BPA Journal Top 5

It’s the end of another year full of industry advancements, a growing workforce, and home efficiency improvements across the nation. And the BPA Journal has been keeping our readers up to date on all of it. In January of this year, this online magazine launched as the publication you know it now. After being a print publication for a number of years, it was an exciting pivot for the brand and one that has been well-received. Our readership numbers are higher now than they ever were in print—in total, in 2023, BPA Journal articles got more than 25,000 views.

So, what were our readers most interested in? Following are the top five articles read this year.

5. Measuring Natural Air Leakage

Coming in at our fifth-most-read article, this piece covers how to calculate ACHnat and reasons it can be a useful metric. When conducting a blower door test, one of the ways we express the findings is with air changes per hour at 50 Pascals (ACH50). Expressing the tightness as natural air leakage can also sometimes be helpful…and that’s where ACHnat comes in.

4. BPA Sponsors Apprenticeship Pathways in Energy Efficiency

Apprenticeships have a long history in the building trades. Carpenters, cement masons, and HVAC technicians all have well-known apprenticeship programs–so why not also energy efficiency and home performance contractors? Even though energy efficiency careers have been around for over 30 years, there has yet to be a clear path to follow to become an Energy Specialist, like so many other trades. That’s why BPA sponsored a new, registered Energy Specialist apprenticeship. This article explains that sponsorship and potential career path for newcomers to the industry.

3. Frost-Protected Shallow Foundations

Coming in at spot number three, this piece talks about the biggest benefit of frost-protected shallow foundations, which is the reduced cost over other foundation systems. Affordability in new construction over the past couple of years has been an issue, so cost-savings with a reliable end-product can make this system a good choice.

2.  BPI Building Analyst and Envelope Certifications Have Transformed into a Career Path

In March of this year, the Building Performance Institute (BPI) came up with a novel approach that involves transforming their certifications into a career path, starting with Building Analyst Technician (BA-T) and then offering the option to obtain the Building Analyst Professional (BA-P) designation. Are you sensing a theme yet? This article was our second-most-read, and further drives home that our readers are interested in workforce development and growing the industry.

1. Understanding the High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Act (HEEHRA) 

Not surprisingly, our number-one article was on a piece of the Inflation Reduction Act. (IRA was big news this year; we published many, many articles on it.) Formerly known as the Zero-Emission Homes Act, HEEHRA helps low- and moderate-income households afford the energy-efficient upgrades needed to lower costs and greenhouse gas emissions. The HEEHRA creates a winning combination of rebates that specifically address the concerns of America’s most energy vulnerable households and goes farther than ever before to make home electrification possible for everyone.

We thank you for your readership this year and look forward to staying your trusted resource for industry news and updates in 2024.