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Latest News

Update: Duct Leakage to the Outside Requirements
April 30, 2013

Since April 1, 2013, Duct Leakage to Outside has been required as part of the Energy Upgrade California™ Program for testing duct systems and should be used on any new Pre-Application submissions.

2nd Annual Contractor Exchange - June 4, 2013
April 19, 2013

Join us for a great opportunity for networking, learning from some great industry experts, and checking out some great vendors who will be in attendance.

Update: Background Check and DUI Policy Revisions
April 11, 2013

The background check and DUI policies for the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) Whole House Rebate Program have been revised.

Important Program Guideline Reminder
February 11, 2013

We would like to remind Program Participants that according to the Contractor and Rater Participation Agreements, you must understand and abide by the Program standards. Please keep in mind that any marketing collateral produced must be consistent with the PG&E's Energy Upgrade California (EUC) Program Guidelines for Customer Collateral and the Contractors: Co-Brand with Energy Upgrade California standard guides.

Join Us for the Davis Regional Forum on February 21!
February 5, 2013

This forum is a great opportunity to share your feedback and offer suggestions for program improvements directly to Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and the Build It Green implementation team. 

Multifamily Pilot Program Launches February 1st
February 1, 2013

The Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) Multifamily Pilot Program launches February 1, 2013.

Energy Upgrade California™ Program Awards
December 20, 2012

To celebrate our success during the 2012 Energy Upgrade California™ Program cycle, we will once again be offering awards to those contractors and partners that have demonstrated a commitment to making the Program a success. 

Energy Upgrade California™ Multifamily Pilot Program
December 18, 2012

The PG&E Whole House Rebate Program will be launching a multifamily pilot program in 2013 for buildings with 5 or more units.  This will be a 500 unit pilot, targeting the multifamily housing retrofit market. The lessons learned will be used to inform the full program roll-out in mid-2014. 

2013 Expanded Incentive Levels for Advanced Path
December 14, 2012

As of January 1, 2013, the PG&E Whole House Rebate Program will be officially expanding the incentive level range to 10% and 45% modeled energy reduction for Advanced Path jobs. This means customers may now get up to $4,500 in incentives for their energy upgrade. 

Duct Leakage to Outside Hands-on Training
December 14, 2012

This is a free training, hosted by Build It Green and PG&E at the Energy Training Center in Stockton. The training teaches and/or reinforces contractors' and raters' ability to diagnose duct leakage more accurately for input to Energy Pro and for scope of work development on projects applying for rebates within the Energy Upgrade California™ Program.

Marin County Offering Homeowners $1,000 Rebate
October 15, 2012

The County of Marin is offering an additional $1,000 incentive for Marin County homeowners participating in the Energy Upgrade California program. 

"Workshop in a Box" Training
September 18, 2012

This free training, hosted by Build It Green, EGIA, and PG&E, teaches contractors and raters to market the Energy Upgrade California Program tohomeowners by organizing special homeowner workshops.

Homeowner Workshops
September 1, 2012

Homeowner workshops are a great opportunity for connecting Participating Contractors and Raters with homeowners interested in home performance and Energy Upgrade California.  Homeowner workshops dates and information will be posted on the Marketing page, as well on the calendar.

Call for Case Studies
September 1, 2012

During the Regional Forums, some of you mentioned you would like to obtain more homeowner marketing resources and case studies. These resources are important to business owners who want to know the best strategies for success in the Program.   

Participating Rater Pathway Launched Sept. 1st, 2012
August 8, 2012

The PG&E Whole House Rebate Program introduced a formal pathway for Rater Participation on September 1st, 2012 that will integrate raters with active HERS (II) Whole House and BPI Building Analyst certifications as independent assessors for test-in and test-out measurements and job submissions. 

Announcing the NEW Desktop Review Checklist
August 7, 2012

By popular demand, we are launching a revised version of the Desktop Review Checklist. The Quality Assurance (QA) Desktop Review Checklist and Modeling Design Guidelines  were developed by Build It Green to assist participating contractors and raters with the job submission process. We hope that these new resources will help you submit complete job submissions the first time. 

Energy Upgrade California™ Regional Forums
June 12, 2012

Please join us for one of the Energy Upgrade California™ Regional Forums on Tuesday, July 10, 2012 in Santa Rosa, or on Thursday, July 19, 2012 in San Jose.

We Need You! NEW Technical Advisory Committee
May 31, 2012

PG&E is establishing a volunteer based Technical Advisory Committee composed of participating contractors, independent raters and industry representatives. This group will review, provide feedback and offer suggestions for continuous improvement of existing processes or review items prior to launch.  Initial areas of focus will include PG&E's Safety Procedures, Installations Specifications, QA/QC Protocols and training.

New Safety Protocols Deadline Extended to June 1st!
April 30, 2012

The Enhanced Safety Protocols deadline has been extended to June 1st, 2012! Please be aware that after June 1st, ALL contractors must follow the enhanced safety protocols.

Important May 1st Deadline for Advanced Training
April 25, 2012

* * Deadline extended to June 1st!

The Advanced Package Technical Training is required for all Building Performance Institute (BPI) certified professionals who wish to submit combustion appliance safety test results to Pacific Gas and Electric's Energy Upgrade California program. The course focuses on supplementary combustion appliance safety protocols that augment those specified by BPI.

Free Enrollment in Sun West PowerSaver Loan Program Offered
April 8, 2012

PG&E Whole House Rebate Program Participating Contactors are being automatically approved at no cost to install eligible measures for the Sun West PowerSaver Loan Program. This national loan program backed by FHA offers an unlimited funding source that is not dependent on utility or government program sponsor funds.

First Annual Contractor Exchange 2012
April 3, 2012

We had a great turn-out for the first annual Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) Energy Upgrade California™ Contractor Exchange in San Ramon, CA on April 3rd. With almost 200 people in attendance, the Exchange provided an opportunity for participants to share information, engage in meaningful dialogues with the PG&E team and program administrators as well as with each other, and to hear more about the future direction of the Energy Upgrade California program.

Program Update - Fast Track Your Jobs
March 2, 2012

Build It Green's current policy is that Participating Contractors and their subcontractors should wait for a Notice to Proceed to be issued before commencing work on a job for the PG&E Whole House Rebate Program, a part of Energy Upgrade California. Build It Green has revised this policy slightly in order to better enable Participating Contractors to address emergency replacements and succeed in the Program.

CO Monitor Requirements
March 1, 2012

As required for compliance with CA SB-183 (also known as the "Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act"), as of July 1, 2011, all Program Single-Family Dwelling projects, regardless of necessity for building permit, must include permanent installation of at least one CO alarm/detector meeting UL-2034 (for alarms) or UL-2075 (for detectors), installed according to manufacturer's instructions in all dwelling units intended for human occupancy. Existing alarms/detectors less than five years old and meeting Program requirements are allowed. 

Advanced Energy Products Bulk Purchasing Program
March 1, 2012

Advanced Energy Products is offering a 10% bulk purchasing discount for Energy Upgrade California contractors on equipment and  supplies. For more information, please visit the Advanced Energy Products website or call (530)753-1100.  

PG&E Energy Efficiency Classes
February 3, 2012

You may register for a variety of Energy Efficiency Classes sponsored by PG&E here. Make sure to check out the HVAC, TITLE 24 and Home Energy Upgrades tracks! Please note that registration for most classes opens 60 days before the date of the class. Click on the class name for class details, including the first day of registration for that class. 

Program Expanded to Include 2-4 Unit Buildings
January 23, 2012

Due to demand from customers and contractors, PG&E has developed a set of requirements that will allow two to four unit buildings to receive the same incentives as single family detached homes.

Updated Safety Policy, Training and Procedures
January 23, 2012

As part of our continuous focus on program quality and customer safety, PG&E has worked with industry leaders to enhance the current safety policies to include best practices from multiple programs and certifications.

New Landlord/Property Owner Release Form
January 6, 2012
The new Landlord/ Property Owner Release form information can be found below, along with a link to download the form.
Where Can I Borrow Home Performance Tools?
December 1, 2011

Below you can find information on equipment lending libraries and financing for equipment & tools. 

Status Codes De-Mystified
November 1, 2011

Do you know the Green Energy Compass Status codes? If not, you might want to look at our status code definitions. Even if you do know the codes by heart, the key thing to know is whether the job is on your plate or ours. We are seeing some cases where contractors think that the ball is in our court, when in fact it is in theirs. And, of course, if the ball is in our court and you have waited on a job in one of status codes for awhile, please email jobs@builditgreenutility.org or call (510) 590-3360 Ext. 606. 

Program Updates on modular or factory-built homes
September 1, 2011

Modular or factory-built homes are eligible as of September 1, 2011 to participate, but must meet certain requirements. Mobile homes on a chassis and axle constructed under HUD codes do not qualify.

Double Dipping and How to Avoid It
September 1, 2011

Double dipping" refers to the practice of requesting two PG&E rebates for the same work. There are two common scenarios, both of which we need to avoid.

Green Energy Compass is Going Live!
August 22, 2011

Those of you who have been following the roll-out of the full-scale PG&E Whole House Rebate Program are aware that the current system of submitting jobs through the Contractor Portal (www.builditgreenutility.org/jobs/contractor_list) was intended as an interim solution while we beta tested Green Energy Compass. The good news is that we have tested the system internally and we have brought on a small group of beta users and their transition has been smooth.

Status Update on Rebate Processing
August 5, 2011
Thank you for your continued support of and participation in the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) Whole House Rebate Program, a part of Energy Upgrade California. 

 

Job Submission Guidelines
July 22, 2011

Thank you for your continued participation in the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) Whole House Rebate Program, a part of Energy Upgrade California. The following guidelines address several commonly found mistakes in the job submittal process. Please make note of this advice to help ensure that your job submissions are processed successfully.

Program Transition Announcement
April 29, 2011

Thank you for your continued participation in the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) Whole House Rebate Program, a part of Energy Upgrade California.  As mentioned previously, there are some changes coming as part of the transition in program administration from California Building Performance Contractors Association (CBPCA) to Build It Green. Hopefully, you were able to attend the May 25thand June 8thwebinars, which outlined pending changes in the contractor enrollment process and the job submittal process.

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