BPI
BPI is a national standards development organization for residential energy efficiency and weatherization retrofit work. As an independent, not-for-profit organization, BPI brings together leading building science experts to develop the standards. BPI standards help provide quality and consistency by ensuring the entire home performance and weatherization workforce is following the same strict protocols across the nation.
BPI standards or equivalent are cited by the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program from the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as several state Weatherization Assistance Programs.
HERS
Home Energy Rating System (HERS) is a process of administering diagnostic analysis to determine and produce data that provides a method of evaluation for a home energy efficiency rating, which establishes a benchmark of a home’s energy use and identification of necessary upgrades.
A HERS rating is performed by a certified rater who administers various tests and then calculates the results on the house to be rated. The data is usually gathered by the HERS rater on location, at the site being tested. The testing and information gathered can vary depending on the particular HERS test(s).
LEED
LEED is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and is an international green building rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED provides a system of standards for environmentally sustainable design, construction, operations, and maintenance focusing on the following categories:
- Sustainable Sites
- Water Efficiency
- Energy and Atmosphere
- Materials and Resources
- Indoor Environmental Quality
- Innovation in Design
A LEED professional provides third-party certification for design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.
Green Point Rated
Green Point Rated is a certification program of Build It Green, a professional non-profit membership organization whose mission is to promote healthy, energy and resource efficient homes in California.
GreenPoint Rated rewards building professionals and homeowners who create green homes by allowing them to brand their products with a recognizable, trustworthy seal of approval. It reassures home buyers that a home is truly healthier, more energy efficient, and more resource efficient.
The GreenPoint Rated system is a comprehensive green building rating system for new and existing homes.