Program Design and Development

Program Sponsor Definition: HPwES Sponsors are organizations that take on the responsibility of administering home performance programs in local markets. Sponsors are instrumental in developing and supporting markets for home performance services following the HPwES approach. In establishing HPwES programs, Sponsors can forge a path to achieve both near-term energy savings as well as long-term outcomes – such as a thriving home performance industry. In this capacity, Sponsors are responsible for fostering the market for home performance services by managing and monitoring the performance of their implementation vendors and participating contractors to ensure that quality standards are met. Sponsors do not directly provide front line home performance services to homeowners, but rather provide these services via an established network which may include: implementation vendors, participating contractors, and other program partners. To preserve public confidence and avoid any perceived conflict of interest, it is important that Program Sponsors and HPwES participating contractors are functionally independent and make appropriate efforts to maintain an arm’s length business relationship. Organizations that typically sponsor HPwES programs include utilities, state energy offices, municipal governments, nonprofit organizations, and financial institutions; however, other types of organizations with sufficient resources to manage the day-to-day operations of a HPwES program are encouraged to join.