MONTGOMERY— Gov. Bob Riley has awarded a $50,000 economic stimulus grant to help Alabama construction professionals become energy-use experts.  

The grant, awarded to the Alabama Association of Habitat Affiliates, will train 42 professionals to become energy auditors of residential and commercial buildings. They will learn to assess a building’s energy use and recommend improvements to save energy and money.

The state’s energy office, a division of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, announced the availability of the funds earlier this year and the association applied for the grant in response.

“A goal of our energy office is to reduce utility costs for residents and businesses through increased energy efficiency,” Riley said. “This training will put more energy auditors in Alabama communities to help owners of homes and businesses identify areas of potential energy savings.”

Three-day training sessions for construction contractors, architects, engineers and builders will be held at Auburn University in January 2010 and 2011. The training will coincide with the “Green and Blue Conference” sponsored by the University and Habitat to promote environmentally sustainable building practices.

The sessions will teach participants to conduct a full energy audit of a building to recognize and prioritize the most cost-effective opportunities for energy savings. After completing the course, participants will take an exam to earn certification in residential or commercial audits.

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Energy as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Riley informed Karen McCauley, the association’s executive director, that the grant had been approved. 

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Contact: Mike Presley, Larry Childers