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Session Title: The Home Energy Audit: An Exercise in Complex Systems Thinking for Practitioners and Evaluators Alike
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Multipaper Session 790 to be held in BOWIE A on Saturday, Nov 13, 10:55 AM to 12:25 PM
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Sponsored by the Systems in Evaluation TIG
and the Environmental Program Evaluation TIG
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| Chair(s): |
| Daniel Folkman,
University of Wisconsin, Milwakee, folkman@uwm.edu
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A Small Contractor’s Perspective: From Business Operations, to Customer Education, to Changing Rules and Regulations in the Home Improvement and Restoration Industry
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| Presenter(s):
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| Juanita M Ellias, Rivercity Woodworking LLC, rivercitywoodwrk@sbcglobal.net
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| Abstract:
This presentation provides an overview of the opportunities and challenges that small home improvement contractors faces when dealing with residential energy conservation. Multiple systems are at play including a) sustaining and growing a small business operation, b) educating customers about the realistic energy savings opportunities, c) dispelling exaggerated and misleading claims of energy saving technologies, and d) entering a treadmill of technical certifications that are mandated by state and local governments. These issues will be discussed in light of this presenters experience in transforming a small artisan shop into a home performance energy consulting business. This shift in business plan was made to provide an educational service to prospective clients interested in both historic restoration and energy conservation.
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