Energy Efficiency Field, Home and Buildings Category

Emcee: Debra Poneman

Our final inductee is Informed Energy Decisions and their co-founders Cappy Kidd and John Porterfield.

Cappy Kidd comes to Informed Energy Decisions with years of experience as a carpenter, building contractor, and more recently as a state-licensed home inspector.

Quite the well-rounded professional, Cappy has worked in industrial and building trades since his youth, including as a licensed Stationary Engineer at a major hospital complex in Manhattan; in HVAC design, assembly and maintenance project administration; and in building energy performance.

Cappy is a LEED Accredited Professional, a RESNET certified energy rater, and holds a degree in Environmental Control Technology. Cappy serves on the board of the Illinois Association of Energy Raters, has instructed at the Illinois Inspector Training Institute and currently teaches at Wright College.

John brings to the firm his vast knowledge of building science. He has degrees in architecture and economics, over three decades of experience in home energy performance, and was a pioneer of infrared scan and air leakage diagnostics for buildings in the Chicago area.

John served on the Working Group for the Chicago Energy Code for four years and has been an instructor of energy classes at the School of Architecture of the University of Illinois Chicago, Moraine Valley Community College, and Wright College.

John also has a few publications under his belt including the 321-page How-to House Doctor. He has contributed to the Home Retrofit Manual and Mechanical Systems Retrofit Manual, and he is a RESNET certified energy rater.

The mission of Informed Energy Decisions is to detect energy and water waste in buildings, recommend solutions based on current building science, and assist clients in administering best-practice solutions.

Founded in 2003, Informed Energy Decisions is a leader in the Chicago area not only because of their experience, expertise and integrity but because they are independent of proprietary products and services. When recommending a course of action, they offer all viable options to their clients and receive no commission from providers.

Informed Energy Decisions is a member of the US Green Building Council, the Illinois Association of Energy Raters and partner of the EPA’s Energy Star™ program. Their team keeps up to date with the industry by continuous training and attending professional building science conferences across the United States.

I also want to take this moment to say that Cappy Kidd is one of the most generous people I have ever met and has been extremely helpful in coordination and promotion of our 3-day event.

So with our deepest thanks and admiration for all you do, we now induct Informed Energy Decisions, Mr. John Porterfield and Mr. Cappy Kidd into the Environmental Hall of Fame.