Do you want to be an energy auditor? If you’re an electronics guy, maybe patrolling a house with an infrared thermal detector and specifying insulation and caulking isn’t your thing. But that doesn’t mean you can’t partner with accredited energy auditors to install home energy management systems that monitor a household’s electricity usage—or install other energy-saving systems like lighting control, vampire power curbs, you name it.
The Home Energy Team Institute is hosting testing for electronics systems contractors at the CEDIA Expo, Sept. 25 in Atlanta, to become RESNET Energy Smart contractors or Level-1 Home Energy Survey Professionals (HESPs). The two-hour testing takes place several times during the day, and requires the completion of an online course.
Being a RESNET Energy Smart Contractor makes one credentialed to work with certified auditors to complete home performance improvement work in compliance with RESNET’s work scope standards of practice. Once qualified, the contractor is eligible for listing on the RESNET Registry of Qualified Contractors and can display the RESNET Energy-Smart logo on his website and marketing materials.
A Level-1 Home Energy Survey Professional (HESP) is qualified to conduct a walk-through assessment of the general energy performance problems and make basic recommendations for improvements or further analysis. This course also serves as the first part (16 of the 34 hours) of the BPI (Building Performance Institute) Analyst curriculum.
The Energy Smart contractor course is 8 hours and includes:
- Basics of heat transfer concepts and air distribution leakage.
- The energy consequences of common construction practices.
- Basic combustion appliance concerns.
- Basics of envelope and duct leakage, air sealing and insulation.
- Understanding thermal boundaries.
- The House as a System – basics of measure interaction, expected life and bundling for optimal performance.
- RESNET retrofit work scope requirements and recommendations.
A contractor who can conduct walk-through energy assessments of homes can see a lot of low-hanging fruit, or easy energy-saving fixes, including ventilation ducts and attics that need insulation–better insulating recessed can lights, changing out incandescent bulbs—and make these recommendations to homeowners, says Dallas Jones of the Home Energy Team Institute, which trains energy auditors. Then they can offer energy management systems with energy monitors and the like as part of the energy-saving solutions.
Jones taught a webinar on energy auditing for CEDIA members earlier in the year, and says, “People in your industry very much need to get involved with energy auditors, because we are versed in the kinds of things. … Energy auditors would welcome the opportunity to work with the people who do the work you do. You’ll want to work with someone or be the key person [who helps homeowners get the work done.]”
