Long time no write?

              I have been remiss in my attention to this post. There is much water over the dam since I last found the inspiration to address our business and the market for energy auditors. I still maintain there is a market for Independent Energy Raters, that the big boys don't have all the marbles. Between LEED for Homes and V3.0 Energy Star, I have spent a lot of time and energy staying current with the trade. I confess that, at 65, I have been challenged to keep up on occasion, gaining some solace that I am not alone in my travails. Suffice to say that the V3.0 homes I have shepherded through the process are good products and meet a high standard of quality, efficiency and durability.
              This brings me to an area that is perhaps too philosophical for the techno-rater world but I am concerned about some interpretations of the goals behind the home energy rating business model. While the standards are both challenging and worthwhile, I find that there is a tendency in the rater community to be more punitive than necessary when performing inspections. My view is that a developer/builder and their subcontractors are my partners in the endeavor as opposed to my delinquent students. If this process is to be successful everyone in the game has to be successful. When I worked as a Naval Architect in the 70's for a large production yacht manufacturer the design and engineering department had 13 boats before we relinquished control of the line to production. We expect a home builder to attain V3.0 status on their first try. (Not everyone had the chance to build during the 2.5 transition.) So, if I am to bring along a builder who wants the rating for their product I expect mistakes. My job is to be there for them to GUIDE them through the process with minimum delay and hiccups. I hear some raters are less than collaborative in this regard which I find unnecessarily demeaning. We, as trained and experienced raters should include in our service the time to inform and stay engaged with the builders as they learn the nuances and minutia of our services and products. In short be a Coach not a Cop! Remember if the builders are not making money, if the subs are not successful, neither are we................