Pearl’s Accreditation Standards establish the criteria through which an organization becomes recognized as meeting minimum requirements to:
Become a Qualified Source of certifiable data and/or
Join the Pearl Network
Pearl Network Contractor Ethical Energy values community outreach.
Contractor Accreditation Standards
Pearl’s contractor accreditation standards were established at Pearl’s formation and have been foundational in how Pearl certifies home features.
In 2022, Pearl became the first and only organization to have its quality management system reviewed and accepted by the U.S. Department of Energy as part of Pearl’s sponsorship of the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program.
Pearl Network contractor members must meet minimum standards in the following categories:
- Quality Governance & Management
- Quality Workforce
- Quality Customer Experience
- Quality Business Systems
Pearl employs software and services to verify and enforce its accreditation standards. Pearl’s Certification App and process standards review and approve all work being certified. Pearl’s account management team get to know and understand the ownership and the staff of Pearl Network Contractors, including their conformance with Pearl’s requirements for business best practices and technical competency in sales, customer service, and installation.
Pearl Network Members must meet additional criteria when they participate in one of Pearl's programs, such as Home Performance with ENERGY STAR, ENERGY STAR Home Upgrade, or Home Energy Score.
Recognizing that the industry is constantly evolving, Pearl Certification employs a formal process for updating our standards to address the advancing industry.
Continuous Improvement Process
As part of Pearl’s continuous improvement process, Pearl conducted an internal audit on its standards (in general) and its contractor accreditation standards (in particular). That audit, conducted in Q3 and Q4 of 2022, identified five (5) priority areas, each of which had an:
Improvement Need
Implementation Solution
Implementation Approach
In Q1 of 2023, Pearl’s Standards Executive Committee directed Pearl's Standards Management Board to fortify Pearl's Contractor Accreditation Standards by following the recommendations of the audit.
In Q2 of 2024, Pearl’s Standards Executive Committee officially approved:
- Pearl's High-Performing Home Standard 310 (HPH-310 v1.4) Contractor Accreditation Standard: Minimum Contractor Accreditation Standards to Join the Pearl Network; and,
- Pearl's High-Performing Home Standard 810 (HPH-810 v1.4) Pearl Process Standard: Verification Procedures to Enforce Pearl's Contractor Minimum Standards.
Pearl is currently monitoring upcoming changes to industry standards and requirements for the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Pearl's Contractor Accreditation Standards Development Committee will maintain and update Pearl's Accreditation Standards based on a number of factors, including:
guidance from the Department of Energy, the Treasury, and states are more solidified
expected upcoming changes to industry practices and standards are finalized (e.g., BPI-2400, quality installation of heat pump water heaters, quality installation of cold climate heat pumps)
Pearl Network Builder Howard Building Science builds homes to Zero Energy Ready Homes standards, exceeding average building codes.
New Construction Accreditation Standards
Pearl’s New Construction Accreditation Standards apply to builders and developers that join the Pearl Network.
While the specific criteria differ from Pearl's Contractor Accreditation Standards, builders and developers must meet the same four quality elements:
- Quality Governance & Management
- Quality Workforce
- Quality Customer Experience
- Quality Business Systems
Builders in the Pearl Network must:
- Exceed local building code;
- Have an independent third-party inspect the home during pre-drywall and final inspection (above-and-beyond what the code official(s).
Pearl strongly encourages builders to work with a Home Certification Organization (HCO) recognized by the ENERGY STAR Certified Home program and the Zero Energy Ready program.
For questions about the complementary role and different benefits provided by an HCO and Pearl Certification, contact [email protected].
Pearl Real Estate Network Member LAER Realty brings visibility to a home's high-performing features to earn a sales premium on homes that have earned this distinction.
Real Estate Organization Accreditation Standards
Pearl’s Real Estate Accreditation Standards apply to brokerages and real estate teams that join the Pearl Network.
More Information
Want to learn more about Pearl’s Accreditation Standards? Contact us at [email protected].
