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Housing Energy Advisors &
Team HEAT Medics Programme Q & A's
We have tried to answer questions that are generic and of interest or concern to energy assessors; essentially our HEA training programme is really for pro-active assessors who have a commitment to both reducing carbon emissions and supporting us in our programmes to alleviate fuel poverty. If you have doubts about committing yourself any further to this industry, then perhaps you shouldn’t.
We will not try to convince you to become a Housing Energy Advisor, please do not ask us to do so, do your research, look at our answers and decide if it’s for you.
Is the ABBE qualification now released?
What is HEEP and what is the role of the HEA?
Who will pay for the HEA visit?
How long is the training?
Will the fees be met by the Govt. via Learning Skills Council?
My accreditation body advises me that the role of HEA has not yet been defined by the CLG therefore they were not able to offer a training programme, can you please clarify?
Are NOS available?
When will the ABBE exam take place?
Is the HEA linked to the EPC?
Will you be providing any learning material prior to the course?
Would you give me some information on the course content?
Please give me an idea of revenue/fees as a HEA?
Will accredited HEAs be over-subscribed?
Has a start date been agreed yet for HEA’s to begin?
Will it be HEAs having to pay fees, landmark charges etc?
Will you be providing specialist training for listed buildings and those in conservation areas?
Is there any software required?
I understand that there is an APEL route and that other qualifications will be considered as equivalent?
My accreditation body also told me are loads of people already qualified?
What is the CEA?
Is the ABBE qualification now released?
We understand from ABBE that the ABBE qualification will be released on November 1st 2009. Our training begins 9th November 2009, if the qualification is not released by this time, we will still proceed with the training; our business commitments and the tenders that we are currently submitting to London local authorities mean we urgently need to expand our assessment team. We currently work across 18 London boroughs on similar programmes, and across the UK with Warmfront.
Candidates will be able to complete the exam when it is available, but this will not prevent you undertaking HEA work, so long as you are competent in your understanding to do so. ¬ Top
What is HEEP and what is the role of the HEA?
HEEP is the acronym for the Home Energy Efficiency Programme, which is a delivery vehicle for the provision and installation of small energy measures including Housing Energy Advice (HEA); this takes the form of interviewing and understanding how the householder uses energy, and to encourage and advise on practical behavioural changes that the householder/s can undertake to reduce their energy use and consequently their fuel bills.
A further key driver of the HEA is in combating the very serious problem of households in fuel poverty, in a climate of rising fuel prices. Selection of energy efficiency measures being installed on HEEP schemes:
| MEASURE | Some of these measures are proving too expensive to deliver under current funding and the measures are on probation in these early projects, and these measures are: Block Gaps (floor / skirting) Mastic; draught-proofing at time of visit. Where these are required, CEA has an installation team that carries out these measures. Certain measures are funded under Carbon Energy Reductions Target (CERT). The HEA generally provides energy use Real-Time Data Readers and LED light-bulbs; depending on the project the HEA may be required to install other measures such as Radiator (heat reflector) Panels; the CEA installation team installs the other measures. Our HEA training covers all of this information. |
| CFL / LED Light bulbs | |
| Block Gaps (floor / skirting) Mastic | |
| Radiator Panels | |
| Draught Proofing | |
| Tap Aerators | |
| Hot Water Tank Jacket |
(The HEA carries our an energy audit of the property, which includes the gathering of rdSAP data; from this information it can be determined if larger energy efficiency measures can be installed such as loft & cavity wall insulation; this is usually followed up by the scheme manager).
CEA have produced an Energy Savings Action Plan (ESAP), which the HEA completes in agreement with the householder; this details some key changes that the householder can apply to both their property and how they use energy in the home. To compliment the ESAP we also provide information handouts in relation to effective use of domestic energy.
In the case of our projects, CEA also calls the householder after 4-6 weeks of the visit to discuss the progress of the ESAP and to provide further encouragement; these calls are carried out by our energy advice team (this may not be the same procedure if you are working for other providers). ¬ Top
Who will pay for the HEA visit?
The current 10 HEEP demonstration schemes are being funded by local authorities. ¬ Top
How long is the training?
For qualified DEA/HI’s/NDEA’s the training is over 2 days. ¬ Top
Will the fees be met by the Govt. via Learning Skills Council?
TWe are not aware of any funding provision for the HEA, although this was put forward as a possibility in the earlier stages of the programme. ¬ Top
My accreditation body advises me that the role of HEA has not yet been defined by the CLG therefore they were not able to offer a training programme, can you please clarify?
Technical trials of Homes Energy Efficiency Programmes have already been completed and demonstration projects are now being launched; your accreditations body is not interested as there is are no EPC lodgement fees for them, and no profit in training people. ¬ Top
Are NOS available?
Draft NOS are available and our training has been formulated on the ABBE NOS; we do not for-see any significant changes, but training will reflect any changes.¬ Top
When will the ABBE exam take place?
It is understood that after the training course, candidates will need to return to a nominated exam centre to complete the exam. ¬ Top
Is the HEA linked to the EPC?
No, none of the current demonstration programmes include the requirement for EPC’s.
¬ Top
Will you be providing any learning material prior to the course?
We have a first class training programme, with copyright materials that only HEAs trained by us will have a license to use after the training course; these will not be issued before the course.
¬ Top
Would you give me some information on the course content?
The course covers some areas that you should be very familiar with such as building fabric and heating systems; this will act as an aide memoir re-confirming items such as heat loss percentages from building elements. More essential training will cover provision of practical energy advice, renewable technologies, solid wall insulation etc. and the completion of our Energy Action Savings Plan (ESAP) and the use of our handout materials. ¬ Top
Please give me an idea of revenue/fees as a HEA?
These are intensive programmes and there will be a requirement for HEAs to complete 5-7 property visits each working day; fees will vary depending on how much the HEA is required to do, but there will be a good minimum fee per provision of energy advice to each property, and we will provide this information to bone fide enquirers; please email: enquiries@hea-epc.co.uk ¬ Top
Will accredited HEAs be over-subscribed?
At CEA we have always advised enquirers of the situation on the state of domestic EPC oversupply, and we also warn of this on the front page of our website, and as it stands there is certainly no over subscription of HEAs.
Two things:
1. Housing Energy Advice is a natural progression for domestic energy assessors; it is a vital part of Govt.’s drive in the reduction of carbon emissions.
2. 20% extra funding has been added to CERT, fuel poverty is a massive problem and getting worse, we believe HEA will become a very important driver in combating fuel poverty. ¬ Top
Has a start date been agreed yet for HEA’s to begin?
There are currently 10 demonstration projects in London boroughs; we will believe this will become a national programme. ¬ Top
Will it be HEAs having to pay fees, landmark charges etc?
No fees involved. ¬ Top
Will you be providing specialist training for listed buildings and those in conservation areas?
Our solid wall insulation will cover aspects of this, as there will be requirements for HEAs to operate in conservation areas. ¬ Top
Is there any software required?
No. ¬ Top
I understand that there is an APEL route and that other qualifications will be considered as equivalent?
City & Guilds 6176 is an alternative qualification that can qualify you as a HEA; the ABBE is a level 3 so is higher than the 6176, and is currently our preferred qualification. ¬ Top
My accreditation body also told me are loads of people already qualified?
The C&G 6176 has been around for some years and over this time people have become qualified in this; many of these people are from organisations providing housing advice, such as local authorities etc; most will not be involved in the HEA programme, and if they decided to do so, they would need to bring themselves up to date with areas such as renewable technologies. We will only be using ABBE qualified energy assessors who have undertaken the HEA training with us for our own programmes; there will be a requirement for well trained and well informed assessors, we are not interested in cursory knowledge and we will not provide work to HEA’s from any other training provider as we cannot be certain of the quality of training provision. ¬ Top
What is the CEA?
The actual programme is the Community Energy Savings Programme; this is the domain of the utility companies, who have been tasked with improving the energy efficiency of the bottom 10% of households, essentially households in significant fuel poverty and low sap rated buildings, typically solid walled and hard to heat homes. It is anticipated that the CESP utility funding will be limited 100, 000 homes and that this will be a limited role. There may be a requirement for CEA’s to liaise with community groups and stakeholders, and with some extra emphasise on biomass, CHP and block insulation of properties, particularly solid walls. ¬ Top