air leakage in homes. Professionals with this skill set are able to advise homeowners and builders on ways to improve a home design or the appliances therein to save energy and lower energy-related expenses.

The energy efficiency portion of the building code is called the International Energy Conservation Code, or IECC. The colorful map on the Department of Energy website reveals which version of the IECC has been adopted in each state.

More Gray Areas, Despite the Colorful Map

We recently noticed that the map went through several changes:

No timestamp on the map image (to know when it was last updated)
New colors and categories listed in the legend of the chart
Return of the timestamp

It’s helpful to have the timestamp on the map to know that you’re looking at up-to-date information, but during the time that it was missing, I was able to filter by State Adoption to see exactly when the code was adopted and implemented for a specific state.

What intrigues me are the new colors and categories in the legend of the chart. By legend, I mean the information below the map that explains what each of the colors means.

Several years ago, the categories were fairly simple – No statewide code, 2009 IECC, or 2012 IECC. Now, the colorful building code map takes into account the fact that states can modify and amend the building code version that they adopt.

Therefore, the map now categorizes states as follows:

No statewide code or home rule
Less energy efficient than 2009 IECC
2009 IECC or equivalent
Between 2009 and 2012/2015 IECC
2012/2015 IECC or equivalent
More energy efficient than 2012/2015 IECC

We can now get a sense of how states are moving toward energy-efficient housing. Perhaps a one-size-fits-all building code isn’t the best option. Maybe it’s better that these states see the value in improving energy efficiency but also want to respect their natural climate needs. Homes in Massachusetts and Arizona would certainly have different needs and considerations.

The Sunshine State has a Gray Energy Code

Florida, also known as the Sunshine Shine, is actually a perfect example of a “gray” state on the energy code map. The state is not literally shaded gray on the map, but it embodies components from 2012 IECC and 2015 IECC due to its amendments.

Officially, the Florida energy code is more energy efficient than the 2012 IECC, but it’s not quite equivalent to 2015 IECC. The state added approximately 15 amendments to their version of the code. Those amendments include items like: no air handlers in attics, sizing limitations on heating and cooling equipment, ventilation must meet ASHRAE 62 provisions, and duct sealing and tightness must be equivalent to the commercial code and RESNET standards.

Despite the fact that some states are listed in between IECC code versions, the Department of Energy website provides thorough information on what exactly is required by state as well as contact information for state code adoption in case there are questions. We also recommend that home energy professionals reach out to their local code official to see if they can gain guidance on their municipality’s needs.

If you’ve researched your state energy code and know that you need blower door and duct leakage training, call us at (800) 460-2575 and we’ll help you find a training course near you.

Learn more about Everblue's Blower Door Test Certification 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.

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.