The North Star – For some, it is a compass direction. The direction to follow. For others, following your North Star means sticking to an important mission. Let’s follow the important mission happening in green housing in the North Star State. Listen in as we discover the teamwork that has been rallied to create the Minnesota Green Path. Green Path is the leading energy efficiency and green building program for the residential construction industry in Minnesota. Created by BATC-Housing First Minnesota in 2011, the program has provided Home Performance Reports to more than 18,000 newly built homes highlighting the RESNET® HERS® Index Score and the tested air exchange rate. Tom Gavaras of the BATC-Housing First Minnesota and HERS® Rater Ross Anderson of Energy Network Worldwide detail out the synergies they have created in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. They describe the strategies they have employed which have successfully brought together utilities, the builder community, and Raters to grow recognition of green building techniques generally and more specifically, to promote the HERS® rating. We’ll hear about Minnesota’s Green Path’s promotion of the HERS® Index through its Parade of Homes, home tours and related publications, website, marketing, and social media. And lastly, Tom and Ross describe how you can leverage the connections of your local or state builders association to continue elevating energy-efficient building. You can reach Tom and download the checklist he mentions at www.MNGreenPath.org You can also reach Ross at the Minnesota Building Performance Contractors Association via www.MBPA.us Click here to listen.