Where the jobs are

Where the jobs are: Energy savers

By Steve Hargreaves @CNNMoney July 8, 2011: 3:01 PM ET

The number of jobs in the energy efficiency field is set to grow up to four-fold over the next 10 years, but even now vacant positrons can't be filled.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The prospects for finding a job in most areas of the economy may be getting bleaker by the day, but one sector stands out: energy efficiency.

Over half the energy professionals surveyed recently said they cannot find enough qualified people to meet current hiring demands in this fast-growing industry.

And the problem is only set to get worse.
Over 100,000 people currently work in a variety of energy efficiency roles -- everything from contractors fixing and installing windows to managers running efficiency programs at utilities.
That number is expected to jump up to four-fold in the next ten years, said Suzanne Jones, a spokeswoman for the Association of Energy Services Professionals.
"There's a giant labor gap here," said Jones. "Utilities and others are scrambling to fill these positions, but it's an acute problem."

The secret role of energy in bringing U.S. jobs back

The jobs include contractor positions, people that come over to your house and caulk your windows and replace your furnace as part of an energy retrofit.
These contractors recently got a huge boost when Obama set aside billions for energy retrofits as part of the stimulus package in 2009.

But most of the energy efficiency jobs will be for sales specialists, program managers and engineers involved in the push by utilities to squeeze every last bit of energy out of the existing power grid.

A program manager's job could include things like getting a group of office building owners together to agree to let a utility automatically turn down the air conditioners in a group of buildings during a heat wave.

UCM Launches NERI

National Energy Retrofit Institute (NERI)

The National Energy Retrofit Institute (NERI) is a national workforce development program and consortium formed to promote an energy retrofit model for the residential energy efficiency sector. This model, when duplicated in communities nationwide, will lead to more “green” jobs for United States citizens and stronger local economies.
NERI’s mission is to support and foster nationwide job creation and related economic development activities for the residential energy efficiency sector. We accomplish this by establishing a collaborative retrofit community (consortium), coupled with industry-specific training and supportive services.
To learn more about NERI, our training, and our vision, register for one of our free webinars. To request information click here.

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Weatherization leads to a warmer home

January 27, 2011 by Green Impact Zone

At a kickoff news conference last September, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II introduced Mrs. Renette Riley, the first Green Impact Zone resident to qualify for our Low-Income Weatherization Assistance Program. Once the paperwork was in order, we conducted an energy audit of Mrs. Riley’s home to determine exactly what weatherization work was needed.

The work was completed in December, and Mrs. Riley couldn’t be happier. At the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council meeting last Saturday, she said her house is the warmest it’s ever been and her electric bill is lower than before. She encouraged her neighbors to run – not walk – to the Green Impact Zone office to apply for the program.

“Thank you for your efficient planning and tireless efforts to make my home warm and cozy,” Mrs. Riley said in a letter to Green Impact Zone staff. “You will never know what receiving a new furnace means to me. Thank you for seeing the great need in our community and taking measures to improve the lives of the seniors and residents of Ivanhoe and other neighborhoods in the Green Impact Zone.”

While not everyone needs a new furnace, weatherization can help qualified homeowners and renters save energy and save money by adding insulation, sealing leaks around doors and windows and repairing furnaces and air conditioners. Find out if you qualify for the Green Impact Zone Low-Income Weatherization Assistance Program. Visit www.greenimpactzone.org/energy to learn more

Top 10 Green Building Trends for 2011

After discussions with a wide range of stakeholders - policymakers, builders, developers, architects, real estate brokers, appraisers, lenders, and homeowners - Earth Advantage identified the following trends in green building for 2011.
The trends range from green homes becoming easily affordable to community-based energy, from smart appliances to lifecycle analysis of materials.

1. Affordable green. Many people associate green, energy-efficient homes with higher costs, but that's changing. New business models, technologies, and high performance materials are bringing green homes within reach of all homeowners. Free or low cost energy audits are now widely available, and as homeowners become more aware of the benefits of simple, inexpensive retrofits, energy efficiency upgrades are increasingly commonplace. Through programs like Solar City's  lease-to-own business model, homeowners can get solar on their roofs without an up-front payment. Habitat for Humanity builds affordable LEED and Energy Star-certified homes across the US for as little as $100,000.

2. Healthy Competition on Energy Consumption.  Sharing among "friends" on Facebook and other social networking sites may soon include a healthy competition for who uses the most and least energy in exchange for rewards. Earth Aid, for example, lets you track home energy usage and earn rewards for energy savings from local vendors. You can also elect to share the information with others on Earth Aid to see who can conserve the most energy.

Coupled with developments including home energy displays, DOE's Home Energy Score pilot program, and Oregon and Washington's Energy Performance Score, a lot more people will be sharing and comparing their home energy consumption.

3. Performance-Based Energy Codes. Existing buildings are responsible for most of our energy use and associated carbon emissions, but the prescriptive energy codes used in commercial remodels don't encourage effective retrofitting. Compliance with energy codes is determined at permit time, using prescriptive or predictive models, and actual post-construction may never even be reviewed. Heating and cooling equipment could be faulty or improperly controlled, with significant energy and financial implications.

Under outcome-based energy codes, owners could pursue the retrofit strategy they decide is most effective for their building and its tenants, but they would be required to achieve a pre-negotiated performance target through mandatory annual reporting. The City of Seattle and the New Building Institute have teamed up with the National Trusts' Preservation Green Lab to pioneer a framework for just such a code, for both new and existing buildings.

4. Community Renewable Energy. Neighbors will increasingly band together to get lower prices on solar installations and literally share renewable energy systems. Buying solar as group reduces the cost by 15-25%; investing in a neighbor's solar system allows people to benefit from solar even if they can't put it on their own roof because of shading, the age of their roof etc. Guide to Community Solar.

5. Smart Appliances. Through the use of smart meters, homeowners will get feedback on their energy use, allowing them to conserve during expensive peak hours, and to see in real time how much energy each appliance consumes. Manufacturers are introducing "grid-aware" appliances that have sophisticated energy management capabilities and timers, enabling the homeowner to gain control over their use.

6. Accessory Dwelling Units.  During the recession, the McMansions trend gave way to "rightsizing," and with fewer people moving or building because of financial concerns, many are staying put and building  accessory dwelling units. These small detached or attached units can be used for offices, studios, in-laws or rentals, and are the ideal size for energy efficiency and green construction.

As rental units, they help cities increase urban density and restrict sprawl, while homeowners add value to their property. The cities of Portland, Oregon, and Santa Cruz, California, waived administrative fees to encourage this.

7. Rethinking Residential HVAC.  Advances in applied building science have resulted in homes that are so tightly sealed and insulated that furnace-less, ductless homes can be a reality. The increasingly popular "Passive House" standard, for example, calls for such thick insulation in walls and ceilings that the home is heated by the everyday activity of the occupants, from cooking to computer use. 

8. Residential Grey Water.  With water shortages looming in many areas including the Southwest and Southern California, grey water recycling of household wastewater is slowly gaining traction. Benefits include reduced water use, less strain on septic and stormwater systems, and groundwater replenishment. Although many cities have been hesitant to legislate grey water use, some communities have increased the amount of allowable grey water for irrigation.

9. Small Building Certification.  95% of commercial building starts in the U.S. are under 50,000 square feet, but most LEED- certified buildings are much larger. This is in part because of numerous "soft" costs including commissioning, energy modeling, project registration, and administrative time, all of which can be prohibitively expensive for small building owners and developers. Certification programs specifically designed for small buildings are springing up, such as Earthcraft Light Commercial and Earth Advantage Commercial.

10. Lifecycle Analysis (LCA).  Understanding the lifecyle of building materials - their effect from cradle to grave - has always been important to green builders. Now that we know how various green building materials perform, the industry is studying the effects of these materials over the course of their entire lives, from raw material extraction through disposal and decomposition.

Even in Energy Star-certified homes, builders are encouraged to bring all ductwork inside the insulated envelope of the house to eliminate excess heat or cooling loss, and to use only small, very efficient furnaces and air conditioners. Geothermal heating and cooling is also gaining broader acceptance. Lifecycle analysts are examining  impacts of materials over their lifetime through the lens of environmental indicators including embodied energy, solid waste, air and water pollution, and global warming potential. The results will help architects determine which products really are "green."

N.J. ramps up weatherization program after audit showed mismanagement of federal funds

 By Chris Megerian/Statehouse Bureau

TRENTON — New Jersey’s weatherization program, which has struggled with slow progress, lax oversight and two critical audits, is back on track, Community Affairs Commissioner Lori Grifa said told a Senate committee today.

 

"These shortcomings have been, or are in the process of being, remedied," Grifa told the Senate Legislative Oversight Committee. "My overarching goal and commitment is to ensure transparency and accountability for every one of these federal dollars."

In an interview later, she said, "With eight weeks of intense supervision, we’ve turned this program around."

The federal program is designed to help low-income families reduce their heating costs while at the same time reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create jobs.

As of September, New Jersey had one of the worst records in the country for completing weatherization projects, according to an analysis of federal data. Since then, production has increased dramatically, from an average of 129 homes per month earlier this year to 711 in November.

But problems remain. Only a small percentage of people who completed a taxpayer-funded training program have found weatherization work. In addition, Grifa said, accounting problems at some nonprofit agencies handling weatherization work have been referred to state authorities for possible criminal investigation.


Federal officials are also watching New Jersey’s progress and will visit the state this week.

"Since the state’s production and expenditures remain below target, the (U.S. Department of Energy) has provided support that reaches far beyond standard oversight procedures," said Jen Stutsman, a department spokeswoman. "This visit is part of a much larger effort to ensure that the state weatherization funds are spent both efficiently and effectively."

President Obama’s stimulus plan includes $5 billion over three years to upgrade 593,000 homes nationwide. New Jersey was allocated $118.8 million for nearly 13,400 homes, although it has only received half the money. It can apply for the rest when it surpasses 30 percent of its target number of homes. Grifa said the state will exceed that mark by the end of the month.

Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex), who chairs the oversight committee, said she wants to ensure the state’s early missteps don’t jeopardize additional funding.

"We need assurances that we’re fixing issues related to this program," she said. "We don’t want to lose an opportunity to put people back to work, to create careers paths in energy efficiency and green technology."

Though the state has increased production, it has not resulted in more jobs. Only seven of the 184 people who graduated from the training program have found work. Another 35 have found work in other fields.

"Clearly the hiring did not take place," Grifa said. "It’s been frustrating."
Grifa also defended a decision to cut funding to seven county and nonprofit agencies that have been handling weatherization work.

"Those actions were not arbitrary or capricious, but necessary to help the New Jersey weatherization program recover from its shaky start," she said. "We have some agencies who are performing remarkably. We have others who are performing abysmally."

Bingaman, Snowe Introduce Bipartisan Tax Package

October 1st, 2010

BINGAMAN, SNOWE INTRODUCE PACKAGE OF CLEAN ENERGY TAX INCENTIVES; CALL FOR SWIFT ENACTMENT

Advanced Energy Tax Incentives Act is Only Comprehensive Energy Tax Package with Bipartisan Senate Support

 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee Ranking Member Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME) yesterday introduced a comprehensive package of advanced energy tax incentives that will create thousands of clean-energy and manufacturing jobs; enable American businesses and families to make long-term energy-savings investments; reduce greenhouse gases; and increase U.S. energy security. 

 

The Senators – longtime leaders in developing sound tax incentives for clean renewable energy, energy efficiency and carbon mitigation – are urging their colleagues to take up and pass their Advanced Energy Tax Incentives Act of 2010 (S. 3935) before Congress adjourns in December. 

 

The Act focuses broadly on building and industrial energy efficiency; domestic manufacturing; emerging clean energy technologies; and carbon mitigation. 

 

“We must continue to ensure that the Tax Code contains well-designed incentives that will help us transition to an energy efficient economy,” explained Bingaman.  “Our bill will significantly expand domestic clean energy manufacturing; help American businesses and families reduce their energy use and dependence on fossil fuels; and create thousands of jobs.  This is a common-sense, bipartisan proposal that deserves priority consideration.”

 

 “For far too long our country’s energy strategy has prioritized the technologies of the past while our policy debate has languished in partisanship.  The world is moving ahead with bold action on innovative technologies and it is past time that we set a new course for how we use and think about energy,” said Snowe.  “Energy efficiency has emerged as one of the most effective and expeditious initiatives that can be taken to preserve valuable resources for producers and consumers and I believe we can build upon the success of past tax credits with these critical energy efficiency tax incentives, which will spark innovation in our building and industrial sector and afford our constituents and businesses financial incentives to simultaneously reduce their energy bills and invest in our economy.  I appreciate working with Senator Bingaman on this comprehensive energy tax package and look forward to enacting these provisions into law.”   

 

S. 3935 incorporates several bills the Senators jointly introduced earlier this Congress alongside numerous new provisions.  A summary of its provisions is available online at http://bingaman.senate.gov/policy/aetia_summ.pdf. Among other highlights, S. 3935 would:

 

*Enable home and business owners to defray upfront costs of investing in energy-saving technologies, including the introduction of performance-based tax credits for whole home retrofits;

 

*Make $2.5 billion in tax credits available to attract manufacturers of technologies that harness clean renewable energy or enhance energy efficiency, and establish a $1 billion tax credit program to enable American manufacturers to undertake energy-saving measures that advance their competitiveness;

 

*Facilitate the growth of renewable electricity by creating a tax incentive for energy storage systems, which will enable utilities to deploy intermittent energy sources like wind and solar power while reducing energy demands during peak hours and contributing to an overall more reliable smart grid; and

 

*Retool the tax credit for carbon capture and storage (CCS) to give CCS projects greater certainty.

 

Bingaman has said that if the Senate is unable to pass the American Clean Energy Leadership Act (ACELA) – which the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee reported on a strong bipartisan basis in 2009 – Congress ought to take up and pass several priority bills.  Among these is a bill he wrote with Senator Brownback (R-KS) to create a national Renewable Energy Standard; a bill unanimously reported by the Energy & Natural Resources Committee to address issues related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill; and S. 3935.

 

The bill was referred to the Senate Finance Committee.  Bingaman and Snowe are senior Members of that Committee, and Bingaman is Chairman of its Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources & Infrastructure.

Missouri is prepping a new home energy upgrade plan.

 The Homeowner Upgrades and Geothermal Program (HUG) is going to offer substantial rebates for those who choose to take advantage of it.  

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This program begins with a homeowner getting a home energy audit from a certified auditor.  With this prioritized info in hand the homeowner will make the most cost effective upgrades.  If the home improves efficiency by 15% the homeowner will be able to qualify for 50% of the upgrade costs up to $2000.  25% efficiency improvement will qualify the homeowner for a 70% incentive to help cover the costs of the upgrade.  Installing a geothermal heat-pump will offer incentives up to $10,000.
This program is funded for $7,000,000 and is expected to have a relatively short life accordingly.  7 million is a lot of money but can used very quickly if the program is aggressively implemented.