INDUSTRY NEWS

2000-Member HOME STAR Coalition Urges Obama to include Energy Efficiency Legislation in Small Business Jobs Bill

07/14/2010

WASHINGTON -- The HOME STAR Coalition, a diverse group of nationally recognized companies, labor and environmental organizations and associations, today issued an open letter to President Obama and the United States Senate encouraging the inclusion of the bi-partisan HOME STAR legislation in the Small Business Jobs bill. (The Home Star Coalition letter can be viewed here) The HOME STAR Coalition also announced its membership increased to over 2,000 small and medium sized businesses and organizations from every state in the country who stand in support of HOME STAR and its widespread benefits for job creation, savings for homeowners, and energy efficiency.

"HOME STAR is the right investment for the country at the right time. That time is now," said Tracy Price, CEO of The Linc Group. "Energy efficiency is not a partisan issue, as it helps move us toward greater energy independence and enhances our national security. This program is targeted at the largest marketplace in the country, existing homes, and will create jobs in a new industry that will thrive for decades."

"The sooner HOME STAR is signed into law, the sooner we can get tens of thousands of American small businesspeople - contractors, insulation installers, caulkers, and others - back to work," said Kate Offringa, president and CEO of CNAIMA, representing 1,300 companies and institutions across the country advocating the adoption of HOME STAR.

"Small businesses across America are ready, and homeowners are waiting, for HOME STAR to become law. The average size of home retrofit contracting firms is four to eight employees - small businesses that are hurt by the recession, ripe for creating jobs, and desperate for HOME STAR to pass. When Americans invest in their homes, they invest in our communities by building the market for local, quality jobs that bring contractors back to work," said Greg Thomas, Chair of Efficiency First, a non-profit which represents nearly 1,000 business owners in all 50 states.

The HOME STAR legislation has bi-partisan support and 25 co-sponsors in the Senate. HOME STAR also has the support of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).

Steve Cowell, CEO of Conservation Services Group, said, "HOME STAR will help avoid a double-dip recession by adding jobs at a critical time but it will also help reduce home energy costs for millions of Americans thus making overall housing costs more affordable."

"The continued attention to HOME STAR shows that our elected representatives in Washington realize the enormous potential of energy efficiency incentives. These programs offer consumers a way to save energy, save money, and help bolster America's struggling manufacturing sector. With appropriate incentives for consumers, HOME STAR can help get the American economic engine running again," said Stephen R. Yurek, President and CEO, AHRI (Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute).

HOME STAR is a market-driven, low-bureaucracy program that would create jobs fast by scaling the existing home energy efficiency improvement industry. HOME STAR would use rebates and tax incentives to spur more Americans to start making their homes more energy efficient. It would establish a streamlined rebate program to encourage immediate investment in energy-efficient appliances, building mechanical systems and insulation, and whole-home energy efficiency retrofits. Consumers nationwide would embrace HOME STAR because it will be simple, accessible, and help them save money.

"Rarely is there an opportunity like HOME STAR with such wide-spread benefit - creating immediate jobs, helping consumers save money on their energy bills, all while helping the environment and our energy independence," said Larry Laseter, president of WellHome. "Unfortunately, while awareness of home energy efficiency grows, consumers are delaying the retrofit work itself in anticipation of the HOME STAR incentives. The consumer demand exists, jobs are waiting to be filled, and we need this legislation now."

HOME STAR would help to kick start the comeback of our country's hard-hit construction industry. The Coalition estimates the legislation would create 168,000 new jobs in construction and related industries over the next two years. This would have a big impact because one out of four construction workers is currently unemployed.

"HOME STAR is an essential step to help Americans save on their energy bills while spurring the creation of good jobs and new industries that drive economic recovery and help our country achieve energy independence," said Kevin Pranis, Director of Home Performance for Change to Win.

"Investing in HOME STAR for our homes and buildings is the cleanest, cheapest, and fastest way to save energy," said Michael Brune, Sierra Club Executive Director. "By reducing the amount of energy simply going to waste, HOME STAR would allow hard-hit consumers to see immediate reductions in their energy bills, but it would also put tens of thousands of Americans back to work in skilled construction and manufacturing jobs almost immediately - making it an easy win for both the economy and the environment."

For more information about HOME STAR and the HOME STAR Coalition visit homestarcoalition.org