Goals: Attendees should complete the training with the following skills:

• Understanding of the purpose and benefits of Home Energy Ratings, and ability to communicate these to potential customers.
• Understanding basics of Energy Efficient Mortgages, Energy Improvement Mortgages, Energy Star Homes program, and related products and ability to communicate these to potential customers.
• Ability to produce accurate and unbiased Home Energy Ratings, from building plans and from field inspection of existing homes.
• Ability to perform the infield inspections and diagnostics necessary to produce a Home Energy Rating, including blower door leakage testing and duct leakage testing
• Ability to operate REM/Rate rating software and produce the required reports.
• Understanding of the follow-up and process required for completion of the rating and loan process.
• Understanding of the goals, services and responsibilities of membership in NE-HERS.

9:00 - 9:15 Introductions and Overview

• Introductions
• Objectives
• Agenda
• Manual/Handouts

9:15 -10:45 Basic Energy Concepts

• House as a system concepts
• Energy and moisture transfer
• Basic terms and units
• Ventilation and indoor air quality

11:00-12:30 Defining the thermal envelope

• Insulation types and applications
• Theoretical and real world performance
• Windows
• Basic energy load calculations

Lunch

1:30 - 3:30 Diagnostics

• Blower door envelope leakage testing
• Concepts and terms
• Air leakage problems and solutions in houses
• Practice setup in classroom

3: 45- 5:00 Diagnostics

• Duct leakage testing
• Concepts and terms
• Equipment overview in classroom

8:30 AM Carpool to field site for diagnostics practice

• Walk through
• General questions

9:00 - 11:30 Hands-on practice with blower door and duct blaster

1:00 - 1:30 Homework Review and Debriefing from field appointment

1:30 - 3:30 HVAC Systems

• Heating and cooling priorities
• Equipment efficiencies
• System sizing and design

3:45 - 4:30

• Duct leakage and duct sealing
• Water heating equipment
• Combustion and venting basics

4:30 - 5:00 Advanced Insulation Techniques

8:30 - 9:00 Homework Review - Home Energy Ratings

• Overview of minimum Rated Features
• RESNET and the HERS standards
• REM/Rate and the HERS rating scale

9:00 - 10:45 REM/Rate introduction

• Initializing building file with project information; default building file
• Detailed input screens, general building information
• Site location
• Energy cost / library
• Introduce house plans for data entry
• Reference to area calculation guide Appendix B
• Introduce Rating Guidelines (Manual Chapter 4)

10:45 - 12:00 REM/Rate data entry from Plans

• Building information
• Foundation wall
• Slab floor
• Frame floor
• Rim/band joist
• Above grade walls
• Above grade wall library, review of parallel heat path concept

Lunch

1:00 - 3:30 REM/Rate data entry continued

• Windows
• Doors
• Ceiling
• Skylights
• Mechanical systems - Heating, Cooling, Water heating
• Ducts
• Infiltration/ventilation
• Lights and appliances
• Interior mass
• Solar, sunspace, other

3: 45 - 4:30 REM data and reports

• Group review of REM data and HERS score
• Basic rating reports

4:30 - 5:00 On-site Inspections

• Assessment of existing homes
• Data collection guidelines
• New Construction final rating & form
• Post-installation inspection & form
• Insulation assessment
• Prep for in-field data collection

8:30 AM Carpool to field site to rate house

• Walk through
• General questions

9:00 - 11:30 On site data collection

• Individual activity: fill out data collection form (teams of two)
• Group activity: blower door test, duct testing if appropriate

Lunch and return to classroom

1:00 - 3:00 Homework Review - REM data and reports

• Group review of REM data and HERS score
• Basic rating reports and analysis

3:15 - 5:00 Improvement analysis and reports

• Improvement analysis for upgrades
• NE-HERS Reports

8:30 - 9:15 NE-HERS Overview

• NE-HERS, organizational structure and accreditation
• Services offered
• Rater responsibilities
• Business Opportunities
• NE-HERS marketing Materials
• Communicating benefits of energy improvements to consumers

9:15 - 9:45 NE-HERS Policies and Procedures

• Rater policies
• Code of Ethics
• Notice of Disclosure
• Quality Control system and responsibilities
• Rating database and reporting requirements

9:45 - 10:15 Energy Mortgages

• Types of Energy Mortgages
• Lender reporting requirements
• Installations and bid requirements

10:30 - 12:00 Exam Review

• Tie up any other loose ends

Lunch

1:00 - 4:00 Certification Test