Efficiency First

Last week Politico published an insightful editorial about the proposed HOME STAR incentive program written by Rep. Peter Welch of Vermont, a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and a prominent advocate for smart energy efficiency legislation. “Rare is the initiative that could save the job of a Michigan factory worker, help [...]

Below are photographs provided by Tigercomm of the March 11 hearing before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources regarding the proposed HOME STAR energy efficiency retrofit program. Read more about the hearing in our previous blog post.

Citing a study published by the Home Performance Resource Center — the nonprofit research arm of Efficiency First — New York Times blogger Kate Galbraith has post an article about how the vast majority of building materials and appliances used in energy retrofits are produced by American factories. About 96 percent of caulking used domestically is [...]

WellHome President Larry Laseter testifies on behalf of the HOME STAR Coalition [view more photos here] The proposed HOME STAR efficiency retrofit program was the subject of a hearing today before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, with testimony by Larry Laseter, president of WellHome, a subsidiary of Efficiency First founding member Masco [...]

The National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB), one of the largest trade associations in the United States, has joined the growing tide of influential industry groups that have weighed in on the job-creation potential of the  HOME STAR incentive program. “This has the potential to be a real shot in the arm for the home building [...]

Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Energy and Environment The Subcommittee on Energy and Environment will hold a legislative hearing entitled “HomeStar: Job Creation through Home Energy Retrofits” on Friday, March 12, 2010, at 9:30 a.m. in room 2123 Rayburn House Office Building. There will be a bipartisan briefing for staff of Members on [...]

Last week, President Obama announced a $6B program that would give people incentives to make their homes more energy efficient. He also hopes the program will create jobs. We speak to Richard Burbank of Evergreen Home Performance in Rockland Maine. Here is the program: http://www.hereandnow.org/#5 Link to Interview

The Dow Chemical Company, a leading manufacturer of insulation and weatherization products for the construction industry, released a public statement this week in support of the proposed HOME STAR retrofit program. “Dow applauds the President’s efforts to raise our nation’s awareness and focus on energy efficiency, and urges homeowners to take action to protect their [...]

The New York Times reports that energy panels in the House and Senate will hold hearings this week focusing on efficiency standards and incentives, including the proposed HOME STAR program introduced last week in the Senate. Here’s an excerpt from yesterday’s Greenwire report: Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) is a champion [...]

An insider’s guide to becoming a Home Performance contractor Home Energy magazine has published an excellent guide for contractors and others who want to get into the Home Performance retrofit business. The article was written by Greg Thomas, president of two Home Performance companies based in Ithaca, New York – Performance Systems Contracting, which provides [...]