RaterFest


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We look forward to RaterFest each year...
It was a tough decision to cancel RaterFest 2020. As we anticipate gathering again in 2021, we can hardly contain our excitement.  RaterFest is an amazing chance to meet new friends, grow as energy professionals, and soak in Colorado's gorgeous Rocky Mountain scenery. Over the past 10+ years, we've worked hard to create the best training and networking experience for energy professionals.

RaterFest! venue

We can't wait to see you this year! 
RaterFest is a chance to meet new friends, grow as energy professionals, and soak in Colorado's gorgeous Rocky Mountain scenery.  Over the past 10+ years, we've worked hard to create the best training and networking experience for energy professionals.


We're so excited to see your face this year!
Registration is open and it's all inclusive! From lodging to dining, sessions to activities, all you need to do is get here and we'll take care of the rest. RaterFest is an amazing chance to meet new friends, grow as energy professionals, and soak in Colorado's gorgeous Rocky Mountain scenery. Over the past 10+ years, we've worked hard to create the best training and networking experience for energy professionals.


Register Here!
RaterFest! venue
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The "unconference" for energy professionals!


Sept. 24-26, 2021



Click the "Stay in the Loop" button below for updates!

We can't wait to see you this year! 
RaterFest is a chance to meet new friends, grow as energy professionals, and soak in Colorado's gorgeous Rocky Mountain scenery.  Over the past 10+ years, we've worked hard to create the best training and networking experience for energy professionals.

We're so excited to see your face this year!


Registration is open and it's all inclusive! From lodging to dining, sessions to activities, all you need to do is get here and we'll take care of the rest. RaterFest is an amazing chance to meet new friends, grow as energy professionals, and soak in Colorado's gorgeous Rocky Mountain scenery. Over the past 10+ years, we've worked hard to create the best training and networking experience for energy professionals.


Register Here!
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Thanks so much to everyone who made RaterFest 2022 possible! We can't wait to see you all next time!

Mark your calendars for September 22-24 for our 13th RaterFest!


Register Here!
It was a tough decision to cancel RaterFest 2020. As we anticipate gathering again in 2021, we can hardly contain our excitement.  RaterFest is an amazing chance to meet new friends, grow as energy professionals, and soak in Colorado's gorgeous Rocky Mountain scenery. Over the past 10+ years, we've worked hard to create the best training and networking experience for energy professionals.
Grow as energy professionals, create new relationships, and soak in Colorado's gorgeous Rocky Mountain scenery at RaterFest! Over the past 10+ years, we've worked hard to create a deeply engaging, single-track training experience for energy professionals.


Sign up for details!
Special thanks to our 2022 Gold Leaf Sponsor, Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC!
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Interested in sponsoring RaterFest? Learn more here!

Learn more about the experience!


Key Info


Date

Sept. 22-24

Location

Empire, CO

Price

$600 - $850

CEUs

RESNET, BPI, & ICC

Capacity

Limited to 100

Housing & Meals

Included in price!


Registration will open soon!

RaterFest Reviews

"Really enjoyed my first time at  RaterFest. Loved the intimacy of a smaller conference with a single track of sessions where we could all learn together, ask questions and network. The location was great and made for an awesome road trip from Oregon."
Laura Klement, Enerstructa

"RaterFest is fantastic! It is a well run weekend event that brings our industry leaders together in a laid back setting in the beautiful state of Colorado."
Matt Zaleski, Energy Diagnostics

"Since this was my first RaterFest, I didn't know what to expect. I was very excited to be a part of the experience this year and am impressed with the information and the sense of community that I experienced at the event.
Dustin Oedewaldt, Thrive Home Builders

"My Team and I had a blast, the venue, sessions, and fire pit shenanigans make this event a must for all building science professions, see you next year!"
Chris Schwarzkopf, EDI

Registration will open soon!

The Venue

Location

30 miles West of Denver sitting on 220 acres, Rocky Mountain Village (RMV) camp is located within the beautiful Colorado Rockies. The camp offers hiking trails, amazing views, a 27-hole disc golf course, and more.

Address

  • 2644 Alvarado Rd
  • Empire, CO 80438

Directions

From Denver:

  • Take I-70 west to exit 232 (Empire/Granby exit toward US 40 E)
  • Veer left at fork and follow the signs for "Easterseals Camp"
  • At the stop sign, continue straight onto Co Rd 257 by passing across US 40
  • Travel 0.5 miles along Co Rd 257 and take a left over the first overpass onto Co Rd 308
  • At the stop sign, cross over Alvarado Rd and enter the driveway with the overhanging "WELCOME" sign
  • The check in is located about 400 yards down the dirt road on the left with a small parking lot

    Lodging Options

    Rocky Mountain Village

    When you sign up to attend RaterFest, housing is included! Enjoy looking through the different housing options below. We are sure you will find one that is perfect for you and your team.

    This private, comfortable room in the Homebuilder's three-story lodge features a plush queen bed and beautiful aspen-covered views. This spacious lodge features a cozy lounge area with a gas fireplace, WIFI, and a covered deck with breathtaking views. Linens are included (sheets, blanket, comforter, bath towel, pillow and pillowcase).

    $850.00

    Register for RaterFest!
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    RaterFest Speakers From 2022

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    Sam Rashkin - Keynote

    Founder of Retooling the U.S. Housing Industry

    As founder for “Retooling the U.S. Housing Industry”, Sam is a published author, trainer, and consultant who has been preparing our nation’s home builders for major disruptions looming ahead. In his prior role as Chief Architect for the Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office, Sam’s led deployment of proven housing innovations including directing the Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program.

    This work built upon his experience leading ENERGY STAR® for Homes from its inception in 1996 to more than 8,000 builder partners, over one million labeled homes. During his 20-plus years as a licensed architect, he specialized in energy efficient design and completed over 100 residential projects. He has served on the national Steering Committees for USGBC’s LEED for Homes, NAHB’s Green Builder Guidelines, and U.S. EPA’s Water Sense and Indoor airPLUS™ labels. Mr. Rashkin has been recognized for his contributions to sustainable housing in 2019 with the EEBA Legend Award and in 2012 with the Hanley Award. Find Sam on LinkedIn.


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    Peter Troast

    Founder & CEO of Energy Circle

    Steve Byers - EnergyLogic Team - Owner
    Steve Byers

    CEO of EnergyLogic

    Nathan Kahre - The EnergyLogic Team
    Nathan Kahre

    Innovations & Insights Manager at EnergyLogic

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    RaterFest Sessions

    Eligible attendees can earn CEUs from:
    Earn RESNET CEUs at RaterFest
    Earn BPI CEUs at RaterFest
    Earn ICC CEUs at RaterFest

    Electrification & Decarbonization- Critical Details For Success

    A Cautionary Tale

    Building Electrification is a great idea!  There are a lot of obvious reasons why we should all be on board.  My company has shifted all but one or two customers to electric solutions each year.   A lot of the things you hear the pundits saying are true.  The all-electric installs offer higher efficiencies, great zoning options, increased customer comfort, and are generally not more expensive than the traditional gas install would have been.  Do you ever wonder what is too good to be true about all this?  We are going to look at the design and install issues that still plague my trade.  In particular, we are going to dive into refrigerant system construction and leakage issues.  The loss of refrigerant during installation and operation of heat pumps has the potential to take back a huge portion of our progress with respect to global warming.

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    Dan Perunko

    Learning Outcomes:

    • Participants will be able to describe why residential heat pumps create a significant global warming risk that offsets some of their global warming benefit.
    • Participants will be able to identify the standards missing from line set construction and testing that cause the increased global warming risk.
    • Participants will be able to identify the benefit of switching from current refrigerants to the next generation of lower GWP refrigerants.
    • Participants will be introduced to equipment options that have a lower risk of releasing global warming gases.

    Measuring Part 5, Refrigerant Charge, of the RESNET/ACCA/ANSI Standard 310

    Joe Medosch {med-osh}

    Joe Medosch will demonstrate how simple it is to measure Part 5, Refrigerant Charge, of the RESNET/ACCA/ANSI Standard 310 This can be completed by Anyone!

    Procedure: using your hand, confirm cold air inside and “beer can cold” refrigerant line outside = Done. Can it be done accurately and w/o being EPA Refrigerant charge certified = Yes. Can you also measure system SCFM, possible return duct leakage, refrigerant charge including superheat and subcooling and check for 100+ faults in the system w/o pressure gauges? measureQuick does!

    Over a dozen studies confirmed most AC systems have either airflow or refrigerant charge faults (or both). A 2018 DOE study found heating and air conditioning installations had at least one fault in 70–90% of homes, and when duct leakage is considered, this number increases to 90–100%. Improper installation leads to increased energy use, comfort issues, warranty claims, callbacks, and higher H/AC repair costs over the lifetime of the equipment.

    Fixing these two faults alone has the potential to decrease residential cooling energy loads by 5–10%. Researchers at NREL estimate that central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps in the US waste 20.7 terawatt hours (TWh) of energy per year due to equipment faults. Convert that to energy generated by hydroelectric - it’s 5.7 times the volume of Lake Mead at its highest level. Which is 8.5 trillion gallons of water.

    Learning Outcomes:

    • Identifying the requirements for part 5 of the RESNET/ACCA/ANSI Standard 310
    • Calculate refrigerant pressure from temperatures
    • Understanding how this option confirms compliance and reduces failures for your builders
    • Learn how to add this to the other sections of Standard 310 and complete the entire compliance pathway
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    Homeowners and High Performance Homes—The State of the State in 2022

    Peter Troast

    While builders are the direct buyers of energy rating services, they’re ultimately driven by consumer demand. So, what is the evolving state of home buyer preferences and attitudes towards homes that have a higher level of building performance? Is demand growing? Do consumers appreciate the difference between slightly better than code and a serious performance standard like passive house? Which labels and certifications are gaining the most traction in the marketplace? In this presentation, Peter Troast of Energy Circle, will share a trove of data and research on the constantly changing state of consumer attitudes towards high performance buildings. All of which points to one undeniable truth: that being in the business of high performance homes is a very good place to be.
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    Learning Outcomes:

    • Understand homebuyer’s preferences when it comes to high performance homes.
    • Identify which labels and certifications are gaining the most traction in the marketplace.
    • Gather insight on customer attitudes towards high performance homes to guide your builders towards above code programs.
    WaterSense Labeled Homes Verification

    Olga Cano & Jonah Schein

    Deep dive into the verification process and opportunities for efficiency during site visits. The EPA’s WaterSense Labeled Homes program has designed its new specification to better align with other green certification programs, including the existing options for verifier training. This means a better verification experience for building and rating professionals. This session will walk through the minimal checklist items required for any home to achieve certification regardless of which rating system it is being certified through. Flexibilities and regional strategies will also be discussed giving the rating industry insight into the importance of water efficiency for continued urban growth.

    Learning Outcomes:

    • Insight into alignment with other certification programs
    • Understanding of training & QA process
    • Understanding on technical requirements to achieve certification
    • Insight into regional strategies & importance of water efficiency in urban growth

       
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    Heat Pump Water Heaters

    Bruce Manclark

    This class will focus on the sizing, selection and installation of Heat Pump water heaters. Data from recent research will be presented that indicates how best to maximize savings  and reduce customer complaints.

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    Learning Outcomes:

    • How best to size the HPWH for specific applications
    • What are the differences between the various brands of HPWHs
    • How best to mitigate  noise from HPWHs
    • What does research indicate about the space heat interaction between  HPWHS and the home's heating system
    The Wide, Wide World of Opportunities Beyond Ratings

    Steve Byers & Nathan Kahre

    Ratings can and maybe should be the foundation of your business, but there are so many more opportunities to succeed beyond that foundation. We will explore what everyone is doing from around the country to extend their companies, drive growth and better meet customer needs.

    Learning Outcomes:

    • Discuss the impact on your company both pro and con from expanding service
    • Discover opportunities
    • Explore what is needed to tackle new areas
    Steve Byers - EnergyLogic Team - Owner
    Nathan Kahre - The EnergyLogic Team
    An Interactive Discussion on Quality and Culture

    Scott Doyle

    During this session, Scott Doyle will explore how culture impacts the residential energy world. We will focus on the culture of quality and value when it comes to programs and verification services offered by rating companies. Additionally, we will discuss what happens when culture fails to align with quality work.
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    Learning Outcomes:

    • Define culture in the context of the residential energy world
    • Articulate the importance of culture and the role it plays in the quality of RESNET HERS® Ratings, and other code/program verification services offered by rating companies
    • List behaviors and attitudes found in a culture that promotes and values quality
    • Describe outcomes and consequences of a culture that does NOT promote or value quality

    RaterFest Photos

    Here are just a few of our favorite photos... It's hard to choose from so many happy moments!


    RaterFest! is deeply committed to high-quality training AND fun. Every year, the weekend features RaterOlympics, ping pong tournament, energy geek trivia, yard games, hikes, great company, break-out sessions, and so much more! 

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    Offered Activities

    Schedule



    Rater Olympics
    Ping Pong Competition
    Rater Jam
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    Past Years

    Previous Sessions

    Zero Energy Ready Home HERS Rater Roundtable
    Presented by: Sam Bowles, Jamie Lyons, and Joe Nebbia

    Marketing Energy Conservation Through The Ages
    Presented by: Bruce Manclark

    Chemical Dependency - The price of addiction to chemicals in building materials
    Presented by: Joe Medosch

    The Oregon Trail: Making Energy Labels Normal
    Presented by: David Heslam

    The Winds of Change- An Update on RESNET Quality Assurance and Technical Standards
    Presented by: Scott Doyle

    What Should a Rating Really Include? 
    Presented by: Darrell Lehman & Mike Collignon

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    2022 Supporting Sponsors

    NoCo AeroBarrier is Sponsoring RaterFest 2021

    Special thanks to NoCo AeroBarrier for being our Rocky Mountain Sponsor!



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    Special thanks to Panasonic for being our Innovation Sponsor!


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