QUOTES FROM STEVE:

"The challenge isn't how far we can push efficiency—but how affordable we can make it."

"Give builders a clear target and the market will respond."

"It's been a hell of a ride—thanks for the memories. Now it's your turn to take it to the next level."

Steve Baden tells the story of RESNET®'s early days—from Alaska's energy-code back-and-forth to a market-based framework that encouraged builders with targets rather than rules. That experiment birthed home energy ratings, a national standard, and eventually RESNET® itself—formed with the Mortgage Bankers Association and state energy offices to create a uniform "MPG for homes." The payoff: 4.8 million HERS®-rated homes to date and 420k+ in the last year, with large production builders using the RESNET® HERS® score to compete on quality in down markets.

Baden credits stepwise, consensus standards (HERS → ANSI©/RESNET® 301), rigorous QA, and healthy software competition for scaling with credibility. He highlights investments in the registry, virtual QA, and an "emerging leaders" pipeline to keep talent and ideas flowing. Looking ahead, he frames RESNET®'s million-ratings-per-year goal by 2028 against today's affordability crunch: performance gains must be paired with cost sensitivity, or we lock people out of housing.

As Baden steps into a new chapter, he leaves a simple message behind: value the people, keep the partnerships strong, and keep RESNET moving forward.

Steve's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-baden-54080212/

To the RESNET® community, we hear you and want to engage. Learn more at www.RESNET.us. For more info on this topic, contact RESNET at [email protected]