RESNET has been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a Home Certification Organization (HCO), and RESNET’s HERSH2O® water efficiency rating program is a WaterSense Approved Certification Methodology. This means that RESNET accredited HERS® Rating Providers and certified RESNET HERS® Raters are able to certify homes under the EPA’s WaterSense Labeled Homes program, version 2. Rating Field Inspectors are also eligible to provide field verification and testing for HERSH2O® and WaterSense. To qualify for the program a home must achieve a HERSH20 Index Score of 70 or less and meet a few simple requirements, like installing WaterSense labeled fixtures. Now is time for the HERS® industry to become involved in the WaterSense and HERSH2O® programs. NOAA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture project that water challenges will be expanding in the U.S. and water utility rates are increasing faster than energy costs. For a HERS® Rater, it takes only a little extra work to produce a HERSH2O® rating. Most of what the water efficiency rating considers is already part of a HERS® Rating. The program is also designed to take place in conjunction when the final HERS® Rating inspection and testing take place. It is easy for a current HERS® Rating Provider to be accredited as a HERSH2O® Provider. To become a RESNET water efficiency rating provider go to How to Become an Approved HERS® HERSH2O® Provider. Once a Provider has been approved for HERSH2O® they are able to oversee WaterSense Labeled Homes under version 2. For current certified RESNET HERS® Raters and Rating Field Inspectors, the path to offering the WaterSense Label for homes is also easy. Simply complete the online HERSH2O® Rater Training program on the RESNET Training Portal. To be approved to verify WaterSense, a HERSH2O® Rater must complete the online training developed by EPA and also housed on the RESNET Training Portal. For more information on the RESNET water efficiency rating system go to HERSH2O. WaterSense labeled homes must be at least 30 percent more water-efficient than typical new construction. Under the Homes Certification System, they are verified and certified to meet EPA’s Mandatory Checklist and achieve EPA’s water efficiency criteria demonstrating that the home will use at least 30% less water than a typical home. For more information on the program go to EPA WaterSense Labeled Homes.
