The Energy Commission may approve Third Party Quality Control Programs (TPQCP) to verify the work of participating installers, collect and evaluate more detailed data than necessary for compliance, identify in real time during the installation invalid and inaccurate installer testing and noncompliant installations, and enable corrected testing with the goal of bringing installations into compliance before the installer leaves the job site. TPQCP personnel and participating TPQCP installation contractors do not have the authority to sign Certificate of Verification documentation as a HERS Rater.
An approved Third Party Quality Control Program shall:
(a) Provide training to participating program installers (including contractors, subcontractors, and technicians) to ensure proficiency in:
i. Quality HVAC installation procedures, common causes of failure, and corrections.
ii. Understanding of the Standards requirements for field verification and diagnostic testing of measures, which are subject to TPQCP program procedures
iii. Understanding all applicable specifications for field verification and diagnostic testing procedures specified in the Reference Residential Appendices.
iv. Any applicable specialized TPQCP-specific procedures.
(b) Collect field verification and diagnostic test data (data) from participating installers for each installation completed.
(c) Automatically confirm the location of the system undergoing testing using an electronic tracking means such as Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology if available.
(d) Provide data checking analysis to evaluate the validity and accuracy of the collected data to independently determine whether compliance has been achieved. Data checking based on more detailed data than is required for showing compliance must be able to uncover invalid or erroneous information supplied by installers.
(e) Provide direction to the installer to retest and correct problems when data checking determines that compliance has not been achieved. The direction to the installer shall occur in real time so that testing can be redone and corrections can be made before the installer leaves the site.
(f) Ensure the installer resubmits updated data from new testing when retesting and correction is completed.
(g) Maintain a database of all data submitted by all participating TPQCP installers.
(h) Provide functionality that enables Energy Commission staff to query retained TPQCP data or documents.
(i) TPQCP shall not impose restrictions on the HERS Rater or the HERS Provider that limit their independence, or the ability of the HERS Rater or the HERS Provider to properly perform their functions.
(j) TPQCP shall not impose restrictions on the HERS Rater’s use of equipment beyond those required by the Energy Commission.
TPQCP data collection shall conform to the following requirements:
(a) Data shall be more detailed than the data required for showing compliance with the Standards.
(b) Data shall enable the TPQCP to conduct an independent check on the validity and accuracy of the installer’s claim that compliance has been achieved.
(c) Data shall not be alterable by the installer to indicate that compliance has been achieved when in fact compliance has not been achieved.
HERS Providers shall conform to the following requirements:
(a) HERS Providers shall assign a HERS Rater to conduct independent field verification and diagnostic testing of the installation work performed by the participating Third Party Quality Control Program installing contractors, and to submit Certificates of Verification at the close of the sampling group.
(b) HERS Providers shall notify enforcement agencies when groups close or exceed six months without closing.
(c) HERS Providers shall explain, in their applications for approval by the Energy Commission, the way in which their program will work with TPQCPs.
HERS Raters shall conform to the following requirements:
(a) Complete all of the responsibilities of a HERS Rater as specified in Appendix NA1, with the exception that sampling procedures utilized for TPQCP installations shall be limited to sampling of a “closed” group as described in Section NA1.6. However, the sample tested shall be selected and field verified from within a group of up to thirty dwelling units.
(b) HERS Raters shall be independent entities from the Third Party Quality Control Program.
(c) If re-sampling is required, the HERS Rater shall perform full testing and corrective action as specified in Section NA1.6 with the exception that re-sampling shall be completed for a minimum of one out of every thirty dwelling units from the group.
The TPQCP shall meet the requirements imposed on a HERS Rater specified in the Energy Commission’s HERS Program regulations (California Code of Regulations, Title 20, Division 2, Chapter 4, Article 8, Sections 1670 -1675), including the requirement to be an independent entity from the builder, the HERS Provider, the HERS Rater that provides independent field verifications, and the subcontractor installer as specified by Section 1673(j). However, a Third Party Quality Control Program may have business relationships with installers participating in the program to advocate or promote the program and an installer’s participation in the program, and to advocate or promote products that the Third Party Quality Control Program sells to installers as part of the Program.
Prior to approval by the Commission, the Third Party Quality Control Program shall provide a detailed explanation to the Commission of the following:
(a) The data that is to be collected from the installers.
(b) The data checking process that will be used to evaluate the validity and accuracy of the data submitted by the TPQCP installation contractors.
(c) The justification for why this data checking process will provide strong assurance that the installation actually complies.
(d) The a detailed description of the database that will be maintained by the TPQCP, and the functionality that will allow Energy Commission staff to query retained data or documents.
(e) A detailed explanation of how their data input complies with Reference Joint Appendix JA7.9.
(f) A detailed description of the training that will be provided to TPQCP installers.
(g) The procedures the TPQCP will follow to ensure the installer makes appropriate on-site data submittals, installation corrections.
The Third Party Quality Control Program may apply for a confidential designation for information submitted to the Energy Commission as specified in the Commission’s Administrative Regulations (California Code of Regulations, Title 20, Division 2, Chapter 7, Article 2, Section 2505).
As a condition to participation in the TPQCP program, all approved TPQCP installing contractors and the TPQCP installing contractor’s responsible installation technicians shall be trained and confirmed to be proficient in the following:
(a) Quality installation procedures.
(b) The requirements of this Appendix.
(c) Any applicable specialized TPQCP-specific procedures.
The training requirements also apply to the installing contractor’s specialty subcontractors who provide Third Party Quality Control Program services. All installation verification and diagnostic work performed in the program shall be subject to the same quality assurance procedures as required by the Energy Commission’s HERS program regulations.