Trust HERS Rating Companies for Energy Code Compliance and More!

Did you know that North Carolina is home to the nation’s best HERS Rating Companies?  Not only does our state rank fourth nationally in the annual volume of HERS Ratings, but the work our companies perform for Builders and Code Officials is consistently rated at the top nationwide!

 

Why Should You Work with HERS Rating Companies?  HERS Rating Companies can play a vital role in the verification of compliance to energy codes. Across the nation, building code officials are relying on certified RESNET HERS Raters and Rating Field Inspectors (RFIs) to undertake the inspections and testing to verify whether a home complies with the energy code.  Certified RESNET HERS Raters bring the following qualifications to assist building departments:

  • Successfully completed stringent training and certification process following industry-recognized national standards that demonstrate knowledge in the applications of building science
  • Completes air leakage and duct tightness testing in accordance with the ANSI RESNET/International Code Council Standard 380.
  • Standard 380 is recognized in the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).
  • Adheres to strict quality assurance oversight standards set by RESNET

Click here to view an infographic describing the role of HERS Raters in energy code compliance activities.

New to HERS Ratings?  Click here for a short video from the ICC about HERS Ratings and energy code compliance.

What is a HERS Rating Company?  This type of company is hired by Builders to help ensure energy code compliance and much more in new construction homes in North Carolina.  HERS Raters are certified to perform energy modeling, blower door testing, duct blaster testing and much more to provide HERS Rating certificates, rebate program verification and much more.  HERS Rating Field Inspectors (RFIs) often perform field testing under the supervision of a HERS Rater.  Together, HERS Raters and RFIs help Builders achieve their energy code and performance goals, and save Code Officials time by providing ICC and NC code approved documentation of testing results, equipment efficiencies and more!  Click here to learn more about the pathway to becoming a certified HERS Rater.

Looking to use the optional Energy Rating Index (ERI) energy code compliance pathway available in North Carolina’s 2018 Energy Code?  Click here for an infographic about the ERI from RESNET.  Click here to view NC-specific information from NCBPA.

Scroll down to learn more about working with HERS Rating Companies in North Carolina!

 

IECC/HERS Compliance Specialist Designation

Created by ICC and RESNET in late 2019, the designation is provided to HERS Raters and RFIs that demonstrate combined energy code knowledge of code officials with the energy efficiency knowledge of HERS Raters. The credential leverages the strengths of both organizations to increase the number of qualified individuals available for evaluating energy code compliance and home energy performance.  The IECC/HERS Compliance Specialist designation verifies competence in energy performance measurement and energy code proficiency. These certified specialists can supplement the work of jurisdictions facing resource constraints that affect their ability to conduct the necessary reviews. IECC/HERS Compliance Specialists may now be used for both code compliance and energy performance rating services.  You must be a current RESNET HERS Rater or Rating Field Inspector (RFI) and hold the Residential Energy Inspector/Plans Examiner Certification (79).

Click here for more information on the designation from the ICC website.

List of NC/SC HERS Raters currently holding the IECC/HERS Compliance Specialist designation:

Helpful Resources

Educational Tools for Builders, Code Officials and Code Departments:

Infographic Image Gallery:

                                       

Downloadable PDF Flyers:

  1. For Builders
  2. For Code Officials
  3. For Code Departments

Here are some additional resources from the ICC and RESNET:

  • ICC Education of Code Departments (coming soon!): Provides information that code departments need to have confidence in the new ICC/RESNET Section 405 Compliance Certificate and Reports that are prepared by HERS Rating Companies for Code Officials in energy code compliance activities.
  • ICC Education for Code Officials (coming soon!): Provides information for Code Officials aimed at increasing their confidence in the role of HERS Rating Companies in energy code compliance activities.
  • HERS Raters and Energy Code: Provides information on the role of HERS Rating Companies in working with Builders and Code Officials for energy code compliance.

To support your work with HERS Rating Companies, NCBPA offers these resources:

About North Carolina’s HERS Rater Market

As a state, North Carolina ranks fourth in the country for the number of HERS ratings with 16,849 in 2019.  These homes averaged a HERS Score of 63. Since 2007, more than 125,000 homes have been rated! One reason for the continued annual increase in the number of HERS Ratings in the state is the availability of Duke Energy’s Residential New Construction (RNC) program, which provides incentives for nearly half of the state’s annual HERS Ratings.  The program provides residential builders with up to $9,000 of HERS-based incentives in the utility’s Progress Energy territory, which includes metro markets in Wilmington, Raleigh, Asheville and parts of other metro and rural markets across the state. 

Led by NCBPA in 2017, the state’s HERS rating industry successfully advocated for the inclusion of the Energy Rating Index (ERI) as an optional energy code compliance pathway in North Carolina’s 2018 North Carolina Energy Conservation Code, which took effect on January 1, 2019.  This successful campaign was a planned first step to offer HERS Raters and code officials new ways to work together on energy code compliance activities.  Since this time, RESNET and the ICC have developed the ICC HERS/IECC Compliance Specialist certification, which offers HERS Raters and RFIs a new opportunity to form strong partnerships with code officials in support of energy code compliance.