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Texas Home Energy Audit
Comprehensive audits for existing homes
Texas HERO offers local Sponsors a program for comprehensive home energy audits in existing homes called the Texas Home Energy Audit Program. Texas HERO developed the Texas Home Energy Audit Technical Standard and certifies Auditors to deliver a Texas Home Energy Audit that meets this standard. The Texas HERO standard and auditor certification have been recognized by RESNET1,2 as leading efforts in improving home energy performance.
1Approved by RESNET to certify Auditors to perform comprehensive home energy audits in compliance with RESNET's national standards, May 2009.
2Received RESNET's 2010 Industry Innovation Award, February 2010.
Overview of Texas Home Energy Audit Program
Texas Home Energy Auditors
What Should Customers Expect from a Texas Home Energy Audit?
Description of Program
Currently Approved Software
Overview of Texas Home Energy Audit Program
Research has shown that relevant information from a reliable source1,2 will help homeowners make important choices more comfortably and choose energy efficiency actions more often.
The Texas Home Energy Audit Program provides a quality assurance framework for delivery of comprehensive home energy audits that meet our Texas standard. Texas HERO, as a statewide, non-profit organization, works with local utility sponsors to maintain performance standards, report participation results to the Sponsor, and maintain contact with audit customers to monitor customer satisfaction and identify needs for other information resources to support energy efficiency improvement actions. The Program enhances the quality of service delivered by Home Energy Auditors, effectively improving the reliability, consistency, and value of recommendations delivered to homeowners.
Customers can be assured of:
· A standardized system for evaluating opportunities for existing homes to improve energy efficiency, while maintaining or improving levels of comfort, durability, and environmental impact
· Standardized training and certification for individuals performing evaluations
· Quality assurance of home energy audits and the scopes of work produced as a result of these evaluations
1Bernard J. Frieden and Kermit Baker, “The Market Needs Help: The Disappointing Record of Home Energy Conservation,” Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Vol. 2, No. 3, (Spring, 1983), pp. 432-448; referenced in 2008 Comptroller study below.
2State Energy Conservation Office, “The Home Energy Efficiency Study Report,” Susan Combs, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Publication #96-1350, October 2008. To view the Comptroller’s study, click here.
Texas Home Energy Auditors
A Texas HERO-certified Texas Home Energy Auditor is trained to perform comprehensive home energy audits and help homeowners understand their energy saving opportunities. To qualify for training, an auditor candidate must first be a certified HERS Rater in good standing with a RESNET Provider. Upon successful completion of training and examination, the Rater may be certified as a Texas Home Energy Auditor. To view the Technical Standard on which the training is based, click here.
For more information about Auditor training, click here.
What Should Customers Expect from a Texas Home Energy Audit?
Homeowners should be able to count on a comprehensive evaluation of their homes. Elements of a comprehensive Texas Home Energy Audit include determining existing performance through an initial interview, visual inspection, performance testing, and energy simulation and analysis. Auditors identify potential improvement measures and repairs to the home to improve energy efficiency, comfort, durability, and indoor air quality. Texas HERO monitors audits and customer satisfaction to ensure that Auditors provide evaluations and advice that are objective and reliable.
Description of Program
Participating in the Texas Home Energy Audit Program consists of five main steps:
1. Service Provider registration including completion of Service Provider Participation Agreement through program Web site (requires local Sponsor for access)
2. Customer Audit request may be initiated online by Customer or on behalf of Customer by Service Provider
3. Service Provider sells the Audit service
· Provide Customers with written price proposal and Disclosure Form
· Provide and explain local sponsor's Customer Participation Agreement where applicable
· Enroll Customers
4. Comprehensive Audit and Customer consultation
· Coordinate with Texas HERO on scheduling of Quality Assurance requirements
· Complete or review an Initial Interview ("Getting Started") Questionnaire
· Deliver comprehensive home energy audits in compliance with Texas HERO's Texas Home Energy Audit Technical Standard, program guidelines, policies, Texas state laws, and licensing requirements. Failure to comply may result in probation, suspension, or expulsion from the Program.
· A locally implemented program may require completion and reporting of performance tests where the standard sometimes would otherwise allow a default value in certain calculations:
o Blower door test of envelope leakage rate
o Duct blaster test of duct leakage rate
· Utilize approved software to estimate savings from improvements. All software tools permitted for analysis shall be accredited by RESNET® (see Currently Approved Software below).
· Review results of the audit with Customer
o Priority of cost effective energy improvement measures, including sequencing considerations and interaction between measures in projected savings
o Low-cost or no-cost measures and behavioral or purchase choices that may impact energy use
o Opportunities for incentives for completing energy improvement measures
o Discuss possible phasing of work in order to allow Customer to plan for realistic expenditures
· Provide final report with recommended measures, scopes of work, photos, and building file
· Post-installation test-out reporting, when appropriate
5. Submit completed Audit Report Form through Web site for review
For additional information, refer to local program guide.
For information on the program implementation in Oncor service area, go to www.takealoadofftexas.com.
Currently Approved Software
Accredited rating software tools provide the calculations necessary to produce a home energy rating. The requirements to be an accredited rating software program are defined in Chapter Three of the Mortgage Industry National Home Energy Rating Standards.
The following is a listing of energy rating software programs that have been accredited by RESNET.
EnergyGauge® USA Version 2.8
Energy Gauge USA
1679 Clearlake Road
Cocoa, FL 32922-5703
Phone: 321-638-1492
Fax: 407-638-1010
Email: info@energygauge.com
Website: www.energygauge.com/usares
Contact: Tei Kucharski
Accreditation Identification Number: 2006-001
Date of Expiration: December 31, 2010
EnergyInsightsTM V5
APOGEE Interactive, Inc.
100 Crescent Centre Parkway, Suite 450
Atlanta, GA 30084
Phone: 678-684-6804
Fax: 678-684-6832
Email: joelgilbert@apogee.net
Website: www.apogee.net
Contact: Joel Gilbert, P.E., Chief Software Architect
Accreditation Identification Number: 2006-003
Date of Expiration: December 31, 2010
REM/Rate v12.85
Architectural Energy Corporation
2540 Frontier Avenue, Suite 201
Boulder, CO 80301
Phone: 303-444-4149
Fax: 303-444-4304
Email: rsalcido@archenergy.com
Contact: Robert Salcido, P.E.
Accreditation Identification Number: 2006-002
Date of Expiration: December 31, 2010
For updates on approved software, please see the RESNET Web site:
http://www.resnet.us/programs/software/directory.aspx
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