After the RESNET consensus based public comment and review process the RESNET Standards Management Board has adopted an amendment to RESNET’s procedures for the quality assurance of multifamily building ratings. The RESNET Mortgage Industry National Home Energy Rating Standards needed to be amended to clarify and specify the true role of performing quality assurance on a multifamily building. Forcing a RESNET Quality Assurance Designee (QAD) to conduct quality assurance on a top floor end unit and bottom floor end unit doesn’t do anything special to ensure that the quality assurance on the multifamily development is thorough and represents all of the critical minimum rated features. There is generally nothing particularly special about end units that would necessitate that the QAD chose those. In addition there is no value in having to specifically quality assurance on a bottom floor unit. With this additional language, QADs will have more flexibility to choose units within a building, but will be made to inspect all of the most critical areas especially if items like attic insulation or mechanical systems can only be verified through common access points (which is often the case). Also, it will prevent a QAD from selecting units only within one particular development to meet a Rater’s annual field QA quota in situations where the rater has performed more than 100 ratings and therefore needs more than 1 field QA. To view the adopted amendment go to RESNET Multifamily Rating Amendment
