How to Qualify for Certification

Super House launches a revolution in home design, making it practical for anyone to design a home that is far superior to the present state of the art. To get their homes built, Super House designers want to hire homebuilders who have superior construction skills, experience, and equipment. Especially, those home designers are looking for contractors and design counselors who are already familiar with Super House.

Super House introduces many improvements and innovations that are presently new to the homebuilding industry. For this reason, Energy Institute Press is initiating the Super House Certification program to create a corps of expert builders and contractors who understand Super House principles and are committed to using them to improve the quality of home construction.

Similarly, Energy Institute Press is initiating Super House Certification to create a corps of qualified design counselors to assist novice home designers to expedite and refine their Super House designs.

If you are a builder, or if you wish to become a home design counselor, you can earn Super House Certification by passing a qualifying examination and by having the appropriate professional credentials.

The Super House Certification program is based entirely on merit. It is free to those who qualify. The purpose of the program is to build a corps of professionals who will spread the benefits of Super House design and construction throughout the building industry.

Benefits of Certification

Super House Certification identifies those who qualify as being in the top tier of their trade or profession. Homeowners have many choices of builders and design counselors. Super House Certification spotlights those professionals who have demonstrated a commitment to transform Super House designs into the ideal homes that their homeowner designers want.

Super House Certification is an extraordinary opportunity for design counselors and builders to build their reputations and to expand their businesses. Those who pass the examination receive prominent public recognition at no cost, including placement on the Super House Web site.

Select Your Certification

There are four types of Super House Certification, two for design counselors, and two for contractors.

Super House Certified Architect

  • Examination coverage: All of Super House.
  • Required credentials: Licensed as a Registered Architect.

Super House Certified Design Counselor

  • Examination coverage: All of Super House. The examination is the same as for Super House Certified Architect.
  • Required credentials: None. This is an appropriate certification for someone who has completed Super House designs and wishes to share his/her knowledge with others.

Super House Certified General Contractor

  • Examination coverage: Super House Steps 3 through 8, and relevant portions of Last Look.
  • Required credentials: Licensed as a general contractor.

Super House Certified HVAC and Plumbing Contractor

  • Examination coverage: Intensive coverage of Super House Steps 4 and 5, and relevant portions of
    Last Look.
  • Required credentials: Licensed as an HVAC or plumbing contractor.

The Certification Examination

Each certification examination has 100 questions. Each question is drawn from the content of Super House. Each question is multiple-choice, with four choices for each question.

The duration of each examination is four hours. The examination is not a speed test. If you have mastered Super House, you will have ample time to complete all the questions.

The examination is open book. The purpose of the examination is to determine that you have studied Super House thoroughly and that you can apply its principles. You may refer to the book and to any other printed material. You may refer to notes that you made previously. But, you may not communicate with others or use communication devices during the examination.

The qualifying grade is 80%. Strive for 100%. You don’t want incomplete knowledge to diminish the value of your services.

How to Apply for Certification

First, become proficient with Super House. Study it thoroughly.

Candidates for the Certified Architect and Certified Designer Counselor certifications should follow the advice in Super House about learning by observing actual construction practice. Practice by making a variety of practical, beautiful designs that benefit from the improvements and innovations in Super House.

Candidates for the Certified Contractor certifications should make a special effort to study the innovations and preferred methods that are introduced in Super House, understanding how those methods improve present construction practice.

When you are ready, contact Energy Institute Press to schedule your examination. During the early phase of the Certification program (starting in 2015) examinations will be scheduled as needed. An examination may be scheduled even for a single individual.

State the certification for which you are applying. Send a copy of your relevant license, if one is required for the certification, as indicated above.

Pay the examination fee of $200. The fee will be refunded in full if you receive a qualifying grade. The fee is intended to ensure that applicants for Certification are committed to Super House principles and are ready to take the examination. Send a check or money order, made out to “Energy Institute Press,” to the address below.

Arrange your travel to the examination site. Usually, this will be in the Washington, DC area. The site will be selected for easy access by air, railroad, and/or automobile. We will be happy to assist you in making your travel and lodging arrangements.

Contact Energy Institute Press as follows:

  • Energy Institute Press
    3936 Lantern Drive
    Wheaton, Maryland   20902

    telephone: 301‑946‑1196
    email: Books@EnergyBooks.com


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