The Home Energy Assessment is a comprehensive assessment of the home for potential energy efficiency upgrades and an evaluation for any health and safety barriers that may prevent weatherization work. The energy Specialist is responsible to install energy-efficient bulbs and adopt other energy Savings Measures, besides keeping the customer aware of available incentives for energy equipment upgrades. He is also responsible to identify potential weatherization opportunities and finding energy-saving measures for the home by appropriate diagnostic techniques and equipment.
Program Structure and Specifications
Any customer eligible to participate in a Mass Save program can request Mass Save Home Energy Assessment. The assessment determines if the home is eligible for weatherization, provides information about program incentives, and installs Instant Savings Measures (ISMs), recommends specifications for suitable weatherization work, and presents these to the customer. The Mass Save program is a fuel-neutral assessment of a home to determine the possible improvements in a home-like air sealing, lights, insulation, appliances, water heating, heating system upgrades, etc. All program-eligible developments must be recognized and stated to the customer. The Energy Specialist must know about the “Mass Save Home Energy Services Program Standard for Materials, Installation, and Conduct for Energy Efficient Measure Installation Contractors.
Customers contact the Mass Save Customer Service Representative (CSR) before receiving a Home Energy Assessment. They are asked some questions to ensure that the customer is eligible for the home energy assessment. However, the Energy Specialist should keep the following concerns in mind:
- 5+ Unit Properties
The Mass Save® Home Energy Services program caters to 1-4 family residences that are not under the bigger area where a condominium association or apartment complex is present (such as a condo association with one or more buildings totaling 5+ units overall).
The Energy Specialist must inform the CSR and the Lead Vendor immediately if the property has 5 or more units. The Energy Specialist will install all appropriate In-Home Installation Measures (ISMs), without completing the comprehensive HEA as scheduled. The Energy Specialist will also educate the customer and acknowledge that the visit is an exception to the process. Any HES vendor steadily found to be inviting exceptions to the process will be brought under disciplinary action and associated penalties. After the visit, the Lead Vendor should provide the Multi-Family Market Integrator with the customer and site information for further follow-up on the property.
The Multifamily Energy Services Program is ideal to treat these sites in their entirety, in that they work with the current condominium association or Property Management Company in the decision-making process. Single-family homeowner association properties are not taken as multifamily properties and might be covered by the Mass Save HES program.
Income-Eligible Customers
The Mass Save HES program is not applicable for income-eligible customers (income below 60% of state median income). Such customers can consult income-eligible agencies that offer no-cost energy efficiency improvements.
Correct Program Administrator
Program Administrators like electric and gas utility companies and energy efficiency service providers fund the Mass Save HES program. The Energy Specialist must prove the customer’s eligibility for the services based on their main heating fuel and the Program Administrator funding the home energy assessment since the Energy Specialist has the full opportunity and responsibility to ascertain if information that might have been received during the primary intake and schedule was incorrect.
If the home’s main heating fuel is natural gas, the Program Administrator for the customer is the participating gas utility company or energy efficiency service, provider. If the main heating fuel is non-metered (i.e. oil, propane, etc.) or electricity, the Program Administrator is the participating electric utility or energy efficiency service, provider. The HEA can be done if the Program Vendor agrees to offer services to that PA. For any concerns, the Energy Specialist should contact the right CSR or Lead Vendor before starting the Home Energy Assessment process.