The National Association of Manufacturers today called on the United States Senate to pass the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010, which would authorize a national incentive program for residential energy efficiency retrofits. In a letter addressed to members of the Senate, Dorothy Coleman, NAM’s Vice President for Tax, Technology and Domestic Economic Policy, said:
“The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) — the nation’s largest industrial trade association — supports the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010 (S. 3434) introduced May 27th by Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).
By providing significant and immediate rebates for home energy-efficiency retrofits, the Home Star program would spur much-needed consumer demand for energy-efficient products and building materials and quickly create jobs in the manufacturing and distribution of these products.
U.S. manufacturing employment has fallen by nearly 2.2 million since December 2007 to a level of just over 11.5 million. The deep decline in the housing market — which includes the home improvement sector — has had a significant impact on manufacturing. Nearly a quarter of the manufacturing jobs lost have been in industries closely connected to housing, such as furniture, wood, textile products and building materials.
Cost-effective energy efficiency and conservation measures are important for reducing energy costs, stretching available energy supplies and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The manufacturing sector has taken the lead in making energy efficiency a priority. In fact, manufacturers’ efforts on this front over the past 40 years have already made our nation 46 percent more energy efficient.
American manufacturers are committed to producing more energy-efficient consumer products for residential use. With more than half of the 86 million single-family homes throughout the United States constructed before modern codes even existed, the vast majority of U.S. homes are not well insulated, have outdated heating and cooling systems, have inefficient windows and doors and are great candidates for energy-efficiency upgrades.
NAM members believe that S. 3434 will improve the energy efficiency of American homes while increasing employment in the U.S. home construction, renovation and manufacturing industries. We urge you to support quick action on this important initiative.”
Visit www.efficiencyfirst.org/home-star to learn more about the proposed incentive program and about how you can voice your support for this important legislation.
