With Southface, you can become a Certified Home Energy Rater, one of the highest residential energy credentials that can be earned by an individual. We offer a live online version of our long-respected Home Energy Rating System (HERS) training, developed and maintained by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET).
Have questions or need help deciding if becoming a HERS Rater is right for you? Watch our virtual info session or attend one of our upcoming live info sessions.
Contact us at courses@southface.org to learn more about future availability.
Earn HERS Rater certification online with live instruction from our expert trainers!
Southface Institute’s online, instructor-led training puts you face-to-face with industry experts to help you master challenging content and become a certified HERS Rater.
Southface will present 10 live, instructor led half-day online sessions with experienced HERS trainer Mike Barcik, who has taught this course over 100 times since 1999. The training will conclude with all required RESNET evaluations, and the price includes proctoring costs for each RESNET exam. Because Southface is a nonprofit, your course fees help support our mission.
The course requires completion of prerequisite online training modules, which must be completed prior to online instructor-led sessions. Content includes homework problems and practice test questions, as well as practice using rating software and combustion safety and rating simulator tools.
The assessment phase includes all three RESNET required tests (the 55-question National Rater Exam, the RESNET Combustion Appliance Simulation Test and the RESNET Rater Simulation Practical Test), as well as a proctored “oral exam” of blower door, duct leakage testing and ventilation air flow, as well as an actual projected rating of a home based on plans.
The course must be completed within two months of starting, but all coursework and assignments are designed to be completed comfortably within one month. Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to connect with a Certified Home Energy Rating Provider and complete the necessary provisional ratings to begin performing certified Home Energy Ratings.
As a Certified Home Energy Rater, you will be able to produce energy rating reports that will help home buyers and homeowners qualify for financing incentives through a variety of private and government loan programs. Raters provide the documentation for home builders to receive credit for beyond-code construction and with more modern energy codes, raters can help builders demonstrate compliance via the Energy Rating Index (ERI) pathway.
By applying a building science-based knowledge with industry approved energy modeling software and enhanced diagnostic tools, Certified HERS Rater is one of the highest residential energy credentials that can be earned by an individual. Home Energy Ratings can be performed on both new and existing homes and are utilized by numerous energy and green building certification programs including ENERGY STAR, EarthCraft House, LEED for Homes and National Green Building Standard, as well as many utility rebate programs and energy code compliance efforts.
This training complies with RESNET’s Mortgage Industry National Home Energy Rating System Accreditation Standard, which has been adopted by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the National Association of State Energy Officials. For more information about the Home Energy Rating industry, visit www.resnet.us.
Mike Barcik is a Technical Principal at Southface and has been with the organization since 1995. With B.S and M.S. degrees in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech, Mike is the author of numerous technical resources and has developed and led thousands of trainings for RESNET, BPI, LEED, DOE, EPA and other programs. He’s active in energy code development and often leads workshops on the latest code changes. Since 1999, Mike has trained over 1,500 individuals in RESNET’s Home Energy Rating System (HERS) program, and in 2010 he helped create the Duct and Envelope Tightness (DET) Verifier program to certify over a thousand individuals for blower door and duct leakage testing, as required by the 2009 and later energy codes. Mike served as LEED Faculty for BD+C, EB O&M and Homes, as well as helped develop and teach the EarthCraft family of sustainable programs. Mike co-authored Decatur Georgia’s High Performance Building Ordinance which requires third-party certification for new and substantially renovated single-family, multi-family and commercial projects.
As a Senior Project Manager on the Technical Services team, Nathan oversees Southface Energy Rated Homes (SERH), Southface’s RESNET-accredited HERS QA providership. Nathan is a Certified Innovator, DET Verifier and ENERGY STAR certified in homes and Multifamily New Construction. In addition to overall program management and field support, Nathan assists SERH’s HERS raters in growing their organizations through new product/service development, marketing and communications. Nathan also applies his Mechanical Engineering and MBA degrees to support Southface on a multitude of strategy and innovation initiatives.
As a Project Manager, Jo’De provides logistical and technical support for EarthCraft Multifamily and Southface Energy Rated Homes (SERH) projects. She a certified BPI Building Analyst Professional and is also earning her HERS Rater certification. She is a proud Georgia Tech alumna with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Energy Systems.
Upon enrolling in the Southface HERS Training, complete the following pre-course required modules (~9 hours total):
Help us help you (and others): For something new, at the end of each module, create a single HW or test-like question and submit to the HERSinstructor@southface.org. It can be easy or hard, a concept or a calculation in a multiple choice or True/False format. The instructor will answer and will also share with the class.
