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A Certified
Home Energy Rater or
Rater is
a person trained and certified by an
accredited Home Energy Rating
Provider to inspect and evaluate a home’s
energy
features, prepare a home energy
rating and make recommendations for improvements
that will save the homeowner
energy and money.
A Certified
Home Energy Auditor is a step above a Rater
(ACHEA)
The path to becoming a Home
Energy Rater begins with attending Rater
Training
classes.
• First,
locate an accredited Energy Rater Training
organization. We will be
offering
our training online soon.
• It
is a good idea to begin preparing early for
rater training by studying the
materials recommended by the
training organization you have selected.
• Here
is information to prepare for the RESNET rater
test.
• Though
you do not have to attend a class to take the
test, it is highly
recommended. You
do, however, have to complete two energy ratings
and take
the test the first time in the
presence of a Rater Trainer.
• Should
you decide to attend training, you should be
prepared for an intensive
week of learning building
science principles and incorporating that
knowledge
into the actual practice of
conducting onsite home energy inspections and
preparing home energy ratings.
• All
candidates must pass the national online core
competency test with a score
of 80 or greater. The test is
challenging and if you wish to accomplish this
goal,
you will need to take the course
work and test seriously, so don’t plan to have
other work or play activities
during the training week.
• If
you do not pass the Rater test the first time,
there are proctoring guidelines
in place enabling you to retake
the test in your own neighborhood.
After you return home, you are
required to perform three probationary ratings
through a Rating Provider.
• The
Energy Rating industry is governed by RESNET and
is structured to ensure a
high level of quality assurance.
With that in mind, energy raters must work
through a Rating Provider, who
is responsible for their quality assurance.
• An
accredited Rating Provider will assist new
Raters in conducting and
submitting their required three
additional probationary ratings.
• After
completing these probationary ratings and
passing the Rater test
successfully, the chosen Rating
Provider will issue a document stating you have
passed the course work necessary
to become a HERS Certified Rater.
• Training
is, however, only the first step in the process.
The final aspect of the Rater
certification process is to contract with a
RESNETaccredited
Rating Provider.
• Home
Energy Raters are actually certified by RESNET‐accredited
Rating Providers
rather than RESNET per se.
• The
accredited Rating Providers are also listed on
the RESNET website at
http://www.resnet.us/programs/providers/directory.aspx
under “National
Registry of Accredited Rating
Providers”.
• You
will want to seek out a Rating Provider who will
provide you with a high level
of assistance and will help you
to develop a successful rating business.
Remember you will have to
conduct the three probationary ratings with them
to
become certified and your Rating
Provider is important to the process.
• Choose
a provider carefully since they offer widely
varying levels of service with
regard to technical support,
business development and business management
tools. Be sure to discuss with
your prospective provider whether or not they
service raters other than those
they have trained. In other words, are they
willing to certify independent
raters not trained by them. Also remember you
have options for a Rating
Provider that are not located in your state.
Many
companies certify Raters to
provide rating services outside of the state in
which
they are headquartered. Not all
Rating Providers have the same cost structure
and business model. Make sure
that you are comfortable with the services
provided and costs charged.
• You
will need to sign a Rater Agreement outlining
the responsibilities and
obligations for both the Rater
and the Rating Provider‐this is detailed
in the
RESNET Standards.
• Once
you have signed with a Rater Provider, the
Provider will assign you a unique
number and issue you your
certification.
• RESNET
Standards require the Rating Provider to perform
quality assurance
“desk audits” on a minimum
of 10% of all energy ratings and follow up field
inspections on a minimum of 1%
of your ratings. The Rating Provider, following
RESNET’s standards,
establishes the timing by which these quality
assurance
requirements are completed.
• All
of these additional processes typically require
fees that are paid by the Rater
to the Rating Provider.
• “A
rater may employ or use a Rating Field Inspector
to perform the physical
inspection tasks allowed under
that job designation. This definition does not
restrict a Rater from conducting
the inspections and necessary basic
performance tests (blower door
& duct blaster) to produce a home energy
rating. The certified Home
Energy Rater remains responsible for the
accuracy of
the information contained in the
rating.” (RESNET Standards)
What are the benefits if you add
Home Energy Rating certification to your
business?
• Gain
the ability to find building flaws that can
cause discomfort, high utility bills,
moisture problems and indoor air
quality problems by using state of the art
diagnostic tools.
• Help
builders reap the benefits of utility incentives
and state and federal tax
credits.
• Be
able to evaluate both new and existing homes
using cutting edge energy
analysis software.
• Learn
how to create or expand your business by selling
home comfort and
diagnostics.
• Develop
a sound understanding of building science
principles and residential
energy use.
• Green
building is a rapidly expanding market niche,
and now is the time to get in
on the ground floor.
• Assist
your builder clients to qualify for such
programs as ENERGY STAR, federal
tax credits, the U.S. Department
of Energy’s National Builders Challenge, LEED
Homes, NAHB’s Green Building
Program, and offer innovative mortgage
financing.
What are the start up costs for
a rating business?
• Training
will cost between $1200 and $2500 depending on
the location of the
training and the Training
Provider you have chosen.
• Equipment
will be the largest investment. The purchase of
the blower door,
duct leakage testing device,
digital manometer's) and register tape normally
costs between $3500 and $4500.
• A
good hygrometer will cost around a $100.
• You
will need to pay your Provider to come to your
location to perform quality
assurance on 1% of your annual
ratings ($300 to $1400 per year). This cost will
vary significantly from Provider
to Provider, ask upfront.
• As
with all businesses, there will be office and
insurance expenses. Professional
Liability insurance is available
for RESNET Rater members. Typical costs for a
beginning Rater are around $1500
per year.
• And
there will be 12 hours of continuing education
every three years you must
obtain.
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