BY Allison Bailes III

(editors note: Labels and language change in time, currently EarthCraft House Indepedent Inspectors are called Technical Advisors)

When the EarthCraft House™ program began in 1999, only builders in the Atlanta area could participate, and inspectors employed by Southface provided all of the verification services to certify EarthCraft Houses. Now, the program has spread through several states in the Southeast, necessitating changes in how Southface certifies houses. One of the most important of those changes is the use of Independent Inspectors.

One of the features that makes the EarthCraft House program one of the premier green building programs in the country is that every house must be inspected twice before it can be certified. Southface does not permit sampling (i.e., testing only a fraction of the houses). The first inspection occurs before the drywall is installed, with the inspector checking the air-sealing of the building envelope, the installation of the mechanical systems and insulation and other items that are more easily seen before the walls are closed up. When the house is near completion, the inspector returns to test the house for infiltration and duct leakage as well as to verify that it meets the other requirements of the program.

Because EarthCraft House builder members have been popping up all over the Southeast, having Southface-employed inspectors providing all inspections would be cost-prohibitive; hence the development of the Independent Inspector program. Thus, when a builder joins the regional program, he or she finds an Independent Inspector to work with rather than relying on Southface. That inspector works closely with the builder to make sure the house qualifies for ENERGY STAR® certification as well as meeting all of the EarthCraft House requirements.

To become a certified EarthCraft House Independent Inspector, a person must go through a rigorous training process that begins with the inspector-to-be becoming a certified Home Energy Rater. They then educate themselves on such topics as radon and local energy codes, demonstrate the ability to conduct design reviews and inspections and take a written test. The regional manager of the EarthCraft House program, their main contact at Southface, works closely with the inspector to ensure they are properly trained before allowing them to work independently.

Once the new inspector is certified and working with builders, Southface takes on the role of Provider to the inspector, processing inspection reports, sending out certificates, tracking progress and assuring the quality of the inspector’s work. In Virginia, this process is slightly different. The inspectors in that state are trained by and use EarthCraft House Virginia as their Provider, with Southface providing guidance to that organization, ensuring that the EarthCraft name represents the same high standards wherever it is found.

The Independent Inspectors have become an indispensable part of the EarthCraft House program and will become only more important as the program continues to grow. They come from a variety of backgrounds: home inspectors, photovoltaic installers, home builders, insulation contractors and more. They all share one important quality —commitment to the EarthCraft House program.

If you are interested in learning more about EarthCraft House or the Independent Inspector program, contact Allison Bailes at abailes[at]southface.org.