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Green Jobs in the Home Performance Industry:
The Industry’s Perspective on Workforce Development
Presented By: XX, XX, XX
Date
Prepared By:Efficiency First
www.efficiencyfirst.org
What is Home Performance? Looking at the whole home Systemic approach Identify and fix problems in a home Goals:
Comfort Durability Health/Safety Energy Efficiency
Home Performance: All the Components of a Home’s System are connected
Graphic courtesy of Rising Sun Energy Center
Who is Efficiency First?• National non-profit trade association• More than 750 Home Performance Contractors
across the US• Representing the Home Performance industry in
public policy discussions• State and national levels• Promoting the benefits of efficiency retrofitting• Helping grow the Home Performance industry• Key player in Home Star
The Current Home Performance Industry: Company Sizes
Majority are Small Companies Founder + a few employees & subs
Some Mid-sized Companies (10-75 employees) More of a corporate structure
Larger (75+ employees) Construction HVAC Insulation
Home Performance Only Single contractor
Construction + Home Performance Established companies adding Home
Performance as an additional division or service
Support service providers Training Consulting Marketing & customer outreach
The Current Home Performance Industry: Company Types
How do you do a Home Performance Retrofit?
Find the Problems Home Performance Evaluation/Assessment “Test in”
Fix the Problems Basic: Duct sealing, draft sealing, etc. Skilled Work: General Contractors, HVAC & Mechanical
Specialists, Window & Door Specialists, Electricians and Plumbers
Quality Assurance & Testing “Test Out”
Client Interaction Explaining the problems and the solutions Passing along energy efficiency & water
conservation information
Driving Demand for Home Performance
AB 758 (Skinner) PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) financing
California First/ AB 811 Utility rebate programs Home Star
Legislation currently being considered by Congress $6 Billion in incentives to homeowners for retrofits Expected to create 168,000 jobs
• Residential Energy Efficiency Performance (REEP) as passed in ACES
Insulation Installers Building Analysts
Quality Assurance Testers
Who does Home Performance Jobs?
Retrofit Technicians
Graphics courtesy of Rising Sun Energy Center & Greener Dawn
Promotional Jobs
Analysts/Auditors/Estimators Business Development Marketing & Customer Education Inside & Outside sales staff
Home Performance Job Requirements
Good interpersonal skills Previous sales experience a plus Home components & construction knowledge “Green” or sustainable life philosophy
Building Performance Field Jobs
Entry Level: Field Technician Minimum Training Required Crawl space & attic work Mostly Draft Sealing, Duct Sealing & Insulation Technicians
Intermediate/ Advanced Level: Crew Lead Additional Training Required Experienced Field Technicians Crew lead or construction manager (2-3 person crews)
Skilled labor Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC, Window Replacement
Home PerformanceField Job Requirements
Drug Fee No criminal background (or at
least no theft or violence) Reliable Transportation,
Drivers License, Clean Driving Record
Physically fit: able to lift 75 pounds, fits through minimum crawl space dimensions
Not claustrophobic – able to maneuver in tight, dark spaces
Willing to get dirty, doesn’t mind heat
Not afraid of heights: Able to climb ladders easily and confidently
Able to work on knees for long periods of time
Good attention to detail Able to accurately and legibly
write and interpret reports Good customer service,
interpersonal and communication skills (oral and written)
Problem-solving and critical thinking skills
Construction or trade background a plus
“Green” or sustainable life philosophy
Good Candidates for Home Performance Field Jobs
Construction workers Drywall or flooring Remodelers HVAC technicians Athletes Veterans Day laborers
Home Performance Office Jobs Managerial/ Administrative (i.e., HR, IT, etc.) Data Entry, Report Writing & Proposal
Development Customer Service Rebate Processing Financial Advising Purchasing/ Inventory Management Engineers Project Managers Construction Managers Trainers
Previous experience with: Construction-related industries Office administration Accounting: Quickbooks Engineers: Wrightsoft Suite Customer Service reps Warehouse Management
Good Candidates for Home Performance Office Jobs
Accreditation & Quality Control Jobs
Field certification/training (i.e., BPI, HERS, Build It Green, RESNet, CBPCA, etc.)
Third party verifiers & quality assurance inspectors (tied to incentive program requirements )
Third party verifiers & quality assurance inspectors (tied to certifications)
Written/field exam proctors
Home Performance Pay Scales
• Field Technicians (entry-level): $10 -$20/hr• Crew Leads: $14 -20/ hr• Building Analysts or Estimators: $15-22/hr• Mechanical systems & skilled: $25/hr & up• Sales jobs: generally flat fee plus commission
Standards & Certifications• Most common: BPI (5 types), HERS & HERS II• Will be required by many programs to qualify
for financing or incentives• Companies will need at least one certified
contractor to perform or oversee each job• Not yet generally required on hiring by
employers, but good investment in future• Independent 3rd party QC likely to rise – creates
business opportunities for experienced contractors
Industry Concerns
• Today: How can we hire people if we don’t first increase customer demand?
• As demand grows: How quickly will we be able to scale and find qualified workforce?
• When economy rebounds: Will we be able to keep good employees in this industry when other construction jobs provide more pleasant working environments?
Recommendations for Workforce and
Training Organizations
Pre-Screen Candidates Candidates must meet minimum training and
occupational requirements Clean driving record (no DUI’s, moving
violations, etc.) US Employability (SSN, Green Card, etc.) Minimum reading/writing/math ability English fluency Interest in Home Performance Physical requirements
Conduct Training in the Field
Classroom learning is not sufficient No house or project is the same – no substitute for
experience Most successful programs include fast-transition field
work, internships, apprenticeships, or other “on-the-job” (OJT) training
Subsidies for taking on apprentices/ trainees are optimal
Emphasize Soft Skills
The home performance industry operates in people’s most intimate spaces: their homes.
It is essential that the workforce have good interpersonal skills, dress appropriately, be articulate, and respect people’s space at all times
Keenly aware of safety and comfort and willing to take responsibility for decisions
Teach Additional Relevant Skills
Familiarity, experience and expertise with energy efficiency modeling software
Specifics of local home performance incentive programs
Rebate processing & paperwork Reading drawings Following installation manuals Understanding safety procedures
Follow Industry Standards
• Teach to BPI, Home Performance w/ Energy Star, or other industry-accepted standards
• Training is good, but following professional certification program standards offers consistency & quality assurance
• BPI’s new “Field Technician” certification will be helpful for training consistency for entry level positions
• Prepare workers for written and field tests
Develop Employer Relationships
Advisory council, etc. to advise on changing standards, what’s working/what’s not, etc.
Understand range of company sizes and how to work with each
Work with industry associations to reach multiple employers
Offer Benefits to Employers Give employers marketing & name recognition Use trainees to do customer outreach & homeowner
education to build client base Assist employers with business growth issues
Screen candidates effectively and quickly Cover training costs on the job Provide financial incentives for mentoring interns or
apprentices Have snacks at meetings!
Track Participants After Training
Trainers should develop a systems of communications with trainees
Follow up with program participants to: Know who has found work Who is still looking for work Those companies looking for additional staff Starting wages, benefits, etc.
Identify effective mentors at companies, subsidize companies at higher rates if training effectively
Scenario 1: Training Within Industry Fast ramp up for entry level workers
Screen for physical & mental aptitude
Basic short course – safety, equipment, entry level work procedures
Subsidize employers for hands-on component
Track & follow up Test frequently and certify
ascending levels of experience & expertise
Scenario 2: Adapt existing training & education programs to teach home performance
framework and job-specific skills Lab training, models training, and theory (more
time in classroom than scenario 1) And Targeted Training for Specific Job Function
Building Analyst or Auditor (BPI or HERS) Sales, Marketing & Homeowner Outreach Project/ Construction Business Management Field Supervisor Financial management (Rebate Processing, Loans) CAD design or engineering (ACCA Manual J,D,S,T,
hydronics and piping layout) Inventory & Materials Management
Home Performance Training: Best Practices
ISLES in New Jersey subsidizes 50% of trainee’s wages for 6 months
Rising Sun Energy Center “Green Energy Training Services” (GETS) Building Performance Grade 1 Designed for individuals with barriers to
employment, displaced/transitioning construction workers, etc.
Curriculum available for licensing
Recommendations for Policymakers
Drive Demand First
We’ve “put the cart before the horse” Most companies are more concerned about
customer demand than worker supply Few are having trouble finding qualified people right
now
Match Supply & Demand Link training funds to demand creation legislation
(i.e., incentive programs, homeowner outreach) California SEP Funding from ARRA:
$226 million Demand Side: California Comprehensive Residential
Building Retrofit Program $ 50,212,451
Supply Side: California Clean Energy Workforce Training Program $75 million
Offer Funding Consistency
ARRA funds over large infusion of cash for a short period, then funds will drop off
Training funds should be consistent over several years or escalated in response to increases in program scale or customer demand
Build in Quality Assurance
Incentive programs should be tied to third party quality control assurance (ie. BPI or HERS)
Give Contractors Options
Make sure training subsidies can be received through multiple certified providers
Clearly define “grace periods” before mandated certifications begin
Other Recommendations
Be sensitive to cash-flow issues created for contractors- paying up front is difficult.
TWI would alleviate this through subsidized training and employment
Other Recommendations
Provide funds to offset hands-on training/ mentoring (offer subsidized/free labor)
Conclusions
Once demand grows, how quickly the industry can grow depends on how much training is done in classrooms vs. OJT
Important to lay the groundwork now and get the infrastructure right
Target the support of Home Performance companies when designing training
Use established standards and partnerships between training providers & employers to support quick industry scaling
Green Jobs in the Home Performance Industry:
The Industry’s Perspective on Workforce Development
Prepared By:Elizabeth Redman,
Efficiency [email protected]
www.efficiencyfirst.org