MALTA, N.Y. — The Building Performance Institute Inc. (BPI) announced it has been selected by the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) as one of the exclusive partners helping to develop a new resource for consumers seeking trustworthy information on home improvement topics. BPI will provide expertise and content on home performance energy upgrades and the value of BPI credentials.

“BPI accredited companies and certified professionals are dedicated to helping every homeowner improve the comfort, safety, and energy efficiency of their home through whole house energy audits and retrofits,” said BPI CEO Larry Zarker. “We’re honored that the Better Business Bureau has recognized the value that BPI brings to this new project.”

The Council of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for 113 local, independent BBBs across the United States and Canada, as well as home to its national programs on dispute resolution and industry self-regulation. In 2012, consumers turned to BBB 124 million times for business reviews on more than 4.5 million companies.

“It’s great to have BPI join us as a national partner, as well as co-sponsor of this new national initiative,” said Rod Davis, CBBB senior vice president. “We plan later this year to roll out a new program aimed at helping homeowners make smart decisions about buying or building a home, renovations, and maintenance services. BPI will be a key player in the development of this project, and we are looking forward to tapping the industry’s expertise on energy efficiency standards and home performance upgrades.”

The BBB initiative will coincide with BPI’s roll out of a consumer marketing campaign to educate homeowners on the whole house approach to home performance upgrades, and the value of hiring BPI credentialed contractors.

“BPI understands that consumers aren’t getting the information they need, and that the health of this industry relies on an educated customer,” said Zarker. “We’re doing everything we can to shine a light on home performance and the rigorous exam process BPI certified professionals go through to achieve BPI certification.”

In December, BPI was awarded a Google Ad Grant worth the equivalent of $10,000 per month in ads on Google's search engine. The grant will help BPI educate the public on the best way to achieve comfort and energy efficiency in their homes through house-as-a-system home performance upgrades. BPI will use the grant to supplement an already growing investment in search engine marketing and social media to more effectively reach homeowners through their online searches.

The consumer campaign will draw homeowners to BPI’s new homeowner focused website, expected to launch in April 2014. The site will feature an interactive online energy audit tool, a locator tool for homeowners to find BPI credentialed contractors, videos, case studies, and other resources. Consumers will be able to learn about home performance, hear from other homeowners, understand the value of BPI’s credentials, and find a contractor all in one place.

BPI said it will also explore opportunities to forge new relationships with major DIY, remodeling, and home construction media outlets to raise awareness of BPI credentialed contractors and the home performance industry.

Finally, BPI’s marketing team is going to exhibit at consumer-focused events, including the USA Science & Engineering Festival in Washington, D.C., which draws more than 200,000 participants. These events will offer the opportunity to have face-to-face interactions with homeowners.

For more information on BPI, visit www.bpi.org.

Publication date: 1/6/2014

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