But, due to the DOE’s lengthy public comment process, the guidelines aren’t scheduled for release until fall. —M.A.N.

LEGAL EASE According to Richard Feeley, president of Feeley Mediation & Business Law, in Marietta, Ga., his experience with certification has been similar to that of the industry leaders we spoke with for this article: while some are all for it, others don’t see the point.

When Feeley was the senior counsel with The Home Depot, the company considered having third-party service providers meet specific certification requirements. “There was a lot of push-back, however, because the certification requirements were not uniformly recognized in all areas of the country, or even within the industry itself,” Feeley explains. “Thus, at the time we looked at it, we decided to hold off until it was a clearly recognized advantage.”

That said, does it hurt a company to get certification? “Absolutely not,” Feeley says. “And, it may be an excellent marketing advantage, especially if the certification is a recognized advantage in the market and/or sector the remodeler is serving.” If the certification includes valuable training, then Feeley feels it may be helpful.

“Obviously, the remodeler needs to be compliant with all state and local licensing and registration requirements, including certification, if required,” he says. “Thus, the contractor needs to assure compliance with the licensing and registration requirements, and then make decisions on whether or not additional certification makes good business sense.” —M.A.N.