A HERS Rater is a person responsible for evaluating your home and providing its HERS Rating. The HERS rater is often a professional in the building industry.

What Does a HERS Rater Do?

Your HERS rater is your home energy consultant. For new home construction, he enters the project very early in the process. Using the HERS modeling software, this person will analyze home to be built in order to certify that it is designed to meet the required HERS rating.

The HERS score needed will vary depending on the size of the home and the state in which you are building. His pre-construction design plan may be needed to obtain a building permit. At this time, he may also suggest design improvements and available products which can help with the HERS rating and, most importantly, the energy performance of the home.

Hers Rater Training

HERS raters are required to take a rigorous course which trains them to become experts in understanding the HERS rating system. During this course they learn how to use HERS analysis software, which provides an unbiased energy analysis of a home. Only after completing the course and passing the written test, can this individual continue in their HERS rater training.

In my home state of Massachusetts, the HERS rater must complete an apprenticeship period before they can become an independent HERS rater. This apprenticeship includes working with an already certified HERS rater on five of their home certification projects. During this period they will receive hands-on training as they experience the full range of what goes into providing a HERS rating.