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I have had a very bad experience from trying to be a certified RESNET/HERS energy rater.
A person close to me signed up for a rater trainer class provided by one of RESNET’s accredited Rater Provider. The class coasted him $1195 and took place in February. He paid an additional $50 to take the RESNET National Rater Test. After scoring 94% on the test, he signed a rater contract with the same Rater Provider that had offered the class in order to complete the process of being certified. This cost him an additional $400.
Here came the big surprise: immediately after the Rater Provider company had cashed the check for $400, it made itself inaccessible. Neither did they return calls nor did they answer e-mails. According to the contract, the Rater Provider also has the obligation to provide me with the rating software called REM/Rate. He did not get that either.
After almost three months in this limbo, we complained directly to RESNET. What happened after that was only that we got a cancellation of the contract and check for $400 from the provider. I assumed this was supposed to be a remedy for the time and effort spent on this. Needless to say, I am not satisfied. Have you had a similar experience with one of these RESNET Energy Rater training classes? Please let me know. Moderator cut: Direct email against Terms of Service. People can correspond via Direct Message. (Put curser name for poster for link to DM).
I have to get homes rated frequently in boulder Colorado. I think the whole thing is a mess. We have a license to the software, we know how to use it very well, but since we are not "licensed" to submit our ratings, we must pay thousands of dollars to have our plans rated by another rater.
RESNET Energy Rater training class, "Rater MAY be certified"
The quote above is from materials the instructor gave the RESNET Certification class I took. You bet I learned the hard way what it meant. Yes, you will be at the mercy of a RESNET rater provider to be certified and do you seriously believe he wants you certified? You would then be able to compete with him in the market! How stupid could I be, I ask myself now for falling for this.
I spent $1800 plus time and effort to become a certified RESNET Energy Rater. If I had burnt the money instead, I would at least have saved the time.
This RESNET was initiated by mortgage companies with the only purpose of providing them with a purported rational for overblown mortgages labeled “Energy Efficient Mortgages” they then resold to investors worldwide. Do not expect deep knowledge of Building Physics from RESNET. Would you ask your bank about thermal bridges?
Before you spent your money on RESNET you should read their own standard and contemplate in what poor position you will be in. Here is a quote from it:
02.1.3.2 Performance evaluation of ability to perform accurate ratings. Each rater shall complete a probationary period where close supervision is provided. This period covers a minimum of three ratings above the two supervised ratings that are conducted in rater training, after which the supervisor shall determine if additional training is needed.
"This period" can be used by a provider for cheap (labor) internship. You can end up having to work for a provider for minimum wage with the prospect of MAYBE becoming certified. I doubt this type of exploitation is what the President has in mind when he speaks about green job creation.
This report answers many questions. It calls for United Stated States Department of Environmental Protection (EPA) and United States Department of Energy (DOE) to review RESNET's relationship with the ENERGY STAR program. It also calls for the general public to be aware of how this relationship affects them in terms of "energy efficiency" through the ENERGY STAR program.
The URL below will take you to the report:
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Last edited by Marie Gachelin; 08-09-2009 at 08:44 AM..
Reason: to fix errors.
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RESNET Energy Rater training class, "Rater MAY be certified"
