Where are you located and do you travel?
How do I participate in New Jersey's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program or other programs?
Are the training and testing fees reimbursable through NJ's HP Program?
What do I need to do in order to get BPI certified?
What BPI certifications do you train and test for?
How much does it cost?
How long does it take?
Where is the training?
What materials are required?
Do you accept credit cards?
Do I need my own equipment?
What's the difference between BPI certification and BPI accreditation?
Do you perform home energy audits?
What if I don't pass the test(s)?
What if my question is not on this list?
Where are you located and do you travel?
Refresh Homes is located in Newark, NJ in the Ironbound --great restaurants! We often travel to surrounding states for training and testing.
How do I participate in New Jersey's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program or other programs?
Joe Mizzi is your contact for participating in NJ's HP Program. You must sign a Participation Agreement, go through his "orientation", and perform several other tasks. Your company must be BPI accredited (employ at least one person who is BPI certified on two levels, meet insurance requirements, have a dispute resolution policy, and some other requirements.) Other programs may have differing requirements and you must contact them directly for specifics.
Are the Refresh Homes' training and testing fees reimbursable through NJ's HP Program?
Only the BPI testing fees are 75% reimbursable through NJ's HP Program and only if you strictly follow the requirements as outlined by Joe Mizzi.
The reimbursable pricing for BPI testing fees is posted on BPI's site. The training fees are not reimbursable.
What do I need to do in order to get BPI certified?
Basically, you just need to apply and pass the written/online test(s) and field test(s) with a 70%. BPI does not offer or require prior training and we will certainly test you without training. We recommend that you know the BPI Standards for the applicable certifications and have a good understanding of the material in Residential Energy by Krigger and Dorsi. We recommend that you review BPI's policies and procedures for certification.
What BPI certifications do you train and test for?
Refresh Homes trains and tests for BPI's Building Analyst and Envelope Professional certifications.
How much does it cost?
One-on-one custom training packages are available at a rate of $2000 per person for training and testing for two certifications. This price includes BPI testing fees (which may be reimbursable), use of our equipment for training and testing, an intensive 2 1/2 day class, and one day of field training and testing.
How long does it take?
In addition to how long it takes you to read Residential Energy and study the BPI Standards, our training takes approximately 3 1/2 days of training and testing.
Where is the training and testing?
"Classroom" training,
field training and testing is performed in a house that you provide. Optionally, you may train and take the written/online test at our facility in Newark. Field testing must be performed at a house provided by you.
What materials are required?
In order to take our training, we require that you read (and mostly understand) Residential Energy by Krigger and Dorsi, the appropriate BPI Standards, and perform a few simple exercises PRIOR to the training.
Do you accept credit cards?
Not yet. Payments may be made by check or money order payable to "Refresh Homes" and sent to:
Refresh Homes
PO BOX 28035
Newark, NJ 07101-2482
Do I need my own equipment?
It is recommended that you have your own equipment (blower door, combustion analyzer, combustible gas sniffer, smoke pen, etc.), however we can provide equipment for training and testing. A contract is available for those wishing to borrow equipment for limited time for practice sessions.
What's the difference between BPI certification and BPI accreditation?
Individuals become BPI certified and companies become BPI accredited.
Do you perform home energy audits?
We are not currently available for home energy audits; however, if you are located in NJ, the best deal right now is to schedule an audit through a contractor in NJ's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program. The cost is $125 and includes 8 man-hours of air-sealing and diagnostics and other incentives.
What if I don't pass the test(s)?
According to BPI, you may take the retake the test two times within a year; if you fail a third time you must wait a year and re-apply.
What if my question is not on this list?
For BPI-related questions, the answers are almost certainly somewhere on their site.
For NJ Home performance with ENERGY STAR questions, Joe Mizzi is the contractor's contact person and there is some information on their site.
For Refresh Homes questions, please send us the questions.