Your Building Performance Experts
"Our sole business is to assist you in achieving the highest level of performance for the lowest possible price."
What Is a High Performance Building
- Energy Efficient (less expensive to own and operate)
- Comfortable (no drafts or hot and cold spots)
- Good Indoor Air Quality (less dust, mold, etc.)
- Quiet (less outdoor noise)
- Long Lasting (durable) (less moisture-induced rot)
- Better for the Environment (causes less air and water pollution)
Services Offered By Performance Building Consulting
- Residential and light commercial energy audits
- Energy efficiency & renewable energy consulting for individuals, businesses and governmental agencies
- Energy efficiency and building energy code training (residential and commercial)
- Residential builder/contractor training on energy efficiency, indoor air quality and moisture (mold prevention)
- Certified RESNET Home Energy Rater training
- RESNET Quality Assurance Designee for RESNET accredited Home Energy Rating Providers
Wade Byrd
President
Performance Building Consulting
Wade Byrd is a nationally-recognized expert in a number of areas regarding energy use in the residential and commercial sector, including energy efficient housing design and construction; HVAC system design and installation, residential housing health and safety issues such as indoor air quality, electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and combustion safety; and small-scale residential renewable energy options such as photovoltaics, solar thermal, hydroelectric and wind energy.
Among his accomplishments are the following:
- Received contract from the State of Louisiana to assist the state in developing a plan to utilize the approximate $105 million dollars coming to Louisiana under the State Energy Program and Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant appropriations in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus bill).
- Received certification from RESNET as Certified Home Energy Rater Trainer. Currently the only such entity domiciled in Louisiana.
- Until recently, served as energy efficiency technical advisor to the N.O. City Council in their role as utility regulator over public utilities in Orleans Parish.
- Primary author of the New Orleans Energy Efficiency Program (NOEEP), a comprehensive and unique city-wide energy efficiency program that was to be funded by a system-wide energy efficiency rider on utility bills.
- Former Environmental Consultant with the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources.
- Founder of Louisiana's Home Energy Rating System, Energy Rated Homes of Louisiana.
- Represented La. Dept. of Natural Resources for nine years on the Board of Directors of Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) and its parent organization Energy Rated Homes of America, 1994-2003, Vice-President 2002.
- Was the primary author of Louisiana’s Commercial Building Energy Conservation Code and organized and led the industry task force that successfully lobbied for its passage.
- Represented Louisiana on the Interstate Solar Coordinating Council, 1992-95.
- Former Project Manager for DNR’s building codes and standards program and the primary instructor for training in ASHRAE/IES 90.1, COMCheck EZ, IECC and RESCheck offered by DNR to architects, engineers, contractors and other commercial building industry professionals.
- Former primary instructor in DNR's aggressive educational program for the residential building community, developing and teaching state-approved Continuing Education courses for state-licensed home builders, contractors and others in the residential building community.
- Developed Louisiana's unique and highly successful Home Energy Loan Program (HELP) and the Home Energy Rebate Option (HERO).
- Certified Indoor Environmentalist (CIE) by the Indoor Air Quality Association of America.
- Formal training in solar energy includes courses with Solar Energy International and the Florida Solar Energy Center.
- Graduate of Southface Energy Institute's Energy Efficient Homebuilding School.
- Graduate of Florida Solar Energy Center's Duct Diagnostic and Repair School.
- Graduate of LSU (Zoology/Chemistry) with post graduate work in math, chemistry and engineering.
What Others Say About Wade Byrd
"Your expertise in buildings and building codes will be sorely missed by the Department of Energy as we continue our support role to establish higher energy standards in Louisiana. You have been the focal point for action and a trainer of rare ability in communicating the details of building energy codes."
Doug Seiter (on Mr. Byrd’s retirement from DNR)
Energy Codes and Standards Program
U.S. Department of Energy
"Rarely do I find an associate that has the combined knowledge of politics and consensus building, as well as a diverse background in building science, performance and energy efficiency, and understanding of how this all fits together, as you."
Michael C. DeWein
Technical Director
Building Codes Assistance Project
BCAP is a joint initiative of The Alliance to Save Energy, The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, the Natural Resources Defense Council, The Energy Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy
"In my opinion, Mr. Byrd is one of the best energy code experts we have in the nation…I came to rely on Mr. Byrd for his incredible technical expertise in all areas of energy code requirements, specifically his knowledge of building envelope, indoor air quality and mechanical system requirements, computer modeling, and most notably, his knowledge on real world installation procedures and associated impacts."
Steve Palomo
Program Manager
U.S. Department of Energy
"Your knowledge of and dedication to energy conservation is unsurpassed in this state…and the citizens of the state should be very proud of what you have accomplished."
Kurt McCarty
President, Building Officials Association of Louisiana
Former Chief Plans Examiner, City of Baton Rouge
"Your skills with the technical issues of home energy ratings and expertise with energy efficient mortgages are nationally recognized."
Steve Baden
Executive Director
RESNet (Residential Energy Services Network)
RESNet is the national trade organization for home energy rating professionals and the accrediting body for home energy raters recognized by the mortgage lending industry and the federal government.