Overview
In 1997, the Vermont Legislature adopted the Residential Building Energy Standards (RBES), mandated an update process, and required the Department of Public Service (PSD) to implement an accreditation procedure for Home Energy Rating Systems (HERS) providers (30 V.S.A. § 52 (a)). The accreditation procedure is the result of several years work building consensus among affected stakeholders, including rating providers, builders, lenders, real estate professionals, and consumer representatives.
The PSD HERS Accreditation Procedure ("Procedure"), originally approved and adopted on May 22, 2003, was updated in 2021 with an effective date of October 29, 2021. The purpose of HERS Accreditation is to ensure that accurate and consistent home energy ratings are performed by qualified HERS energy raters providing Vermonters with objective, cost-effective, and sustainable home energy rating services which can do the following:
- Serve as compliance method for residential building energy codes;
- Accurately gauge the performance of energy saving measures;
- Help Vermont's housing market reliably differentiate products based on energy efficiency.
The Procedure sets minimum standards for rater training, operating procedures and policies, software programs, and quality control. These standards assure that customers can rely on the representations of accredited providers.
Application for HERS Provider Accreditation
HERS providers seeking Vermont Accreditation should use the links below to download the Vermont HERS Accreditation Procedures and Vermont HERS Accreditation Application. Applicants must be be an accredited RESNET Home Energy Rating Provider in good standing and must provide a valid RESNET accreditation identification number. The updated Vermont procedures are aligned closely with the RESNET Accreditation procedures. To simplify the application process, providers seeking accreditation in Vermont may submit and refer to their RESNET-approved policy and procedure document as a response to many of the questions on the Vermont application. The application and procedures documents are in .pdf format but a Word version is available on request. The application is also available in a fillable pdf format. Please email keith.levenson@vermont.gov with any questions or to submit an application.
- Vermont HERS Provider Accreditation Procedure
- Application (.pdf)
- Application (fillable .pdf)