VARP Members Meet With DPOR to Discuss Solar Issues

Last Friday, Virginia Association of Roofing Professionals (VARP) members met with Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) to discuss solar issues and a better pathway for roofers to enter the solar installation market.

The VARP members who attended, Rick Heath-Chair, Tim Bowen, Marc Reitzel and Scott Shufflebarger, represented the roofing industry well. It was an excellent cross-section of the Virginia roofing industry at the meeting with commercial, residential, contractor, distributor and manufacturer segments all represented. We accomplished several things at the meeting: Building and strengthening VARP's relationship with DPOR and VARP now has a seat on the Board for Contractors' regulatory review workgroup that commences in March. We will likely get a new Alternative Energy System (AES) licensing pathway approved for roofing contractors who have five years of roofing experience and who take the AES class and pass the exam. In other words, roofing contractors will be able to qualify for the AES license without having to work for an AES licensed company for 2 years, which is our objective. Thank you to the volunteer leaders who attended the meeting. We will update the membership as the regulatory review process progresses.

Download a copy of VARP's position paper on AES licensure for roofing contractors. Please feel free to contact the VARP office or Rick Heath, Chair of VARP's Government Affairs Committee if you have any questions or concerns.