Pam Barksdale
December 12, 2022
Tips for a Simple & Pain-Free Final QA Review
As of September 7, 2021, the NGBS Green Certification program transitioned to the Pivotal Energy Solutions platform called AXIS. After many long hours, discussions, and changes, we have arrived. This change makes the process much smoother and more accessible to the Verifier and the client. Are you ready to submit the project for final review? To make the process simple and pain-free, there are a few things you need to remember.
Your project was registered, and the rough review has been completed and accepted. Make sure to address all issues that the Reviewer identified at rough, because unresolved issues will delay the review of the final report. Check the Scoring Tool to make sure you are using the most current version. If not, the Updater Tool can transfer the verification data to the most recent version.
Make sure you dot the i’s and cross the t’s. What does that mean? There should be no red cells in the verification report. Confirm the report states, “Ready to Submit” for the certification level you are seeking. If there are red cells, or “Not Ready to Submit” on the form, review the report again and correct the errors before submitting. Add notes in the Verifier Notes column to clarify any problems that may have been questioned by a Reviewer during the rough review. Also, use the Notes column to clarify anything that the Reviewer may question, like the location of the garage or the presence of walkways, that are not visible in the submitted photo.
Upload a clear photo of the front elevation. When the project design includes atypical features that may prompt reviewer questions, include additional photos with the submission. The photo should be clear and not have anything blocking the full front view of the building. The photo should show the entire building, any landscaping, and walkways. If that is not possible in one photo, additional photos are helpful when reviewing the final. Once your photos are ready, upload them into the AXIS QA tab with your verification report and photo(s). Don’t forget the energy analysis if one is necessary for the path you have chosen. Make sure you review the Energy Efficiency Testing Policy, which is included in the BRG and VRG Part I. This will help you determine the necessary documentation.
Once the verification report, photo(s), and documentation are uploaded, the NGBS Green admin will assign it to a Reviewer. The Reviewer will have a simpler job and the report can be processed quickly without question and receive our “stamp of approval” as complete.
If there is a correction or something that needs more clarification for the Reviewer, you will receive a notification stating, “Correction Required.” The Reviewer will give details of the issue in the Notes section and the corrective action expected. Remember, you will receive a grade based on the completeness of your report, the number and complexity of the error, as well as the length of time it takes you to return with the corrected response. The grading system is a point-based system, and the number of “inadequacies” will determine the grade received.
Once the Reviewer completes their review and accepts the final report, you and the Client will get a notification and be able to print out the NGBS Green certificate yourself; you don’t have to wait for it. You will be able to download PDF copies of certificates for immediate documentation of the project certification. If you want a hard copy of the certificate, you can request it from Home Innovation for a small administrative fee.
Remember, your verifier agreement, certificate of insurance, and all other outstanding invoices and fees must be current and/or paid for this process to work smoothly. If you need to resubmit additional documents, review this short video, which will help you resubmit properly. Thanks for choosing the NGBS Green Certification and Happy Submitting for a clear, clean, outstanding review!
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