ARLINGTON, Va. - North American Technician Excellence (NATE) and the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA) have announced an agreement that allows the current IGSHPA Accredited Installer Exam to be administered and processed by NATE. As a result, all technicians who successfully complete the IGSHPA/NATE exam will be “NATE Certified/IGSHPA Accredited Installers.”

The new partnership applies only to testing and accreditation of installers and does not include IGSHPA’s other testing services. According to the associations, this agreement will alter the way IGSHPA trainers order, proctor, and submit exams, creating more stringent guidelines to ensure the highest quality installations, repairs, and service. All IGSHPA proctors that conduct the IGSHPA Accredited Installer Workshop are required to complete the NATE proctor application form to encourage consistency and tight administration. NATE has established IGSHPA as a NATE testing organization, and as part of the agreement, NATE will provide exam results within five working days from receipt of the testing documents if all security details have been completed.

“This new agreement adds more credibility to the ground source heat pump industry,” said Terry Proffer, GSHP Design, CGD Trainer, at Major Geothermal, and an IGSHPA/NATE certified installation instructor. “To be associated with a respected organization such as NATE strengthens our profession.”

NATE is the nation’s largest non-profit certification organization for HVACR technicians. Candidates can earn installation and/or service certification in nine specialty areas: air conditioning, air distribution, heat pumps, gas heating, oil heating, hydronic gas, hydronic oil, and commercial, light commercial refrigeration and senior efficiency analyst.

“Working with the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association, NATE hopes to keep technicians up-to-date on new technologies and innovations in the HVACR industry,” said Pat Murphy, vice president, certification, NATE. “Like IGSHPA, we see the importance of these tests and accreditations, as they empower consumers to ask for certified technicians who have proven knowledge and will produce quality work.”

For more information on IGSHPA, visit www.igshpa.okstate.edu. For more information about NATE, visit www.natex.org.

Publication date:01/25/2010