History of HERS

California is pioneering the way in efficiency standards in the US. Established in 1974, the California Energy Commission (CEC) aims to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions and waste, while improving the quality of the construction industry. Residential and commercial real estate have been significant sources of energy waste, in the past. The CEC has begun to tackle this issue with codes regulating building materials, systems, and the precision of equipment installation. Building codes that regulate energy efficiency fall under Title 24, Section 6 in the CEC guidelines. Thusly, they created the Home Energy Rating System, commonly known as HERS, to verify compliance with these codes. A HERS Rater’s duty is to protect property owners by knowing and enforcing these codes. 

The energy efficiency of buildings affects property owners because it attributes to a large source of waste economically and environmentally. When efficiency is at the forefront of the construction process, building systems are designed to work smarter, not harder. As a result, residents’ energy bills have decreased, the value of Real Estate has increased, air quality has improved, and create comfort has been enhanced. Furthermore, building systems are more resilient and likely to last longer. Homeowners and builders benefit alike.

What does a HERS Rater Do?

One of California State’s training providers, either CalCERTS or CHEERS, may license a HERS Rater. The trainee passes both written exams and hands-on labs in order to be able to test and report the energy efficiency of building features throughout the construction process. Once certified as a specialized third-party building inspector, a HERS Rater must perform continuing education every three years. HERS Raters have domain over every energy-consuming aspect of construction including HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning), plumbing, insulation, windows, and more. They can measure the efficiency of systems in precise, mathematical detail. Then, they translate their inspection data into compliance reports located in one of the state-approved online registries.

Building inspectors require HERS Field Verification and Diagnostic Testing for most major construction projects. However, Raters can also provide non-mandatory ‘Energy Ratings’, using the HERS Index. The HERS Index is a nationally agreed-upon scale for categorizing the efficiency of buildings. That way, owners can gauge the value energy efficiency adds to their property.

BarrierEnergy’s HERS Raters

The Home Energy Rating System (HERS) is used to test and enforce energy code standards set by the California Energy Commission. Our HERS Raters have performed hundreds of field inspections on both residential and commercial buildings, in compliance with Title 24. We are here to help you on your journey to attain your Certificate of Occupancy from the local Building Department.

BarrierEnergy is licensed to perform HERS testing anywhere in the state of California, but we primarily service Santa Barbara County, Ventura County, San Luis Obispo County, and parts of LA County. We train our Raters to test accurately, perform professionally, and get the job done in a timely manner. If desired, we can also consult you on any step in the process. We guide you through your construction project or home upgrades by handling all of your Title 24 needs, seamlessly. With our help, your project will not get held up because of energy compliance. You can learn about the newest code updates in our blog post: California Energy Commission 2022 Building Energy Efficiency Standards. Or, see a comprehensive list of our services here.