CEC HERS Regulations Phase II “Building Performance Contractor”

Program by CalCERTS, Inc.

In 2003 CalCERTS, Inc. was approved by the California Energy Commission to become a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Provider. Our company mission is to fill the growing need in the Energy Efficiency Industry as a technically superior customer-oriented Compliance Rater(HERS Basic), CEC Hers regulation Phase II California Whole-House Home Energy Rater, Solar PV(NSHP), CEC HERS Regulation Phase II HERS Building Performance Contractor(BPC) and/or HERS Building Performance Rater(BPC-Rater), Energy Efficient Mortgage(EEM) and additional support training program provider. CalCERTS, Inc., Inc. has developed its own energy rating and modeling software “CalRatePro” which is approved by the California Energy Commission and is utilized by the HERS Raters to enter energy rating data. CalCERTS, Inc. maintains the computer based registry of data as a repository of information that can be accessed by the HERS Rater, building departments, contractors and government agencies.

Phase II of the HERS Program:

• Defines duties and responsibilities of the California Whole House Home Energy Rater (Independent Whole House Rater)

• Defines duties and responsibilities of the HERS Building Performance Contractor (HERS BPC)

The specific details of an approved Whole House Home Energy Rating program is published in the “HERS Technical Manual” (CEC-400-2008-012-CMF)

The specific details of an approved Building Performance Contractor program is published in “Section 1671 of the HERS Regulations”

Phase II is the HERS Program for existing homes.

Consistent, accurate, and uniform ratings based on a single statewide rating scale.

Estimates of utility bill savings based on recommendations of scope of work and cost‐effective measures.

“Labeling” (the HERS Index) procedures for homes that may benefit home buyers, home sellers, renters, the real estate industry, and mortgage lenders

Consistent implementation of retrofit improvements through verified performance.

The “Building Performance Contractor (BPC)” program is regulated by the California Energy Commission and administered by approved HERS Providers (CalCERTS, Inc. is the only approved provider)

Home Energy Audit/Rating (Recommended Package of Improvements to Homeowner)

Once building permits are obtained, implement improvements and test work using protocols in RA3

Independent Third-Party T-24 Compliance Testing (if applicable)

California Whole-House Home Energy Rating (with recommended improvements)

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1

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Certified by a CEC HERS Provider to properly

gather information on the energy consumption features of a home, perform diagnostic testing, evaluate the validity of information and perform analysis using approved software.

Can provide a home rating (HERS Index Score) to new and existing homes

Report all of the jobs to a registry for tracking

Is subject to Quality Assurance evaluations

Is trained and certified by an approved provider in HERS regulations and protocols for existing homes Holds an active B-License Holds a current BPI-Building Analyst & Envelope certification Reports all of their Retrofit jobs to a registry for tracking purpose Is subject to increased Quality Assurance oversight

Only an individual or company/firm that is licensed by the California Contractors State License Board as a current and active class-B general building contractor can hold the designation of “Building Performance Contractor”.

To achieve this designation for themselves they must have taken and passed the appropriate HERS certification requirements (HERS Phase 1 and Phase 2) and BPI requirements OR hire an individual (BPC Rater) who is directly responsible for construction improvements and has taken and passed the appropriate certification requirements.

An individual who has taken and passed the appropriate certification requirements but does not hold a Class B contractor license will be certified by CalCERTS, Inc. as a “BPC Rater”.

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Safety and

Comfort

(BPI) Whole -House Home Energy Rating and

EEM

Installation

of

Energy Upgrades

T-24 Verification on their own

BPC job

Provide both ratings and

services on the same EEM

project

A BPC Company should look at each job holistically, use and develop best practices, and be an expert in: ◦ analyzing a building as-a-system ◦ building characteristics and energy

efficiency measures and how they interact to affect a building’s performance ◦ analyzing the health, safety and comfort

of a home (i.e. combustion safety, ventilation, moisture issues)

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A BPC company can perform Whole-House Ratings only if they employ a certified HERS BPC Rater

If a BPC no longer employs a HERS BPC Rater, the contractor simply resumes the role of a General Contractor

When a HERS BPC Rater is no longer employed by a BPC company, that Rater resumes the role of an Independent Whole House Rater

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• HERS BPC Raters cannot conduct HERS field verification and diagnostic testing for Title 24 compliance on homes for which their BPC Company makes energy efficiency improvements

• The HERS BPC Rater cannot do the Rating on an

EEM project if the BPC Company is installing the energy upgrades improvements on their own project.

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Requirements: Must be an active California Class B Contractor

The license holder shall attend the 4-Hour HERS BPC

Orientation class provided by CalCERTS, Inc.

Must employ (W-2) a HERS BPC Rater (who is both a Whole-House Rater and a certified BPI Building Analyst and Envelope

Must sign “CEC-Required Agreements” with HERS Provider (CalCERTS, Inc.)

Requirements: (for an individual) Must complete 6-Day training at CalCERTS, Inc. Must be an active California License B Contractor Must be a certified BPI Building Analyst and Envelope

Must have trade experience Must complete CalCERTS Solar PV training course

Must sign a “CEC-Required Agreements” with HERS Provider (CalCERTS, Inc.)

HOMEOWNER

HERS Building Performance Contractor Can provide home energy assessment test-in and test-out installation of all

energy upgrade improvements provide a HERS

Energy Rating

HIRES

What to Disclose To Provider To Homeowner Requirement

Business / Financial Relationships

To make homeowners aware that the BPC Rater is an employee of the

BPC Non energy-related measures in the package of improvements

To make homeowners aware that

what is being recommended is outside of the computer simulation and may not improve home energy

savings

The reason why any standard recommendations were not implemented

To make the Provider aware when

the BPC/homeowner decides not to implement recommended energy-

saving measures

When to disclose Final Rating Proposed Improvements and

Final rating

Providers are required to conduct QA evaluations on at least 5% of the homes rated by each BPC company

BPCs will not be informed that a building will be evaluated for QA

QA Reviewers will: ◦ Review all documentation associated with the Rating

process, including files, permits, and contracts ◦ Review Title 24 compliance documents ◦ Independently repeat the Whole-House HERS Rating ◦ Verify that the contractor has the appropriate licenses

Providers will document the results of all QA evaluations in their databases and provide this data in an annual report to the California Energy Commission

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HERS BPC Contractors and HERS BPC Raters ◦ Will not knowingly provide untrue, inaccurate, or

incomplete Rating information ◦ Will not knowingly report Rating results that were

not conducted in compliance with the HERS Regulations ◦ Will not accept payment or other consideration for

Rating results that were not conducted and reported in compliance with the HERS Regulations (Title 20, section 1672(m))

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California Energy Commission (CEC) website www.energy.ca.gov

CEC Energy Education Centerhttp://www.energyvideos.com/splash.php

HERS Regulations (Title 20) www.energy.ca.gov/2008publications/CEC-400-2008-011/CEC-400-2008-011-CMF.PDF

HERS Technical Manual http://www.energy.ca.gov/2008publications/CEC-400-2008-012/CEC-400-2008-012-CMF.PDF

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For further information please contact: Barbara Hernesman Director of Contractor Development (916)985-3400 x208 barbara@CalCERTS, Inc..com www.CalCERTS.com