May 7 2010
Honeywell (NYSE: HON) today announced a strategic partnership with US GreenFiber LLC, the largest U.S. manufacturer of natural fiber insulation, for the Honeywell's Enovate™PRO Weatherization Contractor Program.
Under the partnership, GreenFiber will become a distributor of Honeywell's new line of weatherization products, which are available only to contractors who are certified under Honeywell's weatherization contractor program. GreenFiber will also help select contractor partners to become part of the program, which is designed to help contractors expand their business offerings in the area of air sealing and weatherization for homes and commercial buildings.
"We are very pleased to partner with GreenFiber, a leader in natural fiber insulation materials, to expand the weatherization contractor program," said Bryan Magnus, business manager for weatherization products and services at Honeywell. "GreenFiber's broad industry and national sales force make them an excellent partner for distributing the exclusive line of Honeywell products and services."
GreenFiber, which recently introduced a new, premium all borate blow-in natural fiber insulation that is ideal for retrofit projects, this year launched a training program to help contractors grow their businesses through weatherization improvement projects.
"Providing exceptional weatherization products and training opportunities for contractors is a key goal of GreenFiber," said Harold Pinkston, marketing director for US GreenFiber, LLC. "We are excited to partner with a national leader like Honeywell to continue to bring new resources that will help contractors build their businesses and service homeowners."
The Honeywell weatherization contractor program is designed to provide insulation, HVAC and other contractors with professional development training specifically designed to allow them to perform air sealing and weatherization work on homes or commercial buildings. The training includes analyzing the building envelope; methods and products for air sealing and weatherization; and health and safety best practices. In addition to being trained by Honeywell, contractors are required to become certified by the Building Performance Institute (BPI) in order to become Authorized Honeywell EnovatePRO Contractors. These contractors then have access to Honeywell EnovatePRO products and materials, including foam sealants and commercial grade weather stripping, used to perform weatherization contracting work.
Air sealing and weatherizing homes is one of the most effective ways homeowners can save energy and make homes more comfortable. According to the Air Barrier Association of America, a typical 2,500-square-foot home has more than a half mile of cracks and crevices. The U.S. government estimates that air leakage accounts for 25 to 40 percent of energy used for heating and cooling the average home.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 allocated $5 billion to enhance the government's Weatherization Assistance Program, which allows families to reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient. Additionally, President Barack Obama last December proposed a new program that would reimburse homeowners for energy-efficient appliances and insulation. Under the program, widely called Cash for Caulkers, a homeowner could receive up to $12,000 in rebates for investment in home weatherization.
Source: http://www.honeywell.com/