“We all have a real opportunity to create something,” Lobo says. “If the company succeeds, we all succeed.” Employee ownership is one of the three pillars of Progressive Building Solutions. The other two pillars are developing energy efficiency best practices, and performing superior upgrade work that includes plumbing, electric, and mechanical projects for homes and businesses.

Lobo’s passion for the trade stretches back to high school. He was so inspired to work in the industry that he called mechanical contractor after mechanical contractor until one agreed to let Lobo shadow him. Once in the field, he learned about sheet metal and woodworking, and eventually secured an apprenticeship through the Local 32 Plumber & Pipefitters Union.

A few years ago, energy efficiency piqued Lobo’s interest, and the course of his professional life altered. “Comfort and efficiency used to be in different worlds,” he says. “You either had oil heat and stayed warm, or you wore a sweater.” The home performance and energy efficiency world is changing, and Lobo is excited to drive that change. A major focus for Progressive Building Solutions is the installation of high-efficiency ductless heat pumps. “They have made comfort and efficiency inseparable,” he says. To prove the point, Lobo opened a Fremont showroom to provide live demonstrations of the equipment.

It’s working. “Our conversion rate right now is 100%,” says Lobo.

A high conversion rate, better consumer education, and the popularity of Community Power Works mean Progressive Building Solutions will hire an additional employee over the summer and up to two more in the fall. Lobo says Community Power Works “has been great for us. The program’s long term success means that we all succeed – my business, my employees, my customers, and the planet.”

We’ve noticed the opposite trend with Community Power Works participants. Many program participants, including James O’Halloran of Mt. Baker, provide feedback that the upgrade process was far easier than they thought it would be—and they often wish they made the energy upgrades sooner. “I had wanted to get an energy upgrade for a long time to decrease my electric bills and energy consumption,” said James.

James’ 1976 home was leaky, especially around the junction of his floors and walls. Working with Puget Sound Solar, he had his crawl space sealed and added sub-floor insulation. He also had a heat pump water heater and a ductless heat pump installed.

These upgrades will reduce James energy consumption by 38% annually and will save him $380 each year on his heating bills. In addition to the financial savings, James feels better knowing he’s reduced his carbon footprint, while also increasing the comfort of his home. 

His advice to others? “This was easy!” Unlike raising a puppy, upgrading your home is straightforward and painless, especially with customized support at each step of the process from the Community Power Works customer service team. And although arriving home to an adoring dog with a wagging tail will always be one of life’s great pleasures, returning to a comfortable, well-sealed home offers creature comforts too!

We’ve noticed the opposite trend with Community Power Works participants. Many program participants, including James O’Halloran of Mt. Baker, provide feedback that the upgrade process was far easier than they thought it would be—and they often wish they made the energy upgrades sooner. “I had wanted to get an energy upgrade for a long time to decrease my electric bills and energy consumption,” said James.

James’ 1976 home was leaky, especially around the junction of his floors and walls. Working with Puget Sound Solar, he had his crawl space sealed and added sub-floor insulation. He also had a heat pump water heater and a ductless heat pump installed.

These upgrades will reduce James energy consumption by 38% annually and will save him $380 each year on his heating bills. In addition to the financial savings, James feels better knowing he’s reduced his carbon footprint, while also increasing the comfort of his home. 

His advice to others? “This was easy!” Unlike raising a puppy, upgrading your home is straightforward and painless, especially with customized support at each step of the process from the Community Power Works customer service team. And although arriving home to an adoring dog with a wagging tail will always be one of life’s great pleasures, returning to a comfortable, well-sealed home offers creature comforts too!

Annie McCullough of West Seattle was looking to make a smart investment in her home.  After learning about Community Power Works, she researched her options and found that “dollar for dollar, insulation is the best investment you can make in your home.” In addition to reducing energy bills, insulation upgrades are design neutral. No one can see insulation, but everyone can feel the value of a well-insulated home.

After receiving an energy audit from Gary Wood of Applied Performance Technologies, Annie worked with Home Rx to insulate her walls and attic, and upgrade her bathroom fan. She’s already noticed that her house is “less drafty and more sound-proof.” The upgrades will reduce Annie’s energy consumption by 20% and save her $240 per year. Best of all, Annie steered clear of the common home improvement traps. With her Community Power Works home energy upgrade, she says, “I know if I put our house on the market, it’s an investment that will never be out of fashion!”

Annie McCullough of West Seattle was looking to make a smart investment in her home.  After learning about Community Power Works, she researched her options and found that “dollar for dollar, insulation is the best investment you can make in your home.” In addition to reducing energy bills, insulation upgrades are design neutral. No one can see insulation, but everyone can feel the value of a well-insulated home.

After receiving an energy audit from Gary Wood of Applied Performance Technologies, Annie worked with Home Rx to insulate her walls and attic, and upgrade her bathroom fan. She’s already noticed that her house is “less drafty and more sound-proof.” The upgrades will reduce Annie’s energy consumption by 20% and save her $240 per year. Best of all, Annie steered clear of the common home improvement traps. With her Community Power Works home energy upgrade, she says, “I know if I put our house on the market, it’s an investment that will never be out of fashion!”

Our crew headed up to Stevens Pass, set amidst the craggy Cascade Mountain Range. The snow report promised 15 inches of fresh powder and partly sunny skies. While backcountry skiing is rife with challenges and danger, safety is an important consideration in our work and our play. Much like our BPI-certified energy auditors and contractors check appliances in the home for combustion safety issues, our group checked each other’s beacons and safety equipment before heading off to break trail on the slopes. Similar to an energy audit, our ski tour focused on technical assessment and measurement, including snow conditions, slope angles, and the group’s energy level. Some of our ski turns could have used an upgrade, but unlike a home, practice is the only way to improve ski performance.

Three ski runs, a few snack breaks, and countless home performance stories later, we trekked back to the car—tired, but refreshed and ready for another week of helping Seattleites improve the comfort, safety, and performance of their homes.

Jones began his career in the United States Marine Corps, and then worked at several Seattle restaurants before his entrepreneurial spirit kicked into high gear. “I’m an okay employer, but I’m a terrible employee,” he jokes. “That’s why I bought Mulleady’s eight years ago.”

While Jones has managed to stay mostly in the black throughout the economic downturn, the performance of his equipment looms large in his mind. “If your car breaks down, that’s going to be a big deal for you, right?” Jones asks. “Well, I essentially have five ‘cars’ in my kitchen: the refrigerators, ovens, dishwasher, and fryer. If any of those break down, I’m in the red.”

When he heard about Community Power Works, Jones says the program seemed “almost too good to be true.” After an energy assessment revealed how much energy he could save, Jones decided to begin upgrades after the pub’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities. Certified contractor Batt + Lear will replace two refrigerators with models that use ultra-high efficiency fans and chlorofluorocarbon-free refrigerant (chlorofluorocarbons contribute significantly to ozone depletion and climate change). The double convection oven and fryer will also be replaced with ENERGY STAR ™ models, and the pub’s lighting will be upgraded from old incandescent bulbs to LEDs.

The total project costs ring up at roughly $28,000, but a combination of utility and Community Power Works rebates will cover 60 percent. Jones will finance the remaining $11,000 through a low interest loan from local lender Craft3. 

Jones sees these upgrades as the first step in Mulleady’s longer term environmental strategy. The upgrades are projected to reduce the pub’s annual energy consumption by 50,000 kWh and its energy bills by $3,000 each year. Jones also plans to capitalize on the pub’s prime location by enticing patrons to come on foot and by bike. Next up, he hopes to install solar panels.

If you find yourself looking for friends you haven’t yet met this weekend, head on over for St. Patrick’s Day at Mulleady’s – a local pub going shamrock green for the holiday and for the planet. 

The problem for Community Power Works customers Janine and Lance was that their Roosevelt home was far from cozy. “We’d been in our house for 10 years and were always freezing. My husband and I were really tired of being cold. We’d thought about doing something before but never really connected the dots.”

After she received a letter about Community Power Works, Janine felt like they had nothing to lose with a $95 home energy audit. Batt + Lear’s Patsy Heasly conducted the audit and helped pinpoint Janine and Lance’s comfort woes: a lack of insulation in many sections of their house.

A cantilevered addition to their home—where their bedroom is located—had no insulation, which made for especially cold nights. “The assessment process was very educational and we learned a lot about our house in general,” said Janine.

Janine and Lance worked with Community Power Works’ certified contractor RichArt Builders to come up with a suite of upgrades that would maximize the utility and program rebates available. They insulated the basement, outside walls, and bedroom; added batting to the attic hatch; and weatherized a side door.

 “The week after the upgrades were complete, we could feel the insulation. It felt like there was a cloak of warmth around the house even without turning the heat on. We could feel the energy shift within the house,” enthused Janine. Although they reduced their energy use by an estimated 26%, Janine said that they feel about 60% warmer than they did before their Community Power Works upgrade. They’ve also seen lower electric bills. “Typically at this time of year we are paying about $300 per month—but this month it was only $189. We haven’t had the heaters on as much thanks to the new insulation.”

Janine has encouraged several friends to participate in Community Power Works.  “It was an amazing experience!”

Get cozy—call Community Power Works today. 

The problem for Community Power Works customers Janine and Lance was that their Roosevelt home was far from cozy. “We’d been in our house for 10 years and were always freezing. My husband and I were really tired of being cold. We’d thought about doing something before but never really connected the dots.”

After she received a letter about Community Power Works, Janine felt like they had nothing to lose with a $95 home energy audit. Batt + Lear’s Patsy Heasly conducted the audit and helped pinpoint Janine and Lance’s comfort woes: a lack of insulation in many sections of their house.

A cantilevered addition to their home—where their bedroom is located—had no insulation, which made for especially cold nights. “The assessment process was very educational and we learned a lot about our house in general,” said Janine.

Janine and Lance worked with Community Power Works’ certified contractor RichArt Builders to come up with a suite of upgrades that would maximize the utility and program rebates available. They insulated the basement, outside walls, and bedroom; added batting to the attic hatch; and weatherized a side door.

 “The week after the upgrades were complete, we could feel the insulation. It felt like there was a cloak of warmth around the house even without turning the heat on. We could feel the energy shift within the house,” enthused Janine. Although they reduced their energy use by an estimated 26%, Janine said that they feel about 60% warmer than they did before their Community Power Works upgrade. They’ve also seen lower electric bills. “Typically at this time of year we are paying about $300 per month—but this month it was only $189. We haven’t had the heaters on as much thanks to the new insulation.”

Janine has encouraged several friends to participate in Community Power Works.  “It was an amazing experience!”

Get cozy—call Community Power Works today. 

George Thompson was used to waking up or coming home and immediately wrapping a blanket or shawl over his shoulders to stay warm. His 1928 Broadview home was drafty and uncomfortably chilly most of the year—but the worst part was that he was paying to be cold. He kept his heater running in an attempt to warm the house and always felt a little cheated when he paid his heating bill.

Last fall, George saw a Community Power Works billboard asking, “Is your furnace burning cash?” The question resonated with him, and when he later learned about the program’s generous rebates while listening to KUOW, George decided to sign-up for a $95 home energy audit through Community Power Works. 

The audit produced surprising results. “There was no insulation in the walls. Nada! Zip!” George explains.  To stop warm air from leaking out of his home, George reached out to Community Power Works contractor Neil Kelly.  The Neil Kelly crew insulated the walls and attic and used caulking to plug other holes. 

George felt satisfied that he’d made a worthwhile investment, particularly during the free test out energy audit. “The before and after thermal gun pictures were very impressive,” he offers.  The insulation improvements will reduce George’s annual energy use by 26% and will allow him to go shawl-free if he pleases.  “Now I can sit at my kitchen table, drink a cup of coffee, and not have a shawl wrapped around me!”

His advice to other shawl-wearing Seattleites: “Do it! Take advantage of the subsidy today and have a comfortable home tomorrow.”