WASHINGTON, DC — Efficiency First, the first and only trade association representing America’s home performance workforce, was launched at the Affordable Comfort Institute’s (ACI) Northwest conference in Portland, OR.

“Efficiency First is dedicated to improving the energy efficiency, sustainability and affordability of America’s existing housing stock,” says co-founder Matt Golden, President of Sustainable Spaces Inc., a California-based home performance retrofit contracting firm. “Our mission is to grow the home performance contracting industry, help America achieve its energy and environmental goals and be involved in state and national policy development.”

“We strongly support Efficiency First’s mission to promote high standards and a smart, comprehensive approach to improving America’s Homes,” says Mike Rogers, Senior Vice President of GreenHomes America. “It helps homeowners save money, leads the country to energy independence, and creates good local jobs rather than sending money overseas for oil.”

The organization is designed to give all stakeholders in the home performance industry—from contractors in the front line of the climate battle to product manufacturers, vendors and program administrators—a legitimate vehicle and a seat at the table to work with policy makers, influencers and incentive providers at both the state and national levels to insure that the improvement of existing homes is a priority.

Efficiency First is eager to accelerate President Barack Obama’s proposal to create 78,000 jobs by conducting home performance retrofits on 1 million homes during his first year in office. The Obama Economic Stimulus Plan includes the largest weatherization program in history, making 2.5 million homes more energy efficient, with the intent of relieving financial strain on low- and middle-income families while also reducing America’s carbon footprint.

Space heating and cooling accounts for 41% of the average American home’s energy bill. Energy use from residential buildings accounts for approximately 36.5% of electricity consumed in the United States every year, along with 21% of US carbon emissions. The average American home uses 10,700 kWh and 830 therms of natural gas every year, while generating approximately 26 tons of CO2. Making homes 25-50% more efficient could reduce total US emissions by 5-10% and save the average homeowner $734 a year or $21,000-38,000 over the life of a 30-year mortgage.

Home performance goes beyond aesthetic remodeling to improve the energy efficiency of a house. The same faults that cause energy inefficiency also contribute to problems such as drafts, high energy bills, uneven temperature and humidity levels, mold and mildew, poor indoor air quality, moisture damage and ice dams—allowing home performance retrofits to increase occupant comfort, safety and health while lowering energy bills at the same time. Based on proven building science, home performance retrofits leverage the house-as-a-system concept—the recognition that the relationship between a home’s building envelope (shell), HVAC and occupants must be in balance in order to achieve proper performance.

Home performance contractors conduct a comprehensive energy audit that may include occupant interviews, blower door depressurization, infrared thermography, energy bill audits, duct testing, combustion/back-draft testing and physical inspections of insulation, HVAC systems and appliances, as well as other aspects within the home, to diagnose a home’s problem areas and prepare a work plan that allows the homeowner to proceed with improvements at their own financial pace.


Information provided by Efficiency First
Launched in 2009, Efficiency First is a not-for-profit organization with the mission to provide the tools and market drivers to enable the creation of a booming national infrastructure to retrofit America's 128 million existing homes. Efficiency First is dedicated to combating climate change while reducing American’s dependence on foreign oil, creating green collar jobs, improving homeowner comfort, health, safety and financial security, as well as spurring innovation in clean energy technology. For more information, visit www.EfficiencyFirst.org or email info@EfficiencyFirst.