“Making the existing housing stock more energy efficient is one of the most effective ways to achieve national energy conservation goals,” Jones added.  “In the long run this can be an important step in reducing the nation’s dependence on foreign energy supplies.”

A program managed by the Builders Association of Minnesota (BAM) could serve as a model for the president’s proposed initiative, Jones said. That program has served as the conduit for federal stimulus program funds provided to the state for its energy-efficiency programs. The association has trained 1,000 remodelers and other residential contractors and funneled the money to 1,400 Minnesota home owners to help them make needed improvements.

Minnesota home owners got extra incentives for choosing projects like attic insulation, which some consumers don’t do because it’s something that’s not immediately visible, but when combined with incentives can bring a payback on utility bills within a year or two, depending on the climate.

“The president and Congress should look to the Minnesota program as an excellent example of how the proposal could work nationally,” Jones said.

While NAHB supports the president’s residential retrofit initiative, there are concerns about some of the implementing details as the program has been proposed in various legislative drafts.