On behalf of the board, staff and volunteers at the Efficiency Valuation Organization I welcome you to the EVO global community.

EVO's mission is to develop and promote the use of standardized protocols, methods and tools to quantify and manage the performance risk and benefits associated with end-use energy efficiency, renewable energy and water efficiency business transactions.

Our success will depend largely on our ability to serve as a meeting place for those around the world who share an interest in this mission and a commitment to finding solutions to efficiency valuation.

Whether you are involved in projects, programs, mechanisms or schemes, you've probably come to EVO to find answers and share your experience with M&V, evaluation, credits and/or possibly a new related area, such as corporate governance. We believe this newsletter will serve a critical role in your success. I look forward to reading many interesting articles that will come from subscribers like you in coming issues.

Twelve years ago a group of experts gathered to determine the feasibility of creating a single standard for quantifying savings in energy efficiency projects. The ensuing effort was open to a wide range of interests. The result was the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP). The IPMVP is now the most-recognized standard for quantifying savings from efficiency projects. But there is still much work to be done to address the wide range of issues that arise in applying IPMVP, and other M&V frameworks, to real situations. Program evaluation, Climate Change programs, White Credit schemes and Corporate Governance are just a few of the needs that face us now that we did not envision 12 years ago. We at EVO continue to see a large and growing demand for better protocols and a strong community of practice. EVO exists to allow us all to work together to solve these problems.

I hope you enjoy this newsletter. If you haven't already subscribed to EVO, I hope you will visit our Web site and sign up now to take advantage of all the services we offer. And finally, I invite you to contribute to this new community by sharing your experience with others.

Best wishes,

Steve K.
Steve Kromer, P.E.
Chair, Efficiency Valuation Organization

**Read Steve?s article on ?Efficiency Valuation: Creating the Optimal Negawatt Meter,? published in Metering International Issue 3, 2005.**