NCBPA sent this email to all member companies on December 31, 2017 to inform them of the great work our association performed throughout 2017 to their benefit, and that of our industry. Now, we’re sharing this information with the non-member companies and the general public to demonstrate our commitment to industry and member growth opportunities.
December 31, 2017
Dear Members,
On behalf of NCBPA’s staff and Board of Directors, I’d like to thank you for making 2017 our best and most successful year yet! As you will see in our year in review below, we accomplished a lot on behalf of our member companies and professionals.
But, we know that just “doing” a lot is less important than creating real, tangible value for each and every one of our member companies and professionals. That is our ongoing goal.
As we enter our fifth year in business, NCBPA will continue to refine our work to ensure that it’s beneficial to you. Your membership dues, participation in Trade Councils and feedback help us ensure that what we’re doing is needed and valuable.
Please continue your support of our work by remaining a member company and becoming more engaged as a member professional. Doing so will return value to your business and your career, both in the short and long-term.
I’d like to recognize the invaluable contributions of two of our Board Members – Michael Peaden of Prime Energy Group and Jonathan Sergeant of Greenville Utilities – whose terms end this month. Our association and industry have grown considerably thanks to their contributions over the past two years and we will miss their participation on our Board.
Cheers to a successful 2017 and even greater success for us all in 2018!
Ryan
Founder & Executive Director
Viewpoint from the Board:
Jon Jacob on what he values the most about NCBPA
Jon Jacob, Energy Solutions Manager at Blue Ridge Energy
NCBPA Board Secretary
NCBPA is all about high performance buildings and people. When I need a contractor for any type of energy efficiency improvement project, my first stop is the NCBPA member directory. In my experience, they will deliver the highest quality work and a customer experience that meets the high standards we expect at electric cooperatives.
I attended two outstanding NCBPA events in Raleigh and Charlotte this year. The sessions were focused, informative and entertaining and the networking was outstanding. Now, I’m doing business with several companies I met through NCBPA events.
Serving on the NCBPA Board of Directors is an extension of how I serve members of Blue Ridge Energy by helping them save energy, save money and enjoy more comfortable homes. Building performance helps make life better for our members and NCBPA is a great ally for coops and utilities looking to drive energy efficiency and economic development.
NCBPA’s 2017 Year In Review:
Highlights from our most successful year in business
Member Services:
- Began the year with roughly 325 members and ended with 219 due to expirations from a one-year trial membership for High Performance Building Council of the Triangle members.
- Delivered an informative e-newsletter every single week of 2017.
- Recorded member testimonial videos and promoted across social media and web platforms.
- Communicated industry action alerts and new business opportunities throughout the year.
- Worked with ACEEE to record member and consumer testimonials and promote across social media and web platforms.
- Launched new member offering to file anonymous complaints to licensing boards on behalf of interested members.
- Promoted member news and case studies on our websites, social media and newsletters.
- Began implementing new membership management system that will offer members better services, access to NCBPA resources and communications in 2018.
- Provided technical assistance and business guidance to member professionals to support their businesses.
- Offered roughly 100 direct member leads and referrals through our websites and events.
- Increased volume in our RESNET Rating Providership while adjusting fees in 2018 to allow low-volume rating companies to save money.
Workforce Development:
- Presented to community college and university students about career opportunities in our industry.
- Connected more than 25 students, interns and professionals to jobs through the Job Seekers page on our website.
- Began developing insulation contractor and crawlspace contractor certification programs.
- Posted more than 50 jobs from member companies on the Job Board page on our website.
- Supported student education through our own internal Internship Program that brought on four summer interns, one fall intern and the hiring of two interns for part-time positions.
Market Valuation:
- Continued leading efforts to “Green” NC’s MLS directories.
- Spent 7 months developing NCBPA’s 2017 annual Inventory Report that will be released in late January or early February.
- Opposed RESNET’s data access policy on behalf of member companies and obtained approval from RESNET for an NC-based Green MLS pilot.
- Obtained grant funding from NAHB for a sales price analysis on high performance homes vs. code-built homes in NC’s three largest metro markets. Presenting preliminary results at NAHB’s IBS conference in January prior to public release.
Consumer Education:
- Continued making upgrades to www.HomeEnergyNC.org that include the addition of solar PV, battery storage and a Green Building tab.
- Performed 4 months of research and development on commercial building performance that will be included in the launch of www.BuildingPerformanceNC.org in Q1 2018.
- Worked with three masters students from Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment to create a report on “Increasing Homeowner Demand for Energy Efficiency Retrofits” that has been used to support our consumer education work in 2017.
- Obtained grant funding from Duke University’s Carbon Offsets Initiative to offer employee-focused education workshop on home energy efficiency through www.HomeEnergyNC.org.
Events:
- Held nearly three dozen networking events and educational workshops across the state.
- Held federal lobby day in Washington, DC with members to support continued appropriations for weatherization programs, the ENERGY STAR program, new and existing residential energy efficiency tax rebates and incentives, the geothermal tax credit and PACE financing.
- Held in-person and phone meetings for Trade Councils focused on Commercial Buildings, Insulation Contractors and Crawlspace Contractors.
- Held more than a dozen online webinars that were recorded and archived for member viewing.
- Held NCBPA’s fourth annual High Performance Buildings Conference in Charlotte with 250 attendees.
- Held one-day quarterly meetings in Raleigh and Greensboro.
- Partnered with Home Performance Coalition to hold the first-ever Southeast Regional Home Performance Conference in Greenville, SC.
- Delivered 9 energy code educational workshops across South Carolina in preparation for doing the same in North Carolina in 2018.
- Attended state, regional and national conferences to advocate for industry support in North Carolina and bring beneficial information back to our members.
Policy and Legislation:
- Created “Business Case for Energy Efficiency” policy report and began presenting it to legislators, municipalities, state government officials and partner organizations.
- Obtained grant funding from Energy Foundation for our fourth consecutive year to support energy efficiency advocacy efforts.
- Began meeting with Governor’s office and committees to obtain support for energy efficiency and implement recommendations from our statewide “roadmap” for energy efficiency investment.
- Began meeting with municipalities to support their efforts to adopt local ordinances and policies that support high performance construction.
- Wrote our first bill for Commercial Property Assessed Capital Expenditures (C-PACE) and nearly passed it in the first legislative session.
- Lobbied against state legislature’s proposed budget reductions to State Energy Office, Utility Service Initiative and Performance Contracting programs.
Building and Energy Code:
- Participated in committee and council meetings with NC Building Code Council to help craft NC’s 2018 building and energy code.
- Led advocacy efforts for 6 months against residential energy efficiency roll-back proposal.
- Working with Governor’s office on appointments for residential and commercial seats.
- Drafted plans for 2018 residential and commercial energy code improvement proposals.
- Planning energy code training workshops for builders, contractors and code officials across the state in 2018 with partner organizations.
Industry Partnerships:
- Joined the new NC Health, Safety and Comfort Coalition to increase workforce development and regulatory collaboration amongst industry trade groups.
- Worked with national and regional policy partners to support our energy efficiency advocacy efforts.
- Setup and established operations for South Carolina Building Performance Association (SCBPA).
- Led the rebranding and reorganization of Efficiency First Maryland to become Maryland Building Performance Association (MDBPA).
- Supported in-state partner events and activities with: USGBC, NCSEA, Building Enclosure Council, Green Built Alliance, Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster, NC Community Action Association, E4 Carolinas and many others.
NCBPA’s 2018 Plans:
Bringing greater success and profitability to member companies
- Holding multiple networking and educational workshops across the state each quarter.
- Launching a new association website and member portal in January.
- Re-launching a new and improved www.HomeEnergyNC.org website in Q1 that will increase member leads and referrals.
- Launching a new commercial buildings education website in Q1.
- Focusing on legislative activities during NC’s short legislation session in mid-May through July.
- Establishing formal workforce development programs and resources that support job recruitment and career opportunities in our industry.
- Performing our fourth annual inventory report in the summer with a focus on the existing residential and commercial buildings markets.
- Completing a “Green” MLS pilot with one MLS in the state.
- Establishing crawlspace and insulation contracting certification programs with in-person training workshops offered throughout the second half of the year.
- Implementing quarterly and reoccurring membership dues billing functionality.
- Working towards the successful implementation of key policy activities:
- Development of an Energy Efficiency Potential Study for North Carolina.
- Development of a state-supported plan for residential and commercial energy, water and performance benchmarking.
- State-government recognition of “Energy Efficiency First” as North Carolina’s agreed-upon strategy for addressing current and future energy needs.
