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RESNET Board Adopts New Policy on Financial Independence of Quality Assurance Designees

Jun 14, 2018

As part of its policies on enhancing the consistency of HERS® ratings, the RESNET Board adopted a set of policies governing quality assurance oversight. One of the policies was that Quality Assurance Designees could not have either a financial interest or an employee/employer relationship with the entity performing the rating.
RESNET staff thoroughly analyzed how this policy could be implemented in the field. This effort included two attempted pilot projects. The conclusion was that it was not economically feasible to implement the policy, and that implementation would have detrimental effects on the HERS® industry.
As a result of comments received through the RESNET standard amendment comment and review process, the RESNET Standard Development Committee (SDC) 900 – Quality Assurance petitioned the RESNET Board to reconsider its policy.
On June 5, 2018, the RESNET Board unanimously voted to rescind the policy on financial independence of Quality Assurance Designees. The RESNET Board voted to replace the previous policy with the below new policy on Quality Assurance Designees:
 
RESNET certified Quality Assurance Designees will be trained, certified and mentored by RESNET and will be accountable to enforcement of the RESNET Standards. In addition, at minimum 50% of all rating providers and their quality assurance staff will undergo enhanced quality assurance monitoring and oversight through either an online or in-field review to enhance compliance with the RESNET Standards. If the Quality Assurance Designees are found to not properly comply with RESNET’s procedures, they are subject to discipline by RESNET up to and including de-certification as a Quality Assurance Designee. RESNET staff shall collaborate with SDC 900 on development of procedures and standards for the implementation of this policy. RESNET staff shall inform the RESNET Board of Directors within 30 days of the time period over which this can be accomplished.
The RESNET Board concluded that the expansion of RESNET Quality Assurance staff and the use of such tools as the RESNET National Registry and QA Genie would provide the needed quality assurance oversight required. In the addition, the additional oversight, training and certification requirements of the new RESNET Board policy is believed to address the issue of accountability of Quality Assurance Designees.
RESNET staff will work with the RESNET Standard Development Committee 900 to develop the procedures and standard amendments needed to implement the new policy.