Research and Publications
Our advocacy work includes written research, policy papers, and comments that provide recommendations to policymakers and bring important issues to their attention. Browse the Association's position below on a variety of topics.
Making Sense of the Smart Home: Applications of Smart Grid and Smart Home Technologies for the Home Performance Industry
The National Home Performance Council released a report which argues that the smart grid and home performance industries would benefit from a clearer understanding of the connections and points of intersection between whole-house upgrades and detailed information about energy consumption. The paper also identifies four ways that the smart grid and home performance industries could mutually benefit from further integration.
The Role of Home Energy Performance Improvements in Meeting State Requirements in Forthcoming CO2 Emissions Standards for Existing Power Plant: Comments on Clean Air Act Section 111d
The National Home Performance Council (NHPC) with Efficiency First (EF) released comments to the forthcoming CO2 emissions requirements for existing power plants in support of the inclusion of energy efficiency as a compliance mechanism for meeting state requirements for carbon dioxide standards under Clean Air Act Section 111(d).
Unlocking the Value of an Energy Efficient Home: A Blueprint to Make Energy Efficiency Improvements Visible in the Real Estate Market
A disconnect currently exists between the energy efficiency program implementers, the real estate community, and the homebuyer and seller. Energy efficiency programs have not found ways to transmit consistent, standardized data about energy efficiency features in existing homes to the real estate industry so that these features can be taken into account by buyers, appraisers lenders, and others during the home sales transaction. This white paper, developed by the National Home Performance Council and CNT Energy, provide energy efficiency program sponsrs and other stakeholders in the home performance industry with methods to document efficiency improvements and incorporate them into the real estate value chain.
Bringing on the Boom and Beating the Bust: A Framework for Developing a Roadmap to a Successful Home Performance Industry
The Building Performance Association routinely carries out policy research to engage home performance stakeholders in a national discussion to benefit and advance the home performance industry.This white paper, which was drafted in 2013 under the auspices of the National Home Performance Council, outlines a process for creating and implementing a road map that would identify and prioritize challenges, solutions, and responsibilities, and would serve as a guide for industry stakeholders. The paper does not serve as the road map itself, but rather provides direction for the home performance sector of the industry. In proposing a framework for an industry-wide discussion, HPC aims to bring together a broad group of home performance sector stakeholders to obtain broad agreement of the best strategies for overcoming challenges posed to each of the markets driving growth for whole-house energy efficiency upgrades: consumer markets and resource markets. A roadmap developed through this process would not only serve as a guide, but would also bring new coordination and unity to the home performance industry. By working as a cohesive group, home performance professionals can coordinate projects, hold one another accountable, and surpass market barriers that have so far impeded growth to profitability and scale.
Post-Workshop Reply Comments of the National Home Performance Council on Demand-Side Cost-Effectiveness Issues
The National Home Performance Council (NHPC) submitted Post-Workshop Reply Comments on Demand-Side Cost-Effectiveness Issues to Rulemaking 09-11-014 to Examine the Commission’s Post-2008 Energy Efficiency Policies, Programs, Evaluation, and Measurement and Verification. NHPC was granted Party Status to these proceedings and is urging California to institute best practices in revising the implementation protocols for it cost-effectiveness testing.
Best Practices in Energy Efficiency Program Screening: How to Ensure that the Value of Energy Efficiency is Properly Accounted For
The National Home Performance Council releases new study on utility cost-effectiveness test by Synapse Energy Economics at NARUC.
Measure it Right: Best Practices in the Selection and Implementation of Cost Effectiveness Tests
The National Home Performance Council's new report, Measure it Right: Best Practices in the Selection and Implementation of Cost-Effectiveness Tests, provides several recommendations to address the inconsistencies found when implementing cost-effectiveness tests.
National Home Performance Council Response to U.S. DOE Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® v2 Proposal
On May 31st, the National Home Performance Council submitted comments and recommendations in response to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) proposal to revise the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® (HPwES) program, as detailed in the document “The Evolution Continues” presented at the ACI National Conference in March 2012 and in subsequent webinars and supporting documentation.
Getting To Fair Cost-Effectiveness Testing
The National Home Performance Council's report on improving cost-effectiveness tests using the PACT, best practices for the TRC, and more.
Unlocking the Full Value of Green Homes: Why Green Multiple Listing Services are a Key to Residential Energy Efficiency
A joint report written by NHPC and the Association of Energy & Environmental Real Estate Professionals (AEEREP) that encourages states and stakeholders to revise Multiple Listing Services (MLS) to incorporate searchable data fields that capture verified data regarding a home’s performance with respect to energy consumption and environmental impact. The report describes the stakes and stakeholders involved in greening the MLS system issues, analyzes the challenges involved, and summarizes what the green building stakeholder community can learn from Collaborative Green MLS Enhancement Model.
Moving New York Forward on Energy Efficiency in 2018
HPC joined Alliance for Clean Energy New York; Association for Energy Affordability; Building Performance Institute (BPI); Building Performance Contractors Association of New York State; Dick Kornbluth, LLC; E4TheFuture; Efficiency First; Performance Systems Development and True Energy Solutions with the goal of harnesses the market for energy efficiency, in order to create jobs while implementing Governor Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) and his commitment to energy efficiency in the 2018 State of the State Address.
Letter & Background Research on Energy Efficiency and Policy Related to H4425
HPC urged Chairman Delleney and the South Carolina House Judiciary Committee to support the energy efficiency provisions of H4425. HPC believes the energy efficiency provisions of H4425 are the lowest cost, most predictable and most immediate method to reduce energy demand, create local jobs and provide opportunities for small business energy efficiency entrepreneurs in South Carolina. This letter provides background research and information on H4425.
New Efficiency, New York – Comments
HPC participated in a broader working group of residential building industry organizations to prepare comments on the New Efficiency, New York White Paper. That working group included: Association for Energy Affordability, Inc., Building Performance Institute (BPI), Building Performance Contractors Association of New York State, Dick Kornbluth, LLC, E4TheFuture, Efficiency First, HPC, Performance Systems Development, Seek More LLC and True Energy Solutions.
HPC Files Comments on New Efficiency New York
HPC participated in a broader working group of residential building industry organizations to prepare comments (also attached) on the New Efficiency, New York White Paper. That working group included: Association for Energy Affordability, Inc., Building Performance Institute (BPI), Building Performance Contractors Association of New York State, Dick Kornbluth, LLC, E4TheFuture, Efficiency First, HPC, Performance Systems Development, Seek More LLC and True Energy Solutions. Several of those organizations also submitted individual comments.
HPC Comments on the Commonwealth Edison – Evaluation Plans (“ComEd Evaluation Plans”) for 2018-2021 through the Illinois Energy Efficiency Stakeholder Advisory Group
HPC hopes to work with the Illinois Commerce Commission, Commonwealth Edison and all of the investor owned utilities and industry stakeholders on the further examination of cost effectiveness testing in Illinois.