Southface Energy Institute in Atlanta, GA sells a training program called ‘Home Energy Rating Systems (HERS)’ a one week course which is taught at their facility in Atlanta which cost me $1,150 plus travel expenses. The course is for purposes of becoming a certified energy rater. From their literature:
“As an energy rater, you will be able to produce energy rating reports that will help home buyers and homeowners qualify for financing incentives through a variety of private and government loan programs.”
Not until the middle of the course (specifically on day three) did I learn that, in addition to the one week course and passage of an exam (which I already knew about), in order to become certified, you would also be required to spend additional money in order to obtain probationary energy ratings (this came as a complete surprise). No where on the Southface web site or in the preliminary materials that were sent me was this additional expense mentioned. This additional expense came as a complete surprise to me. I felt locked in as I had already paid for the course and was past the halfway mark of the week’s training. Southface told the class attendees that they could provide us with this additional requirement for almost $1,000 additional expense although it would have required us to again travel to Atlanta.
To make matters worse, I learned that not only did you have to have to spend additional money to obtain the required probationary energy ratings, but you had to “…contract with a HERS provider in your state” to obtain them. Upon returning home after my training, I contacted a few of the local HERS providers. Some providers altogether ignored my inquiry. Others intimated that they would only assist me in meeting the requirement if I would go to work for them. The HERS providers act like a trade guild, more interested in stifling competition from newcomers and maintaining tight control of the industry.
Southface sells the training with the promise of one becoming a certified energy auditor but in fact, they are bilking people of their money in an energy scam. I have requested a refund of my course and exam fees from Southface and they have refused. I have filed complaints with RESNET,
the FTC, the Georgia Attorney Generals Office and the Atlanta Office of the Better Business Bureau.
- Christian Stalberg, Owner
Natural Intelligence, LLC