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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Solar Industry Discounts Available to NABCEP Professionals
Intersolar North America
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
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
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 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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