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Maintain a sufficient workforce from program launch into program maturity

Your program will rely on its contractor base in order to succeed, so take steps to ensure that the capacity of the workforce is sufficient to launch your program and to maintain it as it grows. An evaluation of over 140 programs found that successful programs fostered and maintained relationships...
Tips for Success

Provide information to help customers pick the right contractor

Early on, many Better Buildings Neighborhood Program partners focused on providing customers with a range of contractors to choose from, while providing contractors with access to customers. Customer feedback received by some programs, however, indicated that customers were confused or overwhelmed...
Tips for Success

Recognize and reward good contractor performance

Many programs used the information they gathered through their quality assurance efforts to recognize contractors that deliver consistent, high-quality work. Rewarding good contractor performance can help you build trust, strengthen partnerships, and boost workforce morale. You can incentivize...
Tips for Success

Establish collaborative partnerships with contractors and communicate with them early and often

Contractors are more likely to serve as program champions when the program engages with them throughout program design, delivery, and improvement. Your contractors are the primary contact points with your customers, and the quality of their interactions and services strongly influences how customers...
Tips for Success

Concierge Programs for Contractors - They're Not Just for Consumers Anymore

Author(s)
Jonathan Cohen, U.S. Department of Energy,
Ryan Clemmer, Clean Energy Works Oregon (now Enhabit),
Melanie Paskevich, NeighborWorks,
Jay Karwoski, ICF International
Publication Date
2012
Organizations or Programs
Enhabit,
NeighborWorks H.E.A.T. Squad

This webcast includes slides and information on programs' use of concierge programs to support contractors. It highlights two program examples: Clean Energy Works Oregon (now Enhabit) and Vermont NeighborWorks.

Resource - Webcast

Concierge Programs for Contractors - They're Not Just for Consumers Anymore

Author(s)
Jonathan Cohen, U.S. Department of Energy,
Ryan Clemmer, Clean Energy Works Oregon (now Enhabit),
Melanie Paskevich, NeighborWorks,
Jay Karwoski, ICF International
Publication Date
2012
Organizations or Programs
Enhabit,
NeighborWorks H.E.A.T. Squad

This webcast includes slides and information on programs' use of concierge programs to support contractors. It highlights two program examples: Clean Energy Works Oregon (now Enhabit) and Vermont NeighborWorks.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Keys to Successful Quality Assurance and Quality Control Programs (101)

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Energize Connecticut,
Michigan Saves

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on quality assurance of energy efficiency services.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Green for All Energy Efficiency Toolkit

Author(s)
Green For All
Publication Date
2012
Organizations or Programs
Enhabit,
Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation (WECC),
EnergyWorks KC,
Baltimore Neighborhood Energy Challenge,
BetterBuildings for Greensboro,
Green and Healthy Homes Initiative,
Working Partnerships USA,
NYC Apollo Alliance,
Community Power Works,
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA),
RePower Bremerton,
Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP),
RePower Bainbridge,
Better Buildings Near Eastside Neighborhood Sweeps Program,
RePower Kitsap,
Michigan Saves,
Keystone Home Energy Loan Program (HELP),
EnergySmart,
Efficiency Vermont,
Long Island Green Homes,
Energy Impact Illinois,
Energize Bedford,
reEnergize

This practitioner-focused Toolkit for Residential Energy Efficiency Upgrade Programs was created by Green For All to assist new, established, and future energy efficiency programs launch and scale initiatives that can deliver the full promise of the green economy. It is intended as a practical resource that offers examples, tools, and templates that a program manager can deploy to implement a variety of aspects of their program including best practice briefs and summary documents, RFPs, contracts, and other program design and implementation templates that communities nationwide have used to create their own efficiency programs.

Resource - Tools & Calculators

Verifying Energy Efficiency Job Creation: Current Practices and Recommendations

Author(s)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date
2015
Organizations or Programs
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA),
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA),
Energy Right Solutions for Buisness,
Energy Right Solutions for Industry,
Efficiency Nova Scotia,
National Grid Energy Efficiency Program,
Energy Trust of Oregon,
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Programs,
Enhabit,
District of Columbia Sustainable Energy Utility,
BC Hydro,
Ontario Power Authority Industrial Accelerator Program,
Elevate Energy

Among the many benefits ascribed to energy efficiency is the fact that it can help create jobs. Although this is often used to motivate investments in efficiency programs, verifying job creation benefits is more complicated than it might seem at first. This paper identifies some of the issues that contribute to a lack of consistency in attempts to verify efficiency-related job creation. It then proposes an analytically rigorous and tractable framework for program evaluators to use in future assessments.

Resource - Publications

Reactions to the Residential Retrofit Roundtable Recommendations

Author(s)
Richard Faesy and Chris Kramer, Energy Futures Group (Prepared for the Energy Foundation)
Publication Date
2013
Organizations or Programs
Enhabit,
Michigan Saves,
BetterBuildings for Michigan,
Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP),
NeighborWorks H.E.A.T. Squad,
Energy Works,
Keystone Home Energy Loan Program (HELP),
Efficiency Maine,
Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance (GCEA)

This report explores the approaches and research needs identified in the Building Retrofit Industry and Market (BRIM) Initiative through in-depth discussion with residential energy upgrade experts including a discussion of Marketing & Outreach and the program/contractor interface.

Resource - Publications

Job Quality, Equitable Access and Quality Assurance Standards in Leading Residential Weatherization Programs

Author(s)
Community Benefits Law Center
Publication Date
2010
Organizations or Programs
Enhabit,
New Jersey Weatherization Assistance Program,
Delaware Weatherization Assistance Program,
Washington State Energy Program,
Community Power Works,
Santa Clara County AB811 Pilot Program

Summary of the standards that support job quality, equitable access and quality assurance in several residential energy efficiency programs from different parts of the country.

Resource - Publications

High Road Outcomes in Portland's Energy Efficiency Upgrade Pilot

Author(s)
Stacy Ho and Jeremy Hays, Green For All
Publication Date
2011
Organizations or Programs
Enhabit

This report highlights the impact of investment for Portland, Oregon in terms of high-quality job creation, equitable hiring, inclusive business opportunities, standardized training, and energy conservation.

Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Energize Connecticut Training Event Calendar

Author(s)
Energize Connecticut
Publication Date
2017
Organizations or Programs
Energize Connecticut

This calendar provides Energize Connecticut's participating contractors with information on upcoming energy efficiency and renewable energy, classes, seminars and conferences.

Resource - Program Materials

New Jersey's Clean Energy Program: Making it Work for Contractors & Programs

Author(s)
New Jersey Clean Energy
Publication Date
2014
Organizations or Programs
New Jersey Home Performance with ENERGY STAR

This presentation provides an overview of New Jersey Clean Energy's approach to contractor engagement, including contractor participation requirements, procedures for quality assurance and quality control, production incentives, training procedures, and an online contractor portal.

Resource - Program Materials

Request for Proposals for Phase V (Neighborhood Phase) of Clean Energy Works Portland (now Enhabit)

Author(s)
Clean Energy Works Oregon (now Enhabit)
Publication Date
2010
Organizations or Programs
Enhabit

This is an example of an RFP for workforce development and other program elements. The RFP covers recruitment, outreach and marketing oriented to homeowners and workers, and service delivery of energy assessments and upgrades.

Resource - Program Materials

Spotlight on Portland, Oregon: Making the Program Work for Contractors

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2011
Organizations or Programs
Enhabit

This case study discusses the strategies Clean Energy Works Oregon's (now Enhabit's) used to actively engage contractors to make the program successful (e.g., balancing contractors' work priorities, enforcing quality standards).

Resource - Case Studies

Content Type

  • Resource (12)
  • Tips for Success (4)

Resource Type

Program Components

  • Market Position & Business Model (7)
  • Program Design & Customer Experience (21)
  • Evaluation & Data Collection (12)
  • Marketing & Outreach (24)
  • Financing (23)
  • (-) Contractor Engagement & Workforce Development (16)

Program Design Phases

  • Overview (2)
  • Strategy Development (11)
  • Planning (12)
  • Implementation (13)
  • Evaluation (7)

States or Territories

  • Arizona (1)
  • British Columbia (1)
  • California (2)
  • Connecticut (2)
  • Illinois (2)
  • Maine (1)
  • Maryland (2)
  • Michigan (1)
  • Minnesota (1)
  • New Jersey (1)
  • New York (3)
  • Nova Scotia (1)
  • Ontario (1)
  • Oregon (12)
  • Rhode Island (1)
  • Texas (1)
  • Vermont (2)
  • Virginia (1)
  • Washington (3)
  • Washington DC (1)

Organizations or Programs

  • (-) Enhabit (13)
  • New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) (12)
  • Community Power Works (11)
  • Efficiency Maine (10)
  • Austin Energy (6)
  • Energy Impact Illinois (6)
  • RePower Kitsap (5)
  • Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP) (4)
  • Michigan Saves (4)
  • NeighborWorks H.E.A.T. Squad (4)
  • RePower Bainbridge (4)
  • Arizona Public Service (APS) (3)
  • BetterBuildings for Michigan (3)
  • Energy Upgrade California (3)
  • Long Island Green Homes (3)
  • NeighborWorks of Western Vermont (3)
  • RePower Bremerton (3)
  • Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA) (3)
  • Bridging the Gap (2)
  • Efficiency Vermont (2)
  • (-) Energize Connecticut (2)
  • EnergySmart Colorado (2)
  • Energy Trust of Oregon (2)
  • Fayette County Better Buildings Initiative (2)
  • Keystone Home Energy Loan Program (HELP) (2)
  • Knoxville Extreme Energy Makeover (2)
  • Nexus Energy Center (2)
  • reEnergize (2)
  • Arizona Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (1)
  • BetterBuildings for Greensboro (1)
  • Build It Green (1)
  • Chapel Hill WISE (1)
  • Community Energy Challenge (1)
  • Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge (1)
  • Consumers Energy (1)
  • Efficiency Nova Scotia (1)
  • Elevate Energy (1)
  • Energize Bedford (1)
  • Energize New York (1)
  • Energize Phoenix (1)
  • EnergySmart (1)
  • EnergyWorks (1)
  • EnergyWorks KC (1)
  • Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance (GCEA) (1)
  • Illinois Home Performance with Energy Star (1)
  • (-) New Jersey Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (1)
  • New Mexico Energy$mart (1)
  • Southwest Gas (1)
  • SustainableWorks (1)
  • Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation (WECC) (1)
Residential Program Guide is a resource of the U.S. Department of Energy's Building Technologies Office.
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