RESTalk Bill Spohn

"Advocacy is the mirror reflecting the voices of the community into the corridors of power."
- Unknown
In today’s podcast we cover the topic of advocacy and public policy in the context of the residential energy sector learning from our guests Robert Pegues, General Manager of Technical Delivery at US Ecologic, and RESNET board member, and Carl Chidlow, a lobbyist representing RESNET. Robert shares his background in the sector, highlighting his experience at last year’s policy forum and his involvement with regional and national energy councils. Carl provides insights into RESNET's efforts to engage with policymakers through the RESNET Policy Forum, emphasizing the importance of practitioner involvement in legislative processes and the positive outcomes from bipartisan support on issues like the 45L tax credit and VA home loans.
Our main discussion revolves around the upcoming 2024 RESNET Policy Forum, where industry professionals will convene to advocate for energy efficiency and housing policies. Carl explains the event's objectives and the practical aspects of participating, such as scheduled meetings with Congress members and the importance of constituency in policy advocacy, a truly turnkey process for the participant. Our narrative underlines the significance of direct engagement in shaping policies that affect the residential energy sector.
The conversation also touches on the practical and personal aspects of participating in such an event, with Robert sharing his initial apprehensions and eventual satisfaction from influencing policy and advocating for industry concerns. Both Carl and Robert encourage listeners to participate in the policy forum, highlighting the opportunity to affect change and the foundational American right to petition the government. The episode concludes with a call to action for listeners to consider attending the policy forum and engaging in the democratic process to advocate for their industry and interests.

Robert’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-pegues-785622a7/
Carl’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-chidlow-7816ba37/
Link to the 2024 Policy Forum: https://www.resnet.us/2024-policy-forum/

RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage.
Learn more at www.RESNET.us.
Or for more info on this topic, contact RESNET at INFO@RESNET.US
 
 

"I never dreamed about success. I worked for it."
- Estée Lauder
 
We welcome Sharla Riead, Lead Instructor at Energy Smart Institute and Emelie Cuppernell Glitch, VP Programs at Performance Systems Development to focusing on the recognition of women in the HERS (Home Energy Rating System) rating industry. Sharla shares her extensive background, beginning with founding an energy auditing company in 1979, which evolved into a HERS rating company, and subsequently into roles in quality assurance and training within the industry. She emphasizes her company's impact and the shift she has observed towards greater female involvement in the sector.
Emelie details her journey in the industry, from her initial interest in science and residential energy to her current role as vice president of Performance Systems Development. She discusses the challenges she faced as a woman in the field, including overcoming assumed biases and the importance of establishing credibility. She reflects on the changing landscape for women in the industry, noting improvements and sharing a personal anecdote illustrating past gender assumptions.
The conversation concludes with advice for women entering the industry, highlighting the importance of continuous learning, self-trust, and getting outside one’s comfort zone. Both guests underline the evolving nature of the industry, noting an increase in female participation, the growing list of role models and encouraging more women to join. They stress the value of diversity and the need for different perspectives in building science and energy efficiency, illustrating the industry’s ongoing transformation and the significant contributions of women.
Links To Sharla and Emelie on LinkedIn are below along with a Press Release from the RESNET’s Inaugural Class Recognizing Women Pioneers in the HERS Industry during the 2023 conference held in San Diego, CA.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharla-riead/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/emelie-cuppernell-glitch-a8647b26/
https://www.resnet.us/about/inaugural-class-of-resnet-recognition-of-women-pioneers-in-hers-industry/

RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage.
Learn more at www.RESNET.us.
Or for more info on this topic, contact RESNET at INFO@RESNET.US

The best way to predict your future is to create it.
- Abraham Lincoln
 
Data is king, they say. How can the RESNET Quality Assurance (QA) app's data insights revolutionize how we rate energy-efficient homes?
 
Imagine a world where getting your home energy rating was made easier by using a smartphone app. Is that the future the RESNET QA app promises?
 
Our trio of guests, Quality Assurance Designees (QADs) Cassandra Wright from Strand Systems and Leo Jansen from Energy Efficient Homes Midwest, and RESNET Quality Assurance Field  Specialist Billy Giblin, help us to understand the development and application of the new RESNET QA app, a tool designed to improve the quality and consistency of home energy ratings. Here are some key points:
 
Background:
The QA checklist was created to address concerns about inconsistencies in quality assurance (QA) reviews.
The checklist evolved through several versions and became a mandatory provider requirement.
The need for better data access and tracking led to development of the QA app.
 
The App:
Available on the Apple Store, Google Play, and as a web app.
Streamlines the QA process by pulling data from the RESNET Buildings Registry.
Saves time and reduces manual entries.
Allows providers to control access for their QADs.
 
Future Plans:
Integrate with other energy efficiency programs like Energy Star Indoor airPlus and Zero Energy Ready Homes.
Create a forum for QADs to ask questions and share best practices.
Develop dashboards for providers and QADs to track their QA and performance.
Implement an API for providers who want to use their own tools for QA.
 
Benefits:
Improves transparency and consistency in QA reviews.
Provides valuable data for tracking and improving performance.
Reduces the workload for QADs and providers.
 
Challenges:
Providers who use a retroactive QA model may need to adjust their process.
Learning curve for using the new app and API.
 
Overall, the RESNET QA app is a positive step towards improving the quality and consistency of home energy ratings. Everyone will need time to adjust to the new system, but the potential benefits are significant.

Link to RESNET site with info on the QA app: www.resnet.us/about/qa/resnet-qa-app/



RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage.
Learn more at www.RESNET.us.
Or for more info on this topic, contact RESNET at INFO@RESNET.US
 

Time is neutral and does not change things.
With courage and initiative, leaders change things.
- Jesse Jackson
 
The advent of a new year naturally brings broader thinking, more introspection, and the creation of future goals.
What future goal has RESNET’s board recently adopted?
What near-term initiatives create the path to that goal?
How confident is RESNET in meeting that goal?
What is “embodied passion index?” 

In 2024’s inaugural episode of RESTALK, Steve Baden and Mark Johnson discuss RESNET’s ambitious goal of achieving one million ratings by the end of 2028. This goal represents a significant shift towards a goal-driven budget, breaking away from traditional year-to-year budgeting. The board's decision to set such an audacious goal is based on several factors, including the increasing demand for housing, the need for energy efficiency in homes, and the availability of new tools and initiatives.
 
One key initiative is the collaboration between RESNET and the International Code Council (ICC) to improve compliance with energy codes. This involves training and certifying RESNET HERS (Home Energy Rating System) raters who can play a crucial role in ensuring compliance. The extension and amendment of the 45L tax credit also provides incentives for builders to focus on energy efficiency in homes. Additionally, the use of HERS index scores as a matrix for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting by production builders and the growth of green bond programs by finance organizations further demonstrate the industry's commitment to sustainability.
 
The interview also highlights RESNET’s efforts in developing a water efficiency index, a carbon index for homes, and the promising build-to-rent movement, which addresses the housing shortage while promoting energy-efficient homes. The conversation concludes with both Steve and Mark expressing confidence in RESNET’s ability to achieve its ambitious goal, driven by the passion and commitment of the industry and the growing demand for energy-efficient and sustainable homes.


RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage.
Learn more at www.RESNET.us
Or for more info on this topic contact RESNET at INFO@RESNET.US
 

That’s the funny thing about time. It is only in looking back that it’s easy to connect the dots. 
To see exactly why everything needed to happen the way that it did.
- Rebecca Serle
 
11 episodes, 11 topics, 17 different guests and over 5 hours of RES-Talking in 2023!
We covered a lot of ground in the RESTalk podcast in 2023, now going into our 6th year of episodes.
We hope we stimulated your thinking and moved you into action in this ever-evolving world of home energy ratings and peripheral topics.
Listen in to this fast-paced recap of the year in RESTalk, maybe you missed a detail or two in these nuggets we have mined.

If you’d like to dig a little deeper into the topics covered in these episodes, see the list mentioned in each section below.

PART A: Organization. Systems & Affiliates


Episode
Speaker(s)
Topic
LINK
112
Steve Baden John Hensley
2023 RESNET Mission, Goals and Priorities
LINK
114
Mark Johnson and Cy Kilbourn
Meet the new RESNET board leaders
LINK
121
Clara Hedrick and Emma Bennett
Back Together and Stronger, the RESNET 2023 Conference
LINK



PART B: Buildings and Building Data


Episode
Speaker(s)
Topic
LINK
116
Ryan Meres
RESNET Data Sheds Light on Energy Efficient Home Trends
LINK
117
James Rodriguez & Ned Munoz
Learn about the HERS Index and Texas House Bill 3215
LINK
120
Robert Broad
Energy Efficient Homebuilding at Scale with Robert Broad of AMH Development
LINK
122
Michael Lee
Best Practices in Construction Technology Education
LINK


PART C: Carbon, ESG and HERS Zero


Episode
Speaker(s)
Topic
LINK
113
Phililp Fairey David Goldstein
Update on RESNET Carbon Index
LINK
115
Chris Magwood
The New RESNET Embodied Carbon Advisory Committee
LINK
118
Rob Lochner & David Best
Santa Fe's Habitat for Humanity building homes with HERS-ZERO scores
LINK
119
Matthew Cooper
RESNET® Appoints New ESG Advisory Group
LINK




RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage.
Learn more at www.RESNET.us
Or for more info on this topic contact RESNET at INFO@RESNET.US
 

Whatever good things we build end up building us.
-Jim Rohn
 
In today’s episode we chat with Michael Lee coordinator of the Construction Technology Program at Texarkana College in Texarkana, TX.
 
We learn of his back story which led him to this role. He thoughtfully describes the approach he has taken to build the construction technology department at Texarkana College.
 
Michael describes the students that come through the program, where they come from, what they’re taught, and where they end up working. 
 
He spends extra effort in enriching his instruction by getting the students out into the field at events, (like the recent RESNET Texas Home Builders Association event), into factories or by bringing in guest instructors.
 
We also discuss how he includes the principles of energy efficient construction including the house as a system approach, HERS scoring and using the latest techniques and materials.
 
Details on the construction program in the following links:
 
https://www.texarkanacollege.edu/programs/construction-technology/



https://catalog.texarkanacollege.edu/article/construction-technology-associate-applied-science/
Degree plan: https://catalog.texarkanacollege.edu/article/construction-technology-associate-applied-science/

The Construction Technology program making the news:
https://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/2022/oct/11/tc-construction-students-build-new-picnic-tables/
A couple of Mike’s favorite learning resources:
https://www.apawood.org/publication-search
https://buildshownetwork.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@essentialcraftsman
You can reach Michael via the Texarkana college website at: https://www.texarkanacollege.edu/faculty-and-staff-resources/?
 
 
RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage.
Learn more at www.RESNET.us
Or for more info on this topic contact RESNET at INFO@RESNET.US