[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6882]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     RECOGNIZING UPRIGHT FRAMEWORKS

 Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, in February, the New York Times ran 
a heartbreaking story about Robert and Wilma Hartford, two elderly 
Peru, ME residents unable to pay for basic heating during the State's 
bitter cold winter, and a heating oil dealer's personal struggle to 
assist them. As a result, the outpouring of support for this couple was 
astonishing, as neighbors, generous New York Times readers across the 
country, and local small businesses sought to help. One such business, 
Upright Frameworks in Wilton, ME, was happy to lend a hand. This small 
firm's assistance to the Hartfords during their time of need 
illustrates the generosity of Mainers, consistently rising to the 
occasion to help a neighbor, while demonstrating enormous potential for 
curbing our exorbitant energy costs. Today I wish to recognize Upright 
Frameworks for their compassion and tireless efforts to improve energy 
efficient building techniques.
  Owner and founder Josh Wojcik began Upright Frameworks in 2008, after 
moving back home to Maine following a 9-year term in environmental 
policy in New York. As a trained environmentalist and graduate from the 
Structural Insulated Panel, SIP, School in West Virginia, Josh is 
dedicated to ensuring that buildings take full advantage of energy 
efficiency. Josh developed the idea for Upright Frameworks while 
assisting his father, Tom Wojcik, a long-time Mainer Builder, on 
construction projects throughout the State. As individuals continually 
inquired about energy efficiency and going ``green,'' Josh saw an 
opportunity to utilize his skills in Maine.
  Despite the challenging construction market, today Upright Frameworks 
employs 12 individuals. As a new innovative construction solution, this 
small firm specializes in installing structural insulated panels which 
have been on the forefront of energy efficiency. For existing 
structures, the company performs energy audits and weatherization 
retrofits to ensure that buildings have the most cost-effective energy 
systems in places.
  When Josh learned of the Hartfords' struggle, he was determined to 
help. With an existing home such as the Hartfords, the first step was 
to evaluate the project and determine the most cost-effective method to 
reduce energy costs. For Josh, reducing the heat loss in the attic was 
paramount to addressing energy efficiency. In collaboration with 
several other local Maine businesses and donations from across the 
country, Josh was able to effectively make a difference by reducing air 
leakage in the Hartfords' home by an astonishing 63 percent. This 
drastic reduction will allow the couple to substantially reduce their 
home heating costs for years to come.
  While energy costs are still a major issue facing my State, I applaud 
Upright Frameworks' ability to achieve real results with their creative 
use of energy efficiency to alleviate the burdens of home-heating 
costs. This company's selfless commitment to helping fellow Mainers in 
need truly warms my heart. I am proud to extend my praise to Josh 
Wojcik and everyone at Upright Frameworks for their dedication and 
offer my best wishes for their continued success in building a new 
energy future and improving the daily lives of Mainers.

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