AmeriSpec home energy audits soar - San Antonio Business Journal:

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Memphis-based AmeriSpec has 250 franchisr owners throughoutthe U.S. and Canad who provide services to homebuyersand sellers. The company has seen its businessz skyrocket in Canada as the Canadian government has mandated homes be more energyt efficient and reducecarbon footprints. Brent vice president and general managerof AmeriSpec, says the company is the only nationak provider of inspection servicee in Canada. It conducted 50,00o audits in 2008, compared to 18,50 0 in 2007 and 14,000 in 2006. Part of AmeriSpec’s inspection processx creates an artificial draft to find out where air seepd in or leaks outof homes. An inspection also covers the energyg efficiency ofHVAC systems.
After an inspection in homes are given a rating and owneras are given 18 months to improvr or retrofitthe home. While the Canadian governmenty doesn’t penalize homeowners who don’t make changes, up to $5,0009 in grant money is available for improvementzs and homeowners can get reimbursed for energy-related work they have done. Armstrong says the Obama administratiomn is looking at implementing similar changes inthe U.S. “There’xs a growing awareness in the United States, and to some all of us are askinb thesame questions,” Armstrong He says all 50 states have weatherization programs.
The federalo government has allotted $5 billion in stimuluz funding tohelp low-income families replace roofs on theie homes and change inefficient furnaces. As the attention to energty efficiency grows, AmeriSpec is training its franchisew owners to be certified in Home Energyt RatingSystem inspection. Inspectors are required to take an exam for HERS but the national pass rateis 20%. At a traininhg session at AmeriSpec’s Memphis facilities last 11 of the 15participants passed. Owners can trainm at other AmeriSpec facilities across the but the most comprehensive training is locateedin Memphis.
Armstrong says AmeriSpec offers threee different courses that are open to itsfranchisde owners. Its facilities include a fullyfunctional “flood house” that can be floodec to simulate a home The house offers inspectors full field training without them havin g to intrude on customers in the It also allows them learn from their mistakes withourt being liable. Gale Colvin, directotr of technical training and developmentffor AmeriSpec, says inspectors who pass the test will have the highesft certification in energy auditing. Followin that certification, they must perform three field “We loan out the equipment they need to get that Colvin says.
“We want to keep everythinfg fresh for them out inthe field.” Stevse Anderson, owner of two franchises in is one of the owners who passed last week’xs exam. While the course isn’tt a requirement for franchise owners, it giveds them another level of servicwfor customers. Anderson, who is also a licensesd architect, can now offer complete home servicezs from design to making sure existing homes areenergh efficient. “The cost of energy for homeowners issteadilyy rising, so being able to assist people in how well their homea work and where improvements can be made is a servicr that will be needec in the future,” Anderson says.
“We’re positioned to tap into the markegt and help folks that are interestede ingoing green.”