NABCEP Update [RE-wrenches]

Tue Nov 19 17:15:38 PST 2002

Bob-O,

On some days I agree with it, and on some days I don't. But I'm pretty sure
that if you and Don were not sitting on the board, and working for all of
us, that I would not like it at all. You guys seem to be pushing the program
in the right directions. If you're successful, I do believe there will be
value there. We've just got to avoid that "very controlled and hard to break
into" scenario for all we're worth. It will kill RE as a major industry
faster than bad installs. Really.

Thanks for all the sweat!

Jeff Wolfe

-----Original Message-----
From: Bob-O Schultze, Electron Connection
[mailto:econnect at snowcrest.net]
Sent: Tuesday, November 19, 2002 7:59 PM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: NABCEP Update [RE-wrenches]

Amigos,
Last week I attended the NABCEP BoD meeting in Austin, TX. For those
of you who don't know, I sit on that board along with Don Loweburg. I
let myself get drawn in to the deal for several reasons.
1) the organized labor presence was too high and the RE Wrench
presence was too low.
NABCEP recognizes this and we are taking steps to even it out. NABCEP
is pretty committed to making sure that the Wrenches and
non-traditional newbies have access to certification. The union reps
were not happy campers with that position, but it is going forward
anyway. Any of y'all who have read Chuck Marken's article in the most
recent Home Power can probably relate to some if not all of his
concerns. (Attaboy Chuck, your concerns needed to be expressed)
At this point, NABCEP has already dealt with some of them. NABCEP
realized very quickly that the overwhelming union response to the
original stakeholder questionnaire did NOT represent what was really
going on in our industry and have greatly modified the requirements
to sit for the certification test to include as many of us
independent working Wrenches as possible.
2) Whether we like it or not, I believe that national certification
is going to happen. Most of us OGs (old guys) can remember the happy
days before NEC 690. While I still have some issues with that, I
gotta admit that it is a good thing overall. Here's why it's going to
happen and why we need to do it:
Money.
For RE to continue to go mainstream, we will need incentive programs.
(Yes, I fully agree that if the oil, coal, and gas incentives went
away we'd be cost effective tomorrow, but let's get real. That ain't
gonna happen. Certainly not under Dubya or the Demos for that matter.
Even if Ralph had won, I doubt whether he would have had the juice to
stop them.)
Since incentive programs are funded through "public benefit" funds,
ie the people's dough, it is reasonable and correct to require good
value for money spent. A huge part of that is good design and
installation. No arguments there, eh? While all states currently
having RE incentive programs allow (and will continue to allow)
owner/builder installations, some are now seriously looking at
promoting certified Wrench installations in one way or another. As
soon as the data is in from a few of these programs, we all know that
it will show that real Wrench installations will overall outperform
the others. Apparently in Florida there is already data to suggest
that certified contractor installs cost a bit more but last far
longer. It seems like a no-brainer to me that data like that will
prompt other state programs to adopt similar provisions.
At the same time, some manufacturers are looking at programs where
installations by certified Wrenches have increased warrantees. In
some cases, if you aren't licensed and/or certified and trained in
their products, there is NO warrantee. How 'bout them apples?
3) Pride. I'm proud of what I do and I'm proud of my craftsmanship.
Aren't y'all? While I don't NEED another certification to do my job,
if there is one worth having which will tell my clients to hire the
best and forget the rest, I want it. I'm all over it. Bring it on.

So, one way or another, I figure we should do this. In the best case,
it will put more money in our pockets and allow us to compete with
(and hopefully say bye-bye to) the incompetents. I don't see this as
putting the competent, but uncertified, shade tree Wrench out of biz
at all. He/she just may not get the higher end jobs. Oh well.
In the worst case, our industry goes the way of most electrical and
plumbing trades. Very controlled and hard to break into. I believe
that by steering NABCEP we can avoid this. Looking down the road, if
NABCEP is a hit, we can steer State programs to some degree as well.
After all, are we or are we not the damn experts around here?
OK, I figure this is bound to spark debate. Let's have it. If Don and
I are to represent the Wrenches effectively, we need to hear all of
it. Just keep in mind, especially if you disagree with the whole
concept, that we ain't the enemy...
Best, Bob-O

--
Bob-O Schultze, Electron Connection
PO Box 203, Hornbrook, CA 96044
800.945.7587 or 530.475.3402
fax 530-475-3401
www.electronconnection.com

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