Missouri Home Energy Certification Program - Frequently Asked Questions for Auditors - PUB2880

Q1: What is the Missouri Home Energy Certification Program?

The Missouri Home Energy Certification program is designed to provide for a voluntary approach to promote energy efficient homes through clear and meaningful recognition. The criteria for recognition have been determined by working with interested and affected parties. Many of the existing energy programs have been taken into account regarding all aspects of home energy use and how they can tie together to recognize a home’s energy efficiency.

Q2: How may a home qualify?

After receiving an energy assessment by a certified energy auditor, there are two levels for which a home may qualify: Silver or gold certification.

In order to qualify for gold certification, a home must achieve one of the following:

• Score an 8 or greater on the Home Energy Score.
• Score a 65 or less on the Home Energy Rating System Index.
• Receive a Columbia Water & Light Efficiency Score backed by a Home Energy Score of 8 or greater.
• Achieve the equivalent of the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (2012 IECC) for climate zone 4 (See Table 1 at the end of this document).
• Achieve Energy Star Certified Home designation on or after Jan. 1, 2017.
• Receive a Pearl Gold Certification or higher.

In order to qualify for silver certification, a home must have recently participated in a home energy upgrade program or had a recent energy audit and achieve one of the following:

• U.S. Department of Energy's Home Energy Score reflecting that all cost effective improvements have been implemented.
• 20 point decrease on the Home Energy Rating System Index.
• 90% efficiency rating on the Columbia Water & Light Efficiency Score.
• 20% savings as modeled by an approved program or approved modeling software.
• Receive a Pearl Silver Certification.

Q3: Why should a home achieve Missouri Home Energy Certification certification?

By achieving certification, it implies a certain level of savings, efficiency and performance. Missouri Home Energy Certification recognizes national best practices and by making the information available to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), used by the National Association of Realtors, could add value toward the home’s sale or purchase. The program recognizes the most energy efficient Missouri homes in a simple and clear manner and provides appropriate value signals on the worth of efficient homes to Missouri homeowners and the real estate industry.

Q4: How does a homeowner apply?

Applications can be submitted only by a Certified Home Energy Auditor who is currently certified by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The audit information is submitted through the Green Building Registry™ for Missouri. In order to achieve a certification, interested homeowners should work with a certified auditor. 

Q5: As a BPI/RESNET certified professional, I am very interested in participating in this program. Where should I start?

As a qualified auditor, you must receive certification through the department. You may apply for certification by submitting an application. Once you have received auditor certification, you may register as a certified auditor via the Green Building Registry™ website as explained in online training videos. Just follow the instructions on the videos. 

Applications to certify a home can be submitted through the Green Building Registry™, only by a certified home energy auditor. Information regarding how to become a certified home energy auditor is available online.

Q6: How much does it cost to apply auditor certification or to register with the Green Building Registry™?

There is no application fee required from the department.

Q7: What does the home energy certificate look like?

Samples of gold and silver certificates are available on Missouri Home Energy Certification’s program website. Once an application is completed and submitted through Green Building Registry™, the submitting auditor will be alerted if there are any problems with the data submitted. Certifications the home may qualify for, along with an energy scorecard for the home will then be available by searching the address on the Green Building Registry™ website.

Q8: What are general steps for submitting a certification application?

Submitting a home energy certification application is simple through the user-friendly Green Building Registry™ online application system. Home Energy Auditors should following the general steps described below for submitting a certification application:

1. If you are an existing Home Energy Auditor, check your certificate’s expiration date and ensure it is valid. If you haven’t been certified by the Missouri Division of Energy as a Home Energy Auditor or your certificate has expired, please follow the instructions on our website for submitting your Home Energy Auditor application or renewing your Home Energy Auditor certificate.
2. For the first-time user of Green Building Registry™ online application system, you need to request a username/account by entering you information in the Green Building Registry™ account setup. You will need your auditor certification ID number. Once you have registered you will be provided the username/ password setup screen.
3. Review this Frequently Asked Questions and Missouri Home Energy Certification Program Guidelines.
4. Be sure to watch all of the training videos provided on our website in order to easily use Green Building Registry™ website.
5. During the audit of the home be sure to ask the homeowner if they wish the information to be made public. If they indicate they do, make sure to get their permission in writing. 
6. Once the information is submitted for a home, confirmation will be received via an interactive screen.

Q9: How long will the review process take? And how can I check the application status?

Confirmation will be received immediately via the website. If there are issues with the application, you will receive a notice on the screen related to the particular issue and have and opportunity to address the issue.

Q10: How do I know if my application has been approved? How will the homeowner be notified?

You will will receive confirmation immediately, once the application process is complete. Certifications along with a home energy scorecard are then available on the website. These may be sent passed along to the homeowner by the auditor. The homeowner may also access these by visiting the Green Building Registry™ website and searching the homes address.

Q11: What are the penalties for falsified information?

This program is made available through the department’s State Energy Program. As such, there are stringent penalties associated with any fraudulent activity. Should this occur, the department will notify the appropriate federal and state authorities. Penalties under this program may be monetary or even include jail time if convicted. The culpable party may also be suspended from further participation in Missouri Home Energy Certification and other department programs.

Q12: Where can I find more information about this program?

More detailed information is available on the program website. You can also contact our office at 855-522-2796 or email if you have questions about the program or issues related to application submission. 

Table 1
Proposed Asset Recognition Levels based on 2012 IECC for Climate Zone 4 and Energy Star hearing and cooling equipment
Measure	Efficiency Target
Fenestration U-factor*	0.35 *(Double pane insulated window with thermal break)
Glazed fenestration SHCG*	Max 0.40 *(Tinted)
Wood frame wall R-value	R20 or R13+5
Ceiling R-value	R49
Basement wall and Crawl Space R-value	10/13: insulation down 10 ft. or full depth
Thermal Envelope Testing	3 ACH50
Duct Insulation	R6: exception: Ducts completely inside thermal envelopes
Duct Leakage Requirements (if ducts are outside of conditioned space:	4 CFM25/100 sq. ft.
Lighting Equipment	Minimum 75% high-efficacy lamps
Gas Fired Furnace	Energy Star (95% AFUE)
Central Air Conditioner	Energy Star (14.5 SEER)
Heat Pump	Energy Star (8.2 HSPF)
*denotes alternate requirements for existing homes