NCBPA is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association dedicated to growing North Carolina's home and building performance industry through public education, workforce development, advocacy and much more.
Find a Professional
Looking for help on you current or next building performance project? You've come to the right place!
Provided below are descriptions of building performance professionals that work in a variey of areas including new home construction, existing home retrofits, crawlspace repair, water and moisture abatement, renewable energy and more. Refer to the descriptions below when searching our Member list for the right professional or your job.
If the professional you are looking for is not included in our Member list, please visit www.HomeEnergyNC.org (coming soon) for a full list of home energy professionals in your area.
If you don't find what you're looking for here, please call 919-841-6207 or email BuildingNC@Gmail.com and we'll be happy to help you!
Existing Building Upgrades
When it comes to existing building upgrades, determining who to work with can be a challenge.
Energy Auditors and Home Energy Raters should, in most cases, be your first call. They will diagnose building performance issues and refer you to qualified professionals to do the work.
If you have a specific need, such as insulating your attic, starting with that contractor will not be an issue. In all cases, it's common to receive multiple bids for the work to be performed.
New Construction
In new construction, home and business owners have a lot of choices when it comes to building performance.
Work closely with an Architect, Builder, Engineer or Home Energy Rater to design, build and verify building performance features. The Builder is responsible for hiring the subcontractors performing the work, and both the Builder and the Home Energy Rater will make sure the work is done correctly.
Design and Consultation
The more up-front planning you and your team do for your home energy project, the better!
Working with an Architect, Builder, Engineer or Home Energy Rater can help avoid costly mistakes on your project, whether in new construction or for a remodel/repair.
Home Energy Raters
Certified home energy professionals that offer consultation and verificaton of energy efficient construction. In new home construction, Home Energy Raters certify homes for labels like ENERGY STAR and are responsible for verifying that the work is performed correctly.
Home Energy Raters generally do not perform the installation or repair work themselves, but instead are tasked with understanding and consulting on the big picture of home energy usage and issues, referred to "the house as a system" concept.
Home Energy Raters are certified through www.RESNET.us.
Energy Auditors
Similar to Home Energy Raters but hold different certifications and mostly work in existing constuction, where they diagnose home energy issues in existing homes.
Energy Auditors are commonly certified through www.bpi.org.
HVAC Contractors
Responsible for designing, installing and servicing the heating, air and ventilation (HVAC) mechanical systems of a home, whether new or existing.
HVAC Contractors play a large role in building performance and home energy, since these systems generally account for 40 - 45% of a home's energy usage. Because of this, homeowners should consider hiring only licensed HVAC Contractors that are either certified or trained in energy efficiency.
Licensing is provided at the state level in North Carolina. Certifications are also obtained through organizaions like www.ACCA.org and www.hvacradvice.com.
Now that you know what type of work you are interested in, here are descriptions of the companies that you need to work with on your project!
Click on a picture to see a listing of our members.
What kind of help are you looking for?
Knowing the difference will help you find the right company to work with. Here are decriptions of the three main types of work:
Architects
Design new homes and parts of upgrades to existing homes.
Architects can have a significant impact on a home's energy usage by designing the layout, features and locations for systems and more.
Crawlspace Contractors
North Carolina homes built on crawlspaces require contractors trained in building science to work on them. These homes with crawlspaces have a potential to cause serious damage to a home if not designed and maintained properly.
Crawlspace Contractors are not independetly certified or licensed for crawlspace work, and therefore special consideration should be give to contractors with professional training and years of experience.
Home Inspectors
Responsible for inspecting existing homes prior to being purchased by new owners.
Home Energy Inspectors are skilled in knowing a good amount about the smallest and largest components of a home, but may or may not be trained or certified in home energy usage. Hiring a licensed Home Inspector trained and experienced in finding home energy issues is certainly recommended.
Insulation Contractors
Insulation contractors are responsible for installing insulation in new and existing homes using a variety of techniques. Batt insulation involves installing strips of fiberglass (most common, other types available) insulation between studs in walls to insulate homes, keeping them cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Spray foam insulation performs the same functions but is installed as a spray.
There are right and wrong ways to install both batt and spray foam insulation, so home and business owners should use caution when selecting a contractor. Look for companies trained by organizations like www.BPI.org, www.NAIMA.org and others to ensure that they understand and practice quality insulating techniques.
Builders
Modern day home builders have more science, technology and systems to account for than ever before. Builders that understand and practice building science, high performance construction, energy efficiency and other measures are in demand more than ever.
Certifications through the National Association of Home Builders, ENERGY STAR and others are sought after by home owners seeking high performance homes.
Renewable Energy Contractors
Companies that design, install and service renewable energy systems including solar photovoltaic systems, solar hot water heaters, wind turbines and more.
These contractors perform residential and commercial installations that earn local, state and federal rebates in addition to saving home and business owners money on their electric bills.
Home Performance and Weatherization Contractors
Companies skilled in building science, energy efficiency and sustainability that perform a variety of home performance and weatherization work in homes.
This work includes crawlspace encapsulation, insulation, air sealing, combusion safety and more. Contractors are most commonly certified by the Building Performance Institute (BPI).
Real Estate Professionals
Real estate professionals may earn “green” certifications like contractors through training and continuing education. These “green” real estate professionals are knowledgeable in the benefits and value of energy efficiency, renewable energy and other high performance building practices.
EcoBroker is a certification provided to real estate professionals that specialize in high performance and “green” building real estate. More information on EcoBrokers can be found at http://www.ecobroker.com/.
Indoor Environmental Consultants
Companies providing design, testing, verification and certification of indoor environmental issues that include mold testing, moisture analysis, radon testing and more.
Indoor environmental consultants help residents and businesses prevent future problems with air quality and building durability and help to idenitfy existing problems and recommend solutions and remediators, when necessary.
Energy Engineers
Energy Engineers are responsible for designing mechanical systems, renewable energy systems and energy efficiency features in homes and buildings. During the design process, Energy Engineers use modeling software and tools along with their knowledge of building codes, energy codes and many aspects of the home or building’s planned construction to design systems and features that use as little energy as possible while working as well as possible for the occupants.
Energy Engineers are commonly certified through organizations like the Association of Energy Engineers. More information on their role can be found at www.aeecenter.org.