do you have the chops?
Is Becoming an Energy Advisor Right for You?
Discover Your Building Science Career Fit
what this quiz measures
Discover whether becoming an Energy Advisor, or another building science career, is a good fit for the way you naturally think.
This isn't an exam, and there are no right or wrong answers. The quiz isn't measuring what you know about construction or building science today. It's exploring how you naturally approach problems.
Successful Energy Advisors tend to share a few common traits. They're curious, they enjoy solving puzzles, and they notice patterns. they ask "why?" when something doesn't make sense. They're comfortable connecting information from different sources and explaining technical ideas to other people. Those are habits of mind that can be developed into technical expertise.
When you finish the quiz, you'll discover your Building Science Thinker Type and see how your existing experience may transfer into Energy Advising or other building science career pathways.
could you become an energy advisor?
Possibly, but technical knowledge is only part of the story. And you can take our Foundation Exam Prep course, even if you aren't considering becoming an Energy Advisor.
The best Energy Advisors aren't just good at passing exams, they're curious. They want to know why a house behaves the way it does, not just what to do next.
That's what this quiz is really about: It isn't testing what you know today, it's helping you discover how you think.
why building science matters
Canada's housing industry is changing faster than it has in decades. Building codes are raising the bar, with energy performance targets becoming the nor. Homeowners expect healthier, more comfortable, more durable homes. Builders and renovators are expected to deliver them without blowing the budget or creating expensive callbacks.
Building science has become everyone's business, not just Energy Advisors.
Understanding applied building science helps professionals make better decisions about moisture control, durability, indoor air quality, comfort, building performance and energy efficiency.
houses are systems
One of the most important ideas in building science is the 'House As A System' approach: every part of a house affects every other part
Heat, air, and moisture are constantly interacting both on the interior and the exterior of a building. Insulation affects heating systems. Air sealing changes ventilation requirements, Windows influence comfort, condensation and energy use for both heating AND cooling. Renovating one assembly can create unintended consequences somewhere else. Learning to see those relationships is what separates building science thinking from following an installation checklist.
seeing what others miss
Some people see a cold bedroom. Building science people ask why.
Some people see condensation on a window. Building science people start thinking about humidity, surface temperatures, ventilation, and air leakage.
Some people see a renovation. Building science people see a hundred decisions that will affect comfort, durability, energy use, and indoor air quality for the next thirty years.
If that sounds interesting instead of exhausting, you're in the right place.
curiousity matters most
Since 2012, Blue House Energy has helped more than 1,000 Energy Advisor candidates prepare for their careers. We've trained carpenters, HVAC technicians, building officials, engineers, architects, home inspectors, designers, project managers, real estate professionals, teachers, technical sales people, safety consultant, plumbers, operations manager and solar installers. People at all points of their careers, from recent graduates to people making complete career changes.
Some already knew the bones of houses, some knew people, some knew technology. The common thread wasn't their résumé, it was their curiousity.
learning to think like a building scientist
Building science doesn't just teach you about houses. It teaches you to think in systems, to recognize patterns, to anticipate unintended consequences, and to connect problems that initially seem unrelated. Those skills travel remarkably well.
Blue House Energy founder, Shawna Henderson, has spent more than three decades delivering building science services to the home construction and renovation industry. She started as an R-2000 evaluator and inspector, was one of the first Energy Advsiors in Canada, and has worked as a field researcher, consultant, designer, educator, and trainer. That same systems-thinking approach forms the foundation of every Blue House Energy course.
building science begins with the foundation competencies
The first step in becoming an Energy Advisor is passing the Foundation Exam, which assesses seven competency categories:
- Numeracy (arithmetic and geometry)
- Construction and renovation of low-rise housing
- Safety considerations
- Building envelope (new and existing homes)
- Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (new and existing homes)
- Building science principles
- House-as-a-system approach (applied building science)
The Foundation competencies outlined by Natural Resources Canada are much broader than being able to answer exam questions.
Applied building science requires a deep understanding of:
- how heat, air, and moisture interact
- why construction details matter
- how mechanical systems influece comfort and efficiency
- why (and how) changes made to one part of a house affect everything else
At Blue House Energy, we know that mastering these competencies is where real building science begins. And understanding how they all work together is the starting point for learning how to think like a building scientist. We're not simply helping you preapre for an exam: applied building science helps you become a better problem solver, whether you're an Energy Advisor, a builder, a renovator, a consultant, a project manager, or a technical specialist.
Download a free guide to understanding the Foundation Exam Requirements
so...do you have the chops?
Not the technical chops. Those can be learned (and we can teach you!).
Do you naturally ask one more question when everyone else has stopped?
Do you enjoy solving puzzles?
Do you like understanding how complicated systems work?
Do you find satisfaction in discovering the real cause of a problem instead of treating the symptom?
That's what this quiz is designed to discover.
Your results will introduce your Building Science Thinker Type, show how your existing strengths transfer into building science and suggest career pathways where those abilities can create value. You may discover that being an Energy Advisor is exactly where you belong, or you may discover that building science opens opportunities you hadn't considered.
Both are good outcomes
Take the quiz.
You might discover that you're wired for building science.
Once you start seeing houses this way, you'll never look at one the same again.
Do You Have the Chops to be an Energy Advisor?
Finished the quiz? Continue your journey.
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Have questions?
Book a free 30-minute Energy Advisor Kickstarter Session with Program Coordinator Carla Harder
What to expect:
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Carla, our program coordinator, will walk you through the process of becoming an Energy Advisor
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We can point you to the right course for your experience and skillset
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We have flexible payment options and discounts for returning learners