Page 30 – Everblue Training

HVAC Installation Done Wrong Leads to Increased Energy Use

A study from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) revealed that poor HVAC installation of air conditioning and heat pump units often leads to unsatisfactory energy performance. This research took three years to compile, with the help of surveys, field evidence, and various measurements for modeling. The most common installation errors included leaky ducts, improper refrigerant charge, oversizing of systems, and restricted airflow.

Air conditioning unit Under controlled environmental conditions, the NIST research team characterized the performance of a heat pump while operating with any one of seven commonly encountered faults. After determining how much each fault affected energy consumption in the laboratory, the researchers investigated how these same errors might impact energy use in two types of houses—one with a basement, the other built on a concrete slab—and in five different climate zones. This part of the analysis was conducted with a simulation tool developed by CDH Energy Corp.

By and large, leaky air ducts emerged as the dominant issue, followed by refrigerant undercharge and incorrect indoor airflow due to improperly sized ductwork. Other findings include:

For six of the seven faults studied, associated increases in energy use are similar for slab-on-grade and basement houses. However, leaky air ducts installed in unconditioned attic space can cause the greatest increase in energy use in slab-on-grade houses.
In hot and humid climates, duct leakage substantially increases indoor relative humidity, reducing human comfort. Occupants will typically lower the thermostat to compensate, which significantly increases energy use.
With a few exceptions, simultaneous faults have additive effects on energy consumption.

Piotr Domanski leads NIST research on the performance of HVAC systems. He indicated that improper installation could increase household energy use for space heating and cooling up to 30 percent over what it should be, according to the team’s measurements. The “typically installed” HVAC system, therefore, wastes considerable energy.

The report concluded that sizing, selecting, and installing HVAC equipment according to industry-recognized procedures is critical to ensuring energy efficiency. Click here to read the full report.

To directly address this issue, HVAC technicians should consider pursuing a certification from the North American Technician Excellence (NATE) organization. NATE is the nation’s largest non-profit certification organization for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration technicians. The NATE certification exams represent real-world working knowledge of HVACR systems and place a superior emphasis on the proper installation and servicing of HVACR systems.

As the NIST research proves, proper installation of HVAC systems significantly contributes to the overall energy efficiency of our living spaces. In addition to saving money, benefits of properly-functioning HVAC systems include healthier homes, better indoor air quality, and increased thermal comfort. What’s more, earning a NATE Certification is a relatively affordable opportunity to hone your skills and achieve a marketable designation to stand out from competitors in the industry.

For more information, give us a call at (800) 460-2575.

LEED Exam Military Discount: Veterans to Receive Reimbursement

We receive a lot of inquiries from veterans and active duty military about whether their G.I. Bill will cover any of their LEED expenses or if there’s a LEED exam military discount. The good news is that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will reimburse the cost of the LEED Green Associate and LEED AP credential exams for U.S. military veterans, eligible dependents, and reservists. Candidates can seek up to $2,000 in reimbursement.

The VA will cover 100% of test fees per attempt, whether or not you pass the exam. And the agreement is retroactive, so any veteran who took a LEED exam after December 3, 2008 is eligible to have their exam fee expenses reimbursed!

The U.S. Green Building Council partnered with the VA in 2009 to ensure that all LEED professional exams were approved for coverage under the G.I. Bill. As a veteran-founded company, we’re so pleased that there is a LEED exam military discount. Green building is a great career transition for our military veterans.

Learn about LEED exam military discount here We want to say a big thank you to all military today and every day. Members of the military always receive a 10% discount on training with Everblue, whether it’s LEED, BPI, RESNET, Solar, or any other course we offer. Call (800) 460-2575 to learn more and redeem.

Veterans Day is very special for us and brings us back to our roots. Our founders were deployed several times, and their deployments made them realize that America has a broken energy policy. Wanting to help fix the problem when they left active duty, they decided to start Everblue in order to educate and train individuals about energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainability.

We believe that service veterans have the skills to build a world-class energy industry, and we are working to prepare our veterans for careers with a future.

Register now for LEED Green Associate Exam Prep

LEED AP O+M v4 Training is Here; Start the Online Class Now

Individuals can now register for LEED AP O+M v4 Training. Everblue is the ONLY training organization with LEED AP O+M v4 training available, so reserve your seat now and benefit from an intense, interactive exam prep experience that you won’t find anywhere else!

We wanted to thank all of you who signed up to be on our waiting list for LEED AP O+M training. We hope that you will consider our online training.

LEED AP O+M Training Everblue’s webinars contain the same exam prep content that you would find in a live classroom course. The only difference is that we present the material over the Internet! You’ll have an experienced and enthusiastic instructor available on the other end who can answer your questions in real time.

Please note: You should be a LEED Green Associate before you pursue a LEED AP specialty designation, such as LEED AP O+M. LEED Green Associate is the starting point for everyone. While you can sit for both exams at the same time, you might risk the opportunity to earn your specialty designation if you fail the Green Associate level. We recommend that everyone enroll in LEED Green Associate training first and complete the testing process for Green Associate before moving onto the LEED AP O+M designation.

Assuming you have already earned your LEED Green Associate accreditation…

The Value of LEED AP O+M

While the LEED Green Associate level provides a broad introduction to green building, the LEED AP Operations and Maintenance specialty focuses on the ongoing logistics and energy consumption of a building. It’s one thing to design a building with sustainable features and to project an annual savings of X dollars, but project teams working under the LEED for Existing Buildings rating system seek to put their knowledge to practice by ensuring consistent operational efficiency. The LEED EBOM rating system is crucial for showing the real and tangible impact of LEED certification. With the successful implementation of sustainable features and the ongoing audits to ensure savings, a LEED AP will have legitimate numbers to show progress and energy savings.

A LEED professional with an Operations and Maintenance specialty has four key objectives or tasks:

LEED Project and Team Coordination

A LEED AP with O+M is responsible for determining which LEED Rating System is most applicable to a project (BD+C, ID+C, or O+M) and should be especially astute at knowing when it is most appropriate to pursue either BD+C or O+M. This individual is also responsible for gathering and interpreting client needs and priorities as they affect LEED certification. This will help define the parameters and goals of the project.

We’ve long talked about the importance of project management skills in pursuing LEED certification; LEED APs are project managers who assemble the proper infrastructure for a project, from supervising team members and delegating their roles to identifying pertinent resources and overseeing project requirements and timelines.

LEED Certification Process

LEED Version 3, which launched in 2009, established a hierarchy of LEED professionals. The hierarchy starts with LEED Green Associate, which is the entry-level designation for LEED professionals. The next step is LEED Accredited Professional with Specialty, and the final step is LEED Fellow. As you can imagine, each tier comes with a range of responsibilities and knowledge.

LEED APs are generally viewed as leaders on a project. Among the responsibilities associated with pursuing LEED certification are: confirming compliance of minimum program requirements, registering a project using LEED Online, tracking LEED documentation, and reviewing completed forms. Due to this heightened level of knowledge, it is suggested that LEED APs have project experience under their belt. Nevertheless, a LEED AP with O+M must be well versed in the LEED certification process.

Analyses Required for LEED Credits

This might be the most important responsibility, specific to LEED Operations and Maintenance. A LEED AP must think beyond the simple pursuit of LEED certification and focus on ongoing energy-saving techniques. The LEED AP with O+M will be responsible for researching “green” operational strategies and products. It will be important to benchmark a building’s energy consumption and to audit the building’s progress. The heart of LEED AP O+M is coordinating these benchmark and energy auditing efforts.

Advocate and Educate for Adoption of LEED Rating System

Finally, LEED APs are responsible for identifying, communicating, and educating the values of sustainable operations and maintenance and the benefits of a green building to stakeholders. They help clients understand incentives to implement sustainable building practices and review costs. LEED APs are leaders in the sustainable building industry and encourage others to see the sensibility in this approach.

LEED AP O+M v4 Exam Breakdown

The LEED AP O+M exam contains 100 multiple-choice questions and must be completed in two hours. These are the types (and quantity) of questions you will encounter on the exam:

Pretest Questions (15)
LEED Process (12)
Location and Transportation (5)
Sustainable Sites (9)
Water Efficiency (13)
Energy and Atmosphere (21)
Materials and Resources (10)
Indoor Environmental Quality (15)

As you can see, LEED AP O+M is a valuable specialty to aspire toward after earning your LEED Green Associate accreditation. If you work on LEED projects related to existing buildings and sustainable operations, this specialty is for you. Reserve your seat today, or give us a call at (800) 460-2575 to learn more.

LEED 2009 Project Deadline Extended

As many of you may be aware, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) launched a new version of its LEED Rating System in November 2013. The update, called LEED Version 4, applies to individual credentials as well as building projects.

The USGBC has allowed an overlap of projects being submitted for consideration under LEED 2009 and LEED v4 standards. The deadline for LEED 2009 projects was originally set for June 15, 2015, but the USGBC recently announced that they are extending the deadline to October 31, 2016.

Here’s some more information about the deadline extension, from the USGBC press release:

LEED Certification Plaques

“When USGBC launched LEED v4 last year, we set out with one goal in mind – to raise the bar in a way that challenges the building industry to reach higher than ever before. This is our nature and USGBC and its members’ collective mission,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO & Founding Chair, USGBC. “However, the market has requested additional time to prepare for LEED v4, so we are responding. “

In a survey conducted at last week’s Greenbuild conference, 61% of respondents said they are “not ready” or “unsure” if they are ready for LEED v4 and require additional time to prepare. Extending LEED 2009’s availability enables USGBC to work with the broader industry within a longer time frame to drive meaningful and comprehensive change.

“Our international LEED users, which account for some 50% of new LEED registrations, have also indicated they would like to have more time to move onto the new rating system,” Fedrizzi noted. “This extension will be especially helpful to them.”

LEED v4 has been in the market for nearly one year and will remain available for those market leaders who are ready.

“LEED v4 wasn’t designed to be easy. It is the next generation of green building and we are confident the market will meet us there as they have in years past,” added Fedrizzi. “When USGBC first pilot tested LEED in 1998, there weren’t many buildings that could qualify for LEED certification at the Platinum level. Now, more than 1,000 buildings have achieved it. With LEED, we have a responsibility to set a high bar and we know that many leaders are capable of reaching it, presently or in the very near future. We want to support our LEED users as they move the market forward with us, and allowing them to utilize the LEED 2009 rating system for a little longer will help facilitate that.”

“USGBC continues to develop new resources that support the market’s adoption of LEED,” added Fedrizzi. “The LEED Dynamic Plaque provides a vivid, real-time visualization of building performance data spanning water, energy, occupant satisfaction and more, giving building owners critical insight into how their building is performing. Every day, LEED is contributing to scores of new, innovative building technologies in the design, manufacturing and construction process, and has brought new, healthier building materials to market.

LEED has facilitated spectacular advances in building technologies, integrated design and operating practices. LEED is also largely responsible for the explosive growth of the green building sector, which supports or creates 7.9 million jobs across all 50 states and contributes $554 billion to the U.S. economy annually.

Building Science Training Offered Via Grant Funding

Chaffey College logo Chaffey College participated in a bidding process to procure grant funding from the County of San Bernadino. Once the funds had been awarded to Chaffey, Everblue applied for consideration as Chaffey’s preferred training provider. Together, Chaffey and Everblue will offer building science training to Rancho Cucamonga residents.

Everblue specializes in short term exam prep and continuing education courses, specifically in the fields of energy efficiency, green building, and renewable energy. Since 2009, Everblue has helped over 15,000 students gain the knowledge necessary to achieve an environmental certification and advance within their career. Everblue is an approved training and testing center for the Building Performance Institute (BPI) and employs industry-certified and qualified instructors to teach its building science training in locations across the country.

“We’re pleased that Chaffey recognizes the caliber of education provided through Everblue,” says John Costello, strategic operations specialist. “I’m confident that this collaboration between Chaffey and Everblue will develop a workforce with the knowledge and technical skills to make a difference in San Bernadino County. Our mission is to put people back to work.”

Chaffey selected Everblue to provide basic building science education as well as instruction aligned with the Building Performance Institute’s standards for weatherization. These courses will teach students how to safely tighten a building envelope to reduce energy loss from air leakage and reduce pollutants and allergens through air migration.

Students will learn how to install specific air leakage control measures in residential attics, crawlspaces, wall cavities, and on ducts. They will improve thermal comfort and energy efficiency through learning the proper installation of dense-pack insulation materials.

Building Science Training

Everblue will supply all instruction, proctoring, and course materials. Chaffey will supply training space, including Internet access and any weatherization props, tools, and equipment. Students will benefit from free green job training, courtesy of the Vocational Education and Training Services grant.

Training will be conducted in cohorts of 8-10 students, and each cohort will be completed over the span of nine days. Courses will include classroom theory and hands-on field training. For more information about Everblue’s weatherization training through Chaffey College, please call us at (800) 460-2575.

About Everblue
Everblue, a veteran-owned business, is the nation’s leading training provider for green building and energy efficiency. Its curriculum is focused on short-term courses for individuals in the green technology field or those seeking a career path in sustainability and project management. Everblue’s courses are approved by the American Institute of Architects, Building Performance Institute, Green Building Certification Institute, Interstate Renewable Energy Council, and North American Technician Excellence. Everblue’s mission is to develop a highly-skilled labor force in the building and construction industries.

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The Fastest Way to Earn Continuing Education

Thank you for joining us today in our exploration of the hottest topic known to the sustainability industry: continuing education. It’s an issue that affects all of our students, whether you have a LEED credential or a certification from BPI/RESNET, or another organization. Nobody wants to think about it – much less talk about it – but there are some basic points that we need to discuss. I’ll try to make this as painless as possible. Choose from the credential that best suits your needs.

LEED BPI RESNET Miscellaneous

If You Have a LEED Credential

Accredited LEED professionals must pursue continuing education every two years. You may be more familiar with the term “credential maintenance” or LEED CMP.

LEED Green Associates – need 15 hours (3 of which must be specific to LEED)
LEED APs w/ Specialty – need 30 hours (6 of which must be specific to LEED)

There are several ways that you can acquire these hours. The easiest, and quickest, way to fulfill this requirement is to enroll in a comprehensive package that gives you all your hours. We’ve got these one-stop solutions ready to go. You can register for LEED CMP for Green Associates or LEED CMP for APs.

Benefits of LEED Credential Maintenance

A series of industry-relevant on-demand webinars make up these packages, and here’s why you’re excited to get started:

Gain access to the webinar content immediately after purchase
Watch the presentations any time you want – night or day – on your schedule
Control the pace as you wish – pause, rewind, fast forward, or restart at your convenience
Watch from a mobile device – iPad, iPhone 3GS or newer, iPod Touch 3rd generation or newer, Mac or PC
Content tailored specifically to your credential’s requirements so you don’t have to worry about whether you are missing anything
Simply take a comprehension quiz at the end, and that’ll trigger Everblue staff to submit your LEED CMP hours on your behalf. Just sit back and relax!

If You Have a BPI Credential

BPI-certified technicians must pursue continuing education every three years. You may be more familiar with the term “recertification.”

BPI Building Analysts, Envelope Professionals, Heating Professionals, AC/Heat Pump Professionals, Manufactured Housing Professionals, Multifamily Building Analysts, and/or Multifamily Building Operators:

30+ hours = no written exam required. Must retake field exam.
10-29 hours = must complete 50-question written exam and retake field exam.
0-9 hours = must complete 100-question written exam for the first designation and a 50-question written exam for each additional designation. Must retake field exam.

As prescribed with the LEED CMP route, we suggest making the pursuit of continuing education as easy as possible. Thus, we have comprehensive BPI recertification packages available. You can register for a complete package by visiting our BPI recertification page.

Note: Our packages are specifically aimed at BPI Building Analyst, Envelope, and/or IDL credential holders only.

Benefits of BPI Recertification

Testing isn’t fun, but assuming that you’ve been actively working as a home energy auditor and utilizing the whole-house approach, you should be able to pass your retest with confidence. In the event that you’re worried, we’ve supplied a few supplements to get you started:

Live field training with an instructor at a real home near you
Online field training review videos
Proctored written exam
Proctored field exam
The ease of fulfilling your requirement with less than one week’s time commitment

If You Are a RESNET HERS Rater

RESNET HERS Raters must pursue continuing education every three years.

HERS Raters – need 18 hours

I’m not going to lie to you – the fastest, most relevant way to earn your continuing education is to take our ENERGY STAR Version 3 Training and Testing. This course provides exactly 18 hours of training and, in one swoop, completely fulfills your requirement. Not only that, all HERS Raters are required to complete this training and testing to service and/or inspect homes seeking an ENERGY STAR v3 rating. You can register for this one-stop-shop solution by visiting our ENERGY STAR v3 page.

Benefits of RESNET Continuing Education

There are several benefits to choosing this route:

Like the LEED CMP packages, the ENERGY STAR v3 training is delivered as an on-demand webinar, so you gain access to the content immediately after purchase.
You’ll have access for a full year from the time of purchase, so you can watch the webinars anytime at your convenience.
Watch from a mobile device – iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Mac or PC
Your other option is to attend the RESNET National Conference and earn your CEUs by attending the workshops. If you are under a time or money crunch, the ENERGY STAR v3 training is a much cheaper and faster way to fulfill your requirement.
Expand your career opportunities by gaining real, applicable skills.

If You Have Other Continuing Education Needs

Architects and engineers and land surveyors, oh my! Many state boards require continuing education from these professionals to maintain their credential. Each state may be different.

Hopefully this clears up any questions about continuing education. If you have a more specific question, please give us a call at (800) 460-2575.

Building Science Training for Office Coordinators & Sales

You may be wondering why an office coordinator or sales representative would need to be educated on the principles of building science. Those of us in non-technical administrative roles have long been stuck between a rock and a hard place in effectively communicating the impact of our company’s services due to limited field experience.

Sure, you know your company’s products inside and out, but your clients want to know how the product will save them money or benefit their living situation. There’s nothing worse than having to defer to a field technician for these customer service-related questions. But how else will you equip yourself with the necessary technical knowledge given your role in the company?

Home performance professionals should know the value of basic building science principles

The BPI BSP certificate helps office staff understand building science.

The Building Performance Institute (BPI) launched the Building Science Principles Certificate of Knowledge to fill a gap in the home performance industry and provide much-needed context to those working in administrative and sales roles.

In addition to covering basic building science principles related to energy, heat, and moisture movement in homes, BPI BSP also covers programs like the Home Energy Score and renewable energy.

BPI is known nationwide for its energy auditing certifications, such as Building Analyst, Envelope, Multifamily Building Analyst, etc. These certifications denote proficiency in both theory and practical skills relating to the whole-house approach to energy efficiency. It’s important for energy auditors, general contractors, homebuilders, HVAC technicians, and insulation contractors to understand the various components in a home and to approach their retrofits from a holistic standpoint. But not everyone working in the home performance industry is actually out there doing work in the field.

What is the Building Science Principles Certificate of Knowledge?

That’s where BSP comes in. The Building Science Principles Certificate of Knowledge – not a certification – is meant for salespeople and product representatives working in the home performance industry.

These individuals are the front-line representatives of this industry and often are not in the field performing home energy audits. However, they must be knowledgeable about the products and services of their company and how those items will save their customers money, save energy, and provide a healthier environment for occupants.

The BSP certificate is perfect because it looks at the importance and relevance of residential energy efficiency. BSP candidates gain an understanding of:

moisture and airflow in a home
building structure
insulation
mechanical systems
combustion safety
pressure diagnostics

And they never have to interact with the blower door and duct blaster equipment.

Prior to the launch of BSP, energy and sustainability coordinators would have worked toward a full BPI Building Analyst Certification. For these individuals, that would have meant spending more money on training, taking a full week away from work, and studying information that exceeded the parameters of their job. Although it’s great to aspire to more for your career, the full certification just wasn’t what they needed at the time. And there were no other options. BSP, however, is perfectly suited for the needs of entry-level practitioners who need a basic understanding of building science principles to effectively perform their job responsibilities.

I started my career with Everblue in 2010 as the BPI Program Coordinator. My responsibilities included maintaining class rosters, shipping course materials, confirming field training locations, sending communications to students, and answering student questions. I was able to perform the majority of my responsibilities using simply a college education, but it would have been nice to have had the BSP knowledge when it came to finding appropriate field training locations and answering student questions. I generally had to defer to the BPI Program Manager for technical questions and issues.

In lieu of BSP, I took the BPI Building Analyst training. I thoroughly enjoyed it. To give you a picture, I was a fresh-out-of-college female with a degree in journalism sitting in a class full of experienced home inspectors and HVAC technicians. Initially, I was apprehensive about what I was going to learn and how I would be able to apply that knowledge to my job. Would this information be far over my head?

Sure, the information was new to me. But at the same time, it wasn’t. I had been living in a house for the last 22 years. The concepts from that class were directly applicable. I remember my instructor saying,

“You know how water disperses when you knock over a glass? It moves from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration. Energy does the same thing.”

Then we talked about airflow and moisture:

“If you see a spider web in the corner of your bathroom, chances are that there is a gap in the thermal envelope, causing moisture and air to escape — also enticing a spider to build its web and catch passing-by bugs.”

Of course my instructor was far more eloquent in his examples. The point is, these basic building science principles would have been applicable to me even if I hadn’t been working as the BPI Program Coordinator. Anyone interested in saving energy and cutting back on energy-related expenses could use these concepts immediately.

I really enjoyed field training because that’s when all the concepts really came to life. I learned how to set up and operate a blower door. I participated in the combustion safety testing, and I was able to diagnose energy-related issues in the home that could save the customer money and make for a healthier experience inside.

I passed my written exam…and not by the skin of my teeth. The building science concepts just made sense to me. Now the field exam…I was nervous about that. After all, my job did not require me to perform blower door or combustion safety testing on a regular basis. It was my first – and probably my only – time needing to know this information. Gee, if only there had been a building science certificate back then to suit my needs.

The Building Science Certificate is for salespeople and administrators

BSP would have been the perfect option for me. The Building Science Principles training is essentially the first 16 hours of the Building Analyst class. As such, professionals working in non-technical fields can learn the same foundational concepts as their technicians who are in the field.

There is no field training or field testing with BSP so there’s no need to get anxiety about properly working the equipment. You learn the same basic concepts and terminology that a field technician learns. This is advantageous for energy and sustainability coordinators because they’ll be able to speak the same language regarding various aspects of their work.

After completing the BPI training, I had a whole new perspective of my job. I was really excited about answering student questions and finding field training venues because I felt more confident in my building science knowledge.

I might go so far as to say that all professionals working in the energy efficiency industry should pursue the BPI Building Science Principles Certificate of Knowledge, at the very least. Naturally, if you work in the field, you will want to achieve a more technical designation, but for those of us representing the industry and our company’s services, trust me when I say that the BSP certificate will give you greater confidence and help you to be more effective in your job. From office administrators to customer service and sales teams, basic building science knowledge is a staple for anyone working in the home performance industry.

For more information about how you can use basic building science principles in your role, give us a call at (800) 460-2575. We look forward to chatting with you!

New Massachusetts Energy Code Requires Certified Professional Testing

Massachusetts State Energy Code The new Massachusetts energy code, called the 2015 IECC, requires that all new construction be tested and verified at both rough and finish. The MA website indicates that a certified HERS Rater or BPI-certified duct testing individual must do the testing.

Because of the MA energy code change, many HVAC business owners are pursuing either the RESNET HERS Certification or the BPI duct leakage certification to meet this requirement.

Everblue provides residential energy efficiency training for home performance contractors in Massachusetts who are trying to satisfy the energy code:

Our BPI Infiltration and Duct Leakage (IDL) Certification qualifies individuals to do blower door and duct blaster testing. This training can be completed 100% online or partially in person.
Our RESNET HERS Rater training package provides a more thorough analysis of residential energy auditing, including building science education, combustion safety, and on-going mentorship.

Realistically, if you are a contractor who specializes in a trade, such as HVAC, the BPI Infiltration & Duct Leakage Certification should be sufficient. Think of BPI IDL as a skill set (ie, blower door and duct testing).

Alternatively, RESNET HERS Rater Certification is more of a career change. You can start a home performance business as a certified RESNET HERS Rater. The certification process is more complicated than that of BPI IDL and can also result in a total career change. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with going the RESNET route – in fact, you acquire even more skills. We just recommend that you weigh the two options and determine which one makes more sense for your business and career goals.

In addition, while both certifications technically address the Massachusetts energy code requirements, code compliance is determined at the county and city level. You’ll definitely want to contact your local building department and speak with the code official for your are to see if he/she has a preference of BPI IDL vs. RESNET.

For more information about the commercial and residential energy code requirements in Massachusetts, check out the DOE Energy Codes website. Be sure to note the commercial and residential tabs.

Take a look at our course schedule or give us a call at (800) 460-2575 if you have questions about this training.

Learn more about Everblue's Blower Door Test Certification Training

Learn more about Everblue's RESNET HERS Rater Training

The New BPI Accreditation Program

In 2010, the Building Performance Institute (BPI) offered a specialized contractor program called BPI Accreditation. This program was meant for companies that provided home performance services. In order to become a BPI Accredited contractor, an individual had to earn the BPI Building Analyst Certification as well as one specialty designation.

BPI Accreditation rose to popularity at a time when the U.S. Senate was reviewing energy efficiency legislation. The bill, known as Home Star, would have provided $5 billion in funding for residential energy retrofits. Home Star specifically listed BPI Accreditation as a requirement for all contractors performing such work. Because of Home Star, many federal, state, and local programs and utilities started naming BPI Accreditation as a prerequisite to participate in their energy-related programs. Unfortunately, Home Star never came to fruition, and the BPI Accreditation program faded into the background.

How the BPI Accreditation Program Has Evolved

Despite the loss of Home Star, the home performance industry still saw value in educating and training contractors on the “whole-house” approach to energy efficiency. Instead of going to a house with a single trade, the home performance contractors referenced in Home Star would approach their work with a holistic viewpoint that would take into perspective insulation, air sealing, duct testing, and more. This viewpoint would demonstrate enhanced effectiveness in home improvement recommendations.

Due to this demand and passion for comprehensive home energy assessments, BPI launched a brand new program that picked up where Home Star and the BPI Accreditation program left off. The guidelines first promoted in these programs evolved into a much better system, called the BPI GoldStar Contractor program.

What is the BPI GoldStar Contractor Program?

Become a BPI Gold Star Contractor Similar to BPI Accreditation (which BPI no longer offers), the BPI GoldStar Contractor program is accessible to individuals who have earned their BPI Building Analyst Certification. Unlike the accreditation program, there is no requirement to pursue an advanced BPI certification. Given that BPI updated the Building Analyst technical standards in February 2014 to provide a more robust range of knowledge, it seems this certification alone is sufficient for demonstrating expertise in the whole-house approach. Individuals who have earned the new HEP Energy Auditor Certification (an advanced version of BPI BA) are also eligible for the GoldStar program.

How the BPI GoldStar Contractor Program Benefits You

In addition to the marketable designation, BPI provides a series of benefits to its GoldStar contractors. These benefits include:

Free priority placement on BPI’s contractor search locator tool at www.bpi.org
Marketing support: BPI GoldStar Contractor Google AdWords search engine and display advertising campaign
Access to BPI’s QMS microsite – a storehouse of practical templates, sample policies and spreadsheets, videos, articles, and other tools contractors use to incorporate quality processes into day-to-day operations
Access to attractive leasing and financing services for business development and expansion
Co-branded marketing materials (printable)
House-as-a-System brochures for kitchen table discussion, home show selling guide (printable)
Sample Customer Dispute Resolution Policy Template
Direct access to BPI Client Relations Representative and BPI Ask the Expert Library

How to Become a BPI GoldStar Contractor

As noted before, a contractor can become eligible for this program by earning a BPI Building Analyst Certification or HEP Energy Auditor Certification. GoldStar Contractors must pay a $1,200 membership fee, either in monthly chunks through PayPal or an annual fee paid at the time of application.

A contractor must agree to adhere to BPI’s policies and procedures, including having a documented Customer Dispute Resolution Plan and documented sign-off checklist on completed work. Other obligations include implementing a standardized data collection system (paper or electronic), maintaining records about diagnostic equipment calibration, demonstrating proof of licensing and/or insurance, and submitted BPI-specific job information electronically if needed for quality assurance.

This level of commitment is described as Tier I, or Standard. Tier I contractors progress to Tier II when they demonstrate training attendance and successful completion of a survey test on subject matter addressed in their process improvement plan. View the full requirements and benefits of Tier I, II, and II on the BPI GoldStar Contractors page. The higher the tier, the greater the benefits!

Learn more about Everblue's BPI Building Analyst Training

Solar Installer Job Duties: What to Expect in the Field

So you’re interested in becoming a solar installer. Awesome! But what does it actually mean to install solar? Let’s just say that it takes slightly more effort than hooking part A into part B and calling it a day.

A solar installer’s primary duties include the following tasks:

Meeting with the customer/client to determine needs, expectations, and site conditions
Connecting photovoltaic panels to the power grid
Installing solar modules, panels, or support structures in accordance with building codes and standards
Applying weather sealing to equipment being installed
Performing routine PV system maintenance
Activating and testing PV systems to verify performance

How to Become a Solar PV Installer The installation process requires the use of hand and power tools. These may include wrenches, saws, and screwdrivers to connect panels to frames, wires, and support structures.

Once everything is installed, workers check electrical systems for proper wiring, polarity, grounding, or integrity of terminations, and perform maintenance as needed.

If you’d like to explore solar panel installations in greater detail, you should check out Everblue’s solar training programs. Our PV101 Solar Associate Training is on-demand webinar course that covers the basics of solar energy. It is a great introduction to the PV201 Solar Installation course, where we actually teach individuals how to physically install a 1 kW solar array. Naturally, this course must be delivered in a live setting so that students can work with the materials.

And finally, if you’re looking to earn a solar certification, you should explore our NABCEP PV Installation Professional program. The combo course combines the online PV101 Solar Associate, PV201 Solar Installation, OSHA 10, and Solar Sales. In order to qualify for the NABCEP PV Installation Professional Exam, you have to participate in 58 hours of training. Our NABCEP PV Installation Professional program gives you all the hours you need to be eligible!

For more information on where to begin your solar PV career, give us a call at (800) 460-2575.