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?

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.

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,

Then we talked about airflow and moisture:

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.

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!

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?

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!

In a previous post, I reviewed the eligibility requirements for someone wondering how to become a Quality Control Inspector. One of these activities is to complete a training course specifically designed to prepare someone for the BPI Quality Control Inspector exams. You’ve probably noticed that I added BPI before the name of the exam. This is because the Building Performance Institute (BPI) has, so far, been the only organization named to provide this designation. You may also be wondering how the BPI QCI certification differs from the numerous other certifications available from the Building Performance Institute. Let’s review the most common BPI certifications and see how they differ.

Whole House Air Leakage Control Installer
This entry-level designation focuses primarily on insulation and air sealing techniques. Many consider this certification as the one most closely aligned with “weatherization.” Weatherization professionals implement measures to tighten the building envelope to reduce energy loss from air leakage. They improve thermal comfort through the proper installation of dense-pack insulation materials.

BPI Infiltration and Duct Leakage
This brand new certification focuses exclusively on blower door and duct blaster concepts. BPI developed this certification to fill a gap in the industry – not everyone needs to be a certified home energy auditor with the ability to diagnose whole-house energy efficiency issues. There is a large population of home performance professionals who simply need to know how to operate the diagnostic equipment involved in a home energy audit so that they can provide their results to other team members for analysis. BPI IDL training prepares an individual for an entry-level job in the home performance industry.

BPI Building Analyst
This popular BPI certification focuses on basic building science knowledge, which leads to performing comprehensive, whole-home energy audits. It becomes less about specializing in a certain trade and more about understanding how various parts in the home affect one another. These practitioners identify problems at the root cause and make recommendations on ways to improve the energy efficiency and thermal comfort in the home.

BPI Envelope Professional
This is an advanced designation that builds upon knowledge introduced in BPI Building Analyst. An Envelope Professional concentrates on the external, or thermal, boundary of a home. These individuals seek to tighten the building envelope by stopping uncontrolled air leakage.

BPI Heating Professional
This is a specialty designation for professionals working in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning industries. BPI Heating Professionals optimize the installation, operation, and maintenance of heating equipment in relation to other building systems. Their primary concern is to save energy while ensuring occupant comfort, health, and safety.

BPI Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Professional
Similar to the BPI Heating certification, this is a specialty designation that focuses on the air conditioning and heat pump systems. These individuals diagnose and correct problems associated with these systems and seek to achieve peak performance.

BPI Multi-Family Building Analyst
This certification is very much like the BPI Building Analyst certification listed above. However, this skillset applies to multi-family building structures, such as apartment complexes, townhomes, and condominiums. The building science principles are the same, though the requirements and analyses differ due to a more complicated building.

BPI Quality Control Inspector
The Quality Control Inspector designation was developed by the U.S. Department of Energy to demonstrate proficiency in the DOE’s new expectations for the home energy upgrade industry.

A Quality Control Inspector essentially verifies compliance of retrofit work performed based on work plans and standards. Like an energy auditor, a QCI uses diagnostic equipment to conduct audits and inspections and develops reports that specify corrective actions to achieve optimal whole-house home performance. As you can see from the training topics below, QCI focuses less on building science principles and more on the analysis, tracking, reporting, and monitoring of results.

To become a QCI, you must have extensive experience doing audits, so it is expected that you will have knowledge of basic building science when you seek the QCI certification.

Training for Quality Control Inspector covers the following topics:

• Introduction to Weatherization
• House as a System
• Regulations and Standards
• Purpose of Monitoring and Inspecting
• Desk Monitoring
• Inspector’s Toolbox
• Building Assessment
• Interpreting Infrared
• In-Progress Monitoring and Inspecting
• Report Writing

Everblue provides training for the BPI certifications listed above. If you see a specialty that aligns with your line of work, you may benefit from a certification. View our full listing of energy auditor courses now.

One of the newest home energy certifications to surface is the Quality Control Inspector, and in this post, we’re going to discuss the education and work experience you’ll need to earn QCI Certification.

This designation was developed by the U.S. Department of Energy with the intention of developing a highly skilled workforce in the residential energy upgrade industry. What’s exciting about this credential is that it presents an opportunity for renovation and growth in a way that’s never been seen before.

Basically, the DOE has put together a plan for how home energy upgrade work should be done and will reward Weatherization Assistance Programs who follow the guidelines with federal money to complete the retrofit work. It is required that a certified Quality Control Inspector participate. This is a great opportunity to earn a marketable certification and get repeat work!

To be eligible to take the written and field exams for the BPI Quality Control Inspector Certification, you must achieve a minimum of 40 points from any combination of the following activities…

Industry Experience Specific to Being an Inspector
Examples may include site visits, inspections, and diagnostics. There are a maximum of 20 points available for this activity. An inspector with 1,000 hours of experience may qualify for 10 points using this data point alone.

Industry Experience as a Crew Leader or Energy Auditor
To count this activity, you must have had a minimum of 2,000 hours in either role. An individual completing a regular 40-hour workweek would achieve this milestone in 50 weeks (two weeks short of a year), so while this number looks high, it is definitely achievable! A crew leader can earn 5 points, while an energy auditor can earn 10 points for 15 audits. Since there is a greater reward for energy auditors, they must show proof of the 15 completed audits.

Building Experience
You can achieve points in this activity if you’ve worked in areas like framing, roofing, drywall, or siding. There are a maximum of 10 points. A building professional with 1,000 hours of experience may qualify for 5 points using this data point alone. This could be pretty easily achieved if you had a 7-month contract job or a temporary job in the summer months.

Training from an Industry-Specific Training Center
One of the most effective ways to become qualified for QCI Certification is to participate in training that focuses on the job task analysis. This way, you’re learning exactly what you need to know to pass the written and field exams for the certification. A training course will give you 5 points for every 40 hours, with a maximum of 10 points.

Industry Certifications (RESNET, BPI, NATE, EPA)
Because of the similarity in work, RESNET and BPI certifications are a great way to become qualified for Quality Control Inspector. A RESNET HERS Rater is basically an energy auditor, as is a BPI Building Analyst. If you’re more interested in weatherization, you could pursue the BPI Whole House Air Leakage Control Installer Certification, which speaks specifically to that line of work. Each certification you have counts for 5 points, though there is a maximum of 10 points for this activity.

Now you’re ready to earn the QCI Certification! As you can see, you’re going to need experience from each of the categories, and that’s not a bad thing. With this level of experience under your belt, you’ll be positioning yourself as a highly employable and effective home energy practitioner. You’ll also be able to take advantage of federal dollars allocated to this work! Learn more by visiting our QCI training page.