A Sneak Peak at Ekotrope’s 2021 RESNET Sessions
The first ever virtual RESNET Conference is just a few weeks away and we are so excited to be able to participate in this year’s virtual festivities. While we’d normally be getting ready to hop on a flight across the country and stay meet you all in person, we are still so excited to share presentations from our own Ekotrope team members for all of you to view.
Over 100 pre-recorded technical sessions will be made available to all attendees on day 1 of the conference and will live in RESNET’s virtual library for you to access throughout all of 2021. Ekotrope’s own Ziv Rozenblum, Cy Kilbourn, and Jacob “The Honey Badger” Kamen will be presenting 4 different sessions. We are also thrilled to be partnering with our clients and industry leaders ICF, PEG, Energy Inspectors, SEM and SERH. These sessions range in knowledge level from beginner to advanced, so that no matter what your background is in the subject, there is something of value for you.
We are proud of the work we have seen so far from our presenters and we’re eager to give you a sneak peek at what is in store for you as a RESNET 2021 attendee. We hope you will find that there is a lot of valuable information to gain from these sessions and we’d love for you all to come to our virtual booth during the conference and chat with us about what you learned. It has been far too long since we have been able to see all of you face to face, and we are very excited to see some familiar faces and meet those of you joining us for the first time.
Without further ado, let’s dive into the sessions!
RES-22 Data Trends in HERS Ratings - What Drives Low Scores, How that has Changed Since Last Year, and What’s Up (or Down) with ACCA 310?
Presenters: Cy Kilbourn, Jacob Kamen
Knowledge Level: Beginner
Cy and Jacob will explore the data from over 200,000 ratings performed in 2020 using Ekotrope’s RATER tool. Cy will give you the inside scoop on what approaches worked for achieving the lowest HERS scores and how these strategies were unique from those of years past. They intend to teach you about opportunities, pitfalls, and avoidable mistakes that can improve your HERS scores. Further, he will discuss the importance of ACCA 310 (HVAC Grading) and how it can impact HERS, tax incentives, and historical rankings.
We have found that many raters face the same issues in their day-to-day and that there are often missed opportunities for lower and more accurate HERS scores. Jacob will walk you through some of the more common modeling errors that we see and clue you in to some basic and advanced troubleshooting procedures that you can utilize to achieve better scores.
Whether you are looking to lower your HERS scores, interested in learning more about ACCA 310, or want to get an inside look at industry-wide trends from an expert, you won’t want to skip this session!
RES-26 Who Says You Need to be in the Office: How Various Companies Leverage Cloud Based Software into their Mobile & Remote Workflows
Presenters: Jacob Kamen, Nathan Bessette, Daniel Conner
Knowledge Level: Beginner
Ekotrope’s own Jacob Kamen will be joined by Nathan Bessette of SERH and Daniel Conner of SEM to host a panel on the integration of cloud technologies into the HERS industry, incorporating new tech into existing workflows, and managing a remote workforce. In today’s world, technology is aiding businesses and keeping the industry moving forward as we maneuver obstacles presented by remote work.
Jacob, Nathan, and Daniel will discuss the strategies that business leaders are utilizing to optimize their workflows, how the rating industry is enhanced by cloud technology, and how your business fits into the bigger picture. This session will be engaging and educational no matter your background, but especially for those who may be a little less familiar with all of the new cloud technologies that are being implemented in the industry.
NAV-5 Breaking Barriers in the Mortgage Market: How Fannie Mae is Leveraging the HERS Index to Build Sustainably Focused Mortgage-Backed Securities, and What this Means for our Industry
Presenters: Ziv Rozenblum, Matthew Cooper
Knowledge Level: Advanced
Ekotrope’s CEO, Ziv Rozenblum, and Matthew Cooper of PEG will discuss the new mortgage program launched by PEG, Ekotrope, and Fannie Mae that has allowed the HERS Index to break into the new housing mortgage market. Ziv and Matthew will walk you through how Fannie Mae will package ENERGY STAR Certified New Homes (and other high efficiency homes at a later stage) into distinguished socially responsible mortgage securities. This is a huge step for the industry as it will be the first step in moving toward better mortgages for better HERS rated homes.
While this is an advanced level session, we believe that understanding the traditional challenges of the HERS Index breaking into the mortgage market, how this initiative overcomes those challenges, and how to participate in it will be a game changer for your business. We here at Ekotrope highly recommend checking out this session as this new program is quite detailed and will only become increasingly pertinent as time goes on.
RES-13 The Age of Extinction: How Utility New Homes Programs Survive the Code Apocalypse
Presenters: Cy Kilbourn, Mike Berry, and Andre Pujic
Knowledge Level: Beginner
Cy will be collaborating with Mike Berry of ICF and Andre Pujic of Energy Inspectors to discuss new energy codes threatening new homes programs. With the adoption of new codes with higher baselines, many program models won’t be able to deliver the same degree of cost effective savings. Cy, Mike, and Andre will walk you through existing best practices and how they differ from the evolution that needs to take place in order to reach new heights in the industry.
In this presentation, you will learn what needs to be done within these programs in order to continue to contribute meaningfully to an energy efficient future. The presenters will uncover the gaps within these programs as we know them and discuss what the future holds for beneficial electrification, HVAC commissioning, and more.
This presentation will be especially insightful for those of you who are less familiar with these new energy codes; however, these presenters are able to offer unique perspectives as they offer their extensive industry knowledge and experience to better inform your understanding of where these programs are headed.
-
We certainly hope you are able to attend this year’s conference as going virtual means there is much more flexibility and ease in participating. We are very excited to share our presentations with you all and hope that you can stop by our virtual booth to learn more, ask questions, and just have some much-needed social interaction. We look forward to seeing you!
To sign up for this year’s RESNET Conference, check out their website for more information.
