The 2008 Title 24 requirements, which will become effective in January of 2010, will now require both HERS verification and electronic document filing and registration for all Title 24 documents, including the following:
The CF-1R Certificate of Compliance, which completed and signed by both the Title 24 Document Author and the Architect
The CF-6R Installation Certificate, completed by the installing contractor
The CF-4R Certificate of Field Verification and Diagnostic Testing, completed by the HERS Rater
Any time any of the following HERS verifications are required, all these documents will now have to be registered and filed online with a HERS Provider who is certified through CalCERTS, CHEERS, or CBPCA. This means that, starting in 2010, designing architects will need to work with a HERS provider. As certified HERS raters through CalCERTS, we can verify the following:
Duct sealing (duct blaster test)
Supply duct location, surface area and R-value
Low leakage for ducts in conditioned spaces
Low leakage for air handling systems
Verify refrigerant charge in split system air conditioners with heat pumps
Cooling coil airflow
Air handler fan watt draw
High energy efficiency ratio (High EER)
Maximum rated total cooling capacity
Evaporatively cooled condensers
Ice storage air conditioners
Building envelope sealing (door blower test)
High-quality insulation installation
Photovoltaic field verification protocol
A HERS rater can verify that insulation is properly installed
It has become obvious that, on any project there are two players that make or break a project where energy is concerned:
The first is the Title 24 Documentation Author. This is the person who creates the inputs and runs the Title 24 performance calculation model and writes up the Title 24 documents. In some jurisdictions, it is mandatory that Title 24 documents be completed by a Certified Energy Plans Examiner (CEPE) or Certified Energy Analyst (CEA) certified by CABEC. By an astonishing coincidence, we happen to have those qualifications as well.
The second player is the HERS Rater, who must be certified by CalCERTS, CBPCA, or CHEERS. The HERS rater verifies the installation of energy-efficient measures and materials, and runs the diagnostic tests that are necessary to verify that the installation agrees with the Title 24 compliance calculations.
Both of these people have official sanctions and certifications from the State of California to actually file the necessary paperwork.