Outlined below are the required steps to become an authorized home energy assessor with the Oregon Home Energy Score program. To complete the process, you must hold an Oregon CCB license for residential contractor, residential specialty contractor license, or residential restricted Home Energy Performance Score Contractor. If you are already have an active HES Assessor ID you can contact Earth Advantage to get more details on needed steps. 
STEP 1: Obtain and verify qualifying credentials
STEP 2: Complete Home Energy Score Simulation training
STEP 3: Obtain and verify home energy assessor CCB certificate
STEP 4: Complete the home energy assessor participation agreement
STEP 5: Complete orientation and mentoring
STEP 6: Authorization 

Step One: Obtain and Verify Qualifying Credentials

Complete at least one of the following US Department of Energy (US DOE) qualifying credentials listed on the ODOE - Home Energy Assessor Training Certification Form (found HERE). Please email the form and direct questions about completing credentials to ODOE.HEPS@oregon.gov 

Note: If you have yet to complete the US DOE Home Energy Score Simulation Training, disregard the “US DOE online simulation training” field on the form.
Estimated cost: varies by market rates 
Estimated time frame: varies by training provider
 


Step Two: Complete Home Energy Score Simulation Training

US DOE will email you access to the Simulation Training. This is a self-paced training process where you will conduct virtual home walkthroughs designed to show a variety of situations you might encounter, in order to learn how to produce an accurate Home Energy Score. Once complete, US DOE will email you to confirm you passed a series of test homes and a multiple choice exam.

Estimated cost: Free (unguided)
Estimated time frame: 12+ hours, usually over a few weeks
 


Step Three: Obtain and Verify Home Energy Assessor CCB Certificate

Submit approved and completed Home Energy Assessor Training Certification Form from Step 1 to CCB, with the CCB Home Energy Assessor Certification Application and your CCB license application, unless you are associating with a pre-existing license. Ways to submit applications to CCB: Fax or regular mail only. For security reasons, applications are not accepted by email.

Please direct CCB questions to: angela.k.warkentin@ccb.state.or.us
Upon approval, CCB will mail you a certificate and CCB number.
Upon receipt, email certificate and CCB number to Earth Advantage: oregonhes@earthadvantage.org

Note: Your Home Energy Assessor certification cannot be issued without a CCB residential general contractor license, residential specialty contractor license, or residential restricted Home Energy Performance Score Contractor license – see CCB Endorsements for descriptions.
Estimated cost: $100 Application Fee + $100 One-Year Certification Fee. Annual renewal fee $100.
Estimated time frame: Varies by type
 


Step Four: Complete the Home Energy Assessor Participation Agreement

Complete the home energy assessor participation agreement. Request agreement from Earth Advantage at: oregonhes@earthadvantage.org

Estimated cost: None  
Estimated time frame: 2 - 4 business days to process
 


Step Five: Complete Orientation and Mentoring

After registering for mentoring you will get access to the mandatory Assessor orientation video recording. Learn about specific local program requirements and messaging to homeowners about the Home Energy Report. Assessors operating outside of Portland Metro will also get training related to Remote QA requirements.

As required by US DOE, you must complete a mentoring session designated by Earth Advantage.

If you will be conducting Home Energy Scores inside the Portland Metro area, register for in-field mentoring of your first Home Energy Score. If you will be conducting Home Energy Scores outside the Portland Metro area and are unable to attend an in-field mentoring, register for remote mentoring.

Please find more information and registration HERE 

Estimated cost: $300 (Travel costs may be added for areas outside of PDX Metro)
Portland Metro estimated time frame: 1-2 hr Orientation session + 2 hr field visit + half hr data entry and energy modeling
Outside of Portland Metro estimated time frame: 1-2 hr Orientation session + 1.5 hr field visit + half hr data entry + 1 hr remote mentoring session
 


Step Six: Authorization

You are now authorized to conduct Oregon Home Energy Score assessments and generate the Home Energy Report! Earth Advantage will send you an authorization email to confirm.

1. Inside Portland Metro area: (In Field QA): This is the QA process for HES scores conducted within the Portland Metro area (see the Oregon Home Energy Score Quality Assurance Protocol for geographic qualifications)

Estimated cost: $35/score quality assurance fee
Estimated time frame: 1.5 hr/home - field assessment, energy modeling, Oregon home energy report generation

2. Outside Portland Metro area (Remote QA)

Estimated cost: $35/score quality assurance fee
Estimated time frame: 1.5 hr/home - field assessment, energy modeling, Oregon home energy report generation, Remote QA Photo Systems.
 


Program Entity Roles

US Department of Energy (US DOE)

Manages the Home Energy Score rating protocol, training requirements and quality assurance guidelines.

Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE)

Manages compliance to Oregon-specific Home Energy Performance Scores requirements – Training credentials, CCB licensing, scorecard utility rates. Manages the ODOE program and is the official Home

Earth Advantage

Implements assessor enrollment and quality assurance on behalf of the Home Energy Score programs with the Oregon Department of Energy and jurisdictions with mandatory scoring policies: City of Portland; City of Milwaukie; and City of Hillsboro.
 


Home Energy Score Modeling Tools

Beyond use of the US DOE Home Energy Score modeling tool, a number of other third-party software providers have successfully integrated with the Home Energy Score API to allow Assessors to produce the Home Energy Score Report along with the other outputs the software produces. Click HERE and scroll to see the current list of approved thirdparty software providers available for the Oregon program. Licensing may be required between the Assessor and software provider.

Estimated software costs

US DOE’s Home Energy Score software tool is free. Other third-party software providers may charge licensing fees for use

For More Information

If you have further questions related to becoming an authorized home energy assessor for the ODOE Home Energy Score program, please contact: oregonhes@earthadvantage.org