New Careers in Energy Efficiency
Illuminate Energy »Why should you become an energy advisor?
- Pursue an exciting, diverse, and dynamic career in energy efficiency for housing
- Gain skills and expertise in energy modelling software and customer service while helping homeowners and builders make informed decisions when choosing energy retrofits for their homes
- Support delivery of federal, provincial, territorial, municipal, and utility programs for existing housing in communities across the country
- Help Canada build back better and greener by becoming part of the growing skilled energy efficiency workforce and helping reduce to greenhouse gas emissions
- Contact us here
- Meet security criteria: Our service organization, Map Energy, will undertake a pre-employment security screening.
- Start learning: Learn about the EnerGuide program and home and building science principles either from one of our Energy Advisors or on your own to help prepare for the training and examination process.
- Be trained and mentored: Get trained and mentored on home/building science and procedures under the initiative by the Energy Advisor or through independent training courses.
- Pass the exams: Take and pass the Foundation Level and the Energy Advisor exams.
- Reach success! Our Service Organization will register you as an EA with Natural Resources Canada.
This process is flexible based on each candidate’s background, expertise, and knowledge, and depends on the approach taken by individual SOs. We encourage SOs to provide all support available towards the success of their EA candidates.
Equipment Required to perform Energy Assessments
- Blower Door (provided to you for a cost of about $5500)
- Computer (Laptop or PC not provided)
- Scanner
- Printer
- Digital Camera
- Step Ladder
How to become an advisor
To help gain or brush up on the knowledge required to pass the exams, the Canadian Institute for Energy Training and Blue House Energy both offer EA training nationwide. Once your training is complete, you can simply register through Yardstick to write the exams.
Foundation level exam
This exam assesses the following seven competency categories, and is a prerequisite for taking the Energy Advisor (House) exam:
- Communication and computer skills
- Numeracy
- Construction and renovation of low-rise housing
- Safety considerations; building envelope (new and existing homes)
- Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (new and existing homes)
- Building science principles; and
- The house-as-a-system concept.
Contact NRCAN to acquire a list of competencies, which will give candidates an idea about the types of questions found in the exam. Consult the Foundation Exam resources
Once candidates have achieved a passing grade on the EnerGuide Foundation Level Exam, NRCan will provide them with the HOT2000 software (used for the EnerGuide Rating System) trainee version and report generator. Reports generated from this version are watermarked to indicate they are practice reports and thus should not be provided to homeowners.
Foundation Level Exam Resources
The knowledge required to be competent in those seven categories can be acquired through various methods, such as formal class training, on-the-job training, and practical experience. It is up to the candidate to research available training and resources, and below is a list of useful resource material you may consult in preparation for the exam, and which cover some of the areas in which you will be tested (from the NRCAN website):
- Keeping the Heat in Publication
- How can I make my home more energy-efficient?
- Combustion Gases in Your Home – Things You Should Know About Combustion Spillage
- Energy-efficient products publications
- Heating equipment for residential use
- Heating and Cooling with a Heat Pump
Water Heaters - Air Conditioning Your Home
- Heat/Energy recovery ventilators
- Key features and helpful tips for windows, doors, and skylights
- Low-Solar and High-Solar Glazing
- Solar Ready Guidelines
Energy Advisor (House) exam
This exam assesses the four following competency categories in detail:
- Knowledge of EnerGuide Rating System
- Knowledge of the HOT2000 Modelling
- Ability to administer and deliver the EnerGuide Rating System
- Ability to perform general quality assurance on house files under the EnerGuide rating System Version 15
To help prepare for the exam please contact NRCAN to access all relevant exam materials, including the Energy Advisor Exam (House) Competency Profile guide, which lists all the categories, competencies, and learning objectives. Candidates will also gain access to the following program documents, which are key for successful exam preparation:
- EnerGuide Rating System – Standard
- EnerGuide Rating System – Administrative Procedures
- EnerGuide Rating System – Technical Procedures
- EnerGuide Rating System – HOT2000 User Guide and
- EnerGuide Rating System – Quality Assurance Procedures
Once affiliated with an SO and fully registered with NRCan, candidates will then be able to request the complete EnerGuide Rating System Energy Advisor Package and official report generator.
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