Energy Efficiency

Energy Efficiency

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFvf6MTQk6A

Energy efficiency is about using less energy to provide the same service. Energy-efficient light bulbs are a great example. They give off the same amount of light using less electricity. The same goes for energy-efficient cars. They travel the same distance using less gas.

Unfortunately, more than half of the energy we produce in the United States goes to waste. The amount of energy wasted may be as high as 85 percent. Energy waste harms the environment and our wallets. The more energy we waste, the more pollution we create. Paying for energy that is not put to good use but is wasted does not reflect good judgment.

The field of energy efficiency is filled with opportunities. In terms of employment there is a wide range of jobs in this field. We use energy, although we could use it more efficiently in almost everything we do. Think about it: transportation can be made more energy-efficient; so can the devices, equipment, and appliances we use all the time. Processes can be made more efficient too — the way something is produced in a factory, for instance, can be designed or redesigned to use less energy.

In New York City many jobs in the energy efficiency field have to do with improving the way energy is used in buildings. There are jobs for everyone, from entry-level workers, who might work for a utility company swapping out old-inefficient light bulbs for new energy-saving models, to architects, engineers, and finance experts. These professionals can make old and new buildings more energy-efficient by designing buildings that need a lot less energy to operate or by redesigning and re-engineering building heating and cooling systems. Finance experts can figure out how to reduce the cost of energy-efficiency upgrades or to reduce energy bills. Here are just some of the jobs available in this field: energy auditor, retrofit installer, crew leader, sales representative, insulation technician, and HVAC contractor.

For more information about the types of jobs available in the field of energy efficiency, and the training and education you might need to work in the field, check out the Energy Efficiency page of the Green Careers center at CareerOneStop.org. The federal government created CareerOneStop.org to help people find work. CareerOneStop.org also has information about salaries and benefits, along with other helpful information.

Many jobs in the field of building energy efficiency require certain kinds of certificates. Generally certificates can be obtained by taking a class and passing an exam that shows you understand of the field.

For people doing the hands-on work of energy efficiency in buildings, the Building Performance Institute offers important certifications. Its website can connect you to places that offer training, testing and jobs in the field. Other important energy-efficiency certificates are the BOMI Building Systems Maintenance Certificate and GPRO.

A few more quick things about working in building energy efficiency: Many of the hands-on, construction jobs in the field aren’t listed on energy-efficiency job boards. That’s because most of this work is done by small building contractors who work as subcontractors for utilities and other programs that help make energy-efficiency happen. So, be sure to check out general job-listing websites like Indeed.com and LinkedIn.com when you are looking for jobs in this area. In addition, websites that are more specific to the field include Affordable Comfort, the Green Job Bank and Home Energy Pros.

The federal government’s Weatherization Assistance Program, and the not-for-profit groups that provide weatherization services for it are good sources for jobs in the energy-efficiency field. New York State Weatherization Agencies are listed on this website.

 

Training

In New York City and in the surrounding areas, there are many organizations and schools that provide training for people interested in jobs in energy efficiency.

For high-school graduates (or people with a GED) entering the workforce for the first time, several green job-training programs teach the job skills needed for a first job in energy efficiency. Here is a partial list of these programs:

Bronx Environmental Stewardship Academy (Bronx)

Fortune Society (Long Island City, Queens)

Green City Force (Brooklyn)

Green Ladders (Long Island City, Queens)

ReNEW (Manhattan)

There are plenty of opportunities for people with some work experience to learn more about energy efficiency. Some of these training programs are run by not-for-profit training centers and others are run by for-profit companies. Here are links to several training centers, training providers, training programs and training resources in the New York City area:

32BJ Green Supers (and Building Employees) Program

Building Performance Institute

City University of New York

Green Jobs Training Center

Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA)

New York State Energy Research & Development Authority

New York University Schack Institute of Real Estate

Solar One

Urban Green Council

 

Job Boards That Include Energy Efficiency Jobs

Affordable Comfort

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-

Conditioning Engineers

New York Chapter, Association of Energy Engineers

Building Performance Institute

Conservation Services Group

Con Edison

Energy & Resource Solutions

Energy Manager Today magazine

EnerNOC

Green Job Bank

Green Jobs Network

Home Energy Pros

Honeywell

Johnson Controls

Lockheed Martin

National Grid

PSEG Long Island

Residential Energy Services Network

U.S. Green Building Council Career Center

Willdan