The use of a good moisture meter allows me to locate hidden moisture within walls and diagnose the presence of potential or current problems.

I always specify the installation of balancing dampers to ensure occupant comfort and correct air flow to each room. No residential duct system is truly self balancing.

Using the digital manometer, I can measure zonal pressure differences from an interior door closing.

All of these questions and more filled my nights with restless sleep. When builders need a plumber, they know that they need a plumber. They don't wonder whether they should call an architect or a rock guitarist. This is obviously not the case for a building performance business. We building performance specialists are establishing a new industry. I still have regular clients who will say, "We have this problem. Would you be able to help us figure this one out?" The funny thing is that sometimes even I have to stop and consider the question before I respond.

My previous life experience included a college minor in marketing and public relations, along with many years in straight commission sales. I believe in the saying "Who you know is as important as what you know." I determined to make as many people as possible aware of who I was. My first step was to segment my market into the groups I thought would be helped by my services. There were builders, architects, home or building owners, supply houses, industry associations, contractors, and even allergy and respiratory doctors.

• whole-house diagnostic testing, using established scientific test protocols and standards for evaluation and remediation;
• resolution of performance-related warranty issues for builders and contractors; 
• design consultation for owners, architects, HVAC firms, and builders;
• diagnosis and remediation of "sick" buildings and homes;
• resolution of unacceptable comfort levels or complaints about high utility bills;
• investigation and resolution of indoor air quality (IAQ) complaints for the allergic, chemically sensitive, or breathing impaired;
• Model Energy Code (MEC/IECC '98) compliance reviews and training; and
• Home Energy Rating System (HERS) ratings to obtain energy-efficient mortgages.

I mailed this letter, along with a business card, to several hundred firms and professionals in my market, most of whom I found through the yellow pages. At the time, I didn't have the Home Performance Contractor brochure that Home Energy, with funding from the Department of Energy, has made available. If I had, I would have included one in each mailing. I now give one to each client at the end of our first meeting.

The next step was to follow up those letters with a telephone call to each recipient. Yes, this took a lot of time, but at this stage of starting out, I wasn't exactly overwhelmed by demands on my time. I asked each person if he or she had received my mailing and if they had any interest in working with me. To my surprise, several recipients said yes, and how fortunate it was that I had called now, because they were just wondering who could address this or that performance problem.

Others said they had no need for me now, but were glad to hear that someone in the area could help with these types of problems. A couple of them gave me referrals to friends. Some just had a lot of questions; as we talked, we found that they did need someone with a building performance background from time to time. Many of these folks have since called to hire me. Even the least enthusiastic recipient was at least curious about the industry and willing to keep me in mind or refer colleagues to me.

It is clear why I would thus approach building-related professionals, but why did I send the letter to doctors? There are many people who suffer from asthma, severe allergies, and other respiratory disorders. A healthy home or building can be a great blessing to these people. So I sent letters, resumes, and copies of Home Energy's brochure, which I had received copies of by then, to all the local allergist and respiratory specialists. I then followed up with a phone call. Most were hesitant, but some were willing to meet with me at their offices to discuss the possibilities. This has led to a few jobs, and I think it has great potential as a marketing tool.

Each of these groups is an important player in delivering good building performance to the public. Builders are looking for solutions to their callback problems--sweating windows, poor comfort, high utility bills, odors, mold, and so on. Others need an independent third party to perform investigations of owner complaints. (This is a useful tool in dealing with jobs where the owner has lost confidence that the builder is working in the owner's best interest.)

Remodeling contractors are often faced with similar requests from homeowners. They want to know if the remodeling contractor can fix odor, mold, and comfort problems while the house is torn up for the remodeling work they want done. It is obviously in the remodeling contractor's best interest to satisfy as many of the client's needs as possible. Not only does this elevate the remodeling contractor above the competition to the level of problem solver, but it also increases the scope of the work.

The HVAC contractor often gets the first complaint call. When this contractor has exhausted all of his or her diagnostic tests and still has not discovered the reason for the complaint, I get a call as the third party expert. This shows the client that the contractor is exploring all avenues to resolve the problem and helps to ward off calls to lawyers. The contractors know that I'm not a cheap option, but I'm cheaper than a lawsuit! They also know that if the air conditioner is not the cause of the problem, they probably don't have the knowledge or tools to properly diagnose the situation.

What did I do to market my firm to these groups? I joined their professional associations and started to attend the meetings regularly. As a result, my firm was written up in each association's newsletter, and my firm was listed as a resource for other members on two of the associations' Web sites. I also spoke to the office manager of each association and explained what my firm does so that they would know where to send members who had performance problems.

This has been a very successful approach. I get calls routinely now from people who start the conversation with, "I was getting a bid on attic insulation and a room addition when the contractor asked if the house always had that moldy odor. He said that you were the person to talk to about that type of problem."

This is truly a win-win-win situation. The contractor wins by being able to serve the client as a source of expert assistance. The contractor also gets to implement at least part of the remediation package that results from my testing and inspection. The home or building owner wins because he or she gets a solution to a long-standing problem. I win because I'm able to solve a problem, and that is how I earn the right to continue in business.

I also joined another group in my community, the Austin Energy Green Building Program (see "Green Building Programs--A Growing Trend," HE Jan/Feb '00, p. 34). This program helps people locate contractors and consultants in many fields related to sustainability by maintaining a listing of firms offering green services or products. They kindly listed my firm under a couple of headings on their Web site and in their printed materials. Through this resource, I made networking contacts with a different set of builders, architects, and subcontractors than just those who dominate the production housing market.

I have been a guest on the hour-long show twice this year and have an open invitation to return when I have the time. Each appearance garners several new homes with problems to solve. Many area contractors regularly listen to the show, and my appearances seem to add to my credibility in the marketplace.

Another line of marketing that I've pursued is forging links with the state government. I joined and have been active in the Texas Building Energy Institute (TBEI), which coordinates energy and IAQ research, training, and policy for the State of Texas. I find this to be rewarding in several ways. For one, I have a voice in determining the direction of energy and IAQ policy in the state. For another, through TBEI I became involved with the newly formed Texas Institute for the Indoor Environment (TIIE). The TIIE will have twin test houses and classroom facilities for experimentation and training in all aspects of energy efficiency and good indoor air quality in the hot Southland. This is obviously a great place for a building science consultant to find him or herself.

I also found that TBEI members include representatives of several manufacturers, trade associations, and consumer groups interested in homes that perform well. It was a welcome surprise when several of these groups were excited to find someone in Texas who could provide specialized technical diagnostics and training.

Through this association, I have been awarded work with a major builder of manufactured homes and a contract to provide energy-code-related training workshops. I was also asked to perform design and sizing work for HVAC systems for a builder of insulated concrete form homes. The HVAC systems were being oversized by contractors who did not know about the inherent efficiency of these homes. Incorrect ventilation design for our humid Gulf coastal region was also creating moisture problems. Without these contacts, I don't think that I would have been able to secure work from associations that I did not know existed and that are headquartered hundreds of miles away.

Through my marketing and networking efforts, I have rapidly developed a wide range of clients who use my services regularly. I have found that, as in any business, when you deliver an effective solution to a problem, the word spreads quickly. My multipronged approach has brought me quick results and a rapid start-up. This is much more fun than suffering through the first-year blues that many new businesses suffer.

To avoid those first-year blues yourself, think broadly about the building science field. Let people know that you are in a new and unique business, and that you have solutions to improve the quality of the product they deliver and the bottom line of their firm. Remember that, as a person in a new business, you can benefit from working with established firms who are more likely to get the first call from a consumer than would a new firm in an unknown field. In return, be loyal to the firms who work with you by referring clients to them and by remembering that everything you do reflects on the firms who choose to bring you into their jobs. In other words, be a considerate guest on the job.

By being considerate and providing a high level of quality, you will ensure that your list of cooperating firms will grow. Networking is not new, but it is a great tool for quickly establishing a business in a new and little known field.

Doug Garrett is the owner of Building Performance & Comfort, which is based in Leander, Texas. Contact him at dgarrett@texas.net.

Training and Certification Lured by rumors that I could learn how to improve the city of Austin's conservation program, which I was managing, I attended my first Affordable Comfort conference in '86 or '87 and have been getting training in building performance ever since. I have now participated in seven or eight Affordable Comfort conferences. At each one, I have attended excellent workshops conducted by trainers with extensive real-world experience. My ongoing desire to plumb the depths of building science has inspired me to participate in a very eclectic mix of trainings and to acquire a broad range of credentials. I have taken code classes, energy auditor training, utility cost- benefit analysis training, State of Texas IAQ trainings, Environmental Protection Agency IAQ trainings, dozens of short courses and classes offered by IAQ research facilities and universities, and more. Through this educational potpourri, I have earned the Certified Energy Manager (CEM, commercial) and the Certified Demand-Side Manager (CDSM, residential) certifications from the Association of Energy Engineers. Other trainings and certifications I have participated in include a 13-day duct class at the Florida Solar and Energy Center, which was taught by John Tooley and Jim Cummings. This experience led me to become a certified Duct Diagnostician in 1991. After taking a series of classes led by the technical director of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America, I became certified as an Instructor for Manual J (cooling/heating equipment sizing), Manual D (duct design), and Manual S (equipment selection). Finally, I have acquired my own hard-earned on-the-job experience during my nine years as manager of the city of Austin Energy Conservation programs and my six years with the Austin Green Building program, where I focused on sustainability, IAQ, codes, moisture, and energy.

Home Energy can be reached at: contact@homeenergy.org
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