In a recent CoGEHPA survey, when asked what installation factors have the largest negative impact on a customer’s confidence in a GHP system, 60% of the respondents said “System installed by an unqualified or poorly trained contractor.” In an effort to improve customer confidence and the overall performance of GHP systems, CoGEHPA, in cooperation with the Geothermal Exchange Organization and the U.S. Dept. of Energy, has developed a framework for a national personnel certification standard that specifies competency requirements for various GHP installation and design job descriptions. The framework establishes the components for the Standard including Personnel Qualifications for Installation and Design, Personnel Responsibilities, and basic steps for the Certification Process. Once fully developed, the Standard will set a high bar for industry certification programs to identify well qualified GHP professionals.
