RESNET HERS Rater Exam Overview

RESNET HERS Rater Training Overview

This course is conducted in accordance with the RESNET standards and addresses the following topics:

• Basic principles of building science (i.e., viewing the home as a system)
• Thermal resistance of insulation materials
• The minimum rated features for buildings
• Blower door testing procedures
• Duct leakage testing procedures
• Variations in construction types and their ramifications
• Types and efficiencies of windows
• Types and efficiencies of heating, cooling, water heating, and lighting systems
• Types and characteristics of space conditioning and domestic hot water distribution systems
• Types of thermostatic controls
• Determination of azimuth
• Determination of air leakage
• Determination of fuels used by major appliances
• Utility rate structures
• On-site inspection procedures
• Producing a scaled and dimensioned drawing of a home
• Calculating the area of rectangles, triangles, circles, ovals and combinations of these shapes
• Calculating the volume of boxes, pyramids, spheres, and other geometric shapes
• Completing a home energy rating checklist or entering data into a home energy rating software program
• Completing a home energy improvement analysis or entering data into a home energy rating software program that performs improvements analysis
• Basic knowledge of financial incentive programs and energy efficient mortgages
• Communicating the benefits of energy saving measures and practices to the consumer
• Quality assurance

RESNET HERS Rater Exam Overview

The RESNET HERS Rater Test is an online 50 question true or false, multiple choice exam covering building science concepts and rating procedures.  Prospective raters have two hours to complete this open book test and must answer 80% or more of the questions correctly in order to pass.  Raters receive their results immediately after completing the test.  Successful examinees will be listed in the directory of certified raters posted on RESNET's website.

The RESNET National Rater Test's questions are divided into the key categories of building science and home energy ratings. The following are the categories of the test questions and the percentage of questions in each category that are contained in the test:

• Building Science/Heat Transfer (12%)
• Building Diagnostics (10%)
• Air Distribution Leakage (8%)
• Calculating Gross and Net Areas (6%)
• Definitions/Energy Terminology (6%)
• Energy Units (6%)
• Health & Safety Concerns (6%)
• Envelope Leakage (6%
• Determining Envelope Insulation (4%
• Determining Equipment Efficiencies (4%)
• Potential Comfort Problems (2%)
• Household Appliances (2%)
• Measuring Building Dimensions (2%)
• Understanding Building Drawings (2%)
• Completing Scaled Sketches (2%)
• Ethics and Disclosure (2%)
• Understanding Real Estate Financing (2%)
• ID & Document Features of the Rated Home (2%)
• Specifications (2%)
• Quality Assurance (2%)
• Cooling and Heating Design Tradeoffs (2%)
• Reference Home as Defined (2%)
• Projected and Confirmed Ratings (1%)
• Determining Window and Door Efficiency (1%)
• Building and Durability Issues (1%)
• Energy Code Compliance (1%)
• Program Qualifications (1%)
• Determining Building Orientation (1%)
• HERS Score Computation (1%)
• Major U.S. Climate Zones (1%)