Are there enough HERS raters and testing equipment available?
In 2008 over 15 percent of all new homes in Massachusetts were built through the Energy Star for Homes program, a percentage that is steadily increasing. The majority of these homes used HERS raters and testing equipment to achieve a HERS rating. Several states surrounding Massachusetts have higher percentages of new construction using HERS ratings on a voluntary basis. This means that there is already in place an active market for HERS raters and testing equipment and the gradual adoption of the stretch energy code is not likely to cause a dramatic increase in demand for these services. That said, the growing interest in HERS ratings has led to more building professionals going through HERS training and certification and expanded sales of blower door and duct testing equipment. This is a good sign of a market response to our growing green economy, and we don’t anticipate demand for HERS raters exceeding supply in towns and cities adopting the stretch code.
