Certification and Training
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Training and certification programs are available to ensure
that energy auditors and contractors are fully qualified to assess your house
and implement effective measures that simultaneously improve energy efficiency,
air quality, durability, and safety.
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Be sure to check out our calendar for upcoming events and classes.
Professional Certification
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When choosing an energy auditor, look for BPI Building Analyst or RESNET HERS
Rater certification. |
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BPI
Professional Certification
Web:
www.natresnet.org
HERS RaterHERS raters are certified by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) to conduct audits and accurately determine the home's HERS Index, which rates energy efficiency for uses such as real estate marketing programs and energy efficiency financing programs. The HERS Index is a scoring system in which a home built to the specifications of the HERS Reference Home (based on the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code) scores a HERS Index of 100, while a net zero energy home scores a HERS Index of 0. The lower a home’s HERS Index, the more energy efficient it is in comparison to the HERS Reference Home. Each 1-point decrease in the HERS Index corresponds to a 1% reduction in energy consumption compared to the HERS Reference Home. Thus a home with a HERS Index of 85 is 15% more energy efficient than the HERS Reference Home and a home with a HERS Index of 80 is 20% more energy efficient. HERS Raters in Washington are trained and certified by:
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Laborers International Union of North America
Web:
www.liunabuildsamerica.org/weatherize The Laborers International Union of North America’s residential energy efficiency training program provides credentials that satisfy the Home Star legislation’s certified workforce criteria. LIUNA’s weatherization training is cited as a national standard by the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board. LIUNA credentials individuals in three areas of home performance:
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Contractor Accreditation
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Training Centers
The following training centers are members of Home Performance Washington
 Olympic College Located In: Poulsbo Web: www.olympic.edu 
Olympic College offers a Sustainable Building Advisor Certificate Course The Sustainable Building Advisor Certificate Course will benefit you, your organization and the environment in many ways. The Sustainable Building Advisor Certificate Course is a nine-month, specialized training program, designed to enable graduates to advise employers or clients on strategies and tools for implementing sustainable building. In this program, you will learn knowledge and skills that respond to Washington state's new high performance for state-funded building and the growing green building movement. |
 
Building Performance Center The Building Performance Center, a division of The Opportunity Council in Bellingham Washington provides training for all Washington low-income weatherization agencies. The BPC provides technical training, diagnostic services, indoor air quality investigations/mitigation and energy efficiency retrofits. They analyze and develop practical solutions to problems associated with building performance and the indoor living environment. The BPC also provides consulting services in organizational and program development. |
Energy Conservation Training Company Energy Conservation Training Company (ECONTC) offers training programs to prepare students for the growing clean energy economy. We are pleased to be participating in the creation of a new clean energy economy for a better American way. ECONTC offers Building Performance Institute, BPI – Building Analyst, Envelope Professional, Heating Professional training and certification courses. We also offer PTCS duct sealing technician training and certification courses. RESNET HERS Rater Training is available through ECONTC’s Training Ally relationship with Saturn Resource Management. |
South Seattle Community College South Seattle Community College has been offering Residential Energy Audit courses (see below) and plans to offer additional weatherization skills training soon. |
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Located in: Kirkland Green Collar Crew (GCC) BPI Training and Certification
Green Collar Crew’s BPI accredited training
is based on building science and the
house-as-a-system concept. Students learn
the importance of conducting comprehensive
whole-home assessments that go beyond a
traditional energy audit to locate
performance problems at the root source and
fix them right – the first time.
Our classes are made up of both classroom
theory and hands-on field training by our
highly qualified experts covers every aspect
of whole-home performance evaluation and
execution. The house-as-a-system approach
teaches students about the relationships
between different components within the
home, how to identify problems at the root
cause and provide solutions that improve
energy efficiency while providing important
safety functions such as mold prevention,
indoor air quality, carbon monoxide testing,
and combustion appliance safety checks.
Upon completion of the classroom and field
portions of the training, you will be
administered the official BPI written and
field certification exams.
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Home Performance with EnergyStar Program
Web:
www.energystar.gov
Home Performance with ENERGY STAR, a national program from the U.S. EPA and U.S. DOE, offers a comprehensive, whole-house approach to improving energy efficiency and comfort at home, while helping to protect the environment. Contractors participating in a
locally-sponsored
Puget Sound Energy is in the process of rolling out a Home Performance with Energy Star program within its 11 county service territory. |
This information is here to help industry members and prospective industry members obtain training and certification. Home Performance Washington is not formally affiliated with any of the providers described on this page.