HOPE for HOMES Act of 2021 Re-Introduced to Advance Training and Incentives for the Residential Energy Efficiency Industry

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kara Saul Rinaldi
202.276.1773
ksaul-rinaldi@building-performance.org

May 20, 2021 – Washington, DC – The Building Performance Association actively supports the HOPE for HOMES Act of 2021 (H.R. 3456, S. 1768) and its inclusion as a part of any infrastructure package. Introduced today in the House and Senate, the bill has bipartisan support and offers multiple approaches to help upgrade homes and multifamily buildings while offering support for contractor training and incentives for energy efficiency upgrades.

HOPE for HOMES Act proposes $500 million to support online training for contractors, preparing them to significantly advance America’s existing home infrastructure and an $8.4 billion Home Energy Savings Rebate program.

“The HOPE for HOMES Act supports easy-to-access training for small business contractors so they can afford to elevate their teams to meet a new demand, a demand for energy efficiency retrofits also spurred by this bill,” said Steve Skodak, CEO of Building Performance Association. “This legislation provides rebates to incentivize home upgrades and offered important flexibility in rebate design to meet states where they are by providing multiple rebate pathways, pathways that will support the energy efficiency infrastructure Congress and the White House have called for.”

Through the establishment of grants for online workforce training, residential contractors will quickly gain access to online training designed to prepare them to conduct comprehensive home energy efficiency retrofits. These funds will allow contracting businesses to re-hire and re-invest in their employees in the wake of the economic downturn as states open up after the pandemic.

The Home Online Performance-Based Energy-Efficiency (HOPE) qualification is designed to serve as a pathway to participate in the Home Energy Savings Rebate Program, which would provide rebates to homeowners who undertake energy efficiency home retrofits, thereby supporting contractor small businesses that are providing energy efficiency products and installations for their customers.

The program will spur the creation of important jobs in contracting, manufacturing and retail sales of energy-efficient technologies and products. Contracting jobs are inherently local, and many will be provided by small business contractors. The HOPE for HOMES Act would support these small businesses and local job creation across the country during a time of urgent need.

The bill is introduced in the House by Reps. Peter Welch (D-VT), David McKinley (R-WV), Tony Cárdenas, (D-CA), André Carson (D-IN), Sean Casten (D-IL), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Paul Tonko (D-NY), David Trone (D-MD) and in the Senate by Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).

• Current Organization Support Letter ›
• Current Stakeholder Support Letter ›
• Read the release from Senator Chris Van Hollen ›
• The full text of the bill is available here ›

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The Building Performance Association is a membership-driven 501(c)(6) industry association dedicated to advancing the home and building performance industry. Built upon three decades of experience, the association is well-positioned to provide industry support through key areas including advocacy, education, programs, networking, publications, and community. Our 9,500+ members are individuals, companies, and organizations who work to deliver improved energy efficiency, health, safety, and environmental performance to people in their homes across North America. For more information, please visit www.building-performance.org.