This page provides instructions and templates for Chairs to run their Committee or Working Groups effectively and efficiently.

If you’ve recently been appointed as Chair of a Committee or Working Group, congratulations! You’re in the right place. Or if you’re an old hand stopping by just to grab a template, thank you for your continued dedication to HVAC energy efficiency.

The bullets below provide a chronological explanation of a Chair’s tasks. The links further down the page provide you with commonly used forms and templates.

These tools and processes are for the use of all Chairs, whether you have a WHPA staff-supported Committee or Working Group, or if it is member-supported (which means there is no WHPA staff assigned to your committee).  If there is WHPA staff support, please contact your assigned staff member with any questions about the information of this page.  If your group is member supported, please email Bonnie Gustavson at bonnie@performancealliance.org and she’ll get back to you within two business days.

Let’s get started...


Before you do Anything Else

Please review the links in the Charter Information page to understand the organizational structure and procedures of the WHPA. You will also want to review the Code of Conduct.

Click here for a presentation for Chairs on the Charter and Code of Conduct.


You Need a Webpage!

If your Committee or Working Group does not have a webpage, email your WHPA staff person, or in no staff then email  bonnie@performancealliance.org and one will be created for you. The webpage will explain the group’s purpose and provide links to minutes, supporting documents and eventually work products.


How to Recruit

Talk to the Chair of the group that formed your Committee or Working Group. For example, if your Working Group was formed by a Committee, talk to its Chair. Ask him or her how they would like you to recruit and what type of participants you should be seeking. Your Committee or Working Group web page will show the hierarchy, as will the WHPA org chart.


Vetting Participants

Once you have potential participants for your group, look at the List of Registered Individuals and verify if they have registered with the WHPA. This is important because they must be registered to be a voting member of the group.

You will also want to make sure your group meets the Charter’s criteria of having participants from at least three stakeholder categories.

Once you’ve vetted the participants, fill out the Committee Roster Template below with their information. If you haven’t done so already, call each participant and introduce yourself.


Setting Up Meetings

Use a free calendar matching service called Doodle to find a convenient time for the group. Then sign up with FreeConferencing.com to obtain a free conference line and you may also use their free screen share service.

The WHPA uses a tool called CalendarWiz to post all meetings on the WHPA website.  This is a convenient way for peopel to check when there are meetings, without having to call you or rely on email.  If you have WHPA staff support talk to your staff person and state your preference as to whether you want to do this yourself, or have them assist you.

If you do not have WHPA staff support then go ahead and use the above tools, which are free.  Please Include bonnie@performancealliance.org on all meeting invitations so that she can post the meeting on CalendarWiz..


Documenting and Publishing Meeting Notes

The WHPA Meeting Notes Template below provides a suggested layout for documenting meetings. Your meeting notes can either be voted on for approval or as the Committee/ Working Group Chair you may simply choose to accept them without a vote.

If your group is WHPA staff supported, they will take action to have the approved notes published on your Committee/Working Group web.  If you are member-supported,  email the approved meeting notes to bonnie@performancealliance.org and request they be posted on your page.


What it’s all About: Creating Deliverables

The WHPA Sample Gap Report for EC Review document below can be used as a template for developing your group’s work product report. It may also be helpful to view completed work products in the WHPA Work Products section of the homepage.

If you have WHPA staff support, they will assist you in completing the WHPA Work Product Summary Form and scheduling the required reviews up the WHPA organization chart.   If member-supported, complete the form below and email it to bonnie@performancealliance.org. This form can also be used to request guidance up from higher up the hierarchy chain.