Full day of energy talk at EOS!

This past Friday was a big day for us at EOS. The Building Performance Inspection course was wrapping up and we had a 100% pass rate for the students taking the certification exam, including our eight AmeriCorps members taking the exam that day. In the afternoon, we were joined by US Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Senator Patty Murray, and Washington state energy leaders for a roundtable discussion. The roundtable discussed possibilities for energy investments in the state, including pump hydro power, which stores excess power from wind turbines in the potential energy of water. At the end of the day, Secretary Chu and Senator Murray met with EOS staff. Secretary Chu encouraged EOS in the Greenblocks program, and stressed the importance of such programs that can provide solid data of residential energy savings. He also mentioned plans for implementing a mandatory energy audit as an accompaniment to the building inspection any time a home changes hands. Senator Murray also highlighted the need to expand home energy audits and create green jobs in this field. Here at EOS, we are incredibly thankful for the opportunity to meet these leaders and host them at our offices.

Secretary Chu and EOS Executive Director, Erick McWayne

Meet and Greet at EOS office

Secretary Chu and Chair Nancy Sutley (from the White House Council on Environmental Quality)

The BPI students practice setting up the blower door (used in energy audits) with the help of instructor Bruce Minturn

Secretary Chu talks to the BPI class