Congressman Tonko Receives Home Performance Champion Award at Clean Energy for Homes Conference 

The Building Performance Association (BPA) honored Congressman Paul Tonko with their Home Performance Champion Award at The Clean Energy for Homes Conference and Trade Show in Saratoga Springs, New York.

This year’s conference was attended by more than 470 building performance contractors and professionals from New York and across the region. The event, sponsored by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), brings together residential energy efficiency professionals to share best practices in building science, explore the future of clean energy in New York homes, and connect industry colleagues and technology providers.

Congressman Tonko addressed the conference crowd at its opening session, telling attendees, “Efficiency has been far too ignored in recent years…the cheapest kilowatt of electricity is the one we don’t need to use. So, I am grateful for all the work you do to grow your businesses, create jobs, and make America’s homes more energy efficient, comfortable, healthy, and safe.”

Congressman Tonko has also long been a champion for energy efficiency, clean energy, and the environment. Prior to serving in Congress, he served in the New York State Assembly for 25 years, serving for 15 years as Chairman of the Committee on Energy. He also served as the president of NYSERDA from 2007-2008.

In Congress, Tonko co-sponsored the HOPE for HOMES Act, which was included in the Inflation Reduction Act and allocated $9 billion dollars to American households and home performance contractors through home energy rebates and contractor training grants. The 2022 law guarantees over $320 million to New York State. Tonko has also pushed back on recent efforts in Congress to repeal these funds and cosponsored reinstatement of the 25C Energy Efficient Home Improvement Tax Credit to lower the cost of upgrades like insulation, windows, and high-efficiency HVAC.

Tonko is also a strong supporter of the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), which saves low-income families hundreds of dollars on energy bills while making homes safer and more energy efficient. In the past year, he has authored legislation to reauthorize WAP and increase the program’s Average Cost Per Unit to reflect rising equipment and labor costs, led a bipartisan push for increased program funding backed by over 125 Members of Congress, and pressed the Department of Energy to resolve funding delays.

In December 2025, Tonko’s WAP legislation advanced out of the House Energy & Commerce Committee by a 50-0 vote. Tonko pointed to this bipartisan momentum as “reflective of a growing recognition that Americans—especially low-income Americans—are really struggling with energy costs, and Congress needs to proactively do something about it.”

BPA honored Congressman Tonko with this award because he is a leading advocate for the home performance industry.

“I hope you will count on me as a partner,” Tonko concluded. “I want us to work together to make sure that building performance, energy efficiency, and workforce development are properly represented in whatever energy affordability agenda that comes out of Congress over the next couple of years.”

Hal Smith, CEO and Founder of Halco Energy, a home performance company, presented the award to Congressman Tonko. “As a contractor working in upstate New York, I am honored to have Congressman Tonko fighting for us in Congress,” Smith said.