Efficiency First

The HOME STAR Coalition (www.homestarcoalition.org) announced today that the group has logged more than 2,000 supporters in all 50 states. Coalition members represent an extraordinary range of interests, from small businesses and independent contractors to major corporations and national nonprofits, all united around the goals of creating jobs, promoting energy independence and lowering household energy bills. The coalition simultaneously issued an open letter to President Obama and the United States Senate calling for HOME STAR to be included in the Small Business Jobs Bill now under development in the Senate. Here’s an excerpt from today’s announcement:

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 14, 2010 – The HOME STAR Coalition, a diverse group of nationally recognized companies, labor and environmental organizations and associations, today issued an open letter to President Obama and the United States Senate encouraging the inclusion of the bi-partisan HOME STAR legislation in the Small Business Jobs bill. The Home Star Coalition letter can be viewed here: www.homestarcoalition.org/HSC_letter_to_obama_and_senate.pdf. The HOME STAR Coalition also announced its membership increased to over 2,000 small and medium sized businesses and organizations from every state in the country who stand in support of HOME STAR and its widespread benefits for job creation, savings for homeowners, and energy efficiency.

“HOME STAR is the right investment for the country at the right time. That time is now,” said Tracy Price, CEO of The Linc Group. “Energy efficiency is not a partisan issue, as it helps move us toward greater energy independence and enhances our national security. This program is targeted at the largest marketplace in the country, existing homes, and will be create jobs in a new industry that will thrive for decades.”

“The sooner HOME STAR is signed into law, the sooner we can get tens of thousands of American small businesspeople – contractors, insulation installers, caulkers, and others – back to work,” said Kate Offringa, president and CEO of CNAIMA, representing 1,300 companies and institutions across the country advocating the adoption of HOME STAR.

“Small businesses across America are ready, and homeowners are waiting, for HOME STAR to become law. The average size of home retrofit contracting firms is four to eight employees – small businesses that are hurt by the recession, ripe for creating jobs, and desperate for HOME STAR to pass. When Americans invest in their homes, they invest in our communities by building the market for local, quality jobs that bring contractors back to work,” said Greg Thomas, Chair of Efficiency First, a non-profit which represents nearly 1,000 business owners in all 50 states.

The HOME STAR legislation has bi-partisan support and 25 co-sponsors in the Senate. HOME STAR also has the support of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).

Steve Cowell, CEO of Conservation Services Group, said, “HOME STAR will help avoid a double-dip recession by adding jobs at a critical time but it will also help reduce home energy costs for millions of Americans thus making overall housing costs more affordable.”

“The continued attention to HOME STAR shows that our elected representatives in Washington realize the enormous potential of energy efficiency incentives. These programs offer consumers a way to save energy, save money, and help bolster America’s struggling manufacturing sector. With appropriate incentives for consumers, HOME STAR can help get the American economic engine running again,” said Stephen R. Yurek, President and CEO, AHRI (Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute).

Read the full release at www.homestarcoalition.org/documents/HSC_Release_071410.pdf.