Get to Know Your HERS rater

Building standards and regulations have changed A LOT recently. It can be difficult to keep up with and communicate all of the changes, leading to failed inspections and lost revenue. The pace and volume of change is a major challenge for builders across the country and non-profit organizers are stepping into the maze to help solve the problem.

People like Cardice Howard, Deputy Director of RESNET. RESNET is a not-for-profit, membership corporation that created and maintains the HERS® Index to allow for easy comparison of energy performance of homes. Their mission is to make the energy use of all homes transparent, thereby driving residential sector energy use toward net zero.

Cardice has 27 years of operations management experience as an insulation contractor in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas market along with her passion as an insulation Industry advocate for the RESNET team. Cardice has developed and maintained cohesive relationships with builders, code officials, sales and operations staff over that time. She also has built teams to support over $2 million in sales per month in the Dallas/Fort Worth market, focusing on business development and strategic planning.

Ken and Cardice discuss how the HERS rating can be used as a standalone compliance pathway to meet state energy codes, helping builders to qualify for significant tax credits and making green building practices more economically viable. They also talk about software solutions that help achieve energy efficiency requirements in construction projects, prescriptive vs. performance building processes and the importance of unity and collaborative efforts among builders, insulators, code officials, and third-party raters in achieving overall project success.

In this podcast…

1:00 – How Cardice’s wide range of contracting experience and outside-the-box approach helps her help builders dealing with a number of on-site challenges.
8:40 – How RESNET is working to simplify compliance for builders in the United States
12:00 – The dynamics of the HERS Index and a discussion about new regulations and ratings, including how HERS raters can act as code officials in some jurisdictions
17:45 – How RESNET is working closely with distributors and manufacturers in the construction industry to educate them on the latest standards and regulations.
26:38 – What if I’m working on a project that doesn’t have a HERS rater?
31:56 – BONUS: Cardice shares her experiences with projects that she knew would be improved by a HERS rater

Alignable is a Powerful Local Business to Business Marketing Resource with Chuck Casto

In this episode of The R-Value Podcast, IDI Distributor’s Ken Allison sits down with Chuck Casto, Alignable’s business development guru and Head of Content Marketing. Alignable, often described as the largest online Chamber of Commerce or the Facebook for business owners, is a platform that allows small business owners to connect with one another and share resources, ideas, and advice. Ken and Chuck discuss the many advantages for contractors and builders of being on Alignable, such as networking events, a marketing contest, and the visibility that a business can achieve through participating in the platform.

Learn more about Alignable at https://www.alignable.com

Chuck provides valuable insights into the many ways Alignable can help small business owners make meaningful connections, grow their clientele, and establish a strong reputation in their community. With a range of trade groups, contractor groups, and even specific industry sectors like health and wellness, Alignable enables users to learn from and collaborate with like-minded professionals. Whether you’re new to Alignable or have been using the platform for a while, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to grow their business, broaden their network, and take their visibility to new heights.

In this podcast…

1:15 – Alignable as a networking platform for small businesses. At the beginning of the episode, Ken Allison and Chuck Casto discuss Alignable and its benefits. Alignable is a platform where small business owners can connect with each other and share resources, ideas, and advice. The platform offers networking events, the marketing contest, and increased visibility for businesses who actively participate.
4:00 – Marketing Networking Contest. Chuck talks about the marketing networking contest, which he brought to Alignable five years ago. These contests celebrate people who help other small businesses by offering them networking opportunities, providing a platform for non-salesy interactions.
8:40 – Joining and participating in groups on Alignable. Chuck and Ken discuss the importance of joining and participating in groups on Alignable to increase visibility and trust. These groups allow users to learn from each other, ask questions, and provide advice. There are specific industry sector groups within Alignable, catering to businesses in health and wellness, construction, and more.
21:45 – How Alignable’s Event Hosting program can get you visibility with potential clients. Alignable offers an Event Host Program where participants can host virtual meetings to educate others about their expertise or industry. This program encourages sharing knowledge and helping others while potentially turning them into future clients.
30:45 – Advice for new Alignable users. Towards the end of the episode, Ken suggests new Alignable users should at least join two to three groups, participate in polls, start or join forums, and check out the activity feed. Chuck adds that joining the platform and actively participating in it will provide opportunities for users to connect, learn, and grow their businesses.

The Building Performance Association with new CEO Steve Skodak

In this episode, IDI’s Ken Allison speaks live with Steve Skodak, CEO of the Building Performance Association at the organization’s 37th annual National Home Performance Conference & Trade Show.

The Building Performance Association has expanded its focus and reach significantly over the past few years. “Three years ago, we were communicating with maybe 7,000 to 8,000 people in our industry each week. That number is about 23,000 now.” Steve emphasizes the importance of supporting market rate contractors and facilitating connections between them and state energy offices to promote energy efficiency retrofits of existing home stocks.

Ken and Steve discuss the importance of the trade show, the availability of $250 million in training dollars for the energy industry, the importance of a whole home approach and much more.

In this podcast…

4:30 – What are some of the challenges that are facing market rate contractors?

10:38 – What is the Building Performance’s role in the industry?

16:14 – How the National Home Performance Conference & Trade Show is different from other conferences.

20:22 – What’s the future of energy policy in the US?

27:00 – “There’s a lot of consumers out there not quite as concerned about energy savings as what we in the industry are. They want a cozy home, they want a safe home.”

35:23 – How the Building Performance Association can get contractors the education they need.

39:02 – There is no way the number of contractors we have today are going to be able to do the amount of work that needs to be done

42:41 – What got Steve excited about this industry?