Preliminary rating analyses conducted by HERS® Raters using REM/Rate Version 15.0 do not reflect the expected effects from changes due to the new RESNET Standards requirements as anticipated by RESNET analysis. Because NORESCO was late in submitting REM/Rate version 15.0 there was not adequate time to vet the revision before the announced implementation date of January 1, 2016. This was compounded by the closeness of the holiday season. To address the near term and long term issues of inconsistencies in calculating HERS® Index scores, the RESNET Board of Directors adopted a series of policies: Near Term On Thursday, December 10, 2015, the RESNET Board voted to move the date that HERS® Raters would be required to use the new versions of the software programs on new projects from January 1, 2016, to July 1, 2016. The board also voted to restrict the use of new ANSI/RESNET/ICC 301-2014 compliant software to non-registered Ratings that may be used by raters and builders to more fully understand the implications of the standards changes. Software providers may perform normal maintenance on the current version of software that is non-ANSI Standard related as needed. Long Term In addition to addressing the near term issues involved with the inconsistency in interpreting the new standard requirements, the RESNET Board at its meeting in October, adopted the following long term actions to ensure the future consistency of calculating the HERS® Index: The RESNET standards will be amended to require that, in the future, all software programs will be based on hourly calculations. There will be development of a RESNET open source interpretation layer for calculating HERS® Index Scores that all software programs must use. What does this mean for HERS® Raters and builders? Certified RESNET HERS® Raters may not use the new versions of software for projected, confirmed or sampled ratings until July 1, 2016 but may use the new versions to examine the implications of the standard changes. Raters must use the current versions of accredited rating software tools for new projects through the end of June 2016. RESNET will be conducting an analysis of the cause(s) of inconsistencies for the latest versions of software programs. RESNET will work with software providers to address and fix issues causing inconsistencies. HERS® software programs will be required to submit corrected versions within an adequate period of time for industry vetting before the new effective date of July 1, 2016. RESNET will contract with Rob Salcido to develop an open source interpretive layer that all software programs must use to calculate the HERS® Index Score. Once this has been completed, standard amendments and procedural changes will be adopted to ensure all software program produce a HERS® Index Score consistently over the near and long terms. It is unfortunate that RESNET, the HERS® Industry and builders had to go through the current stress of inconsistencies in software programs during the holiday season. This stress was the result of the very late submission of the new software version from NORESCO for its REM/Rate program. The RESNET Board, however, has acted expeditiously to address this unfortunate turn of events with both near and long term solutions.
