Home Star Program

Here it comes gents, and notice that if you want to be part of this program you will need the training. This is not going to be a point and click deal for thermographers.

Thanks Peter. I’m glad I’m jumping into this now.Today I received all the reference materials you and Kevin recommended for my upcoming BPI Building Analyst Course. I’ve been brushing up with the pre-class worksheets math problems. Also got the field training video Kevin recommended. Also hooked up with a competent, contractor yesterday who will work with (or for) me.

Thats great linus, I think your on the right track.

Where can I find info on these training programs?

Hooking up with that contractor is a great move Linus, you will do great!

JJ

For lack of better terms BPI (Building Performance Institute) generally is existing homes and Resnet (Residential Energy Services Network) is for new construction.

BPI is normally the best path for inspectors, and Clean Edison is the largest training facility for BPI in the country, so they usually have a class fairly close.

I am pretty sure this list of upcoming classes and locations is up to date, and updated often.

JJ

The Field Training Video is great too.

Here’s an update.

Clean Edison partnered with InterNACHI and filmed with www.NACHI.TV for a week, online video courses being edited as we speak.

Yeah that is great stuff Nick! How long do you think before the videos are up on Nachi TV?

JJ

Do the qualified raters include HERS (Home Energy Rating System) raters? Any comments?

yes they include HERS raters

Stephen it depends. In the current Home Star legislation (draft) it calls for the audit for both Gold and Silver star projects to be done by either a BPI BA certified professional or a Resnet qualified rater. I am not sure how that is going to work with Resnet guys, considering they do not do combustion testing. There have been hints that the Resnet guys will have to get combustion testing training. Tightening up a structure without CAZ considerations is tragic at best. I would also hope to see duct testing become a standard for the BPI guys.

On the the Gold star jobs, either can do the audit, but only an accredited BPI Gold Star contracting company can install the retrofits. The retrofits on a Silver Star job can be done by any licensed contractor. Although I would think BPI accrediation would be looked upon as a big positive.

For all of you guys that are currently BPI trained, you must realized that BPI certified and BPI accrediated are not the same thing. Check which you have.

Jason Kaylor – JJ
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Couple more tidbits:**[http://www.natresnet.org/resblog/index.asp

http://www.realestaterama.com/2010/03/04/bpi-included-in-draft-home-star-act-of-2010-legislation-ID06724.html](http://www.realestaterama.com/2010/03/04/bpi-included-in-draft-home-star-act-of-2010-legislation-ID06724.html)

For more information:**

I’m sorry but I can’t seem to find that part. Could you please reference a page and a line number. Thanks.

Mic

There is not a certain page or line, it is referenced all over the place in the current draft of the bill. It is not a horribly long read:

http://energy.senate.gov/public/_files/END10173.pdf

If you want to just skim for the BPI references, put BPI in your PDF reader’s search and keep hitting next.

Jason Kaylor – JJ
VP of Specialty Products
AC Tool Supply
877/207-1244
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I see that the work has to meet BPI standards I don’t see anywhere in the Silver Star who the audits had to be done by.

Mic

Mic, no certification for the silver star program.

Gold star, your company has to be BPI accredited, which means you need two certified professional on staff and pay BPI $1500.00, among other requirements.

That’s the way it reads to me.

Peter, the way it reads to me on Silver you can be BPI or Resnet for the auditing part, and any licensed contractor can do the retrofit. Although that might be what you meant.

Also, for the BPI accrediation vs certified there is more training involved (cost more money), a test (which I am very sure cost money) and a $1500 fee to BPI. I am pretty sure that $1500 is annual, but will get you listed on the BPI site as a Gold Star accrediated contractor. Once again that is just for the Retrofit part, BPI certified or Resnet rater can do the audit for Gold Star.

You doing home and garden types of shows, Peter? We loaned an energy auditor a door and a couple of IR cameras over the weekend to use at the Phoenix Home and Garden show. I am not sure how many jobs they got out of it, but he told me the last one they did in November yielded them 125 jobs at an average of $1500 per job (they mainly do duct and recessed light sealing). Our local utility pays for $1250 of the work, so the home owner is out little to nothing. The real opportunity I found in the show was the fact he was only 1 of 3 energy auditors there, and 1 was very small time (he literally had a fold out table and a bag of insulation as his display). However, there must have been 8 solar guys there, out of 200 or so vendors.

JJ