[REM-Info] Fwd: Issue of Great Importance to Rating Industry - EPA Needs to Hear from You

[Dave Roberts]

EPA CONSIDERING PROPOSAL THAT COULD FRACTURE THE NATIONAL HOME ENERGY
RATING INDUSTRY
 
YOUR VOICE NEEDS TO BE HEARD NOW!
 
EPA is considering recognizing organizations in addition to RESNET to
provide oversight for the ENERGY STAR for Homes Program, including
allowing regional programs to provide this oversight.  
 
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
 
If EPA recognizes additional organizations, the rating industry could
quickly become fragmented and lose its reputation as credible and
standardized.  RESNET has worked together with the rating industry for
the past decade to develop standards, protocols, and quality control
procedures that are recognized and respected by the housing industry,
state governments, the IRS, Department of Energy and the mortgage
industry.  If this proposal is adopted, this well established and
respected oversight and infrastructure could vanish.  In addition, if
additional organizations enter the oversight arena, RESNET may not be
able to maintain financially viability.  
 
With the housing market crisis, oil reaching $100 a barrel and an
emerging consensus over the need to combat global climate change, this
is not the time to fracture the rating industry into competing oversight
programs.  This all comes at a time when Europe, China and Canada are
looking to emulate RESNET's model.  Why risk the decade of effort that
has created a national home energy rating industry?
 
Your comments are needed.  EPA is accepting public comments on this
proposal until December 8, 2007.
 
Please e-mail your comments to Zak Shadid at the EPA, at
shadid.zachary at epa.gov   as soon as possible.
 
The following are some points and questions to consider when commenting
to the EPA:EPA, the housing industry, consumers and the rating industry
benefit by a uniform national standard and quality assurance procedures
consistently applied by RESNET. National consistency is the key to the
credibility of the ENERGY STAR Homes Program. RESNET is a member driven
organization.  It is easy to become accredited as a rating provider
through the RESNET standards.  This creates a level playing field within
the industry. The current system is not broken. Does EPA have the
resources to provide oversight to competing oversight organizations and
insure that quality controls remain consistent? The proposal could mean
financial non-viability for RESNET, leaving no national organization or
standard. Rating organizations could lose the opportunity to be part of
a member driven organization with the rating industry’s best interests
as its’ primary mission. How might this impact your work with builders
if competing regional and national organizations introduce new standards
and procedures to the ENERGY STAR program? What benefit would expanding
this oversight role have to improve or enhance the credibility of the
rating industry?

If these points or questions concern you, we urge you to send a comment
to the EPA.
 
You can view the EPA’s proposal at the following link: 
http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/bldrs_lenders_raters/downloads/Verification_Oversight_Organizations.pdf

 
Steve Baden
Executive Director
RESNET
P.O. Box 4561
Oceanside, CA 92052
Phone:  760-806-3448
Fax:  760-806-9449
E-mail:  sbaden at resnet.us 
www.resnet.us 
 
 
David R. Roberts, P.E.
Senior Engineer
Architectural Energy Corporation
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