2026 is the Year of Resilience

The Building Performance Association, a trade group for weatherization and home energy efficiency contractors, is framing 2026 as a year of steadying the industry through policy and funding uncertainty at both the federal and state level. The group's CEO says energy efficiency programs have historically had support from both political parties, and the organization plans to keep advocating for policies that help the industry grow, even as specific programs and funding may shift this year.

For homeowners, the more practical news is about the workforce that does this work. A recent industry report found nearly 2.4 million people across all 50 states work in energy efficiency jobs, but almost 9 in 10 companies surveyed say they still struggle to hire enough workers. To address that, the association is rolling out two new apprenticeship programs, an "Energy Specialist" track and a "Home Performance Laborer" track, now approved under national standards and backed by the U.S. Department of Labor. These are meant to train more workers faster and create clearer career paths in the trade.

The group also runs industry conferences, including a national trade show marking its 40th anniversary this year, plus regional events, one in Saratoga Springs, New York in May, with another location to be announced. These gatherings are for professionals in the field rather than homeowners directly, but they're part of an effort to spread best practices and new technology, including AI tools, more broadly through the contractor workforce that eventually shows up at your door.