Sounds like something worth looking into. Thanks for the info.
Here is some info I pulled off one of the linked sites:
Business Opportunities
in the Home Energy Rating Market
In the interest of full disclosure, the Northeast HERS Alliance would like to provide some thoughts on the nature of current business opportunities for certified HERS raters. This is not meant to discourage anyone from becoming a certified HERS rater, but just to set the record straight as we see it.
There have been many inflated claims about HERS business opportunities in the past. In reality, some particularly savvy raters have figured out how to make a good living and prosper by selling rating services. However, there are many more raters who have taken a course, become certified, and have yet to issue more than a few ratings. They received their certificate and the phone did not start ringing. Why not?
In our view, the most successful raters are those with the following characteristics and circumstances:
they are shrewd business people in the first place;
they are technically proficient in the realm of building science;
they are efficient in the field, behind a computer, at their desk, communicating to laypersons about home energy efficiency, and in all other aspects of their lives;
they are fortunate enough to be in the proximity of a successful HERS program sponsored by an influential and/or well-financed organization (utility, governmental or non-profit, typically);
they are generally in the vicinity of a strong new construction market; and
they create and maintain relationships with local successful HERS-related programs and the professionals involved in their markets (builders, developers, lenders, EPA and/or the programs mentioned above).
Until such a time as tax credits or other incentives come along to spur general demand for ratings, you should be aware that the majority of ratings issued in the U.S. are "program-driven". In order to turn your HERS rater certification into a profitable business opportunity, you should figure out who is sponsoring ratings in your area, or work with an organization to secure financing and support behind a ratings-based initiative. Without such support, you should not expect to hear the phone ring for quite a while after your certified HERS rater certificate arrives in the mail.
