There have been rumors spreading about a proposed policy being considered by the RESNET Board that would disallow HERS® Raters from sharing HERS® Index Scores with green building and energy efficiency programs. These rumors are patently false. The RESNET Board of Directors is considering a general policy on who can access the data contained in the RESNET National Registry and for what purposes. Nothing in the proposed policy would prohibit HERS® Raters from reporting a home’s HERS® Index Score to any local, regional, or national green building or energy efficiency certification program. In fact, the proposed policy does not address how HERS® Index Scores are reported to RESNET or any other organization. It is only about the data that is contained within the RESNET National Registry. The proposed policy to be considered by RESNET’s Board does not restrict the reporting of a home’s HERS® Index, by a HERS® Rater, in any way. However, for a home’s HERS® Index Score to be verified by real estate agents, appraisers, lenders, or potential home buyers, that home must have a Confirmed Rating uploaded to the RESNET National Registry. Only homes included within the Registry are subject to RESNET’s Quality Assurance process and considered to have an “official” rating. RESNET’s HERS® Index serves as the backbone of many local, regional and national green building and energy efficiency certification programs. For this reason, RESNET fully supports those programs as a core component in promoting a home’s HERS® Index Score. In addition, RESNET Certified HERS® Raters serve as critical advisors and verifiers to the builders certifying their homes under green and energy efficiency programs. It would be counter to RESNET’s interests to disallow the reporting of HERS® Index Scores to other programs. The policy in question is expected to be released for public comment by October 31, 2017.
