Efficiency First

Growing national interest in Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing hit a snag a few weeks ago when the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (a.k.a. Freddie Mac) and the Federal National Mortgage Association (a.k.a. Fannie Mae) put the word out to mortgage lenders that they don’t like the idea of PACE liens taking precedence over [...]

In a video commentary posted yesterday, business analyst Jason Moser of The Motley Fool had some encouraging words about the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act now pending in Congress. Speaking about future prospects for the home improvement industry, Moser cited a recent rise in earnings at Lowe’s and Home Depot, then added that: “”The wild card in [...]

Efficiency First’s nonprofit research arm, the Home Performance Resource Center, has released an in-depth report examining the workforce and training needs of America’s home energy retrofit businesses. Green Jobs in the Residential Energy Efficiency Industry: The Home Performance Industry Perspective on Training and Workforce Development is now available online at www.hprcenter.org. The report’s author, Elizabeth [...]

3 Republicans join 13 Democrats; 16 Senators as the list grows 1. Senator Bingaman (D-NM) 2. Senator Warner (D-VA) 3. Senator Graham (R-SC) 4. Senator Snowe (R-ME) 5. Senator Brown (R-MA) 6. Senator Stabenow (D-MI) 7. Senator Sanders (D-VT) 8. Senator Dodd (D-CT) 9. Senator Merkley (D-OR) 10. Senator Gillibrand (D-NY) 11. Senator Carper (D-DE) [...]

As the HOME STAR jobs bill was reintroduced in the U.S. Senate and referred to the Senate Finance Committee. Please read the new summary & language. Here the link to the language:  http://energy.senate.gov/public/_files/END10609.pdf Here is the summary:  http://energy.senate.gov/public/_files/HomeStarShortSummary.pdf

Home Star Generating Home-Grown Jobs for American Workers While Lowering Energy Costs for Cash-Strapped Homeowners Sen. Jeff Bingaman, working with a bipartisan coalition of colleagues including Senators Olympia Snowe, Mark Warner and Lindsey Graham, today introduced revised legislation which will create an estimated 168,000 direct new jobs while promoting home energy efficiency. The bill is cosponsored [...]

Since Home Star legislation passed the House earlier this month, we’ve stepped up the pressure on the Senate to act. In fact, just last week, I joined over 100 Efficiency First members and others who came to DC to advocate for Home Star with senators and their staffs. We have some great momentum, but passing [...]

Efficiency First rallies US small businesses to support Home Star jobs bill in DC By Byron DeLear Every now and again, an idea or concept or product comes along, spreads out all over the place and sets a new standard. Take, for example, ATM machines or UPC Barcode or even the internet; looking back, it’s [...]

I just returned from participating in Efficiency First’s Home Star advocacy days in Washington DC; it was an exciting and inspiring experience. I believe the Efficiency First Coalition made some real progress in the promotion of positive change. We asked America’s Political Leaders to pass Home Star to create jobs and lead American toward the development of [...]

http://blog.wattzy.com/2010/05/my-trip-to-dc-to-support-home-star-and.html As I write this, I’m on a plane back from an incredible trip to Washington, DC with Efficiency First, the national association of home performance contractors. It was a whirlwind two days of meeting with Senators and their staff to promote the benefits of Home Star, a national incentive program that promises to create [...]