Designed for new WAP employees who need to model energy use and savings, our Introduction to REM course provides in-depth knowledge and practical skills essential for entering and calculating cooling, heating, hot water, lighting and appliance energy loads as well as consumption and costs for single-family homes.

 

This one-day, online class introduces the participant to the use of residential energy analysis and rating software - REM/Rate™ Lite, the required energy auditing software for all energy audits performed in Oregon.

 

What You'll Learn:

• How to enter building data into REM.

• How to model the existing house and model the improved home to calculate energy savings.     

• How to how to enter and calculate cooling, heating, hot water, lighting and appliance energy loads, and consumption and costs for single-family homes.

• And you will have hands-on experience working on REM models with instructor assistance.

   

Why Choose Our Program?

Our training is tailored to meet the needs of professionals in the weatherization industry. With a focus on practical examples, participants will gain the expertise required to do their own calculations and confirm contractors' submissions.

 

Program Highlights:

• Experienced instructors

• Interactive session and practical exercises  

   

Prerequisites

• Understand of how homes (site built, mobile homes, and small multi-family) are built.

• Ability to understand and use basic construction terminology such as: stud wall, continuous insulation, cavity insulation, R-values, U-values, etc.

• Ability to participate in a Zoom meeting.

• Have current REM/Rate™ Lite downloaded onto your computer.

• An internet connection – broadband wired or wireless with a minimum bandwidth of 1.0Mbps/600kbps (up/down)

• Speakers and a microphone

• Webcam or HD webcam

   

What to Know Before I Participate?

• To receive your Certificate of Completion, you are required to complete two satisfactory REM models within a month of taking the course: the original house model and the improved house model.  It is expected that students will need to make corrections and submit their models more than one time.

• To receive your Certificate of Qualification, you will need to pass a 4-hour exam proctored by OHCS’s Weatherization Training & Technical Assistance Coordinator.

   

Required Systems/Equipment

• Have REM/Rate™ Lite (current version according to OHCS guidance) downloaded onto your computer.  Please ensure REM functions correctly before the class starts.    

• OTI uses the Zoom platform.  For a more detailed list of requirements for using the Zoom system, please visit their support page. Please ensure that Zoom works correctly before the class starts.

   

Tech Requirements

• An internet connection – broadband wired or wireless- with a minimum bandwidth of 1.0Mbps/600kbps (up/down)

• Speakers and a microphone

• Webcam or HD webcam. You will be expected to stay on camera for most of the course.  Strive to have a distraction-free environment with low background noise.

   

Required Reference Materials (Also provided in REM Downloads)

• Current version of the Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) REM Technical Policies

• Current version of the OHCS Low Income WAP Field Guide & Standards

• Current version of the OHCS WAP Single Family/Manufactured Home Energy Audit Protocol

• Current version of the OHCS Wx Annual EIA Utility Rates Update Memo

 

Optional Resources

• Module 1 and Module 2 on the following website: https://www.remrate.com/support.html

• It is recommended to have a second monitor for this training. 

 

Please Note:

• Words and numbers are displayed in a small font in REM, and the instructor will not have the ability to increase sizes.  A large monitor allows you to see better. 

• You will be asked to have REM/Rate™ Lite open on your computer to build a REM model at the same time you are on Zoom.  This is much easier with two monitors.