The Performance Alliance decided to tackle the subject of compliance with Title 24 as priority number one. The range of stakeholders on the Compliance Committee is impressive, including representatives of residential and commercial contracting firms, contractor associations, distributors, distributor associations, city building officials, the organization that represents building officials, verification providers, the California Energy Commission, unions, the board that regulates contractor licenses, and the managers of utility Codes & Standards and HVAC programs. This group meets weekly to share their perspectives and develop recommendations for on what it takes to effectively facilitate, enable, motivate, train, entice, and compel contractors and buliding owners to choose to comply with the code.
The philosophy of this group is that by making it easier for contractors and building owners, and changing the conventional perception that compliance is not mandatory--using both the carrot and the stick--contractors will comply with the code, resulting in verifiably superior installations and performance. The consistent message that will be sent by the range of stakeholders is "As of January 2010, there is a new version of Title 24, it is easier, it's mandatory, and we'll show you how."
The group has already achieved substantial success: helping CEC to develop a simplified form, developing informational materials for homeowners, getting building officials and Contractors State License Board enforcement personnel together, sharing training curriculum and ideas, and developing a survey of contractor perceptions of risk in not complying. This committee continues to serve as an excellent example of what can be done when the right people are in the right room, thinking outside the box and finding solutions together.