National Certification Future ?????????

[Roy D. Cooke, Sr]

I wonder what future will be for the National Certification.
The government has just pulled the finiancing for Enegery Guide Evaluations.
Roy Sr

http://www.cbc.ca/sask/story/energy-...ncy060512.html

Ottawa halts initial energy-efficiency evaluations
Last Updated May 12 2006 06:47 PM CDT
CBC News
Ottawa has cancelled all "pre-retrofit" evaluations effective Saturday, the company that evaluates Saskatchwan homes for federal energy-saving grants has been told.

Under the program, people who retrofitted their homes with energy-efficient furnaces and extra insulation could get rebates from the federal and provincial governments.

The two-step process required people to get their homes evaluated before renovations, and then get a follow-up evaluation to determine the size of the grant they would receive.

However, in the federal budget earlier this month, spending on the EnerGuide program was slashed by $227 million over five years.

The cancellation means about 1,000 people who had booked evaluations into July will be "out of luck," said Jenelle Kurtenbach, spokeswoman for Sun Ridge Group's EnerGuide program. It also means there'll be no more new bookings for initial evaluations.

According to Kurtenbach, some 11,500 Saskatchewan households that have completed the first evaluation remain eligible for the grant. However, they'll have to get the retrofits and the second evaluation done by the end of the fiscal year in March 2007.

It will be first come, first served to get those second evaluations done, and it will continue only as long as the money holds out, she said.

A home retrofitted under the program cuts its energy use by an average of 30 per cent.

A typical homeowner who boosted their EnerGuide rating to 73 from 60 would get a federal grant of $827, plus a matching provincial grant, the company said.

The more I hear,
the more I see!
NACHI is the one for me !
Roy Cooke R.H.I. Royshomeinspection.com
A HAPPY NACHI MEMBER,... More find this out ever day!

[rrichards2]

It will probably go the way of the dodo bird.

[Claude Lawrenson]

It may mean that more home inspectors that were participating in EnerGuide's will be looking for more of the marketplace back doing home inspections. So all inspectors may feel the impact.

From a consumer POV its unfortunate because it was also about energy conservation - and that impacts everyone directly or indirectly. The past government seemed to put a lot more importance on the Kyoto Accord. There were lofty plans to expand the EnerGuide program, so this announcement seems to kill some of the proposed new initiatitives.

The other remains to be seen - its simply speculation at this point.

[Roy D. Cooke, Sr]

Originally Posted by clawrenson

It may mean that more home inspectors that were participating in EnerGuide's will be looking for more of the marketplace back doing home inspections. So all inspectors may feel the impact.

From a consumer POV its unfortunate because it was also about energy conservation - and that impacts everyone directly or indirectly. The past government seemed to put a lot more importance on the Kyoto Accord. There were lofty plans to expand the EnerGuide program, so this announcement seems to kill some of the proposed new initiatitives.

The other remains to be seen - its simply speculation at this point.

It is to bad just maybe the National Certification could have been a great thing if it had just been presented properly and information freely given and questions answered properly.
It also should have been more fairly dealt with and all inspectors treated properly.
Too much double talk and smoke and mirrors.
Roy Sr.

[Claude Lawrenson]

Its happening as we speak, a certification council and administrative body exist, some examiners are already in place across Canada and already performing the function of reviewing applicants. Some applicants are successful and a few others do not succeed. It seems that its proving that gaps exists with knowledge, education and even certification of inspectors. Perhaps we can all learn a lot by the testing against the requisite skills and real experience of an inspector.

It's not smoke and mirrors - its reality. As stated before no one forces one to join. Its all about choices. The real winner in this model will be better inspectors with national recognition.

[rwand1]

Hi Claude

Your comment, "Its all about choices" struck a chord. Yes its about choices, freedom of choice, and freedom of association. Do you not find it odd that the application form for Background Review seemingly is stating and indicating otherwise? If it is voluntary then its voluntary nature seems to diminish its overall so called strengths. Just an observation. The whole process seems flawed that people are being asked to sign onto something they know nothing about. No by-laws of the corporation, rules, regulations, policies, by-laws, SOP/COE they are being told they must subscribe to, et ceteras. I guess Guinea Pigs would be an overstatement.

There is still the matter of home inspectors overseeing themselves. I would freely admit that licencing of home inspectors based on a standard set of SOP/COE would be the best outcome. This would neutralize special interests, favours, bending of the rules, accounting, et ceteras. If that is what it takes to clean up the largese, the poor management practices, and all the other oddities and abuses over the years; I am for it. Freedom at last, Freedom at last!

My opinions only.

[George A. H. Luck]

And in the mean time there is word that the private sector, without the aid of Government funding, is getting ready to announce a real, meaningful, and completely open to all inspectors, national certification programme.

Where there is smoke there is fire!

[rwand1]

Oh I forgot to mention the discipline aspect. National Certification and your obiedence to them seemingly will result in Cert. Member being subjected to a questionable conduct scenario because that member would come under CAHPI Canada, or in the case of Ontario the OAHI. Even though he signed on as a Nachi member. Hmmmm.

Comments welcome.

[rrichards2]

Originally Posted by clawrenson

Its happening as we speak, a certification council and administrative body exist, some examiners are already in place across Canada and already performing the function of reviewing applicants. Some applicants are successful and a few others do not succeed. It seems that its proving that gaps exists with knowledge, education and even certification of inspectors. Perhaps we can all learn a lot by the testing against the requisite skills and real experience of an inspector.

It's not smoke and mirrors - its reality. As stated before no one forces one to join. Its all about choices. The real winner in this model will be better inspectors with national recognition.

Better Caphi inspectors with a national recognition maybe. They appear to be the only ones interested in the program. The majority of North Americas inspectors choose NACHI and the CMI program.

[rwand1]

Truly a wannabe National Certification Body would want to have open elections and members having a say in the destiny of their association. I don't see any membership rights being granted in exchange for your pledge of alligance to CAHPI or any other entity associated with it and National Certification.

Just an observation.

[rrichards2]

Originally Posted by rwand1

Truly a wannabe National Certification Body would want to have open elections and members having a say in the destiny of their association. I don't see any membership rights being granted in exchange for your pledge of alligance to CAHPI or any other entity associated with it and National Certification.

Just an observation.

and spoil their little party? Not a chance.

[rrichards2]

The current government would also not have fallen for this special interest group driven agenda either.

[Claude Lawrenson]

Originally Posted by rwand1

Truly a wannabe National Certification Body would want to have open elections and members having a say in the destiny of their association. I don't see any membership rights being granted in exchange for your pledge of alligance to CAHPI or any other entity associated with it and National Certification.

Just an observation.

Perhaps you have misread the play book of whats in the works. In fairness whether you agree or disagree with the process is ones prerogative. I am not here to defend it, but merely indicate that the council and representation in place is just that "interim". Elections of National Certificate Holders will be the essence of the future makeup of the council. Yearly election and some positions for sake of continuity on an every other year term.

Certainly membership in another association is also not a detriment, seeing that NACHI claims to be better than everyone else! So If you meet the minimum required SOP of CAHPI - I fail to see the concern? In my opinion they are all pretty darn much one in the same. Besides ASHI is releasing there new revised SOP within a few months, too.

[rwand1]

Certainly membership in another association is also not a detriment, seeing that NACHI claims to be better than everyone else!

Sounds like the same chest thumbing coming from CAHPI given the comments being made about CREA teaming up and only recommending CAHPI/Nationally Certified inspectors.

The fact remains no one has an understanding of the process, the requirement of membership input, and obligations to which they will succumb.

Again everyone is being told it is open when in fact it is not. The Application for Background is a directive, not a membership driven application.

[Claude Lawrenson]

No chest thumping required - even NACHI has mastered it. Many people are supporting it. Regardless of other peoples words - its interesting to see the support from top CREA and various provincial executives regarding the National Certification process. Which brings us back to how to best define how to benchmark a practicing home inspector and the issue of professionalism in what some want to believe is the home inspection profession.

Despite Nicks comments some how a number NACHI members have decided to support their opportunity to be part of the national initiative project. Its good to acknowledge their right to make that choice to continue with the review.

But even back to the original topic - I am not sure what any of this discussion has to do with the curtailing of the energy-efficiency - EnerGuide Program.