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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lake One-Stop Inc. recently hosted Lake County’s first subsidized Building Professional Institute “building analyst” training workshops last week, Nov. 14-18, at the Lakeport One-Stop.
Twelve local contractors, education instructors, business owners and entrepreneurs learned how to do comprehensive whole-house energy-efficiency assessments as part of the week long training.
Participants included Jonas Heating and Air, Fresh Energy Systems, Rowser Construction, Devalle Construction, John Grunier, Fosco Green Point, Tri County Solar, Habitat for Humanity, Draft Busters and A.C.E.S.
Thanks to a subsidy, cost for this training was only $65, instead of the usual $1,800.
The program was brought to Lake County with assistance from Energy Upgrade California, The Conservation Services Group, Renewable Energy Development Institute (REDI) and instructed by Mark Crumpton (Conservation Services Group).
“This is an amazing opportunity for this group to tap into the Energy Upgrade California program, and put more people to work,” said Lake One-Stop Inc. Executive Director Seth DeSimone.
Contractors need this certification to become a participating contractor with the Energy Upgrade California program, which offers homeowners more than $4,000 in rebates for energy-efficient home improvements.
Energy-efficiency upgrades are becoming big business right now in California, with a multitude of substantial rebates, incentives and subsidy programs available to homeowners and to renters, too.
Some of the programs are income or age-qualified available to lower-income or senior residents only and some are available to all income levels.
“We have something for everyone,” said REDI's Terry Phenicie. “It might be just a $200 rebate or it might be $4,000 in incentives; it might be a grant; it could very well be a link to a lender for a highly subsidized solar program.”
Energy Upgrade California offers incentives for air sealing, attic insulation, duct sealing, low-flow showerheads, high-efficiency furnaces, energy-efficient cooling systems and water heaters, dual pane energy-efficient windows and more.
Not only are these programs a great deal for residents, they are a form of economic stimulus for the Country, Phenicie said.
“We're bringing monies back to the county through these programs. When residents save money on their utility bills, they can spend it on other goods and services,” Phenicie said. “Upgrading the energy efficiency of homes improves their value. Also, the training is giving local contractors a new skill set.”
Contractors certified to do energy upgrades will be buying equipment and materials from local outlets, also helping with the local economy.
To learn more about these energy-efficiency programs and many others visit www.energyupgradeca.org and www.redinet.org.
