AmeriSpec home energy audits soar - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

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Memphis-based AmeriSpec has 250 franchiss owners throughoutthe U.S. and Canada who provide services to homebuyersand sellers. The companyh has seen its business skyrocketg in Canada as the Canadian government has mandatedd homes be more energy efficient and reduce carbon Brent Armstrong, vice presidenty and general manager of says the company is the only national providerf of inspection services in Canada. It conductedx 50,000 audits in 2008, comparex to 18,500 in 2007 and 14,000 in 2006.
Part of AmeriSpec’xs inspection process creates an artificial draft to find out wher e air seeps in or leaks out of An inspection also covere the energy efficiency of HVAC After an inspectionin Canada, homes are given a rating and ownerz are given 18 months to improvw or retrofit the home. While the Canadian government doesn’ft penalize homeowners who don’t make changes, up to $5,000p in grant money is available for improvements and homeownerds can get reimbursedfor energy-related work they have Armstrong says the Obama administration is lookingh at implementing similar changes in the U.S.
“There’sa a growing awareness in the United States, and to some all of us are asking thesame questions,” Armstronf says. He says all 50 states have weatherization programs. The federal governmeny has allotted $5 billion in stimulus funding tohelp low-incom e families replace roofs on their homes and change inefficient As the attention to energy efficienct grows, AmeriSpec is training its franchis owners to be certified in Home Energy Ratint System inspection. Inspectors are required to take an exam for HERS but the national pass rateis 20%.
At a trainingg session at AmeriSpec’s Memphis facilitiesa last week, 11 of the 15 participants Owners can train at other AmeriSpexc facilities acrossthe country, but the most comprehensiver training is located in Armstrong says AmeriSpec offers three different coursews that are open to its franchise Its facilities include a fully functional “flood that can be flooded to simulatre a home disaster. The house offers inspectors full field trainintg without them having to intrude on customers in the It also allows them learn from their mistakes withoutbeing liable.
Gale Colvin, director of technicaol training and developmentfor AmeriSpec, says inspector s who pass the test will have the highest certification in energy auditing. Followinfg that certification, they must perform three field evaluations. “W loan out the equipment they need to get that Colvin says. “We want to keep everythingg fresh for them out inthe field.” Steve Anderson, owner of two franchises in is one of the owners who passeed last week’s exam. While the course isn’t a requiremen for franchise owners, it give s them another level of servicefor customers.
who is also a licensed can now offer complete home services from designn to making sure existing homes areenergy efficient. “Ther cost of energy for homeowners is steadily rising, so being able to assist people in how well theier homes work and where improvements can be made is a servicew that will be needed in the future,” Andersonj says. “We’re positioned to tap into the marker and help folks that are intereste d ingoing green.
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