Contractor and Career Resources
Efficiency First Member Webinars
Included as a benefit for Efficiency First members. Click the links below to log into your Efficiency FIrst account and view past Webinars.
Home Star Update & Program Operation - 3/22/2010
Accounting Basics for Contractors: Transforming Financial Statements into Management Tools
California Statewide Conference Call - 6/21/10
Financing Resources for Home Performance Contractors - 6/30/2010
Online Strategies for Home Performance Companies - 7/12/2010
Trade Associations and Professional Organizations
American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
International trade association offering certification programs, courses and training programs and a wide range of publications and technical standards documents
Building Performance Institute (BPI)
The credentialing arm of the Home Performance contracting industry, offering training and accreditation for individuals and Home Performance businesses
Efficiency First
National trade association for Home Performance contractors and related businesses
Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET)
A national trade group and standards-making body for building energy efficiency rating systems
Electric & Gas Industries Association (EGIA)
A non-profit organization dedicated to advancing energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions through the home improvement and renewable energy industries. EGIA serves a rapidly-growing nationwide network of over 2,500 installation contractors, regional distributors, product manufacturers and other trade allies delivering energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions to millions of homes and businesses.
Industry Standards and Product Ratings
ASHRAE Standards and Guidelines
Preview some standards documentation online, or purchase complete documents through ASHRAE
BPI Standards
Downloadable reference sheets for BPI technical standards (also see Approved BPI Technical Standards for building performance and professional accreditation standards)
BPI 101: An Overview of the BPI Credentialing Process [PDF]
Slides from a presentation prepared by the Building Performance Institute
ENERGY STAR
Guide to household appliances and home improvement products that qualify under the federal ENERGY STAR program
RESNET Standards
Index of standards for home energy rating, audits and procedures
Research Reports
Meeting AB 32 – Cost-Effective Green House Gas Reductions in the Residential Sector [PDF]
August 2008 report prepared by ConSol for the California Homebuilding Foundation
Carbon Footprint of Single-Family Residential New Construction [PDF]
May 2008 report prepared by ConSol for the California Homebuilding Foundation
Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Legislation [PDF]
June 2010 publication from the Home Performance Resource Center showing current PACE financing authority by state
Workforce and Career Development
So You Want to Be a Home Performance Contractor... [PDF]
Article from Home Energy magazine offering advice about getting into the industry, by Greg Thomas.
So You Think You Want a Job in the Home Performance Industry? [PDF]
A guide for potential Home Performance workers in Northern California, produced by Efficiency First member Recurve, Inc.
ENERGY STAR Training
Free online training resources from the federal ENERGY STAR program
130 Million Reasons to Work with BPI [PDF]
Presentation from the Building Performance Institute providing an overview of the BPI credentialing Processs.
BPI Affiliate Training
Locate training programs for BPI accreditation
How to Become a Certified RESNET Rater
Overview of RESNET certification with a directory of training provicers
ASHRAE Educational Resources
Listing of conferences, training programs and self-directed learning materials for heating, refrigeration and air conditioning engineers
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