How to Become an Authorized Home Energy Assessor in Portland, Oregon

This entire process to get authorized is estimated to take a minimum of four weeks

By Jeff Sorg, OnlineEd Blog

(October 4, 2017)

(PORTLAND-OR)  – Outlined below are the required steps to become an authorized home energy assessor with the City of Portland Home Energy Score program. This entire process is estimated to take a minimum of four weeks and $625 to complete. To complete the process, you must hold an Oregon CCB license for residential contractor, residential specialty contractor license, or residential restricted Home Energy Performance Score Contractor. Interested persons need to follow these steps to get authroized:

1. Obtain and verify qualifying US Department of Energy (US DOE) credentials.
2. Complete Home Energy Score Simulation training.
3. Obtain and verify home energy assessor Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) certificate.
4. Complete the home energy assessor participation agreement.
5. Attend mandatory orientation.
6. Successfully complete required mentoring session.
7. Authorization.

Step 1: Complete at least one of the following US Department of Energy (US DOE) qualifying credentials listed on the ODOE – Home Energy Assessor Training Certification Form. After completing the training, email completed form to PDXHES@earthadvantage.org. Note: If you have yet to complete the US DOE Home Energy Score Simulation Training, disregard the “USDOE online simulation training” fields on the form. Estimated cost: varies by market rates. Estimated timeframe: varies by training provider.

STEP 2: US DOE will email you access to the Simulation Training. This is a self-paced training process where you will conduct virtual home walk-throughs designed to show a variety of situations you might encounter, in order to learn how to produce an accurate home energy score. Once complete, US DOE will email you to confirm you passed a series of test homes and a multiple choice exam training through Earth Advantage. Recommended for those without experience in on-line simulation training modules. Estimated cost: Free (unguided) or $100 (guided) Estimated timeframe: 12+ hours, usually over a few weeks (unguided) or 12-16 hours over 1.5 to 2 days (guided)

STEP 3: Earth Advantage will email you the approved ODOE – Home Energy Assessor Training Certification Form from Step 1. Submit this approved Form to CCB, WITH the CCB Home Energy Assessor Certification Application. Upon approval, CCB will mail you a certificate and CCB number. Email this information to PDXHES@earthadvantage.org. Note: In order to qualify for this certification, you must have a CCB residential contractor license (16-hour contractror pre-licensing course required), residential specialty contractor license, or residential restricted Home Energy Performance Score Contractor license – see CCB Endorsements Form for descriptions. Estimated cost: $100 Application Fee + $100 One-Year Certification Fee. The ongoing annual renewal fee is $100. Estimated time frame: 5-7 business days

STEP 4: Complete the home energy assessor participation agreement. (Download form HERE). Submit agreement to Earth Advantage at PDXHES@earthadvantage.org. Estimated cost: None. Estimated time frame: 1-2 business days to process. Step 5: Contact Earth Advantage to register for the mandatory orientation. Learn about specific local program requirements and messaging to homeowners about the home energy report. Upon completion, Earth Advantage will send an introductory email with next steps to start generating scores. Estimated cost: $75 Estimated time frame: 2 hr. Orientation session.

Step 5: Contact Earth Advantage to register for the mandatory orientation. Learn about specific local program requirements and messaging to homeowners about the home energy report. Upon completion, Earth Advantage will send an introductory email with next steps to start generating scores. Estimated cost: $75 Estimated time frame: 2 hr. Orientation session.

STEP 6: As required by US DOE, you must schedule and score your first home accompanied by a mentor designated by Earth Advantage (unless you already completed this as part of a guided in-person simulation training – see Step 3). Estimated cost: $150. Estimated time frame: 2 hr. field visit + energy modeling. STEP 7: You are now authorized to conduct City of Portland Home Energy Score assessments and generate the home energy report! Estimated cost: $25/score quality assurance fee. Estimated time frame: 1.5 hr./home – field assessment, energy modeling, home energy report generation

STEP 7: You are now authorized to conduct City of Portland Home Energy Score assessments and generate the home energy report! Estimated cost: $25/score quality assurance fee. Estimated time frame: 1.5 hr./home – field assessment, energy modeling, home energy report generation

Beyond the use of the US DOE Home Energy Score modeling tool, a number of other third-party software providers have successfully integrated with the Home Energy Score API to allow home energy assessors to produce the home energy report along with the other outputs the software produces. Click HERE and scroll to Compatible Software section for list of approved third-party software providers. Licensing may be required between the home energy assessor and software provider. Estimated cost: Varies. US DOE’s Home Energy Score software tool is free. Other third-party software providers may charge licensing fees for use.

While the Home Energy Assessor certification belongs to a person, that certification must be associated with a CCB license in order to be active. The CCB license it’s associated with can be one that already exists, or it can be a new CCB license that the Home Energy Assessor is applying for. If energy scoring is the only service the business is conducting, then the Home Energy Assessor can apply for the Home Energy Performance Score Contractor license. No pre-license training or testing is required to obtain this license, but absolutely no other construction activities may be performed.

Those in need of an Oregon CCB license can get the 16-hour online prerequisite training from OnlineEd for only $68 plus $3.50 shipping* (*shipping may vary slightly depending on location).

If you have further questions related to becoming an authorized home energy assessor for the City of Portland Home Energy Score program, review the Oregon Revised Statutes  or contact : MacKenzie Winchel, Program Manager / Quality Assurance, Email: PDXHES@earthadvantage.org.  Phone: 503-468-3482.

If you need the education to become an Oregon licensed contractor, contact an education specialist for information about Oregon’s OnlineEd CCB training 16-hour online training program: Telephone 503.670.9278, Email: Mail@OnlineEd.com, or just click here to read more about the online training program.

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For more information about OnlineEd and their education for real estate brokers, principal brokers, property managers, and mortgage brokers visit www.OnlineEd.com.

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