or Release:
May 30, 2008

Tiger Adolf
Executive Director
Wyoming Energy Council
Office: 307.742.0313
Email: tadolf@wyoec.org

Wyoming Energy Council scores endorsement

CHEYENNE - The Building Performance Institute (BPI) - the nation's premier resource for guiding the use of integrated building science knowledge and technology in the home improvement market - has qualified Wyoming Energy Council, Inc. (WEC) as a BPI affiliate in Wyoming.

Integrated building science is the art of systematically evaluating the energy usage and safety performance of a home. Many homes have high levels of air infiltration, lack wall insulation, have inefficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems with leaky duct systems, and inefficient hot water systems and appliances. This means that many homes do not work very well, have unnecessarily high energy bills, are uncomfortable, and often are unsafe. Using appropriate diagnostic equipment to do testing and analysis, BPI-certified contractors have the knowledge and skills to install all improvements in accordance with current industry best practices.

Wyoming Energy Council is able to provide residential contractors and energy consultants in Wyoming with energy efficiency and building science training, mentoring, proctoring for the BPI's certification tests, as well as other technical assistance and field support.

"We are pleased to be an affiliate of BPI, whose approach to contractor training and certification programs, strikes the right balance between realizing energy savings while maintaining the health and safety of Wyoming residents," said Tiger Adolf, Executive Director of Wyoming Energy Council. “Since Wyoming has not adopted a statewide building or energy efficiency code, BPI certification allows those contractors who care about quality to take the next step in distinguishing themselves from the competition."

Adolf said introducing BPI standards will raise the bar in performance contracting, and spread the message that applying the principles of building science can improve homes, save energy, as well as address health and safety issues to improve quality of life.

The national expansion of BPI's quality assurance program through state and local affiliates has been supported by grants and other awards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as well as various regional, state, and local programs. WEC supports the EPA and DOE in promoting the principles of building performance contracting through the national Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program. Because of these national efforts, a growing number of utilities and other funding organizations in 22 states are either sponsoring, or considering sponsoring, local and regional Home Performance with ENERGY STAR programs.

About Wyoming Energy Council, Inc.

The Wyoming Energy Council is nonprofit organization headquartered in Laramie, with a branch office in Cheyenne. The mission of Wyoming Energy Council is to promote and further the conservation of non-renewable energy resources and the development of renewable energy resources. Since its inception, The Wyoming Energy Council has provided low-income weatherization services to citizens of Wyoming through the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) and the Weatherization Assistance Program. The Wyoming Energy Council’s crew of building performance professionals currently serves all of Albany, Laramie, and Carbon Counties and provides 15-20 jobs in the Cheyenne and Laramie area, serving more than 240 families per year.

The Wyoming Energy Council is the Environmental Protection Agency/Department of Energy partner bringing Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® to Wyoming with support from the Wyoming Business Council’s State Energy Program. The Wyoming Energy Council is currently developing the Wyoming Home Performance Alliance to provide utilities and natural resource developers with options for helping their customers in Wyoming, while avoiding bureaucratic delay and administrative burden. For more information contact the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Coordinator at whpes@wyoec.org or 307-742-9924 or go to: www.wyominghomeperformance.com; www.wyoec.org; www.hpwes.org; www.bpi.org; www.energystar.gov .

The mission of the Wyoming Business Council is to facilitate the economic growth of Wyoming. For more information, please visit our Web site at www.wyomingbusiness.org.

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