Deep green vets introduction 030113 for public distribution

Editor's Notes

• #2: BPCA wants to support the creation of jobs for returning veterans by helping them to form worker-owned cooperative businesses that perform energy efficiency remodeling services in underserved areas of New York State. The BPCA training trailer is a significant component of this effort.
• #3: For those of you that are unfamiliar with BPCA, we are a 501c6 whose members are primarily energy efficiency contracting companies, building science consultants, and Energy Star raters. BPCA is focused on building up the marketplace and the businesses of our members through market transformation for energy efficiency services. Within this context, we function mostly as an training organization – specifically addressing advanced topics on energy efficiency diagnostics, deep retrofits, and building performance. I’ve been in this role as Executive Director for about 6 months, so some of the things on this list are new directions for BPCA, while some of them we have been doing since our inception. For example, we have offered classroom training with some of the biggest names in the building performance industry since day one. Due to the rising costs of travel - and the fact that everyone is so damn busy these days – we are now transitioning more to offering webinars, and also two-way interactive video-conference training – where we’ll have a day of training that involves a stream of experts interacting from their offices – talking directly with small groups of trainees through two-way video-conference – so the trainees can see the trainer at the front of the room – larger than life, and the trainer can see the class through a fish-eye webcam set up in the front of the room. Very personal, very interactive – very green. But many of the skills required by this industry can only be acquired in real-time –in the field, and so we are building this mobile training lab so we can offer individualized field mentoring around the state in conjunction with actual projects that are underway. We have always worked closely with the Building Performance Institute, and we are in the process of becoming a BPI test center under their new guidelines, so we are building a network of proctors around the state. And we are starting to offer training and testing services for RESNET – the Residential Energy Services Network – and BPCA is one of the oldest and largest ratings providers in the country supporting the EPA’s Energy Star Homes program. We are getting more vocal in the public arena, building up our brand with consumers by offering a speakers bureau that brings energy efficiency closer to home in communities around the state and beyond And coming soon, BPCA will be offering a clearinghouse for back-office software services which will allow small companies to ramp up without having to add staff (until they are ready). Services will include: - Manual J / D / S / T - TREAT - REM/Rate plan reviews - ResCheck - Code compliance plan checks - and others as requested… We are working to create a network of BPCA members that are interested in doing this type of work – and a chat-room type interface where these sorts of transactions can occur. So that’s just a quick introduction to BPCA and what we are up to – so, we got that out of the way, now lets move on to talk about mold.
• #4: In September 2012, group of US legislators opposed a non-partisan bill to create jobs for integrating returning veterans into the workforce. There’s no need to wait for their permission. We have a critical need to reduce our nation’s dependence on fossil fuels. Returning veterans give us the manpower to get the job done. We need a realistic and immediate path forward. With the NYSERDA mobile training lab, BPCA has all the equipment and business support tools necessary to train veterans and grow these businesses. BPCA has a mobile training lab and a lot of heart.  
• #5: On a national (and global) level, these are the forces driving the market. As reported by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the daily global consumption of crude oil has risen by 22 percent in the past 16 years, and the price of crude has increased nearly eightfold in the same period. Gasoline demand in the same period jumped approximately 44 percent – as the traded futures price of gasoline increased six times. Clearly, the amount by which the price has risen seems to have exceeded the degree by which demand has grown. There are several reasons why the fuel prices will continue to rise. First, one of the reason for prices remaining high is the upward pressure for gasoline during its peak demand season. Apparently, gasoline supplies in the United States is inadequate to get through the peak season, as indicated by the continuous falling gasoline inventory. This summer America's gasoline demand continued to increase at such a speed that the existing refining capacity found it hard for supply to keep pace with demand. Even though the peak driving season is now behind us, with the peak heating fuel season approaching, the market may continue to experience upward product price pressures. Second, the oil market is a global one, and America is not the only large consumer. With countries like China and India consuming an increasing amount of oil, global demand for oil is rising faster than global supply. As a result, oil prices are rising throughout the world, which leads to higher gas prices in America. Third, the ongoing battles and volatility in Iraq have a tremendous impact on the oil market. Furthermore, the loss of production in Iraq is an unsettling example of the disruption a small group of guerrillas can create. It sparks global fears that the same type of disruption could happen to Saudi Arabia or Russia. For a market already facing a tight fuel supply, that would represent a huge challenge and strain. To solve the problem, we must undergo a rapid change.
• #6: While the causes of climate change is still subject to debate, the statistics are real. And the response world-wide has been decisive. We in the U.S. have been shielded from this by a federal government heavily influenced by the oil industry – but now the Obama administration is taking climate change seriously – and yet unwilling to take significant measures due to the current state of the economy. Eventually, the cost of producing carbon will start to be reflected somewhere. It is not exactly clear where, but it will further drive the momentum to avoid waste and promote efficiency.
• #8: Pictures used with acknowledgement to Alleghany Power, PAHomeEnergy and PSD. They will be changed out with other non-proprietary images before this document is finalized.
• #9: Pretty standard HP business model here, which we are pushing in underserved areas on NYS. One thing I learned as part of Performance Systems contracting company - if you want that guy to do the best job in the very back corner of the attic, it helps a great deal if he's some sort of vested interest in the company.
• #12: Will have a vested interest in properly addressing every corner of the attic ONLY if they have a stake in the company!
• #15: Home Performance audits and projects as per NYSERDA 2012 Energy efficiency craftsman will have more vested interest in properly addressing every corner of the attic if they have a stake in the company!
• #16: co-operative principles are guidelines by which co-operatives put their values into practice. 1st Principle: Voluntary and Open Membership Co-operatives are voluntary organisations, open to all persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimination. 2nd Principle: Democratic Member Control Co-operatives are democratic organisations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting their policies and making decisions. Men and women serving as elected representatives are accountable to the membership. In primary co-operatives members have equal voting rights (one member, one vote) and co-operatives at other levels are also organised in a democratic manner. 3rd Principle: Member Economic Participation Members contribute equitably to, and democratically control, the capital of their co-operative. At least part of that capital is usually the common property of the co-operative. Members usually receive limited compensation, if any, on capital subscribed as a condition of membership. Members allocate surpluses for any or all of the following purposes: developing their co-operative, possibly by setting up reserves, part of which at least would be indivisible; benefiting members in proportion to their transactions with the co-operative; and supporting other activities approved by the membership. 4th Principle: Autonomy and Independence Co-operatives are autonomous, self-help organisations controlled by their members. If they enter to agreements with other organisations, including governments, or raise capital from external sources, they do so on terms that ensure democratic control by their members and maintain their co-operative autonomy. 5th Principle: Education, Training and Information Co-operatives provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers, and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their co-operatives. They inform the general public – particularly young people and opinion leaders – about the nature and benefits of co-operation. 6th Principle: Co-operation among Co-operatives Co-operatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the co-operative movement by working together through local, national, regional and international structures. 7th Principle: Concern for Community Co-operatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies approved by their members.
• #17: BPCA has 178 member companies – most of which will be actively supportive of this effort. Just-in-time building science tech support is on the horizon, but probably farther off than the consideration of this business plan will allow. Nonetheless, it is currently a missing component of the “marketplace transformation continuum” that I hope to add at some point. Pictures belong to PA Home Energy program and Performance Systems
• #18: These are resources that are available to BPCA to support this effort.