Green Building Events Reinforce Pacific Northwest Leadership in Energy Efficiency

PORTLAND, Ore. – December 1, 2009 – In another indication that the Pacific Northwest is a national center of energy-efficiency emphasis, on December 9-10 Boise will host the third in a series of “Green Building Fundamentals” workshops sponsored by a consortium of local, regional and national players in the energy field.

The two-day workshop covers energy-efficient building topics including indoor air quality, ventilation and building-science best practices. The event is sponsored by the Energy & Environmental Building Alliance (EEBA), Northwest ENERGY STAR, EPA’s Indoor airPLUS and Idaho Power.

New this year, the workshop will explore the latest green-building opportunity: Indoor airPLUS qualified homes, which address more than 30 home design and construction features to help protect homeowners from a host of health problems associated with poor indoor air quality, including eye irritation, allergies, headaches and respiratory problems such as asthma.

In addition, the Pacific Northwest will welcome EEBA back when it hosts the 28th annual Excellence in Building Conference and Expo October 12-14, 2010, in Portland.

“EEBA and its national stakeholders in new construction have identified the Pacific Northwest as the nation’s leader in environmental quality and energy efficiency for residential new construction,” said Kathleen Guidera, EEBA Executive Director.

“They see this region as the perfect partner for applying sound building-science principles in new construction, and we can serve as an example for other regions of how to build environmentally responsible homes that deliver superior comfort, air quality and energy efficiency to home buyers, while providing builders with a pathway for constructing high-performance homes that reduce their liability and increase their profit.”

“In addition to the growth in demand for quality building science education and information,” said EEBA Marketing Director Karen Thull, “we are also seeing increased interest from media and homeowners seeking to learn how to participate in the next generation of responsible, efficient homes and communities.”

About EEBA
The Energy & Environmental Building Alliance (EEBA) is a non-profit organization aimed at providing education and resources to transform the residential design, development, construction and remodeling industries to profitably deliver energy efficient and environmentally responsible buildings and communities. For over 28 years, EEBA has built a reputable foundation as the leading resource for information and education for sustainable building. EEBA Educational and Training Resources include: HOUSES THAT WORK SESSIONS | EXCELLENCE IN BUILDING CONFERENCE & EXPO | GREENBUILDER COLLEGE | SMART TOOLS BOOKSTORE. For more information, visit www.eeba.org or call 952.881.1098.

About EPA’s Indoor airPLUS
EPA’s Indoor airPLUS helps builders meet the growing consumer preference for homes with improved indoor air quality. Construction specifications include the careful selection of and installation of moisture control systems; heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems; combustion-venting systems; radon-resistant construction; and low-emitting building materials. For more information, visit www.epa.gov/indoorairplus.

About Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
ENERGY STAR qualified homes in Idaho, Oregon, Montana and Washington are built by home builders participating in the Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes program, which is funded by the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA). NEEA is a non-profit corporation supported by the Bonneville Power Administration, electric utilities, public benefits administrators, state governments, public interest groups and energy efficiency industry representatives. These entities work together to make affordable, energy-efficient products and service available in the marketplace. In 2009, NEEA was awarded the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year award in part due to the implementation of the Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes program. For more information regarding NEAA, visit www.nwalliance.org. Consumers can learn more about ENERGY STAR qualified homes by visiting www.northwestENERGYSTAR.com or calling 1.800.539.9362.

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Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes
517 sw 4TH Ave, Suite 400
Portland, OR 97214
northwestENERGYSTAR.com
p: 800.539.9362

Contacts:
Christie Perott
Marketing Manager,
Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes
p: 800.539.9362x121

Shaun Hassel
Technical Lead,
Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes
p: 503.477.0469

Karen Thull
Marketing Director,
EEBA
p: 952.345.8008

This release was published on openPR.