HERS (ECC) & NRCA Acceptance Testing in Santa Barbara

Who does the testing

• Trevor Sacco, Certified ECC Rater (Rater No. RCN15040), certified through CHEERS for residential new construction, additions and alterations, and nonresidential.
• Trevor Sacco is also a registered Acceptance Test Technician (ATT) through RSES.
• Bryant Crocker is a registered Acceptance Test Employer (ATE) through RSES.

Our testing has its own website, mtestpros.com, where you can request testing for your project.

An ECC rater must be independent of the contractor who installed the system, so we don't ECC-test systems we install; on our own installations, an independent rater does the testing.

Residential ECC (formerly HERS) testing

California renamed the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) to Energy Code Compliance (ECC) on January 1, 2026. The work is the same field verification and diagnostic testing; only the name and the paperwork labels changed. When a project's Certificate of Compliance calls for a verified measure, we test it on site and register the results with CHEERS, so your building department can look up the registered CF3R.

For single-family homes, additions, alterations and multifamily dwelling units:

• HVAC and ducts: duct leakage, duct location and insulation, return duct design, air filter device design, low-leakage air handlers.
• Cooling and heat pumps: refrigerant charge verification, system airflow, fan efficacy and watt draw, heat pump capacity including variable-capacity systems.
• Ventilation: whole-building mechanical ventilation airflow, kitchen range hood exhaust, heat and energy recovery ventilators.
• Building envelope: building air leakage and dwelling unit compartmentalization, Quality Insulation Installation (QII), spray foam insulation verification.
• Water heating: pipe insulation, compact hot water distribution, demand recirculation, drain water heat recovery.

The paperwork: the CF1R (Certificate of Compliance) lists the measures that need verifying; the installing contractor completes the CF2R (Certificate of Installation); we issue and register the CF3R (Certificate of Verification) after testing. If a measure fails, the contractor corrects it and we retest until it passes.

Nonresidential acceptance testing

Mechanical acceptance testing for commercial HVAC systems, with the NRCA forms that close out the project and support for NRCI documentation: airflow verification, equipment startup review, control sequence checks and clear reporting for turnover.

Air-side tests

• MCH-02-A Outdoor air
• MCH-03-A Constant volume single zone HVAC
• MCH-04a / 04b Air distribution duct leakage
• MCH-05-A Air economizer controls
• MCH-06-A Demand control ventilation
• MCH-07-A Supply fan variable flow controls
• MCH-16-A Supply air temperature reset controls
• MCH-19-A Occupancy sensor controls

Hydronic and plant tests

• MCH-08-A Valve leakage
• MCH-09-A Supply water temperature reset controls
• MCH-10-A Hydronic system variable flow controls
• MCH-17-A Condenser water temperature reset controls

Controls, fault detection and demand response

• MCH-11-A Automatic demand shed controls
• MCH-12-A Fault detection and diagnostics for packaged DX units
• MCH-13-A Fault detection and diagnostics for air handlers and zone terminal units
• MCH-18-A Energy management control systems

Multifamily dwelling tests

• MCH-20-A-H Multifamily dwelling inspection
• MCH-20-B-H Multifamily dwelling kitchen exhaust
• MCH-20-C-H Multifamily IAQ ventilation system
• MCH-20-D-H Multifamily dwelling HRV / ERV
• MCH-21-H Multifamily envelope leakage

How a project runs

1. Send the plans. Share the CF1R or NRCC and the scope; we confirm which measures need testing.
2. Schedule the visit. We coordinate with your installer around the stage of construction each test needs.
3. Test on site. Diagnostic testing and field verification, with results reviewed before we leave.
4. Register and close out. ECC certificates registered with CHEERS and documentation delivered for permit sign-off.

Where we test

Residential and commercial projects across California's Central Coast: in Santa Barbara County, Santa Barbara, Goleta, Isla Vista, Montecito, Carpinteria, Summerland, Buellton, Solvang, Santa Ynez, Guadalupe and Santa Maria; in Ventura County, Ventura, Ojai, Oxnard and Camarillo.

Common questions

Is ECC the same as HERS?

Yes. The California Energy Commission renamed HERS (Home Energy Rating System) to ECC (Energy Code Compliance) effective January 1, 2026. The testing is the same.

How do I request testing?

Request it at mtestpros.com or email info@mtestpros.com with the project address, the CF1R or NRCC, and your target date.