The WE&T Subcommittee is forming six Working Groups:

1. WE&T QI/QM Residential
2. WE&T QI/QM Commercial
3. WE&T Certification
4. WE&T Sales Force & Service
5. WE&T Codes & Standards
6. WE&T Customer Education & Training

If you would like to volunteer for one of the Working Groups and join the Subcommittee, please email Wendy Worrell by clicking here.

The Milestones and Key Actions in the table below will help illuminate and guide the work of the Subcommittee. They are documented in the Quality HVAC Installation and Maintenance section of the Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Action Plan. The Action Plan was developed with input from the Investor-Owned Utilities, the Western HVAC Performance Alliance, and other stakeholders to help California’s HVAC sector achieve the goals described in the California Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan published by the California Public Utilities Commission.

Strategy 2.3: Develop and provide expanded QI/QM training for contractors, technicians and sales agents.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of HVAC (and refrigeration) jobs will grow by 29 percent between 2008 and 2014. In addition, 27,000 skilled HVAC workers retire every year —begging the need for more robust and consistent training to meet market demand for contractors. California HVAC contractor licensing is usually conducted at the “company” level, not the individual technician or installer level—leaving many front-line technicians untrained, uncertified and unaware of the critical need to get installation details right. Enhanced QI/QM education and training of the entire HVAC value chain—including quality as company culture for business owners, best practices for installers and instruction on how to pitch higher quality jobs for sales training—is necessary to achieve the Strategic Plan’s energy efficiency market transformation goals. To best leverage resources, this strategy is launching in 2011 and will build on the statewide workforce education and training needs assessment.

Strategy 2.4: Develop and implement comprehensive contractor accreditation program.

Contractor accreditation and certification secured through training programs helps realize all cost effective energy savings in the HVAC industry. A preliminary study of utility bills by North America of Technician Excellence (NATE) shows that certified installers and technicians achieve more energy efficiency than work completed by non-certified individuals. Unfortunately, even the best of contractor accreditation programs—essential to the Strategic Plan—are largely designed for the residential market and overemphasize product-based approaches (e.g., selling higher SEER-rated goods) versus system-based performance. In the ideals of the Strategic Plan, all technicians and installers will obtain relevant certification by the end of 2020 in order to get an HVAC contractor license. Each of the 20 available accreditation programs offered in California vary in terms of the quality and depth of the training content. While some progress has been made on this strategy, 2011 and 2012 will see a greater focus on comprehensive contractor accreditations with increased emphasis on proficiency for best practice in the field.