Deja Vu all over again? We’ve seen this before at the state and local levels and we know how these processes have worked in the past: program changes are proposed, concerns and complaints come in from various corners, and often few meaningful and substantive changes are made before the new program roles out.

In the same way that you voiced your concern to DOE and EPA about losing the HPwES brand and were heard, we again need to speak up and make our positions known. As an industry, let’s take our own look at how the Department of Energy can help scale home performance in America.

Over the coming weeks and months, we’ll be educating the industry (stay tuned for a webinar in the next couple of weeks), and looking for your feedback. Meanwhile, here are some themes we’ve been hearing since last month in Baltimore:

1. Contractors Prominently at the Table: We need direct involvement from industry stakeholders, but specifically from those interests that are directly and materially affected by DOE’s actions.  Along with program sponsors, no party is more impacted than the contractor and energy auditor who will have to live with these new rules and deploy them – in homes and buildings.
2. Define What “Scale” Looks Like and Work Toward That: We need to look at the core goals of scaling the industry and identify ways to achieve them, and not simply offer feedback on specific parts of the proposed changes.
3. Set a Baseline to Build From: Rather than dictate all the details, DOE’s standards should set a baseline so that program implementers and markets can innovate and design programs that work for their customers, climate zones, business, and regulatory systems.
4. Align and Synchronize: The program should sync up with work that we’ve done with Congress and at other levels to drive building performance industry growth.
5. Simplicity Leads to Uptake: Simplicity in program design and congruence with contractor’s ability to move in the market are key.  We are the soldiers in the trenches that sell the homeowner on the value of this work, who design the solutions and make the physical improvements, and who are called on to stand by that work.

Those are big concepts so we will be working to flesh out what they mean over the coming days and weeks (stay tuned for a webinar in the next few weeks. While we have had informal discussions on this concept with DOE over the last few months, now it’s in the sunshine and we have work to do. Help us out:

Send us your feedback on how DOE and the national HPwES program can be better built to scale the industry.

And if you’d like to register your comment to DOE now, here’s where you can do that:buildingamerica.pnl.gov/forum.php.

Jay Murdoch
Efficiency First

p.s. One last thought: Be very clear that the end product of all this work will someday trickle down into your backyard – in the form of a utility energy efficiency program, a financing program or something else. It may not be until 2013 or 2014, but you will see this staring you in the face during a presentation of the “new and improved” energy efficiency program, and it will have a very real impact on your business. Invest some sweat equity now so that the new program you see in the future is not an anchor on your growth and profitability and thus a non-starter for your customer – the rate payer and tax payer. It’s time to get engaged – your business depends on it.

Efficiency First is the trade association for America’s home performance (energy efficiency) industry – uniting home performance companies, building product manufacturers and related businesses and organizations. Efficiency First represents its members in public policy and regulatory discussions at the local, state and national levels to promote the benefits of energy efficiency retrofitting, and to create market and industry demand for member products and services.

Efficiency First is at the forefront growing a new sustainable industry. We are a relatively young nonprofit and are looking for to hire someone who is motivated and seeks a new opportunity in a fast-paced working environment that has the potential for long-term growth. Topic area expertise not required.

JOB DESCRIPTION: Membership Coordinator / Project Associate
Based in San Francisco Office
Reports to the Executive Director

RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

Membership

• Manage membership renewal process
• Assist in new member recruitment
• Manage and develop high value benefits/discounts for Efficiency First member companies
• Respond to member inquiries
• Assist in member communications (email marketing)

Board Coordination

• Prepare materials for Board meetings
• Manage Board and committee calendars
• Assist with Board and committee activities as needed

Office

• Answer phones and main email account inquiries
• Office management: Communicate with landlord, order office supplies

Member Education

• Coordinate online member educational webinar series for Efficiency First members
• Assist in presenter recruitment
• Work with topic experts to coordinate content development
• Publicity / participant recruitment
• Manage webinar technology

Accounting:

• Manage payroll and expense report for (small) staff
• Manage bank account, accounts payable, and other financial items
• Day-to-day bookkeeping (working with our bookkeeping firm)

Additional Responsibilities

• Manage administrative files and paperwork (electronic and hardcopy)
• Event planning as needed
• Assist in database management
• Assist in web editing
• Assist the Executive Director as needed

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• College degree
• 2 years office experience
• Highly organized individual
• Flexible in a working environment where things change quickly
• Interest in clean energy/energy efficiency

PLUSES:

• Accounting experience
• Trade association experience
• Experience in development/fundraising or sales
• Public policy knowledge
• Experience in the energy efficiency / building performance industry

COMPENSATION/HOURS

• Full time position
• Salary depends on skills and experience
• Benefits: Includes health care plan & vacation/sick days

TO APPLY

To apply, please email jobs@efficiencyfirst.org, and include your resume and a cover letter which addresses the following questions:

1. Tell us why you think you are an ideal candidate for this position
2. Tell us why you are drawn to working in the energy efficiency industry

Applications are being accepted now — we are looking to fill the position very quickly.

Media Contact:
Jay Murdoch — Executive Director, Efficiency First
202-680-8915

Energy Retrofit Legislation Introduced to Create Jobs and Help Homeowners Reduce Energy Costs

Washington, DC — Earlier today, Efficiency First joined members of Congress and other industry leaders to announce the Home Owner Managing Energy Savings (HOMES) Act – bipartisan legislation to provide incentives for homeowners who perform energy retrofits.

Efficiency First Executive Director Jay Murdoch said: “By helping homeowners increase the energy efficiency of their homes, the HOMES Act will create jobs, something desperately needed in the home remodeling and building product industries.”

Residential construction has been among the hardest hit industries in recent years, with construction unemployment double the rate of overall unemployment in many regions of the U.S. Home energy retrofits offer the triple benefit of making homes more comfortable and less costly to heat and cool for owners, helping to achieve energy independence, and creating well-paying jobs for hard-working Americans.

An Efficiency First representative is available for comment.

Taking a cue from you – our members, with your bull doggedness and incessant “can do” passion for creating demand and knocking down barriers to profitable growth, Efficiency First has been quietly and effectively leading on two important pieces of legislation (proposed and pending) in your nation’s capitol, with your elected officials. So now it’s time to be a little less humble and quiet, and share some of the fruits of this work.

1. The “25e” Tax Credit (proposed in the Senate)
2. The HOMES Act (pending introduction in the House)
   

Here’s more on each:

“The Cut Energy Bills at Homes Act” (S. 1914), aka the “25e” tax credit (Sens. Snowe, Bingaman, Feinstein). Sometimes referred to as “25e,” for the new section of the Internal Revenue Code that would be established, this is bi-partisan tax legislation that would reward homeowners for reduced energy consumption as a result of a qualified whole-home energy efficiency retrofit.   The legislation proposes providing up to a $5000 tax credit for a 50% reduction in home energy use.  Along with our efforts to get the “25c” tax credit for individual measure improvements (air sealing, insulation, HVAC equipment, windows, etc) reinstated, the 25e tax credit would give homeowners an additional choice to pursue comprehensive whole-home improvements to their home. Learn more here.

Home Owner Managing Energy Savings (HOMES) Act (Reps. McKinley and Welch) – expected to be proposed in the coming weeks. This is bi-partisan rebate legislation that would reward homeowners for reduced energy consumption as a result of a qualified home energy efficiency retrofit.  The legislation will propose offering homeowners up to $8000 rebate for a 50% reduction in home energy use. Learn more here.

A Reality Check Around Achievability –

Now for the gut check around what’s achievable during this election year. The current political gridlock in DC can make it tough to get anything substantive done, including energy efficiency legislation. So it may be that these policies do not get passed this year, and it could take a while before we cross the finish line. But in DC, you never know what can happen very quickly. While an election year doesn’t provide for the congenial compromise that’s needed to pass significant legislation, it does give us an opportunity for debate and discourse and to start building support – which is key to pushing these policies forward.

One thing that’s clear is we can’t be complacent. As business people, you know that opportunity and customers rarely fall into your lap.  You have to go out and make that happen, by creating your opportunities and continually adapting and refining your strategy and plan along the way.  Taking a cue from you as leaders, that’s precisely what Efficiency First is all about — pursuing the industry’s interests in Washington DC and elsewhere.

In proposing the HOMES Act and the 25e Tax Credit, Senate and House sponsors are exhibiting the type of leadership EF Members demonstrate every day in businesses by choosing to create a new reality.

Efficiency First has been leading the way for the industry, working closely with the congressional sponsors during the evolution of these bills. Though there has been compromise, we’ve worked hard to ensure that these bills would work successfully for home performance companies.  And that process will be ongoing. As you learn more about these bills, please share you thoughts directly with us so that we can better understand how these bills might work for you in your market, and whether there are opportunities to make enhancements to them as they are debated in Congress.

For now, take a look at some initial resources on 25e and the HOMES Act and stay tuned for opportunities to learn more, both via webinar and at conferences like ACI National coming up later this month in Baltimore.

Close Quarters: Retrofitting America’s Multifamily Dwellings
Wednesday, February 22  @ 12:30 PM EST/9:30 AM PST
FREE for Efficiency First Members: Click Here to Sign Into Your Account & Register!

Non-members are invited to view this webinar for a $50 fee.

Qualifies for up to 1.5 BPI CEUs.

Description:
Based on an upcoming suite of case studies and a white paper from the Home Performance Resource Center (HPRC), this webinar will provide a basic road map for programs and building performance companies looking to expand their services into the multifamily homes sector. These resources will provide industry guidance on multifamily retrofit programs.

On the webinar, panelists will discuss:

• How building performance companies can successfully leverage multifamily homes projects
• Sales and marketing strategies for increasing work within the multifamily sector
• Guidelines for implementing successful multifamily programs
• Lessons learned from industry veterans from both the programmatic and building performance professional perspectives
• Information about multifamily-sector specific certifications in building performance

Panelists:

Courtney Moriarta: Principal, Sangfroid Associates

Jerone Gagliano: Director of Energy Engineering, PSD Consulting

Ryan Merkin: Director of Multifamily Energy Services, Steven Winter Associates

Weatherization to Home Performance — Tools & Tips for Developing For-profit Services
FRIDAY, February 17  @ 12:30 PM EST/9:30 AM PST

FREE for Efficiency First Members: Click Here to Sign Into Your Account & Register!

Non-members are invited to view this webinar for a $50 fee.

NCAF Weatherization Agencies click here to register at a discounted rate.

Qualifies for up to 1.5 BPI CEUs.

Description:
Are you a local low-income weatherization agency or contractor considering whether to offer home performance work to your services?

Please join Efficiency First, the Home Performance Resource Center and the National Community Action Foundation for this upcoming webinar. While many of the technical skills needed to perform retrofits are similar, running a for-profit home performance company requires a new skill set in marketing, sales, customer service, and other areas. This webinar will be for those who have already mastered the fundaments of business planning and maintaining financial systems. It will be focused on providing energy service-specific business modeling tools and best practices from the market, which your company can use to enter and find leads within the for-profit home performance industry.

Panelists:

Meg Power: President, Economic Opportunity Studies; Senior Advisor, National Community Action Foundation

Matt Golden: Principal, Efficiency.org

Sam Flannery: President, Building Science Energy Services

If you are having trouble accessing your account or the webinar please send an email to info@efficiencyfirst.org.

Registration:
Efficiency First Members click here to log-in to your account and register.

Non-members click here to register for a $50 fee.

NCAF Weatherization Agencies click here to register at a discounted rate.

Media Contact:
Jay Murdoch — Executive Director, Efficiency First
202-680-8915

Home Performance Industry Applauds EPA and DOE’s Decision to Keep the ENERGY STAR Brand in Retrofit Programs

Washington, DC — Efficiency First, a national trade association of building performance companies and industry allies, applauds the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy for the decision to continue the usage of the federal ENERGY STAR brand in residential retrofit programs. While the agreement has not yet been finalized, all indications are that it will be completed soon.

This welcome news comes after months of speculation that the popular ENERGY STAR brand would be eliminated from use in residential retrofit programs as those programs transition to DOE.  Efficiency First thanks EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and Secretary of Energy Dr. Steven Chu for working to resolve this issue in the way that make that most sense for the industry and consumers.

In November 2011, Efficiency First called on EPA and DOE to work out their differences and to continue using the ENERGY STAR brand in residential retrofit programs managed by DOE. Efficiency First also led the effort in pressing both agencies to find agreement. Very quickly, over 475 companies endorsed Efficiency First’s letter on this issue.

“Our members know first-hand that ENERGY STAR is the most recognized and trusted brand in the industry,” said Jay Murdoch, Efficiency First’s Executive Director. “Because our members touch the consumer and homeowner every single day, they know that the elimination of the ENERGY STAR brand would have been a major setback for the future of the residential retrofit industry.  Efficiency First would like to thank Administrator Jackson and Secretary Chu and for listening to input from the building performance industry on this matter. We look forward to working with DOE to promote industry growth with initiatives that maintain the high integrity associated with the ENERGY STAR brand.”

An Efficiency First representative is available for comment.

#   #   #

Efficiency First is the trade association for America’s home performance industry – uniting home performance companies, building product manufacturers and related businesses and organizations.

Efficiency First represents its members in public policy and regulatory discussions at the local, state and national levels to promote the benefits of energy efficiency retrofitting, and to create market and industry demand for member products and services.

For more information: www.efficiencyfirst.org

Check & Verify: Why Quality Assurance Programs Matter
Tuesday, February 7^th @ 12:30 PM EASTERN/9:30 AM PACIFIC

FREE for Efficiency First Members: Click Here to Sign Into Your Account & Register!

Non-Member Registration: Non-Efficiency First Members are invited to join this webinar for a $50 fee. Please click here access non-member registration.

Description:
Across America, local governments, utilities, state agencies, and other organizations are implementing building performance programs with a quality assurance component to insure high quality work, healthy indoor environments, and to protect rate payer and tax payer investments. Increasingly, building performance companies are incorporating quality assurance programs into their private market jobs because they know this helps differentiate themselves, in the eyes of the consumer and positively impacts their P&L in the form of reduced call backs and warranty issues. Learn about the latest in quality assurance programs for residential and light commercial buildings. Understand how effective quality assurance programs protect consumer interests, can contribute to industry growth and learn tips on how your business can best leverage and operate under quality assurance programs.

BPI CEU credit pending.

Panelists:

Blake Ratcliff: Director, IBTS

Dave Abrey: Director of Quality Assurance, GreenHomes America

Lisanne Altman: Director of Residential Programs, LIPA

If you are having trouble accessing your account or the webinar please send an email to info@efficiencyfirst.org.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE RECORDING. (Please scroll down to the bottom of the page.)

Many thanks to our panelists and attendees for making this webinar successful.  Over 800 people tuned in to learn about the new bill, our largest turn-out ever.

Also, please click here to sign our 25E petition to show your support for the Cut Energy Bills at Home Act.

We had over 150 people tuned in to hear our panelists give an overview of the Green and Energy Efficiency Addendum and how to best use it within the home performance industry.

For those who couldn’t make it and for those interesting in viewing the presentation again, a recording of the webinar has been posted to the Efficiency First website, which you can now watch at your own leisure.

Efficiency First members, click here to access the audio file as well as the accompanying PowerPoint presentation in PDF format.

Non-members can access the recording by clicking here. Non-members have access to the recording and PowerPoint presentation for up to 30 days.