Below is a copy of a notification we received from the DOE contractors. We are awaiting updated training materials and do not yet have a timeline for them. We have also been told that this renaming does NOT impact the 45L tax credit.
Dear Home Certification Organization for DOE,
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is announcing the renaming of the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home program to the DOE Efficient New Homes Program. This new name reflects DOE’s commitment to advancing our nation’s housing in ways that are most responsive to current and future market conditions.
The program continues to be grounded in its core values. Technical requirements and the certification process remain consistent, providing builders and industry partners with continuity and confidence as they deliver homes to American families. This includes maintaining co-requisite requirements such as alignment with the appropriate ENERGY STAR for New Homes certification pathway.
The DOE Efficient New Homes Program is also announcing several planned program revisions to add clarifications and flexibility. Planned clarifications and additional flexibility can be found in the following newly released program revisions:
All documents associated with these revisions are available on the DOE Efficient New Homes program website. The Policy Record documents detail the major updates included in these revised documents and the rationale behind the changes. All the changes introduced in these revisions improve the DOE Efficient New Homes program’s flexibility and provide clarity on various program requirements. The most significant updates include:
The name change is now in effect. These program Versions/Revisions will all be required for projects with permit dates on or after January 1, 2026, but may be used for certification effective immediately. For projects with permit dates until 12/31/2025, projects may continue to use the previous revision of each set of program requirements if desired. Because the program updates only add clarifications and flexibility, a longer phase-in period is not necessary. Each program’s documents provide detailed definitions of allowable permit dates.
A required training module and quiz for Raters covering these revisions will be released at a future time.
Action Items:
The EPA ENERGY STAR Team has released two recorded webinars covering 2025 updates to the program, SFNH Revision 14, and MFNC Revision 05. We have put them in a workshop here, which should be accessible from both your corporate university page, as well as the account page. Additionally, the ICC has approved our course for 0.20 CEUs for ICC recertification! Click the button below to access the course.
Let's talk about tools and processes to design, build and rate new homes, multifamily buildings, and gut renovations to meet, beat codes, achieve the Inflation Reduction Act 45L tax credits, and obtain green building certifications. We will also discuss the ANSI CO2e Rating Index, which is of growing importance to stakeholders wanting to understand their direct operational carbon emissions impact.
Continuing Education Units (CEUS) 1 hour in:
On May 15, 2023, our hosting platform will begin updating their backend OS. They will start with Japan and work region by region. When the servers hosting us receive the update, the website will temporarily go down for 10-20 minutes. No data should be lost, but access to the website will be temporarily disabled while the update is going on. Please refer to this status update page where our hosting platform will provide updates on the transition.
Starting in January 2023, we will shift our courses to a new LMS on the backend. We will put Intellectual Ferret under construction from Tuesday January 3 to 5, 2023 to make the switch.
This will improve user experience and provide a more clear progression path through different workshops.
Unfortunately, a side effect of this shift is users will need to download any certificates earned by completing a workshop on the Intellectual Ferret platform BEFORE December 31, 2022.
We will download any earned certificates on that date, record course progression, and then make the switch.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us.
Thank you,
Connor Dillon
Due to the impending shift of providing quality management through the Building Science Institute Ltd. Co.'s True North QMS, we have to perform a similar action on the education front.
Intellectual Ferret will return to being the platform for single-purchases of residential construction, building science, and related courses (in addition to Corporate University offerings).
That means every client who currently has access to Intellectual Ferret University AND has signed contracts with Building Science Institute, Ltd. Co., will be shifted to Building Science Education.
You will NOT lose access to the results from quizzes and courses you've completed on Intellectual Ferret, but your access to current and future courses will expire by the launch of BSI.
For every client who has NOT signed a contract with Building Science Institute, Ltd. Co., your access to the content will expire at the end of May 2022.
If you have any questions, please email me (connor@thedillongroupinc.com) or shoot me a text or phone call (423-838-5171).
We'll be closed Friday, December 24, 2021 and December 31, 2021 for Christmas and New Year's Eve, respectively. Any quizzes submitted during these days, emails, or calls may not be responded to until the next business day. We hope your holidays are filled with good cheer, and eggnog if you're into the sort of thing.
Like many things these days, we're changing with the times. What does that mean? Well, for starters...
You get the same great content - on a different platform.
Building Science Education has all the same great content we've trained hundreds of energy raters, inspectors, HVAC contractors and more with. And it's where all of our individually available online courses will be available.
But, what about Intellectual Ferret?
It will stay where it is - but focused on delivering the best experience we can for corporate university clients. From customized content to company-branded training programs, that's what Intellectual Ferret does best.
You are the person we want to hear from. Yes, you.
Believe it or not, we can't get better until people tell us. As much as some people think, we aren't omniscient.
So please fill out this short survey and let us know about your experience in the workshop.
