Are you curious how you can enhance your business, expand your service portfolio, and gain backing from the U.S. Department of Energy? Become a Home Energy Score Assessor! Follow these steps to get started. To learn why becoming an Assessor is a good idea, read Why Offer the Score first.
The Assessor qualification requirements listed below reflect the latest updates to the Home Energy Score testing and credential requirements announced February 2015. Findings from research, analysis, and pilot testing conducted with Assessors across the nation support the new qualifications for Assessors.
To offer the Home Energy Score, Assessors work directly with Home Energy Score Partners. Interested Assessors should contact a local Partner for information about joining their program. Or, you can reach out to another organization that is not yet a Partner and ask they become one.
If you hold a certification as a home inspector, HVAC contractor, or other residential professional, then you meet our minimum qualifications to become a Home Energy Score Assessor. The table below gives some examples of relevant credentials, however this is not an exhaustive list. Contact your local Home Energy Score Partner to find out more about the minimum qualifications they require.
| Organization | Minimum Accepted Credential | Website |
| American Society of Home Inspectors | ASHI Inspector; Certified Inspector | ASHI |
| Building Performance Institute | Building Science Principles Certificate of Knowledge | BPI |
| Build It Green | Certified Green Building Professional (CGBP); Green Point Rater | BuildItGreen |
| CalCERTS | Rater | CalCERTS |
| California Real Estate Inspection Association | Certified Home Inspector | CREIA |
| International Association of Certified Home Inspectors | Home Energy Inspector | InterNACHI |
| National Assocation of the Remodeling Industry | Green Certified Professional; Certified Remodeler; Master Certified Remodeler | NARI |
| North American Board of Certifed Energy Practioners | PV Installation Professional | NABCEP |
| North American Technician Excellence | Air Conditioning / Heat Pumps; Gas / Oil Heating; Gas / Oil Hydronics | NATE |
| Oregon Training Institute | Residential Energy Analyst | OECA |
| Residential Energy Services Network | HERS Rater | RESNET |
| U.S. Green Building Council | LEED: Green Rater or Green Associate | USGBC |
| Other Organization? | Contact us here or via email at HomeEnergyScore@ee.doe.gov |
The Simulation Training and written exam require 8-12 hours of a candidate's time to complete. It can be taken at your own pace or in coordination with a group, if offered by your Partner Organization.
The Home Energy Score Simulation Training ("Sim"), developed by Interplay Learning, teaches prospective Assessors important information about the Home Energy Score. Through the Sim, you conduct virtual, home walk throughs in homes designed to show a variety of situations you might encounter. Understanding the Sim is vital not only to passing the test homes and written exam, but also to performing successful Home Energy Score assessments and producing Home Enery Score reports.
The Sim teaches candidate Assessors:
- How the Home Energy Score's Scoring Tool works
- How to collect relevant data in a standardized way
- How to explain results to customers
The Sim Training:
- Is free and online
- Can be completed at your own pace
- Has a user's manual and supporting documents to help answer any questions
- Requires 8 to 12 hours of dedicated time
Watch the short Sim overview video to find out more.
Finally, candidate Assessors must score their first home accompanied by a mentor designated by the Partner organization. This must be completed within six months of passing the written exam, and may count toward the quality assurance requirement. Some Partner organizations may also offer group mentoring sessions, which does not qualify toward the quality assurance requirement.
5. Start scoring homes!
You are now ready to provide the Home Energy Score to customers. Utilize the Assessor Tips Fact Sheet to remember the information you learned from the Sim Training.
Should at any time you go more than six months without utilizing the Scoring Tool, you will need to take a brief online Assessor referesher course and test. This refresher course is expected to take no more than two hours to complete, but can be avoided by using the Tool on a regular basis.
After becoming a Qualified Home Energy Score Assessor, there are certain standards you are expected to meet in your work to keep up qualification and ensure services are high quality.
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Quality Assurance. Five percent of homes scored must be re-scored by a Home Energy Score mentor or a quality insurance provider. Re-scored homes should be randomly selected by the coordinating Partner Organization to ensure home data is entered correctly.
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Stay Up-To-Date. Qualified Assessors receive infrequent yet important email updates from assessor@sra.com, so as an Assessor you are expected to carefully review these messages.
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Refresher Course. If at any point you do not use the Scoring Tool for more than six months, you will be deactivated until you pass a short, online refresher course and test to regain access to the Scoring Tool. This can be avoided by using the Tool to score homes on a regular basis.
