Energy Center of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Builders Association: Announce groundbreaking partnership for 2015 housing industry conference

Contact: Charles Dufresne, Director of Education, Energy Center of Wisconsin
cdufresne@ecw.org | 608.210.7136


Kirsten Lee Villegas, State Executive Officer, Wisconsin Builders Association kvillegas@wisbuild.org | 608.242.5151 ext. 11

When the state organization that represents Wisconsin home builders and the organization that produces the largest conference to advance cold-climate home performance get together, great things are going to happen. And the winners will include home owners who are looking for quality, efficient and comfortable homes.

For more than a decade, the Energy Center of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Builders Association (WBA) have designed and delivered premier conferences for building industry professionals. In 2015, they will team up to offer their audiences double the impact at one big event. Together, they will create and host the Better Buildings: Better Business Conference—an event expected to draw more than 1,000 Wisconsin home builders, contractors, suppliers and industry professionals.

The combined conference will feature nationally-recognized expertise and continuing education to drive business success for home builders and help them meet customer demands for better, healthier homes through quality construction and energy efficiency.

“Successful builders put more people to work and grow our state’s economic health, while better homes contribute significant energy savings—another plus for our state,” said Marge Anderson, the Energy Center’s executive vice president.

Wisconsin homes account for 23% of the energy used in the state. The conference courses will equip builders and remodelers with current, advanced technical skills to meet customer demands for healthy and efficient homes. In addition, content will be designed to help builders stay current on legal, business, marketing and customer service trends.

“It is a win-win for home owners and home builders,” said Kirsten Lee Villegas, state executive officer of the WBA and Executive Director of the WBA Foundation. “Consumers are looking for new homes with advanced technology and healthy alternatives that provide lower operating costs. Residential builders who learn how to deliver an even better home product with these features in a cost-effective way will be even more successful in the years ahead.”

The Energy Center and WBA bring complementary experience and content to the conference to amplify the learning opportunities for all participants. WBA contributes executive education, the strength of 23 local associations and a solid connection to market trends. The Energy Center has produced the Better Buildings: Better Business Conference for 12 years and brings nationally-recognized faculty with deep expertise in high-performance homes, building science and the link between construction and human health. The strength of these partners will create a more vibrant peer exchange, increase the return on investment for exhibitors and sponsors and accelerate quality construction in the state.

“Two powerful organizations with complementary strengths and a commitment to doing the right thing for the industry and for home owners—I can’t think of a better combination,” said Joe Nagan, owner of Home Building Technology Service. “This conference is going to set a new standard for quality and market transformation.”

“I believe that the common goals of our conference audiences and their shared passion and skills are going to make this a powerful experience,” said Mark Etrheim, officer of MasterCraft Homes, Inc. and chair of the WBA Foundation Board. “The super-charged agenda will make our members more successful. It’s a great collaboration.”

The 2015 conference will be held March 11-13 at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells. For more information, visit www.betterbuildingswi.org. Conference registration opens October 30, 2014.

About the Energy Center of Wisconsin
The Energy Center promotes sustainability through research, education, demonstration and hands-on work in buildings nationwide. The Energy Center delivers measurable impact with practical and economical solutions and balances some of the most advanced expertise in the country with hands-on field experience, customer insights and rigorous economic filters. For more than 15 years, the Energy Center has developed and delivered award winning professional continuing education classroom trainings, webinars and conferences to several thousand customers each year. Our programs have won national awards from the American Institute of Architects and the International Association of Continuing Education and Training.

About Wisconsin Builders Association
Founded in 1947, the Wisconsin Builders Association serves 23 local associations across the state and represents more than 4,800 member companies involved in residential and light commercial construction, development, and remodeling, as well as sub-contractors, suppliers, manufacturers, lenders and other businesses associated with the home-building industry. The WBA represents the interests of the industry to the state legislature and regulatory agencies and offers educational programs, publications, networking events and a variety of recognition and leadership development opportunities. The WBA Foundation is the charitable arm of the WBA. As a nonprofit organization, the Foundation provides charitable relief to those in need, promotes the building industry as an excellent career choice, encourages on-going training for industry professionals and supports research for the advancement of the industry.