Thread: ECO Academy?

I've just been solicited to spend $400 to purchase energy efficiency check-up training from ECO Academy. They claim a potential of a $1k per week for doing check-ups, and they are also claiming a big marketing campaign through the National Association of Realtors.

Has anybody gotten involved with this or know anything about it?

Thats cheap.

The newsletter I got from someone else had a course but it was like 2K+

rick

I'll train you for only $550 and I will guarantee that once you get your phone ringing and folks calling you for an energy check-up that you will make $2500 a week once you convince them to use your services!

I have been involved with this group, Green and Save, for some time now. They are actually doing what they claim - marketing all over the country and the internet. (Check out GreenandSave.com | Home Remodeling, Office Remodeling, Energy Saving, and Money Saving Tips | Saving Your Money and the Planet One Household at a Time) Unlike some others in the field, this marketing campaign is paying off. I tried to push CMC Energy for 6 fruitless years. The program is simple for an experienced inspector. You can spend up to 2 hours with a client doing largely what you have already done for years - teach house - and they love the result and love to pay for it. The online report program is fairly simple and being refined even more. The webinar for homeinspectors is on May 1st. E-mail me for details. housemechanic@hotmail.com
Blaine Illingworth, ASHI #101986
President Tri-State ASHI
P.S. I do have a financial stake in the venture at this point for full disclosure. Details available on request.

I just got a call today from a client that does remodel and building asking if I did energy inspections in Dallas. Dallas has all new and remodeled homes energy inspected by a third party. Basically 2 inspections at 125 per inspection.

Eco Academy – Pro Course - More Details


The Pro Course is designed to train and put to work Home Inspectors as Home Efficiency Consultants. The training involves everything you will need to know to complete a Home Efficiency Checkup. While you are not an employee of GREENandSAVE, you will continue to receive support in the form of both continuing education and lead generation. Our company has a partnership with the National Association of Realtors in which their 1.2 million members are promoting the Home Efficiency Checkup via $100 off coupons distributed to their prospects and clients. We dispatch the leads to the appropriate consultant based on service area and in exchange ask that you honor the coupon. In addition, we are nationally marketing this service and have been featured on ABC and NBC news and in publications like Forbes and US Magazine. We also participate in tradeshows around the country and online we rank 1st for “home efficiency checkup”. The GREENandSAVE team is dedicated to supporting our consultants with the leads and marketing need to succeed. Our Certified Home Efficiency Consultants also can help grown their business themselves by using the marketing materials we provide (personalized fliers, yard signs, brochures, etc), speaking to groups in their communities and from referrals (many Consultants find that they receive several referrals from their initial 5 sample homes). A Home Efficiency Checkup is the perfect service to offer to your past clients. Once certified you can set your own schedule and work part or full time.

We are offering a special webcast class on Friday, May 1 just for licensed ASHI Home Inspectors. We are actively looking for partners who will become our senior consultants in your home territories, not only getting the first shot at offering home checkups but getting paid by GREENandSAVE to perform home checkups while students “shadow” you to develop their own skills. The retail cost for the standard, live Pro Course is $795. Due to the anticipated demand for the GREENandSAVE Home Efficiency Checkuptm we are offering the May 1 course to train the support staff in up to 25 cities to support the roll out of GREENandSAVE as it takes its program national. The cost for this special ASHI Home Inspector only program is $495. If two or more of you sign up for the course to attend remotely from the same location your cost is just $400 each. Please respond to me ASAP to reserve your seat in this ground breaking program.

Sincerely,

Blaine Illingworth

If four of you register to attend from one location then you may add a fifth individual at no additional charge. – As you see fit

Energy Inspection Checklist
The following are a list of requirements that must be complied with to be compliant with the Dallas Energy Code. Most requirements are prescriptive with little or no trade offs as were allowed in previous energy codes.
Requirements

• Inspection Schedule
  IECC 105.2 Required Approvals
  The city of Dallas requires a finish frame inspection after the wall insulation is installed and before the sheetrock is installed. They also require a final insulation inspection after the ceiling insulation and mechanical HVAC equipment is installed. The energy certification is required by the City of Dallas Building Department before the final Electrical inspection is approved.
• Ceiling Insulation
  IECC 102.1.1.1 Marker installation
  Fiberglass or cellulose insulation must have thickness markers installed every 300 square feet in the attic space. These markers shall be be written in inches and face towards the attic access opening
• Climate Zone
  IECC 301.2(1) Warm Humid Counties for Texas
  The City of Dallas in conjunction with the North Texas Council of Governments (NTCOG) has designated the Dallas / Ft Worth Metroplex area as a Zone 3.2 designation
• Insulation and Fenestration criteria
  IECC 402.1.1 General Prescriptive criteria
  This section establishes various criteria based on a ratio of window glazing area to wall surface area. The different criteria ratios are 15%, 20%, 25% and 30% or more . The more window glazing areas require a higher wall and ceiling insulation value and lower U-Factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC). This section also allows a limited area of cathedral ceiling insulation values to be decreased if other areas have increased insulation values. Pier and beam crawl space floor requires R-19 insulation values.
• Air Leakage
  IECC 402.4.1 Building Thermal Envelope
  The building thermal envelope will be durably sealed to limit air infiltration with caulk, gaskets, weather stripping or an air barrier material.
• Air Leakage
  IECC 402.4.2 Recessed Lighting
  IC-rated enclosures that are sealed and gasketed to prevent air leakage from the living area to the attic area are to be used. Non IC-rated enclosures will need an airtight sealed box with clearance of at least .5 inches from combustion able materials and 3 inches from insulation.
• Mechanical Systems - Mandatory
  IECC 403.2 HVAC Ducts
  All HVAC supply and return ducts will be insulated to R-8 if they are located outside the building thermal envelope. R-6 ducts are allowed in floor trusses. R-6 insulated ducts are allowed outside the building thermal envelope if the air conditioning equipment is upgrade 1 SEER point above the minimum acceptable value (currently SEER 13).
• Mechanical Systems - Mandatory
  IECC 403.2.2 Duct Sealing
  All duct joints and seams, air handlers and filter boxes will be sealed with mastic.
• Mechanical Systems - Mandatory
  IECC 403.2.3 Building Cavities
  Building cavities will not be used as supply ducts.
• Mechanical Systems - Mandatory
  IECC 403.3 Mechanical System piping insulation
  Mechanical system piping that is capable of carrying fluids above 105 degrees or below 55 degrees will be insulated to at least R-2.
• Mechanical Systems - Mandatory
  IECC 403.4 Circulating Water Systems
  All circulating service hot water piping will be insulated to at least R-2.

Yours is a new construction list, but what of the re-sale homes? Our market is primarily existing homeowners who want to upgrade their home's efficiency, but need to know where they will get the most bang for the buck. We give them a ROI chart on their particular need so they can prioritize and spend wisely.

Originally Posted by Blaine Illingworth

Yours is a new construction list, but what of the re-sale homes? Our market is primarily existing homeowners who want to upgrade their home's efficiency, but need to know where they will get the most bang for the buck. We give them a ROI chart on their particular need so they can prioritize and spend wisely.

Blaine

I already do that with absolutely no extra cost to my clients. The only thing I do not do is a blower test.

My reports tell my buyers exactly what they need to do to improve there efficiency.

Weather stripping, quality windows, caulking, insulation, ventilation, quality doors etc etc etc etc. This has been included in home inspections for decades and everyone is acting like this is a new thing and are charging folks hundreds. I will do a home inspection along with the energy inspection all at the same time because it is already part of the home inspection.

Gees. Thanks I just thought out my entire marketing campaign. I had it down anyway but i just put the thoughts to the old brain cells as to how to market it better.

We are offering a special webcast class on Friday, May 1 just for licensed ASHI Home Inspectors.

Blaine:

I have neither heard about this on the ASHI board, via email updates, or in the ASHI Reporter.

I'm a little suspect.

Any more information?

Originally Posted by Blaine Illingworth

Our company has a partnership with the National Association of Realtors in which their 1.2 million members are promoting the Home Efficiency Checkup via $100 off coupons distributed to their prospects and clients.

When I first received your email about this course I questioned one of the most active realtors I know about it. She works at the largest Coldwell Banker shop here. Here is her response:

"I have heard nothing about them at all. The company everyone has used is Winegard Energy. It is a free service, and I assume they are still around. It is sponsored by The utility companies and I think the government to increase efficiency in residential homes. Our contact was and may still be Debby Bright. 361-816-2047. Several people have used them, and all liked what they did."

Originally Posted by Robert Autrey

When I first received your email about this course I questioned one of the most active realtors I know about it. She works at the largest Coldwell Banker shop here. Here is her response:

"I have heard nothing about them at all. The company everyone has used is Winegard Energy. It is a free service, and I assume they are still around. It is sponsored by The utility companies and I think the government to increase efficiency in residential homes. Our contact was and may still be Debby Bright. 361-816-2047. Several people have used them, and all liked what they did."

You are in Corpus. In Austin, I believe its Austin, I hear that every home sold the seller must have an energy audit done and disclose the findings in the sellers disclosure. That being said I doubt that in Austin they are having an energy audit done for free. A nation wide company trying to get ahead of the energy is gold band wagon and get all the pieces of eight first so then they can distribute a couple pieces of 8 around to Home inspectors that have to pay for their class even to be referred and then only get paid a share of the inspection cost.

Damn, I hate that crap. All inspectors, in their marketing should announce that an energy audit is just about done in an home inspection and they will find out almost all that info anyway and get a home inspection to boot. This way no nation wide company can get in and Take more work away from the locals. Once they are in for the energy audfit they will start marketing home inspections and then be getting a cut from that.

Folks like that will be lobbying the state to make it necessary for all home inspectors to take their energy audit course to become certified energy auditors. We ought to lobby TREC to make it impossible for any out of state company to do any form of inspection in this state. Home IR, energy etc etc etc. If they want to get into the inspection business that has anything to do with anyones home they must reside in the state and be licensed by the state.

In an energy audit they are inspecting systems in a home.

Originally Posted by Ted Menelly

All inspectors, in their marketing should announce that an energy audit is just about done in an home inspection and they will find out almost all that info anyway and get a home inspection to boot.

I don't view this as a marketing issue. At least not at the moment. Instead, I view it as a legal issue. If the [so called] "Energy Auditors" are inspecting systems and components of a one- to four-family dwelling that are a subset of the items inspected under TREC rules, and they're doing it for a buyer or seller, then they are performing an illegal reduced scope home inspection. At least that is how I would interpret the Texas law.

Originally Posted by Robert Autrey

I don't view this as a marketing issue. At least not at the moment. Instead, I view it as a legal issue. If the [so called] "Energy Auditors" are inspecting systems and components of a one- to four-family dwelling that are a subset of the items inspected under TREC rules, and they're doing it for a buyer or seller, then they are performing an illegal reduced scope home inspection. At least that is how I would interpret the Texas law.

That is why I added that last sentence.

Originally Posted by Ted Menelly

That is why I added that last sentence.

I understand, but I'm suggesting that, as licensed professional real estate inspectors, I think we need to be on top of this issue with TREC. Maybe it isn't a huge issue now, but if the rumors are true and more municipalities make an "energy audit" mandatory - it will become a huge issue.

I was told Austin was starting all new homes to have energy star rating and all home sales to have the testing, then Sa, dallas, Houston would follow by the end of the year. Will know next week. have a contact with Champion school of Real Estate.

Do not know all the details

sm

Originally Posted by Stephen Meyer

I was told Austin was starting all new homes to have energy star rating and all home sales to have the testing, then Sa, dallas, Houston would follow by the end of the year. Will know next week. have a contact with Champion school of Real Estate.

Do not know all the details

sm

Of course the schools will be lobbying it. They do not care of the consiquenses to any home buyer, home inspector or home seller. I am telling you that it is going to hinder home inspections. You can forget about doing any pre listing home inspections they will be spending their money on an energy audit that does them absolutely no good what so ever. You will have to become certified and buy what ever tools necessary to gain the new work and also cost you in marketing. The (sorry for those that are out there) whack job national companies will have all the marketing capital and gaining much of the work and that is where one must get to TREC and try to set some guidelines quickly for national companies to become certified in Texas for such inspections. After all, they are inspecting systems in a home that is for sale or should I say part of a real estate transaction.

All of this is quite absurd do to the fact that absolutely no one has to update anything in a home after the audit is done so why have it at all.

Honestly....this is a silly bunch of political crap....period.

Ted,

A lot of inspectors in SA think quite well of Champion, I am one. I did not say they are marketing it, only information from their Education Director. This school does provide lunch and learns, Free, and lots of interaction between inspectors. Much like this site, and then those hard core of opinions. Thought it would be of some info to share, but guess not.

Originally Posted by Stephen Meyer

Thought it would be of some info to share, but guess not.

I'm interested.

Originally Posted by Robert Autrey

I've just been solicited to spend $400 to purchase energy efficiency check-up training from ECO Academy. They claim a potential of a $1k per week for doing check-ups, and they are also claiming a big marketing campaign through the National Association of Realtors.

Has anybody gotten involved with this or know anything about it?

I rest my case.

No offence directed to individuals.