Brett Knox, GreenHomes America SoheilNakhshab, GreenwiseSolutions Ted Torre-Bueno, Empowered Energy Solutions

1. Green Jobs in the Home
Performance Industry:
The Industry’s Perspective on
Workforce Development
Presented By:
Brett Knox, GreenHomes America
Soheil Nakhshab, Greenwise Solutions
Ted Torre-Bueno, Empowered Energy Solutions
April 16, 2010

2. Who is Efficiency First?
 National non-profit trade association
 Almost 1,000 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

3. Home Issues that Point to Energy Waste
Drafty Rooms Moisture in Attic High Energy Bills
or Basement
Poor Air Quality Condensation on
Windows
Hot/Cold Rooms Outside Noises
heard in the home
Excessive Dust Mold & Mildew
Old & Inefficient Old & Inefficient Unsafe Carbon
Furnace A/C Monoxide Levels

4. Causes of these Problems

5. How do we find these Problems?
The first step is a Comprehensive Home Energy Audit
Blower Door measures Infrared Camera to spot Carbon monoxide and Fiber optics to further
the air infiltration rate of thermal defects from gas leak detection analyze hidden defects
a home poor insulation and
airflow

6. IR Cameras quickly spot the culprits…

7. Most Homes Need Many Improvements
Core Improvements to reduce electricity & gas loads
 Seal air leaks throughout the attic and home
 Add insulation to attic and walls
 Seal or replace leaky ducts
 Install variable-speed Pool and Spa Pumps
 Energy efficient lighting solutions, including motion detectors
 Replace single-pane Windows (beware – paybacks can be long)

8. Comprehensive Air Sealing
BEFORE AFTER

9. Super Insulating Walls & Attics
BEFORE AFTER AFTER

10. Properly Sealed Ducts
BEFORE AFTER AFTER

11. After you improve the Core, then you do More…
 “Right-sized”, high efficiency air conditioner
 “Right-sized”, high efficiency furnace
 Solar PV – actually achieve net-zero
 On-demand and/or Solar Thermal
 Geothermal
Plus, the Improvements are Verified
Home Home Energy Home 3rd Party
Energy Audit Improvements Energy Audit Verification
(Test-in) (Test-out) (5% - 15%)

12. A New Revolution for Home Improvements
Typical Energy Makeover
Replacement Furnace (same size or larger)
Replacement A/C unit (same size or larger)
Right-sized, Ultra Efficiency Furnace
Right-sized, High Efficiency A/C unit
Rooms aren’t Hot in Summer, Cold in Winter
A Quieter Home with Less Dust
Guaranteed Lower Utility Bills
Better Indoor Air Quality
Lower Carbon Footprint
Higher Home Resale Value

13. Driving Demand for Home Performance
 PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) financing
—California First/ AB 811
 California Whole-House Retrofit Program
 Sponsored by SDG&E, PG&E, SCE, So Cal Gas, & SMUD
 Home Star
—Legislation currently being considered by Congress
—$6 Billion in incentives to homeowners for retrofits
—Expected to create 168,000 jobs

14. 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
 Only a few Larger (75+ employees)
—Construction
—HVAC
—Insulation

15. The Current Home Performance
Industry: Company Types
 Home Performance Only
—Single contractor
 Construction/Remodelers + Home Performance
—Established companies adding Home Performance as
an additional division or service
 Single Trade contractors that subcontract
—HVAC
—Windows
—Plumbers

16. Who does Home Performance Jobs?
Insulation Installers Building Analysts
Retrofit Technicians Quality Assurance Testers
Graphics courtesy of Rising Sun Energy Center & Greener Dawn

17. Promotional Jobs
 Analysts/Auditors/Estimators
 Business Development
 Marketing & Customer Education
 Inside & Outside sales staff

18. Home Performance
Job Requirements
 Good interpersonal skills
 Previous sales experience a plus
 Home components & construction knowledge
 “Green” or sustainable life philosophy

19. 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

20. Home Performance
Field Job Requirements
 Drug Fee  Able to work on knees for
 No criminal background (or at long periods of time
least no theft or violence)  Good attention to detail
 Reliable Transportation,  Able to accurately and legibly
Drivers License, Clean Driving
Record write and interpret reports
 Physically fit: able to lift 75  Good customer service,
pounds, fits through minimum interpersonal and
crawl space dimensions communication skills (oral and
 Not claustrophobic – able to written)
maneuver in tight, dark spaces  Problem-solving and critical
 Willing to get dirty, doesn’t thinking skills
mind heat
 Not afraid of heights: Able to  Construction or trade
climb ladders easily and background a plus
confidently  “Green” or sustainable life
philosophy

21. Good Candidates for Home
Performance Field Jobs
 Construction workers
 Drywall or flooring
 Remodelers
 HVAC technicians
 Athletes
 Veterans
 Day laborers

22. 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

23. Good Candidates for Home
Performance Office Jobs
 Previous experience with:
—Construction-related industries
—Office administration
—Accounting: Quickbooks
—Engineers: Wrightsoft Suite
—Customer Service reps
—Warehouse Management

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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?

28. Recommendations for
Workforce and
Training Organizations

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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

35. 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

36. 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!

37. 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

38. 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

39. 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

40. 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

41. 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

42. Home Performance Industry Survey
Efficiency First is working on a national study to
define the workforce needs of the home
performance industry. Please complete the
Efficiency First Workforce Survey at:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/efficiencyfirstworkforce
The survey should take no longer than 10
minutes and should be completed by April
26, 2010.

43. Green Jobs in the Home
Performance Industry:
The Industry’s Perspective on
Workforce Development
Prepared By:
Elizabeth Redman,
Efficiency First
elizabeth@efficiencyfirst.org
www.efficiencyfirst.org