Program Bulletin #87

This bulletin applies to all users of the EnerGuide Rating System and ENERGY STAR® for New Homes.

Topics:

1. Release of the EnerGuide Rating System—Electronic File Submission User Guide—Version 15.11
2. Updates to the new ERS File Submission Portal
3. Updates to the EnerGuide Rating System—Evaluation Authorization Forms

1 – Release of the EnerGuide Rating System—Electronic File Submission User Guide—Version 15.11

The EnerGuide Rating System— Electronic File Submission User Guide—Version 15.11 is now available on Google Drive
and the Natural Resources Canada’s Housing Division Members Only Resource Center. Changes include the addition of 50 new TSV fields as listed in the document’s summary of changes table.

2 – Updates to the new ERS File Submission Portal

As outlined in Program Bulletin #83, a new ERS file submission portal is currently under development and will eventually be used for the Canada Greener Homes Grant initiative. Upon launch of Phase 1, this portal will only accept v.11.11 (or higher) D/E files that are participating under the Canada Greener Homes Grant initiative. We will keep you informed on the development, next steps and implementation dates. Below is a table of file types that will be respectively accepted by both the Mailbot and the new file submission portal once it is launched:

Files from Quebec and Nova Scotia for submission under the Canada Greener Homes Grant initiative will still be submitted to the Mailbot until further notice. These files will be submitted to the new ERS file submission portal in a subsequent phase. We will inform the network of further development and on when this new ERS file submission portal will become functional.

NRCan recently updated its email system, including for the Mailbot. For all files submitted to the Mailbot, please use the Mailbot’s new email address: esevaluationsse@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

As a reminder, all homeowners participating in the Canada Greener Homes Grant initiative must be registered in the Homeowner Portal. Energy advisors must upload all homeowner reports (ERS label, Homeowner Information Sheet,
Renovation Upgrade Report) to the Partner Portal, until the new ERS file submission portal is launched.

Please ensure to check mark the Greener Homes box in HOT2000 for all files submitted under the Canada Greener Homes Grant initiative and specify the cost in the Evaluation cost field. Please note that this field is accepting numerical characters only (e.g. 395.50). Enter only the amount (numerical value) and no “$” sign in the box as this will clear the amount once you navigate to the next screen.

3 – Updates to the ERS—Evaluation Authorization Forms

As part of the Canada Greener Homes Grant initiative, a homeowner identification number is generated when an applicant registers for the Greener Homes initiative via the homeowner portal. The format consists of the homeowner’s first and last name initials followed by eight numbers. In order to link the house file with the homeowner identification number generated for Greener Homes, the ERS—Evaluation Authorization Form and EnerGuide Home Evaluation—Authorization Form for First Nations or Corporations form have been updated to include a text box for this number,
which is located at the top right of the form. Starting immediately, for all Greener Homes files, the energy advisor is to insert the Homeowner identification number on the authorization form for D and E files. The homeowner identification number is located on all homeowner applications assigned to the SO in the portal.

In the HOT2000 file, the energy advisor is to insert the application number in the Homeowner Authorization ID field.

NOTE: This procedure does not apply to files completed in Quebec and Nova Scotia.

The updated forms are available on Google drive https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1UsQw2SKZHbuZ105jgEPKMPOHmTp6moSC?usp=sharing

The updated forms and procedure will also be included in the next release of ERS documentation planned for fall 2021.

Questions

If you have questions, please contact your account manager.