Become A Home Energy Score Assessor

Improve your business and help your clients understand their energy usage with the Department of Energy’s Home Energy Score. Whether you are a rater, home inspector, contractor, or designer, a DOE Home Energy Score can give you the power to inform your next assessment, plans, or remodel / new building project and showcase your energy efficiency improvements.

Department of Energy: Home Energy Score Assessor Interest Form

The GreenHome Institute is an official Department of Energy Partner and is here to help you take your home energy rating, contracting services, or home inspection business to the next level by training to become a Home Energy Score Assessor.

The Home Energy Score is a simple, fast, and more accurate way to evaluate an existing home before renovation and after to help homeowners understand their energy usage and meet their goals to reduce energy.

Learn more about the program requirements and register at no cost below!

Step 1- Credential Requirements You Need Before you Start

Hold a credential in one of these certifications at a minimum. GHI Can assist you with many of these if you need training

Certified GreenHome Professional
LEED Green Associate
LEED Green Rater
Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) HERS Rater (approved for IRA Rebates)
Building Performance Institute (BPI) Building Science Principles Certificate of Knowledge (approved for IRA Rebates)
Building Science Institute (BSI) Energy Verifier (approved for IRA Rebates)

Additional Credentials Available Here
https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/home-energy-score/become-assessor

Step 2 - Pass a free online test

Interested Assessors with the necessary credentials must also pass a two-part test in order to access the Home Energy Scoring Tool. The test includes practical and written portions. The practical exam takes place in the Home Energy Score Simulation Training (the Sim), a 3-D simulation environment.

HOME ENERGY SCORE SIMULATION TRAINING AND TEST (THE SIM)

The Sim models the data collection process in several sample homes. Before taking the test, candidates have access to training tools including practice houses in the Sim. Candidate Assessors must score an 80 or better on three “Challenge/Practice” homes and a 90 or better on two test homes. Candidates must score an 80 or better on the written portion of the exam which consists of 20 questions covering the Home Energy Score program.

There is no limit to how many times you can take the test, and it is open book / open note.

Fill out the form below to get access to the training.

Step 3 - Mentorship

Once you have passed the test and are qualified to score homes, you must be accompanied by a “mentor” (a highly experienced professional) during your first home walk-through. There may be opportunities to mentor on multiple projects, and there could be funding to pay for training. Please inquire. There may also be a fee for mentorship, all of this contingent on funding and location or willingness to travel.

The basic cost for mentoring is $500.00

Though we may have some ideas, GHI does not provide a mentoring house. You may have your own home for mentoring if needed.

Step 4 - Quality Assurance & Upkeep

Make sure you maintain your baseline credentials. GHI provides many free weekly live and recorded webinars to help you maintain your credentials.
Next, assess a home every 180 days; otherwise, you need to retrain online, though no mentorship is needed.
Unless you are part of some special program that either waves the HES fees or pays you directly back, the costs of each submission are corrected to $31.50 per assessment for GHI Members and $35.00 for non-GHI members billed out monthly by GreenHome Institute. There are no costs for submittals on GreenStar Homes registered projects.

All active home energy score assessors will now be sent a link to a special box.com invite; box.com will be used to do photo documentation for each home you visit so we can complete quality assurance on the home. It also helps if an issue or dispute arises in a real estate or contractor transaction based on home features; we have documented evidence of what was in the home per your assessment. In some ways, you can think of it as similar to a home inspector’s report. On the box file, we have two documents for you on how you need to capture and document information on box.com; in mid 2024, we will be doing additional training on that and will send further directions. Check your spam for the box.com invite to your file, and let me know if you do not see it. Note: If the box attempts to communicate, you need to pay them an access fee, which is not true. Please ignore it.

Your assessments may qualify for Inflation Reduction Act Tax Credits or Rebates

Under the new IRA law, your customers may claim up to 30% of their audit costs or $150 per assessment as a nonrefundable tax credit under HOMES 25C. As long as you are BPI certified or HERS or ERI certified, they may be able to claim it. GHI is working on an additional credential to be added to the IRA qualification list a well. Regarding the state Home Efficiency Rebate 50121, we believe the state will adopt HES to deliver up to $8000 to your customers by showing before and after energy reduction. However, we need your help in lobbying the state to accept that https://www.michigan.gov/egle/about/organization/materials-management/energy/rfps-loans/home-energy-rebate-programs. Public comment may be opening soon and we will let you know.

Homes that scored five or higher prequalify for GreenStar Homes Certification

Homes that either score 5 or are brought up to 5 can be GreenStar Homes Certified. Additional nonenergy benefits such as health, materials, water, and place also need to be addressed and evaluated, and you may be interested in doing this. Here are more details and more information on our GreenHome Inspector training coming, which you prequalify for as an HES assessor.

Here are more details on the GreenStar Homes Program

https://greenhomeinstitute.org/greenstar-homes-certification-manual-2/

What homes qualify?

Existing Homes
Planned renovations or additions
New Construction
Only Single-family attached or detached
Multifamily is coming soon

Can I work with more than 1 partner?

Yes.

You may be interested in working with different partners based on the markets they serve, funding and/or incentives available to do assessments. We encourage you to partner with others as needed. It only requires that you have a separate email account for each partner.

Home Energy Score Assessor Interest Form

Name*
First Last
Email*
Lower case only!
Enter Email Confirm Email
Program Partner*
Pick your most relevant credential*
Company*
Phone*
Address*
Street Address City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code
Credential Proof
Drop files here or

Max. file size: 300 MB.
Please upload your certificate of completion. You can skip this for now if need be.