Volume 1, Edition 5

Please explore the links below for the latest news from CBPCA. Or download a word version of the newsletter.

Get your company name posted on the CBPCA website!

• CBPCA will prominently display on our public website CBPCA members who fully report all of their home performance-related jobs and cooperate with quality assurance verifications of their work. To qualify, a contractor must have reported all of their home performance-related work in 2008 with a minimum of two jobs or 5%, whichever is greater, reviewed and approved by our verifiers.
  
  The website listing will indicate that these contractors are Professional Members in good standing, they report all of their jobs to CBPCA, their work is quality approved through random onsite QA verifications, and their customers give them high marks on homeowner satisfaction surveys. This feature is scheduled to go live in November 2008.
  
  
• Starting November 1st, only CBPCA members that have fully reported all of their 2008 home performance-related jobs to-date and have cooperated with QA verifications will be allowed to use the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® (HPwES) and CBPCA logos on any marketing materials, business cards, truck signage, website, flyers, etc.
  
  We welcome all participants to remain as Associate Members until they are prepared to join as Professional Members and cooperate with reporting and QA inspections. Watch for an email reminder during the coming week asking for your intent to participate as a Professional Member going forward.
  
  
• Thanks to those of you that have reported your home performance jobs for the first two quarters of 2008. The end of the third quarter is almost here. Please be sure to use the CBPCA Jobs Reporting Template to submit your home performance-related jobs records to us. This not only keeps our utility funders and Energy Star folks happy, this form matches the process you will need to fulfill for the 2009 homeowner/contractor incentives to be offered by Southern California Edison and PG&E. SoCal contractors receive $100 for each completed job report using this template. Contact Scott Fable if you have questions about the reporting process.

Events and Offers

• West Coast Green Conference, September 25-27 in San Jose. We’re looking for a few good members to help out at our booth. We will provide your Trade Show pass. It will be a great opportunity for you to reach out to possible clients and for us to get to know you better. Contact Pat Colburn to sign up. If you’re there, come visit our booth!
  
  
• EGIA and GEOSmart are offering financing to HPwES contractors/customers in California. For those homeowners that could use help financing their home performance project, EGIA and GE Money provide a special group discount. The GEOSmart Financing Program allows dealers to take advantage of national group discount pricing and receive free training on how to leverage the program to increase your sales and profitability. Visit EGIA’s CBPCA page for more information.
  
  
• ENERGY STAR is looking for Bay Area homeowners who have made energy efficient changes in their home and would agree to come down and tell their story on camera at the “Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR” consumer event in Union Square, Saturday, October 18th and Sunday, October 19th. CBPCA will have a booth there in association with PG&E. In addition to the families to be interviewed during the Union Square event, ENERGY STAR is looking for one special family to help demonstrate the changes made in their home for local media. Some of the specific things ENERGY STAR is looking for in a homeowner are... (read more)
  
  
• Apply to receive a Flex Your Power Award! Flex Your Power, California's energy efficiency educational campaign, seeks to highlight and recognize those businesses that have shown leadership and made exceptional contributions toward saving energy in California. Flex Your Power Award winners will be recognized at Flex Your Power's annual awards ceremony and included in the Flex Your Power marketing and media pieces, and considered for inclusion in Flex Your Power's best practices guides. Apply today!
  
  
• For Sale: Minneapolis blower door model 3 with DG-700 digital gauge $2,100 and Minneapolis duct blaster series B with DG-700 digital gauge $1,560. Contact Frank Londono at 818-988-7750 or 818-652-4484.
  
  
• Equipment discount for CBPCA members are available through The Energy Conservatory and TruTech Tools
  

Articles and Policy Developments

• Feature Articles in Home Energy magazine: Building Solutions and CBPCA
  Need a login? New CBPCA trainees receive a free year’s subscription to Home Energy Magazine when they sign up to be a Professional Member. All CBPCA trainees can contact Home Energy directly for a discounted subscription. Contact Pat to get more info.
  
  
• MLS Listing Analysis Shows Third Party Certified Green Homes Enjoy Faster Sales and Higher Home Values. For the past year, the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (MLS) of King County, Washington has included information on a home’s green design features to its property listings database. (read more)
  
  
• CBPCA contractor Ashok Abhat writes about “Greening Existing Homes with Home Performance” in the US Green Building Council “L.A. Newsletter” (May 2008 edition):
  
  “In response to AB 549 requirements, the California Energy Commission published a report on Options for Energy Efficiency in Existing Buildings in December 2005, which described recommended strategies to increase energy efficiency in existing buildings. The report identified Integrated Whole Building Diagnostic Testing and Repair as a residential strategy for energy efficiency….” (read more)
  
  
• Build It Green stakeholder meetings will be held in October to discuss the 2008 Update. CBPCA and Build It Green strongly support each others' efforts. Build It Green has commenced a comprehensive stakeholder input process to update and revise the 2007 Edition New Home Construction Green Building Guidelines and GreenPoint Rated Checklist for single family homes. You can submit formal comments by October 31 and/or attend one of the upcoming stakeholder meetings in October. Click here for additional information and to register for one of the meetings.
  
  
• Public Comments have been placed on-line for the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Phase II proceeding by the California Energy Commission. Take a look at the draft home performance contractor requirements and CBPCA's written review comments. this new HERS specification will be important to all CBPCA contractors when implemented by cities and State agencies starting sometime next year.
  
  
• California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) accepting post-workshop comments on Solar Water Heating Pilot Program Evaluation Workshop. Click here for a description of how to become a party to CPUC R.08-03-008 and how to be added to the service list. Issue areas to be discussed: Itron White Paper; potential methodologies for calculating cost-effectiveness of SWH Pilot Program, SWH as a CSI non-PV measure, and AB 1470; lessons learned from other SWH incentive programs; Barriers to SWH in California; opportunities for market transformation.
  
  CPUC staff also asks that all SWH installers and manufacturers participate in one of the Itron’s surveys for SWH Pilot Program. To do this, please contact Heidi Ochsner at heidi.ochsner@itron.com.
  
  
• California Energy Commission is developing new rules for Appliance Efficiency Regulations
  The purpose of this rulemaking is to adopt efficiency standards for metal halide lighting fixtures (luminaires), a comprehensive voluntary test procedure for battery charger systems, clarification of the current regulations for residential pool pumps (including clarification of the current test method for portable electric spas), requirement that replacement motors for existing residential pool pump equipment must be two-speed or multispeed motors, and necessary updates and revisions to the overall Appliance Efficiency Regulations for consistency with current federal laws. The Notice of Proposed Action, Express Terms and other documents for Appliance Rulemaking Part B are now posted on the Energy Commission website.

Additional CBPCA Notices and Reminders

• We are pleased to announce that funding will continue for the current Southern California Edison/CBPCA home performance program through 2009, when the new homeowner and contractor incentive programs for home performance jobs will begin. For the rest of 2008, we will continue to support our Professional Members with contractor meetings, marketing and outreach, and (for SoCal contractors) reporting incentives. The 2009 programs will feature improved training program and incentives for both CBPCA Professional Members and homeowners.
  
  
• Check out past issues of the CBPCA Update for announcements, including the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® (HPwES) Contractor Achievement Award for contractors that complete at least 100 home improvement projects verified by CBPCA and Build It Green’s training courses offered throughout California.

We continue to team with PG&E to offer our Green Home Energy Upgrade (GHEU) home performance contracting training series in Northern/Central California. These courses are offered through PG&E training centers, so contact them directly to reserve your space at (800) 244-9912, or sign up through their course registration website. Call NOW—classes fill quickly.

Fall 2008 Green Home Energy Upgrade
courses offered by CBPCA and PG&E

 

Course	Date(s)	Location
GHEU: An Introduction for Contractors (1 day course)	11/17 (M)	Stockton / Webcast
GHEU Business Marketing and Sales	10/29 (W)	Stockton / Webcast
GHEU for Architects and Designers	12/3 (W)	San Francisco
GHEU Level 1: Classroom (3 day course)	10/1 to 10/3 (W-F)	San Francisco
	10/9 to 10/11 (Th-S)	Stockton
	10/29 to 10/31 (W-F)	San Jose
GHEU Level 2: Lab and Field Training (3 day course)	10/23 to 10/25 (Th-S)	Stockton
	11/13 to 11/5 (Th-S)	Stockton
	12/4 to 12/6 (Th-S)	Stockton
GHEU Level 3: Review and BPI Testing (3 day course)	11/3 to 11/5 (M-W)	San Francisco
	12/11 to 12/13 (Th-S)	Stockton

Also available through PG&E, CBPCA contractor Matt Golden of Sustainable Spaces is leading “Home Performance Contracting - Putting It All Together” October 20, 9am to 4:30pm. Use the PG&E course registration website to sign up.

In August, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) published the California Long-Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan, which outlines various pathways for achieving energy efficiency. Of greatest interest to CBPCA members is its second goal for the residential sector: “Transform home improvement markets to apply whole-house energy solutions to existing homes.”

The report identifies that goal more specifically, in language familiar to any home performance contractor:

Home buyers, owners and renovators will implement a whole-house approach to energy consumption that will guide their purchase and use of existing and new homes, home equipment (e.g., HVAC systems), household appliances, lighting, and “plug load” amenities.

It also includes the expected results of achieving that goal:

Energy consumption in existing homes will be reduced by 20% by 2015 and 40% by 2020 through universal demand for highly efficient homes and products.

The whole-house emphasis is reflected again in a goal in the HVAC section:

Whole building design and construction practices fully integrate building performance to reduce cooling and heating loads.

In fact, another of the strategic plan’s existing-residential goals is to transform the HVAC industry. The plan concludes that the HVAC industry is not functioning properly, with quality and performance routinely sacrificed to low-bid pressures, which they seek to address by making quality installation and maintenance the industry and market norm.

The CBPCA’s training program supports the high standards for all aspects of home performance installations, including HVAC and the closely related shell-efficiency improvements, by helping to increase the capabilities of HVAC contractors and strengthen their businesses.

The utility companies are already on board with the plan. All four IOUs included home performance programs when they filed their proposed energy efficiency programs this summer. Southern California Edison (SCE) and Southern California Gas (SCG) are planning to jointly sponsor the continuation and expansion of CBPCA’s current program in their territories, adding $2 million in financial incentives for both contractors and their customers. Participation in this incentive program [these incentive programs?] will be restricted to CBPCA contractors with a documented track record of completing comprehensive jobs that have been verified through onsite quality assurance verifications. In addition, PG&E will be contracting with CBPCA to conduct a six-month pilot program beginning this year, as soon as funds become available. That program will be similar to the SCE/SCG program , including its financial incentives. PG&E intends to continue its program through 2011 at a scale to be determined by the pilot’s success.

This renewed recognition of the value of home performance is a boost for the industry, and the enhanced visibility of home performance contracting will surely play a role in supporting this work. In addition, these strategies are linked to greenhouse gas reduction goals contained in the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32), which means that the state is likely to pursue and support energy savings and emissions reductions from comprehensive home energy upgrades more aggressively in the future. This is all good news for home performance contractors, and the CBPCA is working closely with the utility companies to make it happen.

Currently, the biggest challenge for the CBPCA program is to increase its scale and reach far more contractors and homes. The state’s goal is to reduce energy use in existing homes 20% by 2015: That’s only seven years from now! So the state’s need for our program to grow fast is extreme. Considering that there are about eight million single-family homes in California, that means we need to upgrade well over a million a year, and with substantial and provable energy savings. Of course, this challenge applies to all residential energy efficiency programs, but comprehensive home performance saves the most energy per home. Still, that won’t mean much if we only work on a few thousand homes by 2015, so we really need to roll up our sleeves and get to work! We can make a real difference if our program, contractors, and the utilities all work together to refine our approaches to make the process easier for everyone.

And it’s essential that we are able to document our work by collecting enough data and proof of energy savings for the utilities to continue our programs—which they can stop at any time if we do not meet our targets. Homes treated but not fully tested and reported are of no use to us in meeting those targets. We MUST have the data.

The CBPCA will be hosting a series of contractor conversations and meetings to engage everyone in the challenge, and we’ll notify you of the times and locations of those meetings through email and our newsletter.

Read more about the California Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan and the plan itself.

The Home-Perform Suite© software package automatically generates high-quality home performance test reports developed exclusively for the Home Performance Contractor. It also features a powerful client database that helps automate the process of generating job estimates, mass-mailings, and client communications. With HomePerform, managing your business as a home energy professional can be easier, smoother, and more profitable.

The automated report is easy to use, even with all of its fancy features: customized graphs, formula calculations, and photo importing. In addition, contractors can use the software to send their data reports to CBPCA at the click of a button, making compliance with Energy Star requirements and upcoming 2009 rebate/utility incentive program rules a snap.

HomePerform will be available to CBPCA Professional Members at a special reduced price. To place your order for HomePerform, please contact Contact Ori Skloot at Advanced Home Energy or visit the HomePerform website. .

An excerpt from the discussion going on at our Yahoo! Group Discussion Board.

Question: Does anyone have any real (not sales stuff) testing to compare acoustical properties of Cellulose vs. Fiberglass? I have a situation with steel stud walls that back up to a bathroom and bathroom "sounds" are being heard in the next room. I would like some documentation prior to making a suggestion to the owner.

Answers:
I used to work for a commercial construction company specializing in tenant improvement projects, and one of our specialties was building out recording studios…there are a couple of points that may apply to your situation:

Build up your wall assembly using materials with different densities. The walls we built had layers of drywall and layers of MDF. As Kevin previously mentioned, you can also use the isolation channels. The reason to use a variety of materials is that each has certain frequencies it best absorbs. Each serves as a specific filter.

Steel studs will be the weak link in this assembly. I would look to deaden them by applying strips of drywall along the length of their webs, first using acoustical sealant, then screwing them. You're looking to minimize all vibration. We used wood studs, and all connections had to be screwed, then the screws had to be hit with a bead of construction adhesive.

Before hanging anything off of the studs, run a continuous bead of acoustical sealant to the stud faces. If you choose to use a variety of materials, run beads of sealant on the face of whatever has already been hung. Stagger all joints. Seal all gaps (such as along the floor and ceiling). Eliminate all penetrations in the wall (such as electrical receptacles).

Much beyond this and you'll be providing them with a recording studio of their own. Good luck.
--Bruce Dichter, Living Homes Construction

I found this article on “Gypsum Board Walls: Transmission Loss Data” by the Canadians (National Research Council Canada). Go to page 21 (cellulose) and page 22 for (mineral fiber). They list frequencies from 50 Hz to 6300 Hz and the STC value. You will find the cellulose and fiberglass industry were involved in this study. They should keep each other honest.
--Andy Wahl, New World Management

One of our main goals at CBPCA is to help you succeed at home performance. We value your commitment to Green Home Energy Upgrades and home performance principles and we always strive to support our membership.

Over the next few months, we will be actively expanding our marketing and homeowner outreach as we prepare for the 2009 utility-CBPCA incentives program. To keep our support from ENERGY STAR and the utilities for this incentive program, we rely on our active members to provide home-performance-related jobs data and to participate in our verification program.

In order to identify our eligible contractors for this incentive program, we have set a deadline for all active contractors who wish to participate. If you wish to continue as an active CBPCA member and be eligible for the upcoming incentive programs, let me know of your interest by November 1st, 2008. Also, interested contractors will need to submit their home performance-related jobs data through third quarter 2008 using the Jobs Data Reporting Template and schedule the appropriate verifications by the November 1st deadline.

NOTE: contractors who do not wish to participate in the incentive program and/or do not comply with the jobs reporting and verification requirements by the November 1st deadline will no longer be eligible to use the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® and CBPCA program logos/marketing materials, nor will they be eligible for the upcoming utility-CBPCA incentive programs (see Contractor Update tab above) .

We realize that you are very busy, but submitting jobs and verification data to the utilities is vital to our continued operations. We count on you for your support and will continue to work to bring in additional referrals, and advocate home performance in the marketplace.

If there is any way we can make reporting and verification compliance easier for you, please contact Scott Fable our Program Analyst, who will work with you to find the fastest way for you to provide this data to us. He’ll be happy to discuss your options.

Other announcements of interest:

• We encourage all members to work with CBPCA trained contractors. We have created a CBPCA Members Directory so members can easily find other CBPCA contractors working in their area. Please review for accuracy your contact information in our directory and email Pat Colburn any needed corrections.
  
  
• Contractor Incentives and Job Reporting
  Thanks to our SoCal contractors for getting their jobs data reports into us. SoCal contractors that have used the Jobs Reporting Template will receive $100 for each complete job report over the next few weeks. Please keep those jobs reports coming in, using our Jobs Reporting Template. Northern California incentives will begin in 2009.

Regards,
Pat