Green Education and Career: RESNET Certification
Last week we discussed the growth potential of the energy conservation industry worldwide and reviewed the Association of Energy Engineers’ Certified Energy Auditor designation. Another organisation is at the forefront of the expanding energy conservation field: RESNET, Residential Energy Services Network.
The Residential Energy Services Network’s (RESNET®) mission is to ensure the success of the building energy performance certification industry, set the standards of quality, and increase the opportunity for ownership of high performance buildings. RESNET is a membership 501-C-3 non profit organization.
RESNET’s standards are officially recognized by the U.S. mortgage industry for capitalizing a building’s energy performance in the mortgage loan, certification of “White Tags” for private financial investors, and by the federal government for verification of building energy performance for such programs as federal tax incentives, the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America Program.
What does all of this mean? It has made attaining a RESNET certification a valuable green career path. This dynamic organization has paved the way for their certified members to take advantage of many revenue streams in the energy conservation industry as well as giving their certifications worldwide credibility.
Examples of the revenue streams are:
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RESNET offers several certifications. These certifications will require training, study and experience but are a great green career option for those without a college degree or who do not wish to return to school for an extended period of time. Their certifications are:
RESNET is seeking to expand its current area of influence. As there are currently no national standards for commercial buildings such as RESNET’s residential |
For more information on this interesting career option, please visit their website at: http://www.natresnet.org/about/default.htm
Short URL: http://www.mygreeneducation.com/?p=2777
Posted by Tracey A. Smith
on Jun 2 2009. Filed under Certificate, Environmental, Green Career, Green Career Paths, Green Jobs.
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Where can I find information on low cost training for solar industry related installers/technician?
Thank you
Hi John. Try solar staffing in california.
http://www.solarstaffing.com/training/schedule.html
I did an interview with the president of the company and an article on them if you search the site for solar staffing.
Gordon Smith
RESNET’s certification system does not set any clearly defined requirements and is therefore fundamentally wrong. A rater candidate is totally dependent on a competitor called “rater provider” to be certified.
As RESNET states it: “You MAY be certified”. This means that there are no clearly defined requirements for a rater candidate to fulfill which would give he/she the right of getting certified.
The rater candidate has absolutely no rights and is absolutely dependent on the “rater providers” whims. The “rater provider” can and does exploit the rater candidate with the bait that one day the “rater provider” MAY certify him/her. The candidate will find himself having to work for the “rater provider” for the minimum wage.
And, even if the candidate against all odds, would get certified, he/she will discover that no “rater provider” is willing to accept him/her to work independently as a rater.
RESNET is a tightly closed medieval guild system that a civilized society should not allow.
I dare to say that none of the candidates that pays $1,200 to $1,400 for a one week rater training class gets certified. The “rater provider” has no incentive to certify anybody. On the contrary, the “provider” has the incentive to keep the candidate as an exploited candidate.
While you can forget about any certification, there are better and cheaper ways to gain knowledge about energy efficiency. There are a plenty of good books out there and also community colleges that offer classes. To pay $1200 to $1400 for one week of dubious training is not the way to go if you are serious about energy efficiency.
During the one week RESNET rater training class I attended we never got a chance to use a blower door and we got study material that contained numerous fundamental errors that can be very confusing for someone that has no previous knowledge. For instance, according to this material Btu is equal to power: that is not correct. If somebody doubts that this information was in print, I can scan and publish it. The thing is, that these errors do not matter for RESNET and their providers. For them, it is not about energy efficiency. It is all about profiting from a monopoly by selling phony rater training classes and selling phony “energy ratings” against kickbacks from developers and mortgage companies. It has nothing to do with energy efficiency.
RESNET’s competition stifling business practice does not help us save energy but empowers and enriches a private click of individuals that does not let anybody enter the business.