AmeriSpec home energy audits soar - Boston Business Journal:

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Memphis-based AmeriSpec has 250 franchise owner s throughoutthe U.S. and Canadaw who provide services to homebuyersand sellers. The company has seen its businesx skyrocket in Canada as the Canadian government has mandated homex be more energy efficient and reduce carbon Brent Armstrong, vice president and general manager of says the company is the only nationak provider of inspection serviceds in Canada. It conducted 50,0090 audits in 2008, compared to 18,50 in 2007 and 14,000 in 2006. Part of AmeriSpec’ inspection process creates an artificial draft to find out wherw air seeps in or leaks out of An inspection also covers the energyh efficiency ofHVAC systems.
After an inspectionb in Canada, homes are given a rating and owners are givenb 18 months to improve or retrofit the While the Canadiangovernment doesn’t penalize homeownerse who don’t make changes, up to $5,000 in grant money is available for improvements and homeownerzs can get reimbursed for energy-related work they have done. Armstrony says the Obama administration is lookin g at implementing similar changes inthe U.S. “There’s a growiny awareness in the United States, and to some all of us are asking the same Armstrong says. He says all 50 states have weatherizationh programs.
The federal government has allotted $5 billion in stimulu funding tohelp low-income familiea replace roofs on their homes and change inefficient As the attention to energy efficiency AmeriSpec is training its franchise ownersx to be certified in Home Energ Rating System inspection. Inspectors are required to take an exam for HERS but the national pass rateis 20%. At a traininv session at AmeriSpec’s Memphis facilities last week, 11 of the 15 participants passed. Ownerws can train at other AmeriSpec facilities acrosathe country, but the most comprehensive training is locatesd in Memphis. Armstrong says AmeriSpec offerx three different courses that are open to itsfranchisw owners.
Its facilities include a fullhyfunctional “flood house” that can be floode to simulate a home disaster. The house offers inspectora full field training without them having to intruded on customers in the It also allows them learn from theif mistakes withoutbeing liable. Gale Colvin, director of technica training and developmentfor AmeriSpec, says inspectorsz who pass the test will have the highesf certification in energy auditing. Followinh that certification, they must perform threse field evaluations. “We loan out the equipmenr they need to get that Colvin says.
“We want to keep everything fresyh for them out in the Steve Anderson, owner of two franchises in is one of the owner who passed last week’s exam. Whilew the course isn’t a requirement for franchises owners, it gives them another levell of servicefor customers. who is also a licensed architect, can now offef complete home services from desigbn to making sure existing home s areenergy efficient. “The cost of energy for homeowner s issteadily rising, so being able to assist peopls in how well theie homes work and where improvements can be made is a servicw that will be needed in the Anderson says.
“We’re positioned to tap into the markert and help folks that are interestec ingoing green.”