RESNET Field QA for HERS® Raters: NQA vs DQA explained

RESNET's quality assurance oversight of HERS® Raters requires that a certain number of Field QA inspections are completed. Quality Assurance Designees (QADs) are required to submit a certain number of Field QA Checklists to RESNET for each Rater, and Field Inspector in their Providership. In 2026, RESNET introduced two separate categories of Field QA requirements: Non-delegable Field QA (NQA) and Delegable Field QA (DQA). 

This article explores how QADs and providers can navigate these rules to ensure compliance with the RESNET quality assurance oversight system.  

Field QA Requirements

QADs are required to perform Field QA reviews on 1% of all registered homes for each Rater of Record (RoR) in their providership, rounded up. This means that if someone is RoR on 15 homes, their QAD must perform one Field QA review of one of their homes. If they are RoR on 101 projects, the QAD must perform 2 Field QA reviews. In this case, we say that RoR has a QA basis of 101, and has accrued 2 QAs. A QA is completed when the QAD submits a Field QA checklist. 

Similarly, QADs must perform Field QA reviews for Rating Field Inspectors (RFIs), and other associated users who are not the RoR, at the same rate of 1%, rounded up. 

Associated Users section in Ekotrope under Project Info > Rating Info

Field QA: NQA vs DQA

Field QA is separated into two categories: Non-delegable (NQA) and Delegable (DQA). 

RoRs receive one NQA basis if there are no other users associated with the home. That is because for that home, they were the only one responsible for modeling the home correctly and so cannot "delegate" field QA to someone else. If there are associated Raters or RFIs the associated users each receive one NQA basis.  The RoR receives one DQA basis for every rated home. 

The methodology explaining how NQA and DQA basis is assigned is explained by this chart: 

Note that when Suzy is the only Rater on a project, they receive both NQA and DQA basis. If their are other raters/RFIs associated with the project, Suzy (The RoR) will receive one DQA, and the other raters/RFIs receive one NQA.

Basis and accrual: How many homes do I need to QA?

QADs must complete QA for 1% of each user's QA basis, rounded up. For example, if Suzy has an NQA basis of 30, she accrues one NQA, meaning her QAD must complete one NQA for her. If Suzy has an NQA basis of 101, her NQA accrual is two, meaning her QAD must complete two NQAs

Completing QAs

When a QAD submits a QA Checklist (QAC) to RESNET, they complete a QA. For Field QA, the QAD must specify who the Primary Field Reviewer is (this is the person that receives credit for the QA and is the RoR, RFI, or an Rater Field Only). 

In Ekotrope QA Track you specify who the Primary Field Reviewer for Field QA by selecting a user on a Field Checklist in the "QA Applies To" field.  The Primary Field Reviewer always gets an NQA completed, and the RoR always gets a DQA completed. The RoR may be the Primary Field Reviewer, but they don't have to be.

The methodology explaining how NQA vs DQA is completed by submitting a QA Checklist (QAC) is explained by this chart: 

Note that the completed NQA (triangle) is given to whoever the QAD decides is the Primary Field Reviewer. A completed DQA is also always given to the RoR on the project, regardless of who was chosen as the Primary Field Reviewer.

Note: EnergyStar

NQA and DQA apply to EnergyStar QA as well, because the EnergyStar program uses the same RESNET QA system for homes that are certified under its requirements.

Keeping track

As project volumes grow, manually tracking NQA and DQA burdens across multiple Raters and RFIs becomes error-prone. QA Track, built directly into Ekotrope RATER, automatically calculates File QA, NQA, and and DQA requirements as homes are registered — so your burden totals stay accurate without manual reconciliation. QA Checklists can be completed and submitted from within the energy model, directly to RESNET's Kibana database. Checklist submissions are tracked in Ekotrope for each user in your Providership so that you can see what QA you have already done, and which users still need QA. 

Over 1,000 QA Checklists are submitted through QA Track each month, representing nearly a quarter of the HERS industry. Learn more about QA Track →