A Larger Appeal Against Home Performance Testing and a BPI Mafia

Thanks to this news item:
http://energytrust.org/trade-ally/updates-and-events/insidernewsletter/?article=id_46
I learned who in Oregon has interest in the competent service of home performance testers.
The following, one-sided, so far, conversation results:

Sent to State of Oregon, on June 10th, 2010:

Hello Craig,

My experience through five years of extremely diligent service as an Energy Trust Trade Ally  is that a blower door test never beats diligent sight inspection, in finding the problems needing repair in a house. Money should never be wasted in testing distraction, by people with no competence or interest in the repairs. All sponsor and consumer money should be spent on just doing the work. I speak out on this at my blog:

http://energyconservationhowto.blogspot.com/

Please do not hold interest-conflicted and often dishonest home performance inspectors, to a lower standard than professional home inspectors.

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Sent June 12th, 2010:

Hello again, Craig,

My post to you has inspired fine-tuning of this web page:

http://sites.google.com/site/phillipnormanatticaccess/Home/diligence

Please find me a competent critic of the snake oil as a national problem, in the clean-shirt job creation, and terrible waste and diversion from real work, of home performance testing. Someone must speak the truth. It will not be a suckered home performance tester. We learned at the last Energy Trust Residential Round Table, that despite the interest conflicted activity of groups like Energy Trust, the volume of testing is at an all-time low. Consumers see the truth. Professional home inspectors are right to fight the dilution of their opportunities to serve and survive, by people who know little and do not deserve credentials. They do cheat, to crank out that expected-but-impossible 300 CFM50 reduction. They know little else than possibly the setup of a blower door.

I sought defense of testing at BPI, and think I was consciously given a runaround. Here is the reply to a phone call, asking for examples, and reporting-for-comment, heard assertion of a "BPI Mafia."

Do you find any examples of usefulness in home performance testing by the links? I surely will not talk with econtc people, the worst creators of excess and marginal testers.

Good morning Mr. Norman,  I would like to direct you to Jeff Catlin jeff.catlin@econtc.com and Kyle Chase kyle.chase@econtc.com because they are in Portland and would be happy to provide you with case studies and insight into the value of testing in and testing out of a home.  I would like for you to go to www.affordablecomfort.org for a look at testimonials and content from a national perspective.  I wanted to find one sample but all of the information shared was great.  There are some interviews from 2009 that may give insight to your questions.     Another site is www.energy.gov/recovery/faces .  The bottom video National Weatherization Conference is great.   I personally have witnessed energy savings of 65% and more, comfort levels never experienced and saved lives over the last 20+ years!  Simple test in and test out does work.   In my opinion, you could choose to partner with others that provide the diagnostic testing and proposal development and provide the service that you specialize in.  I hope this helps and please let me know if you have questions.     Thank you, Vikki     

Vikki Murphy

Director of Affiliate Development

Building Performance Institute, Inc. (BPI)

877-274-1274 Ext 106 (Toll Free)c.com

518-899-2727 Ext 106 (Office)

518-899-1622 (Fax)

518-331-8965 (Cell)

www.bpi.org

Training, Accreditation, Quality Assurance

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