While no list can be exhaustive, what follows are links to various associations, state and federal entities, and media outlets that REMODELING’s editors found useful in pulling together the stories in the June 2010 issue. —The Editors
HOME STAR
Center for American Progress report on retrofits and jobs for the construction workforce
Draft of House Bill 5019
Draft of Senate Bill 3177
Overview of Home Star and weatherization information
White House Fact Sheet: Home Star Energy Efficiency Retrofit Program
Efficiency First, a national nonprofit trade association that unites the Home Performance workforce, building product manufacturers, and related businesses and organizations in the escalating fight against global warming and rising energy costs.
Home Star Coalition
Compilation of articles about Home Star from REMODELING magazine
National Association of Home Builders testimony: “Insufficient lead-safe renovators may derail Home Star”
STATES/LOCALITIES
Blue Springs Energy: helps local governments, organizations, and individuals access clean and renewable energy grants, incentives, and assistance in New York state.
Boulder County ClimateSmart Loan Program
Build It Green, a membership supported nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote healthy, energy- and resource-efficient homes in California.
Energy Efficiency Institute helps states, utilities, policy makers, and resource-efficiency advocates plan for, design, and implement effective resource-efficiency efforts.
Energy Trust of Oregon, an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to helping Oregonians benefit from saving energy and tapping renewable resources.
Long Island Green Homes Program
Michigan Saves
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, a nonprofit organization that facilitates regional partnerships to advance the efficient use of energy in homes, buildings, and industry in the Northeast U.S.
Sonoma County Energy Independence Program(SCEIP)
ARTICLES: “Create New Jobs and Save the Planet,” by Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.)
“District bill would create fund for green upgrades,” by Vandana Sinha, Washington Business Journal
“South Dakota Offers 0% Loans for Upgrading Lighting in Schools and Nonprofits,” by Craig DiLouie, Lightnow
WEATHERIZATION
ARTICLES: “Weatherization Programs Get a Slow Start”: Builder groups in Indiana and Minnesota offer two different models for success for states with lagging efforts,” by John Caulfield, BUILDER magazine
“Weatherization Stimulus Report: Fail; Alarming Lack of Progress in Plan to Weatherize Homes for Nearly 600,000 Low-Income Residents,” by Sheryl Attkisson for CBS News Investigates
Compilation of articles about weatherization from REMODELING magazine
PRODUCTS
The Energy Conservatory
Flir
General Tools & Instruments
Infiltec
Retrotec
U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: Rebates, Tax Credits, and Financing
ARTICLES: “Cheap Hot Water? Just Add Sunshine,” by Gwendolyn Bounds, The Wall Street Journal
FINANCING
Pay As You Save (PAYS)
Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) organization
PACE history and information
ARTICLES: “Loans for Green Homes,” The New York Times
CERTIFICATIONS
TRAINING
Building Performance Institute (BPI), a national nonprofit that is considered the best source of training and standards for existing-home retrofits.
Home Builders Institute (HBI), an arm of the National Association of Home Builders, offers a weatherization certification program through its network of community colleges.
Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET), teaches remodelers how to model homes based on their thermal characteristics. RESNET’s standards are officially recognized by the federal government for verification of building energy performance. RESNET established the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) a scoring system for determining home energy efficiency.
Southface Energy Institute, a RESNET-accredited training provider.
FRANCHISES: ENERGY AUDITS AND HOME PERFORMANCE CONTRACTING
Energy Doctors has 23 affiliates doing business in 28 states. The Spokane–based organization, which declares itself “America’s largest energy audit company,” makes available its energy auditing services but is not, strictly speaking, a franchise.
GreenHomes America, a long-running California-based home performance company that set out to franchise itself two years ago, offers homeowners both assessment and general contracting for improvements.
Pro Energy Consultants, like Energy Doctors, is strictly involved in energy audits rather than the contracting of home improvements. Founded in 2008, the organization currently numbers 54 franchisees.
Recurve, a home performance contractor in California, offers Web-based management and partner relationships with companies in other regions. Recurve offers home performance knowledge without the cost or obligation of franchising.
WellHome is not a franchise operation, but if you’re involved in home performance contracting, you may sooner or later be competing with the company. WellHome offers homeowners “assessments” and serves as the general contractor in undertaking subsequent improvements. At the moment, the company operates seven locations, with a target goal of 25 locations by year’s end.