The issue of whether the term “shall” or “should” be used in RESNET standards has come up in a number of proposed amendments to the RESNET Mortgage Industry National Home Energy Rating Standards. Standard and regulation requires the term “shall” but others argue that the term is vague. The RESNET Standards Development Organization has resolved this issue in the proposed ANSI standard PDS 301-01. An Amendment to the RESNET Mortgage Industry National Home Energy Rating Standards has been submitted to clearly define the term “shall” that is used in standard language. This definition is included in proposed RESNET consensus standard PDS 301-01 The amendment if adopted will go into effect thirty days after adoption by the RESNET Board of Directors. The amendment is undergoing an ANSI compliant public review and comment process. Interested parties are encouraged to comment on the proposed amendment. Public comments on the proposed amendment will be accepted until Monday, September 24, 2012. To submit your comments click on RESNET Amendment Comment Online Form. Comments are posted real time and you will be able to review comments that were submitted by clicking on Comments Submitted on Proposed Definition of “Shall”. Only comments made through the online system will be accepted. To download the amendment, click on Proposed Definition of “Shall” Amendment. After the comment period, the appropriate RESNET committee will consider and document each of the comments submitted and make appropriate changes. The revised proposed amendments then will be submitted to the RESNET Standards Committee who will review the public comment process then recommend to the RESNET Board for adoption.
