The federal government is making sustainability a priority.  Under the Energy Independence and Security Act, all federal managers are required to cut their fossil fuel use and are directed to acquire recycled content, energy efficient, renewable, bio-based and environmentally preferable products and services towards achieving certain goals.  The are a number of “Buy Bio”, “Buy Green First,” programs, as well as Go Green Initiatives giving preference to products and services that meet green purchasing criteria.

by Erica G. Courtney,  President of Courtney Consulting Solutions

Driven by the need to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels, improve the economy and national security, create green jobs and reduce environmental impact, the federal government is taking the lead on green purchasing in a number of markets and sectors.

All agencies are directed to acquire recycled content, energy efficient, renewable, bio-based and environmentally preferable products and services towards achieving certain goals. Under the Energy Independence and Security Act, all federal managers are required to cut their fossil fuel use at new and renovated government facilities to 55 percent by the end of 2010 and 100 percent by 2030.

There are many “Buy Bio” and “Buy Green First” programs throughout the government, and the Department of Defense requires that green products and services must be considered as the first choice in all procurements. The government’s premier purchasing agency, the General Services Administration (GSA), has implemented Go Green Initiatives giving preference to products and services that meet green purchasing criteria. These policies are not limited to products. The environmental services and green or LEED construction management sector are also in high demand.

Green procurement does not intend to rewrite the book on buying, but merely adds an environmental dimension to the decision-making process. The standard purchasing criteria of price, quality, and availability remain paramount. The environmental impacts can be seen as part of the quality criterion.

First and foremost, you must understand the basics on how to do business with the government and then you can use these attributes as part of your marketing strategy. The bottom line when dealing with the government is to make it easier for them to do business with you over others. Here are some tips:

1) Question yourself. Is this something you really want to do? It will take a focused effort up front to unravel the red tape and figure out the game. Are you willing to make the investment of time and resources to penetrate the market? Once you’re in, your business can grow at warp speed — the challenge is just in getting there.

2) Getting started with the administrative steps. There are five places you should register right off the bat:

1. Obtain a Dun & Bradstreet # (DUNS) at DNB.com
2. Register at the Central Contractor Registration (CCR), and figure out your business NAICS codes at SBA.gov
3. Register at the Department of Veterans Affairs if applicable.
4. Register with the Small Business Administration (SBA).
5. Register at the Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA).

If you’re so inclined consider visiting the local SBA and Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC). There are a number of good online resources for more guidance on getting over the bureaucratic hurdles.

3) Stay informed. Sign up to receive emails about federal opportunities at the Central Federal Business Opportunities site.

4) Implement an aggressive federal sales program. You’ll need to create or augment your business plan and simultaneously work towards obtaining a GSA Schedule contract or a long-term fixed price contract with the government.

For a number of reasons, getting a Scheduled contract is the only practical way a business can realistically compete. It reduces award time to 14 days from 248 days on average, minimizes the federal buyer’s risk and increases transparency, and a fixed-price contract is used most often throughout the government.

Although a Scheduled contract is really just something that gives you the “right” to sell to the government, they’re difficult to get and often buried under layers of government speak. But if you persevere, you’ll face significantly less competition, federal buyers will reach out to you rather than you going after business, and such contracts can be extremely profitable and a main source of revenue for your business.

© 2010, Erica Courtney. All rights reserved. Do not republish.

Jennifer Kaplan takes a look at how small businesses can have a big impact on the economy and why it is to their advantage to go green.

by Jennifer Kaplan

There’s a revolution going on in the American marketplace. Businesses across the country are changing the way they operate by incorporating green practices, products, and objectives into their business models.  And some savvy entrepreneurs are getting in on the ground floor.  At the same time, others are still wondering where small businesses fit into this new paradigm.

If you are wondering where small business fits into the green revolution let’s start with the recognition that 27 million small businesses can have a big impact. There are many business owners, however, who are doubtful and wonder whether small business has a role to play in managing climate change. Surely, they think, most small business’ individual impacts are minuscule, possibly immeasurably small. But the reality is that, in aggregate, the total climate-related impact of small businesses adds up. Without question every business, no matter the size, has an indirect impact on climate; the electricity, heating, cooling, transportation, and other services they use all translate into CO₂ output with global warming impact. Then there’s the law of large numbers—a small action multiplied by 27 million has a significant impact.

Take the example of green information technology.

For a small business, IT may not seem like a likely candidate for greening, but given the scale of computer use among small businesses, it is. Although the environmental impact of a businesses’ IT operations varies greatly depending on how much computer hardware is needed to run the business, reductions in energy consumption and energy expenses can be made for operations that have a single computer on site. It may be that there is no area of business more subject to the law of large numbers than information technology. Consider these facts: Having a single computer on-site can increase the amount of electricity a business uses per square foot by an average of 60%, and the percentage generally goes up as you add more computers. The Energy Information Administration forecasts that electricity consumption for computers and office equipment will grow more than twice as fast as electricity use as a whole, and notes that the energy consumed in commercial buildings by PCs and other types of office equipment consumes about as much as is needed to air-condition those same buildings. It is also estimated that CO₂ emissions related to the operation of PCs, computer servers, and telecommunications networks contribute more than 2% of the world’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. That’s generally the same amount of greenhouse gasses being produced by all the world’s airplanes.

At the same time, technology is one of the greatest assets in the greening movement. Nothing is more effective for reducing use and waste of resources than technology. Internet technology is expected to contribute significantly to reductions in energy consumption in the future. E-commerce replaces energy intensive bricks-and-mortar stores. Electronic content management systems replace paper processes. Digital advertising replaces paper-based advertising. GPS systems reduce idling. The list goes on and on. The ultimate goal is to design operations so that you employ the most energy-efficient technology available to implement the most resource-reducing practices possible.

And finally, industry is being forced to change the way it thinks about the life cycle of the technology it produces. Everything about the electronics lifecycle is in flux—from the way materials are sourced to the way goods are constructed to the way end-users manage power to managing global regulations that put limits on toxic chemicals and emissions to the development of adequate end-of-life recycling programs. Environmental groups are working to educate consumers about the environmental impacts of manufacturing processes and about the critical need to embrace responsible e-waste recycling. Because the awareness surrounding the environmental impact of technology is changing, there are few universally agreed-upon rules and best practices. As a result, advice to small business owners varies widely. It can be more confusing than ever to green your IT operations. But, whatever your industry, managing costs is good for your business; and increasing energy efficiency and reducing energy costs does just that. Given rising energy prices and a growing awareness of the importance of energy conservation, carefully conceived energy management with a green IT strategy may well be one of the most important steps you can take to sustain and grow your business.

So, if you’re still wondering why small businesses should care about sustainability, the answer is pretty simple. Wasted resources increase the cost of doing business. As it has been said before, sustainability is just a new name for an old concept: Reducing waste and streamlining costs.  These are two lessons from which all businesses—large and small—can benefit.

This article first appeared on Climate Progress

© 2010, Jennifer Kaplan. All rights reserved. Do not republish.

President calls for an expansion of select American Recovery and Reinvestment Act initiatives that promote energy efficiency and clean energy jobs. that includes a new rebate program on Tuesday to reward homeowners for making their homes more energy efficient.

by Tracey de Morsella, the Green Economy Post

President Barack Obama proposed a new rebate program on Tuesday to reward homeowners for making their homes more energy efficient, while also proposing additional federal investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy. As part of a speech about jobs and the economy at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., the president noted that home energy retrofits create jobs, save money for families, and reduce the pollution that threatens our environment. President Obama also called for aid to small businesses and new investments in infrastructure. Most of the president’s proposals will require congressional approval.

President Obama’s job plan calls for an expansion of select American Recovery and Reinvestment Act initiatives that promote energy efficiency and clean energy jobs. The president noted that one-third of the Recovery Act is intended for investments “to put Americans to work doing the work that America needs done,” such as doubling the U.S. capacity for producing power from renewable energy. But most of those initiatives are oversubscribed, causing many strong ideas to go unfunded. With that in mind, the Obama Administration is supporting the expansion of programs for which additional federal dollars will leverage private investment and create jobs quickly, such as investments in industrial energy efficiency, as well as new or extended tax incentives for investing in U.S. manufacturing facilities for renewable energy technologies.

The President Laid Out Three Key Areas That Will be Focused on To Accelerate Job Growth

1. Helping Small Businesses Expand Investment, Hire Workers and Access Credit

* Tax cuts to support additional business investment next year – with a particular focus on struggling small businesses – with much of the cost recouped over time.
* Zero capital gains for small businesses: To encourage investment by small businesses and improve their access to capital, the Administration is calling for a one-year elimination of the tax on capital gains from new investments in small business stock. The Recovery Act allowed a 75% exclusion from capital gains taxes on small business investments.
* Extension of enhanced expensing provisions for small businesses: The Administration is also calling for the extension through 2010 of the Recovery Act provision that allows small businesses to immediately expense up to $250,000 of qualified investment.
* Extension of Recovery Act bonus depreciation tax incentive: To give businesses an incentive to invest, the Administration is calling for extending the Recovery Act provision that accelerates the rate at which business can deduct the cost of capital expenditures. This provision will put more than $20 billion in the hands of businesses in 2010, while enabling Treasury to recoup much of the funding as business regain their strength.
* A new tax cut for small businesses to encourage hiring in 2010. Although the economy is now growing again, many businesses remain reluctant to hire. In this economic environment, an employment tax cut for small businesses has the potential to accelerate the pace of hiring. The Administration believes it is important to provide a short-term tax incentive to encourage small business hiring and support employment, and will work with Congress to design a provision that accomplishes these goals.
* Eliminating fees and increasing guarantees for small businesses that borrow through major SBA programs in 2010. The President called for the elimination of fees and an increase in guarantees for loans through the Small Business Administration, a measure that extends provisions in the Recovery Act through the end of 2010. In addition, the President called for continued Treasury efforts to use the TARP to support small business lending.

Article continues below

FEATURED GREEN EDUCATION PROGRAM

CleanEdison Weatherization Certification Course. ~ CleanEdison Weatherization Certification Course. Attending this course gives participants an understanding of the Weatherization Assistance Program, understand characteristics of the client base served by the program, recognition that building science guides the selection of measures installed with program dollars, and understanding of the principles of cost-effectiveness and the Savings to Investment Ratio that accompany modern weatherization measures. Having this background allows participants to become more marketable and qualified for government incentives and various “green” initiatives. This course is for architects, engineers, home builders, electricians, energy auditors, insulation professionals, general contractors, home inspectors, HVAC professionals, roofers and HERS Raters. Click here, for more information about the CleanEdison Weatherization Certification Course. .

2. Investing in America’s Roads, Bridges and Infrastructure

* Additional investment in highways, transit, rail, aviation and water. The President is calling for new investments in a wide range of infrastructure, designed to get out the door as quickly as possible while continuing a sustained effort at creating jobs and improving America’s productivity.
* Support for merit-based infrastructure investment that leverages federal dollars. The Administration supports financing infrastructure investments in new ways, allowing projects to be selected on merit and leveraging money with a combination of grants and loans as was done through the Recovery Act’s TIGER program.

3. Creating Jobs Through Energy Efficiency and Clean Energy Investments

* New incentives for consumers who invest in energy efficient retrofits in their homes. Smart, targeted investments in energy efficiency can help create jobs while improving our energy security and saving consumers money. The President today called on Congress to consider a new program to provide rebates for consumers who make energy efficiency retrofits. Such a program will harness the power of the private sector to help drive consumers to make cost-saving investments in their homes.
* Expansion of successful oversubscribed Recovery Act programs to leverage private investment in energy efficiency and create clean energy manufacturing jobs. The Recovery Act included historic investments that have helped to build the foundation for a clean energy economy. The Administration supports expanding programs for which additional federal dollars will leverage private investment and create jobs quickly, such as industrial energy efficiency investments and tax incentives for investing in renewable manufacturing facilities in the U.S.

II. A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE APPROACH TO JOB CREATION THROUGH STEWARDSHIP OF TARP AND OVERALL FISCAL DISCIPLINE

These steps are part of the President’s overall approach to fiscal discipline. This includes:

* Freeing up resources from stabilizing Wall Street and putting them to work on Main Street. Because of the Administration’s stewardship of the TARP program – combined with our broader efforts to revive the economy – we now expect the cost to be at least $200 billion less than anticipated as recently as August. Indeed, since the Obama Administration has taken office, only $7 billion has been provided in assistance to banks, compared to $114 billion in capital that banks subject to the “stress test” have raised from the private sector. These savings will allow us to pay down the deficit faster than was anticipated while also investing funds that would have gone to banks in job creating efforts instead.
* An overall approach to fiscal discipline in the budget. Although additional resources are needed in the short-run to address the unemployment crisis, the Administration is committed to doing what we need to bring the medium-term deficit under control – and is exploring a range of steps to take as part of the FY2011 budget process. An additional important component of returning to fiscal responsibility is passing health reform legislation that not only reduces the deficit but also reduces the long-term growth rate of health care costs.

III. AN ONGOING FOCUS ON JOB CREATION

In addition to the proposals outlined above, the Administration will be working with Congress to ensure that those hit hardest by this economic crisis continue to receive the support they need. This includes: extending unemployment insurance for Americans who are struggling to find jobs, extending the Recovery Act provision that helps out-of-work Americans keep their health insurance through COBRA, providing an additional $250 Economic Recovery Payment to our seniors and veterans, and taking steps to ensure that state and local governments are not forced to lay-off teachers, police officers and other key personnel at this critical time.

These steps will build on the efforts that the Administration has already taken to accelerate the pace of job growth, including tax cuts for struggling businesses, an expanded homebuyer credit, additional unemployment insurance to one million Americans, and the Cash for Clunkers program. The Administration is also continuing to pursue efforts to increase the competitiveness of U.S. businesses and strengthen their capacity to export to overseas markets.

© 2009 – 2010, Tracey de Morsella. All rights reserved. Do not republish.

by A Siegel, Author of the Get Energy Smart! NOW! blog.

All too often, those engaged in examining options for “greening” a new or existing building are constrained in a stove-piped cost analysis which (in a very simplified fashion) goes something along these lines:

• How much more will it cost to build?
• And, how fast will energy and other operating cost (water usage/sewers, maintenance) savings pay for those additional costs?

This typical analytical structure is mistaken on multiple levels. For example, with a truly holistic systems-of-systems process “going green” can actually drove down the initial costs (or remain at levelized cost) because, for example, better insulated and sealed building envelopes enable smaller heating and cooling systems. Thus, the better insulation might increase capital costs while procuring a smaller HVAC system cuts them.

But, putting aside the quite legitimate question as to whether well-designed “greening” actually drives up costs, stove-piping analysis on operating cost savings to pay back increase upfront capital costs excludes what is likely to be the far more significant implications for things like productivity.

A new study, Green Building and Productivity (pdf), from researchers at the University of San Diego’s business school institute on real estate focuses directly on this issue. The core question could be phrased as follows: Are workers in “green” buildings more or less productive than those in traditional structures?

The study examines a wide-range of issues related to the difficulties of measuring office productivity, various (potential) impacts on productivity, and studies related to these issues. For this effort, they use sick days and a “self-reported productivity percentage change after moving into a new building” as their metrics. With this in mind, the research team surveyed 154 buildings with some 2000 tenants.

Across these buildings and tenants, they calculated an average salary/benefits of $106,644. And, when comparing “green” to non-green buildings, their work showed a reduction in sick leave of 2.88 days per year, on average, and a 4.88% productivity improvement. That translates, based on the salaries, to a value to the employer of $1,228.54 due to reduced sick leave and $5,204 due to productivity increases.

Healthier buildings reduce sick time and increase productivity. The steps required to provide a healthier building are not that much of a design and engineering challenge. Generally natural light, good ventilation, the absence of organic compounds provides happier, healthier workers. Appropriate temperature ranges or localized controls is also a big plus to workers and past research does support the notion of greater productivity from any or all of these improvements. Sick building syndrome should be a thing of the past, but it is not. Energy Star-labeled buildings need not also be healthier although generally they appear to be and more recently we are finding a surge in LEED buildings which tend to require better and safer environments. We now have some evidence that there is an economic pay-off to tenants who pay attention to space quality.

Okay, a “healthier” working environment is more productive but what is the cost of that productivity? Do the upfront costs outweigh those benefits?

What is increased productivity and reduced sick time worth in net present value terms? The early study by Greg Kats (2003) suggested NPV benefits in the range of $37 to $55 per square foot. For an owner-occupied building we can easily imagine NPVs equal to much more than these figures. For example, discounting $25 per year per square foot for 10 years at 10%, based on the sum of the two benefits shown above and rounded and assuming a 10-year differential for such benefits and a fairly conservative discount rate, we get a present value of $153.61 per square foot. It costs much less than this to building a better environment for workers, so the net present value certainly could reach $100 per square foot or more when an owner-occupant captures those benefits.

In other words, for an owner-occupied building, paying a $50+ premium for “green” on construction would provide a three-to-one payoff, in net present value terms over a 10 year period.

Oh, remember about “stove-piping”? Green Building and Productivity (pdf) is focused on that productivity question. It is not addressing the utility bill savings (lower energy and water use, reduced sewer fees due to rainwater capture, etc), reduced maintenance costs (such as white roofs lasting longer), and other operating savings that energy efficient “green” buildings show compared to traditional, built-to-code buildings. In other words, the payoff ratios are even better — especially because well-designed “green” projects might not even cost more to build.

We have quite a long way to go before there is true full value analysis in the cost-benefit equation of infrastructure (and other) investment decisions. Even recognizing those limitations, getting building owners (and occupants) to realize that the “greening” value goes beyond energy savings will be quite important.

For a related discussion, see: Greening the School House. Quite simply, Greening Schools is perhaps one of the clearest ‘no brainer’ no regrets strategies that we should be pursuing aggressively. I cannot think of another opportunity to boost educational performance while cutting costs and improving the health of our children and communities while also helping turn the tide on Global Warming.

© 2009, A. Siegel. All rights reserved. Do not republish.

I see three green job conversations going on right now in the country, which causes confusion for most job seekers. I  first must caution to watch out for all of the hype. There is a blue collar to green collar job movement which is defined by our manufacturing sectors migrating, for example, to build the wind and solar industry supply chains, those maintaining our wind farms, and those retrofitting our houses and commercial buildings to be more energy efficient, including installing solar panels. These jobs might require some specific training and seem to be included in the discussion surrounding environmental justice. I see steady growth in this sector and certainly include sales, managerial and entrepreneurial opportunities.

Secondly, the light green collar involves higher and deeper levels of skills, education and experience. These jobs are not new and the amount is not growing overwhelmingly these days. These jobs include those that develop wind farms, those involved in the carbon sector, environmental engineering, energy and water technologies, etc. There are opportunities for graduates in this sector and requires the proper motivation and focused job searching skills. Entrepreneurship opportunities abound here.

The third conversation involves how we are building sustainability (green) into every industry, every company and every job in the country over the next ten years. This is where the ”green economy” become a real movement with its greatest impact. Green is being defined in real business terms and processes right now across the nation. Learning what this means to you and your industries is vital. There are green jobs out there for those who understand how they personally fit, therein, and have exceptional job hunting skills.

It is important to understand that many of the jobs and careers we have lost recently will not be coming back as they were. As we build the green economy, the language and skills we will need to get a job and then to build a career are different than before – for both employees and employers. We now talk in cradle2cradle terms about the jobs we do and the career we build. We truly no longer have linear job paths; rather, we take charge and create our own sustainable careers.

Recommended Green Career Resources:

VAULT GUILD TO ENVIRONMENTAL CAREERS> – Career Intelligence on Environmental Careers with a 360-degree approach that includes employee insights and employer perspectives.

SIX STRATEGIES TO FIND YOUR GREEN CAREER – This free ebook by Carol McClelland PhD is a step-by-step process helping green career seekers use their passions, interests, experience, and training to plug into the green economy.

THE COMPLETE GREEN JOB GUIDE 2009: SECRETS FOR GETTING THE JOB YOUR WANT – Discover How To Unlock The Booming Green Economy For Your Job Search And Future Financial Security with the 10 Breakthrough Steps You Need To Know To Find And Land A Green Job Quickly.

CLEANTECHIES RESUME AND COVER LETTER WRITING SERVICE – Cleantechies help job seekers ease the transition from mainstream to Cleantech. Learn More!

© 2009, Mark_Gragg. All rights reserved. Do not republish.

According to the Recovery Through Retrofit Report unveiled today by Vice President Joe Biden the country’s 130 million homes together generate more than 20% of the nation’s carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions. This is one of the most significant contributing sources in the country to global warming. Existing techniques and technologies in energy efficiency retrofitting can reduce home energy use by up to 40 percent per home on average which would also lower our national greenhouse gas emissions by 160 million metric tons annually by the year 2020. In addition doing so would reduce home energy bills by $21 billion a year and over time these savings would more than pay for the high up-front costs for energy efficiency retrofitting.

The report builds on investments made in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to expand green job opportunities and boost energy savings by making homes more energy efficient. The report grew out of a Middle Class Task Force meeting earlier this year, in which the Vice President asked the CEQ to develop a proposal for federal action to lay the groundwork for a self-sustaining home energy efficiency retrofit industry. In response, CEQ facilitated a broad interagency process with the Office of the Vice President, 11 departments and agencies, and six White House offices to develop recommendations for how to use existing authority and funding to accomplish this goal.

By encouraging a national home energy efficiency retrofit market to grow the government can help boost the economic prospects of millions of Americans many of whom have been very hard hit by the recession. Home retrofits can potentially help people earn money, as home retrofit workers, while also helping them save money, by lowering their utility bills. By encouraging nationwide weatherization of homes, workers of all skill levels will be trained, engaged, and will participate in ramping up a national home retrofit market.

By implementing Recovery Through Retrofit’s recommendations, it is hoped that the Federal Government can lay the groundwork for a self-sustaining and growing home energy efficiency retrofit industry. The newly released Report provides a roadmap of how the Federal Government can use its existing authorities and funds to unlock private capital and mobilize our communities and jump start this sector.

Joining the Vice President in the announcement ceremony today and underlining the importance that the administration attaches to this report were Nancy Sutley, chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy; Hilda Solis, Secretary of Labor; Shaun Donovan, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; and Karen Mills, Administrator of the Small Business Administration.

Barriers Standing in the way of a National Retrofit Market

Several critical barriers have prevented a self-sustaining retrofit market from forming in spite of the clear economic and environmental benefits of improving home energy efficiency. The report identifies the following barriers that have stood in the way of home energy efficiency retrofitting:

1. Access to Information: Consumers do not have access to straightforward and reliable information on home energy retrofits that they need to make informed decisions.

2. Access to Financing: Homeowners face high upfront costs and many are concerned that they will be prevented from recouping the value of their investment if they choose to sell their home. These upfront costs are often beyond the average homeowner’s budget.

3. Access to Skilled Workers: There are currently not enough skilled workers and green entrepreneurs to expand weatherization and efficiency retrofit programs on a national scale.

Recommendations Made by the Report

The Recovery Act allocates about $80 billion to projects related to energy and the environment with much of this money being targeted toward improving the energy efficiency in buildings. This provides a unique opportunity to expand investments in energy retrofits and develop community-based programs on a very large scale, putting our country on a path to achieving real reductions in greenhouse gases and fossil energy consumption, while also contributing to the economic recovery our country needs.

A foundation for a self-sustaining energy efficiency retrofit market will be built by coordinating Recovery Act funds, Federal Departments and Agencies and resources; through building strong partnerships with states and local communities; and by targeting government policy changes. Through implementation of the recommendations in this report, the Federal Government will leverage private capital, streamline the retrofitting process, and reduce energy costs for homeowners.

Provide American Homeowners with Straightforward and Reliable Home Energy Retrofit Information

The report makes the following recommendations to address the problem of unreliable access to information.

Develop an ENERGY STAR® performance label for homes that have had energy efficiency retrofits. The Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency are working together to develop an energy performance label for these homes. The end result will be an easily recognizable benchmark that energy auditors, retrofitters, lenders, realtors, and consumers can use to compare home energy performance and identify the most energy efficient homes.

Develop a national home energy performance measure to establish a standardized home energy performance measure applicable to every home in America. This will make it much easier for consumers to understand how much they can save by retrofitting their home and also give lenders the information they need to work with homeowners who are looking to invest in home energy improvements.

Reduce High Upfront Costs and Make it Easy for Homeowners to Borrow Money for Home Energy Retrofits

To help homeowners get access to financing as well as reduce the uncertainty about recovering the high upfront costs associated with energy efficiency retrofits the following recommendations are made:

Support municipal energy financing Property tax or municipal energy financing allows the costs of retrofits to be added to a homeowner’s property tax bill, with monthly payments generally lower than utility bill savings. This arrangement attaches the costs of the energy retrofit to the property, not the individual, eliminating uncertainty about recovering the cost of the improvements if the property is sold.

Expand the use of energy efficient mortgages, simplifying the process of obtaining and financing energy retrofits at a home’s point of sale. This effort will also work to lower the cost of home energy audits as well as the monthly financing payments, and ensure that retrofits are accurately valued in the appraisal process.

Expanding state revolving loan funds from 16 states to all 50 states will leverage private capital and achieve economies of scale necessary to produce consistent and affordable loan products.

Mobilize a Well-Trained National Energy Retrofit Workforce and Expand Good, Green Job Opportunities for All American Workers

To address the shortage of trained green collar workers that are needed the Recovery Through Retrofit Report recommends:

Establish uniform national workforce certifications and training standards to qualify energy efficiency and retrofit workers and industry training providers and to establish the foundation of consumer confidence that work will be completed correctly and produce the expected energy savings and benefits. The Department of Labor, the Department of Energy, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Environmental Protection Agency will work in collaboration to assess existing standards and training programs and develop consistent models, guides, and best practices for training and certification.

Moving Forward

In order to ensure that the recommendations in this Report are implemented, CEQ will convene an interagency Energy Retrofit Working Group, chaired by the Department of Energy, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Labor, and the Environmental Protection Agency. The Working Group will track its progress and operate as the single point of contact for the successful implementation of this effort and will report to the Vice President regularly on its progress towards implementing each of the recommendations identified in this Report.

Conclusion

The report concludes by saying that, coordinated and principled Federal actions, in partnership with states, cities, counties, and the existing home energy industry, may be able to tackle the challenges faced by the current retrofit market. These recommendations can pave the way for a self-sustaining retrofit market, a market that can reliably cut energy bills while also creating good green jobs and saving consumers money. Building on the foundation of the Recovery Act to jumpstart a thriving, private market for energy efficient and healthy home retrofitting that will put people back to work while also reducing our impact on the environment.

Millions of Americans, who are currently experiencing considerable economic hardship could certainly benefit from a growing energy retrofit sector providing millions of good green collar jobs and saving billions on their energy bills. Hopefully the ideas expressed in this report can be translated into tangible actions on the ground. If they can a virtuous cycle of increasing energy efficiency and lower on-going costs can be established will be established.

© 2009, Chris de Morsella. All rights reserved. Do not republish.

Guest Post by Elisabeth Rosenthal This post originally appeared in Yale Environment 360

The average American produces three times the amount of CO2 emissions as a person in France. A U.S. journalist now living in Europe explains how she learned to love her clothesline and sweating in summer.

It was late and raining this summer when I approached the information desk at Stockholm’s Arlanda airport to inquire about how best to get into the city center. “The fastest is the train, but there are also busses,” the guide said.

“Are there taxis?” I inquired, trying hard to forget the reminders on the Arlanda website that trains are “the most environmentally friendly” form of transport, referring to taxis as “alternative transportation” for those “unable to take public transport.”

“Yes, I guess you could take one,” he said, dripping with disdain as he peered over the edge of the counter at my single piece of luggage.

I slunk into the cab, paid about $60 and spent the 45-minute ride feeling as guilty as if I’d built a coal-fired plant in my back yard. (Note: The cabs at Arlanda are hybrids.) Two days later, although my flight left at 7 a.m., I took the Arlanda Express. It cost half as much and took 15 minutes to the terminal.

Europe, particularly northern Europe, is more environmentally conscious than the United States, despite Americans’ sincere and passionate resolution to be green. Per capita CO2 emissions in the U.S. were 19.78 tons according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, which used 2006 data, compared to 9.6 tons in the U.K., 8.05 tons in Italy, and 6.6 tons in France.

Why have Americans made so little headway on an issue that so many of us feel so strongly about? As a U.S. journalist traveling around Europe for the last few years reporting on the environment, I’ve thought a lot about this paradox.

There is a fair bit of social pressure to behave in an environmentally responsible manner in places like Sweden, where such behavior is now simply part of the social contract, like stopping at a stop sign or standing in line to buy a ticket. But more important, perhaps, Europe is constructed in a way that it’s pretty easy to live green. You have to be rich and self-absorbed, as well as environmentally reckless and impervious to social pressure, not to take the Arlanda Express.

In Europe it is far easier to channel your good intentions into action. And you feel far worse if you don’t. If nearly everyone is carrying a plastic bag (as in New York City) you don’t feel so bad. But if no one does (as in Dublin) you feel pretty irresponsible.

Part of the problem is that the U.S. has had the good fortune of developing as an expansive, rich country, with plenty of extra space and cheap energy. Yes, we Americans love our national parks. But we live in a country with big houses. Big cars. Big commutes. Central Air. Big fridges and separate freezers. Clothes dryers. Disposable razors.

That culture — more than Americans’ callousness about the planet — has led to a lifestyle that generates the highest per capita emissions in the world by far. Per capita personal emissions in the U.S. are three times as high as in Denmark.

But even as an American, if you go live in a nice apartment in Rome, as I did a few years back, your carbon footprint effortlessly plummets. It’s not that the Italians care more about the environment; I’d say they don’t. But the normal posh apartment in Rome doesn’t have a clothes dryer or an air conditioner or microwave or limitless hot water. The heat doesn’t turn on each fall until you’ve spent a couple of chilly weeks living in sweaters. The fridge is tiny. The average car is small. The Fiat 500 gets twice as much gas mileage as any hybrid SUV. And it’s not considered suffering. It’s living the dolce vita.

My point is that the low-carbon footprints depend on the infrastructure of life, and in that sense Europeans have an immediate advantage. To live without a clothes dryer or AC in the United States is considered tough and feels like a sacrifice. To do so in Rome — where apartments all include a clothes-drying balcony or indoor rack, and where buildings have thick walls and shutters to help you cope with the heat — is the norm.

In many European countries, space has always been something of a premium, forcing Europeans early on to live with greater awareness of humans’ negative effects on the planet. In small countries like the Netherlands, it’s hard to put garbage in distant landfills because you tend to run into another city. In the U.S., open space is abundant and often regarded as something to be developed. In Europe you cohabit with it.

Also, in Europe, the construction of most cities preceded the invention of cars. The centuries-old streets in London or Barcelona or Rome simply can’t accommodate much traffic — it’s really a pain, but you learn to live with it. In contrast, most American cities, think Atlanta and Dallas, were designed for people with wheels.

Still, I still marvel at some of the environmental strategies I’ve witnessed in Europe.

In old Zurich, for example, to discourage waste and reduce trash, garbage collection has long been limited to once a week (as opposed to three times a week in much of New York); recyclables like cardboard and plastic are collected once a month in the Swiss city. Since Zurich residents live with their trash for days and weeks at a time, they naturally try to generate less of it — food comes with no packaging, televisions leave naked from the store.

As I nosed around the apartment of a Swiss financial planner, she showed me the closet for trash. A whole week of her life created the same amount as the detritus of one New York takeout Chinese meal.

Likewise, in Germany, I’ve seen blocks of townhouses that are “passive” houses — homes so efficient they do not need to be heated. And an upscale suburb that had banned cars from its streets; you could own a car, but it had to be kept in a garage at the edge of town where parking spaces cost over $30,000 a year, meaning that few people owned cars and those who did rarely used them for small daily tasks like shopping.

Both were upper-middle-class neighborhoods, but I was struck by how different these German suburbs felt compared to their U.S. socioeconomic counterparts. Houses are smaller, and few are detached. A passive house has to be under 2,000 square feet and basically box-like in order to make it energy efficient. “If someone feels like they need more than 2,000 square feet to be happy, well, that’s a different discussion,” a passive-house architect said.

Many Americans regard these kinds of approaches as alien, feeling we could never go there. I’m not sure. The Europeans I meet in these places are pretty much just like me, inclined to do the right thing for the environment, but insistent on a comfortable life.

There is nothing innately superior about Europe’s environmental consciousness, which certainly has its own blind spots. In Italy, where people rail against genetically modified food, people routinely throw litter out of cars. In Germany, where residents are comfortable in smaller energy efficient homes, there is still a penchant for cars with gas-guzzling engines and for driving fast on the autobahn.

I believe most people are pretty adaptable and that some of the necessary shifts in lifestyle are about changing habits, not giving up comfort or convenience. Though I initially railed about the hassle of living without a dryer or air conditioning in Rome, I now enjoy the ritual of putting laundry on the line, expect to sweat in summer, and look forward to the cool of autumn.

Elisabeth Rosenthal has covered international environmental issues for the New York Times and the International Herald Tribune for the last three years, traveling extensively to report on environmental projects. Before that, she was a correspondent in the Times’ Beijing bureau for six years. She has a MD from Harvard Medical School.

© 2009, Yale Environment 360. All rights reserved. Do not republish.

Retrofitting 50 million buildings in the United States, about 40 percent of the building stock, by 2020 to make them energy efficient would create 625,000 permanent jobs, John Podesta, CEO of the Center for American Progress, told CNBC.

“There’s probably a $500 billion investment that’s needed, but the vast majority has to come from the private sector,” Podesta added. “The government has a role to play in orienting policy toward getting the financing right.”

Additional Green Retrofitting Resources:

The Dollars and Sense of Green Retrofits

It is a study based on a survey of organizations or companies whose existing buildings underwent a green retrofitting. Participants were asked what motivated them to consider the projects and what influenced their decisions. Findings concluded that while savings from energy efficiency was a top goal, as cited by 75 percent of respondents, corporate environmental commitment was the leading motive. Another 75 percent of respondents reported improvement in employee health. One hundred percent of respondents experienced an increase in goodwill/brand equity.

A Policy Framework for Investment in Energy Efficiency Retrofits
Investments in building efficiency retrofits can simultaneously address the challenges of economic recovery, energy insecurity, and global warming by laying the foundation for sustained economic growth, driving demand in the construction and manufacturing sectors, and creating hundreds of thousands of good jobs across the country. Retrofitting our homes and businesses will also slash consumer energy expenditures, increase real estate values, and provide low-cost, near-term reductions in global warming pollution.

Today, buildings account for 70 percent of all U.S. electricity consumption and 40 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Yet much of our housing and building stock is old, inefficient, and unnecessarily wasteful. While building codes and green building standards offer a tool for achieving deep improvements in energy use for new buildings, half of the buildings that will be standing in 30 years already dot our landscape. Any strategy to capture the benefits of energy efficiency in our “built environment” must include a program to retrofit our existing stock of residential, commercial and industrial structures.

Deep building retrofits can cut energy use by 20 to 40 percent with proven techniques and off-the-shelf technologies. Best of all, they can pay for themselves from the energy they save. “Rebuilding America,” a national program to cut energy waste in buildings, could reduce energy bills economy-wide by hundreds of billions of dollars annually. Energy efficiency retrofits also create good local construction jobs across the country at a time when well over a million construction workers sit idle in a sagging housing market. Demand for the manufactured products needed to retrofit buildings will also result in jobs by revitalizing the manufacturing sector and contributing to sustainable, long-term economic growth.  Read the whole document at Center for American Progress
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/08/rebuilding_america.html

Recommended Green Career Resources:

SIX STRATEGIES TO FIND YOUR GREEN CAREER – This free ebook by Carol McClelland PhD is a step-by-step process helping green career seekers use their passions, interests, experience, and training to plug into the green economy.

THE COMPLETE GREEN JOB GUIDE 2009: SECRETS FOR GETTING THE JOB YOUR WANT – Discover How To Unlock The Booming Green Economy For Your Job Search And Future Financial Security with the 10 Breakthrough Steps You Need To Know To Find And Land A Green Job Quickly.

© 2009, Tracey de Morsella. All rights reserved. Do not republish.

Greenopia recently released a comprehensive ranking of  50 governors in the US and compared their policies, transparency, and interest group ratings to determine which governors were eco-leaders and  which state governments are most dedicated to preserving the environment. Topping the list is Governor Bill Ritter of Colorado, followed closely by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California.  The entire ranking results are available at 50 Greenest Governors. See the top ten below.

The Top Ten Greenest Governors

1. Bill Ritter of Colorado (D). Since becoming elected in 2006 Governor Bill Ritter has become branded as an environmental leader.   The state has become a hub of renewable energy development.  Colorado ranks numbers 6 and 11 in solar and wind energy generation respectively. Colorado is also aggressively pursuing new sites for solar and wind energy in order to further increase its renewable energy usage. Several biofuel plants are based in the state. Governor Ritter hintends that Colorado have the  first LEED certified capitol building.  Colorado is in the process of creating a zero energy district in Fort Collins, and has a comprehensive carbon offset program through Carbon Fund.

Just last week, Governor Ritter  told a U.S. Senate Committee that Colorado’s New Energy Economy can be America’s New Energy Economy, touting clean-energy laws and polices that are creating jobs, attracting companies and advancing a new era of manufacturing in the state.  Governor Ritter is also trying to bring a large number of green jobs to Colorado through his New Energy Economy program.  He plans to use $20 million in stimulus funds to help implement a statewide plan to create and retain jobs, save energy, bolster the use of renewable energy sources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen Colorado’s economy.

2. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California (R).  Some of the environmental initiatives that Governor Schwarzenegger has undertaken include the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, Greenhouse Gas reduction standards, Solar Roof Program, and several resource conservation programs. California’s buildings are about 40% more efficient than the US average.   In 2005, Governor Schwarzenegger initiated a program to set stricter-than-federal emissions standards for vehicles.  After a three and one half year wait, The EPA granted him permission last month.    Earlier this year, he created the California Green Corps to work to protect the state’s ecology, and provide valuable experience and training to the young people who go through the program, to help them prepare for employment in the emerging green economy.

3. Ted Kulongowski of Oregon (D).  Since Governor Kulongoski was elected in 2002, he has worked tirelessly on behalf of the Oregon’s environment.  With Portland being known as one of the nations greenest cities, he has worked to ensure that the entire state follows the city’s green path, and has undertaken a number of green initiatives to make his state greener.  Oregon already has one of the lowest greenhouse gas levels per capita.  Yet Governor Kulongoski is doing more by working to try to further reduce Oregon’s greenhouse gas levels by 10% by 2020 and has mandated statewide renewable energy use of 10% by 2015 and 25% by 2025. Governor Kulongoski is also trying to reduce Oregon’s greenhouse gas levels by 10% by 2020.  Oregon has numerous tax incentives to aide concerned citizens in going green.  The legislature also signed a green jobs transportation bill in May that is designed  to create thousands of jobs, improve infrastructure for freight, commerce and goods, and advance Oregon’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the state.

4. Christine Gregoire of Washington state (D) – Elected in 2004, Governor Christine Gregoire Washington is another eco-leader on the rise.  In March 2008, Governor Gregoire signed legislation making Washington just the fourth state in the nation to adopt comprehensive limits on global warming pollution, and the first state to develop a plan to train the state’s work force for the transition to clean energy. The state must reduce emission levels to what they were in 1990, and then reduce them by another 25 percent by 2035. House Bill 2815 requires frequent emission reports from businesses or agencies releasing large amounts of global warming pollution.  Governor Gregoire has set a goal to reduce the amount that drivers in Washington spend on imported fuel by 20 percent by 2020. It also requires the Dept. of Transportation to develop strategies to help people who want an alternative to driving in this time of high gas prices have the freedom to reduce their car travel. In addition, the new legislation encourages the creation of thousands of new “green collar” jobs, and establishes a job growth initiative with the goal of tripling the number of green jobs by 2020. Governor Gregoire has reiterated her goal repeatedly to develop 25,000 new green collar jobs in the next 12 years.  Washington now ranks among the top five states for producing wind power and the top three for manufacturing the equipment to generate solar energy.   Governor Gregiore has also set plans to increase the amount of renewable power that Washington will generate in the future and has signed onto the Western Climate Initiative as well. Governor Gregiore has numerous plans geared towards water including one to clean up Puget Sound. Governor Gregiore is trying to encourage green jobs in her home state and offers several tax incentives for people and businesses with green lifestyles.

5. John Baldacci of Maine (D) - Governor Baldacci, who was elected in 2002, has been extremely proactive in addressing environmental issues in Maine. He launched the nation’s first electronics recycling program as a manufacturer responsibility.  Leading a Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and established a plan to reduce emissions in the state. Maine became the second state to adopt a full Climate Action Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Becoming the national leader in independent third party certification of the woodlands and mills that process forest products that demonstrates the management of Maine’s working forests meets sustainable standards. Governor Baldacci has also put stricter mercury limit laws on emissions.  Last month he signed legislation that requires manufacturers of bulbs that contain mercury will be required to implement a program for recycling the lamps from households by 2011.  He has also worked to focus on conservation projects involving more than 765,000 acres of Maine’s forestlands, mountains, coastlands, wildlife habitats, and recreational areas and he has substantially eliminated liquidation harvesting (clear-cutting) from Maine’s forests.

6. Martin O’Malley of Maryland (D) – Since Governor Martin O’Malley took office in 2006, he has made a number of strides to address Maryland’ environmental issues.  He recently signed the Greenhouse Reduction Act which calls for a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and it will also create 100,000 new green jobs. Earlier this year, he Enacted Smart, Green, and Growing legislation calling for a sustainable approach to development in Maryland that promotes transit-oriented development, reliable local planning choices, and a clear understanding of the impact of development on our natural environment.  O’Malley also funded Program Open Space for the third consecutive year and preserving more than 21,000 acres of our most vital natural landscape for future generations.

7. Bill Richardson of New Mexico (D) - He has committed a significant amount of resources to preserving areas through land conservation easements and water plans. His River Ecosystem Restoration Initiative is designed to protect and restore river systems across the state. Richardson has a number of policy initiatives that address climate change.  He has a mandate in place requiring that  all state agencies must purchase 100% green power by 2012 and requires that new state government building construction and renovations meet LEED standards and achieve significant energy savings.   He has also been aggressive in addressing climate change.  Richardson has numerous goals in this area.  He is requiring that statewide greenhouse gas emission be reduced to 2000 levels by 2012, 10% below 2000 levels by 2020, and 75% below 2000 levels by 2050.  The state is working to achieve a 20% reduction per capita energy use statewide below 2005 levels by 2020 and a 20% reduction in state government fleet and transportation-related activities from 2005 levels by 2015.  New Mexico also gives numerous tax incentives and significant amounts of funding for clean energy research.

8. James Douglas of Vermont (R) – Since he took office in 2002,Governor Jim Douglas has worked hard to address Vermont’s environmental issues.   He  has established a number of initiatives aimed at making Vermont greener.  These include the Clean and Clear Water Action Plan, Biofuel initiatives, and programs aimed at making the state government greener. Vermont also has tax incentives in place to help consumers and businesses go green.  Earlier this month, he announced that he was working with other New England Governors on a coordinated regional plan to use stimulus funds for high speed rail that will connect major cities and airports, and support economic growth throughout the region.

9. Jon Corzine of New Jersey (D).  Since taking office in 2006, Jon Corzine has been pretty aggressive when it comes to the environment.  He has spearheaded is his Energy Master Plan which calls on New Jersey to be more energy efficient as well as use more renewable energy, which call for a  30% renewable energy target.  Through programs such as his Clean Car initiative and Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, Corzine has implemented several steps for reducing New Jersey’s greenhouse gas emissions New Jersey has set aggressive targets for both solar energy and offshore wind development, and is home to more solar energy installations than any other state in the country, except California.  New Jersey also is on its way to setting up the first offshore windmills off the Atlantic Coast.  In February, Corzine signed an executive order to address environmental issues in low-income and minority communities, which includes the creation of an advisory council to oversee state policies and initiatives.

10. Jodi Rell of Connecticut (R). Since Governor Rell took office back in 2000,  she has put various environmental policies into place to help preserve the environment, including signing an agreement to place mandatory caps on greenhouse gas emissions. This policy requires greenhouse gas levels to be reduced by 10% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. She has also signed clean fuel bills for transportation, water purification, and one limited the use of pesticides near day care centers. Governor Rell also supports renewable energy and habitat preservation.  A few weeks ago, governor Rell launched “Connecticut Green Lodging” a self-certification Program open to hotels, motels and other lodging owners.  That same week, she announced the signing of a bill that will help developers proceed more quickly with the clean-up of contaminated brownfields – idled industrial sites – and make it easier for them to recover clean-up costs from those responsible for polluting the property.

The entire ranking results are available at 50 Greenest Governors.

Governors Ranking 11 Through 20

11. Deval Patrick (D)  Massachusets
12. Jan Brewer (R)  Arizona
13. Beverly Perdue (D) North Carolina
14. Jennifer Granholm (D) Michigan
15. John Lynch (D) New Hampshire
16. James Doyle (D) Wisconsin
17. David Paterson (D) New York
18. Mike Beebe (D) Arkansas
19. Timothy Pawlenty (R) Minnesota
20. Edward Rendell (D) Pennsylvania

The entire ranking results are available at 50 Greenest Governors.

© 2009, Tracey de Morsella. All rights reserved. Do not republish.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently selected 33 Colorado community leaders to participate in its 2009 Executive Energy Leadership program (Energy Execs).   The  leadership program is focused on educating business and government leaders about clean energy solutions that can boost the local economy.  The six-month leadership program gives executives from Colorado-based businesses, government entities, universities, and economic development and non-profit organizations an in-depth look at solar and wind power, biofuels and transportation, and energy efficient building technologies. Briefings by technology experts, research laboratory tours and visits to field applications are part of the monthly classroom experience.

“The NREL Executive Energy Leadership Program offers an important opportunity for community leaders to embrace clean energy technologies,” Director Dan Arvizu said. “Moving these technologies to the marketplace at speed and scale requires well-thought out systems and grassroots implementation. Given the increasing interest in our leadership program, I’m confident NREL is on the right path in helping statewide leaders gain access to our important work accelerating clean energy technologies. Energy Execs alumni are emerging as shining stars on the statewide energy scene.”

At the conclusion of the program, participants present a viable project on a renewable energy or energy efficiency application.   This is the third year for the Energy Execs program. In 2008, 19 representatives of industry, local government and non-profit organizations completed the class.

The following is a complete list of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory – 2009 Energy Execs Participants

Tom Acre
Deputy City Manager, City of Commerce City

Matthew Appelbaum
Mayor, City of Boulder

Sharon Barrett
Senior Director, Cushman & Wakefield

Karen Benker
Mayor Pro Tem, City of Longmont

Jim Benson
City Council Member, City of Commerce City

Bruce Biggi
Economic Development Manager, City of Greeley

James Bosch
Visitors Program/National Bioenergy Center, NREL

Steve Catanach
Light & Power Manager, City of Fort Collins

Bob Churchwell
City Administrator, City of Burlington

Peter Dawson
County Commissioner/Chair, Baca County

Frances Draper
Executive Director, Boulder Economic Council

Gary Estenson
Deputy Executive Director, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment

Keith Fife
Long Range Planning Division Director, Mesa County

Robert FitzGerald
City Council Member/Mayor Pro Tem, City of Aurora

Preston Gibson
President, Jefferson Economic Council

John Hall
Business Development Officer, Office of Economic Development – City of Westminster

Stephen Hall
Executive Director, Western TechSet

Anne Hayes
Vice President, Westfield Company

Michael Kirk
Director of Facilities Services, Larimer County

Irene Law
Director of Operations, Habitat for Humanity of Colorado

Michael Masciola
Vice President, Northern Colorado Economic Development Corporation

Lisa Nolder
Economic Development Director, Southeast Colorado Business, Retention, Expansion & Attraction (SEBREA)

David November
Environmental Manager, Keystone & Breckenridge Resorts (Vail Resorts)

Susan Osborne
City Council Member, City of Boulder

Frank Phillips
City Council Member, City of Lafayette

Scott Prestidge
Senate Staff, Colorado Senator Mark Udall

Scott Randall
Town Manager, Town of Superior

Kathleen Seelye
Managing Partner, Ricca Newmark Design

Greg Severance
Director of Public Works, Pueblo County

Matthew Singleton
Vice President, Project Management, Prologis

Christopher Smith
Program Manager, Denver Office of Economic Development

Virgil Turner
Administrative Services Director, City of Montrose

Debra Wilcox
Vice President, Biofuels Project Manager, Bye Energy, Inc.

Scott Prestidge
Senate Staff, Colorado Senator Mark Udall

Scott Randall
Town Manager, Town of Superior

Kathleen Seelye
Managing Partner, Ricca Newmark Design

Greg Severance
Director of Public Works, Pueblo County

Matthew Singleton
Vice President, Project Management, Prologis

Christopher Smith
Program Manager, Denver Office of Economic Development

Virgil Turner
Administrative Services Director, City of Montrose

Debra Wilcox
Vice President, Biofuels Project Manager, Bye Energy, Inc.

© 2009, Tracey de Morsella. All rights reserved. Do not republish.

Michigan’s Tax Credits Lure 4 Advanced Battery Makers Bringing 6,700 Jobs. While Michigan struggles with the highest unemployment rate in the nation, it’s governor has been putting in a foundation for next generation technology that is beginning to draw green businesses and the promise of thousands of new jobs.  Last week, the state announced that a set of new tax breaks totaling $543.5 million had lured four manufacturers of hybrid and electric car batteries.  The four companies will invest $1.7 billion and create nearly 6,700 jobs in Michigan; the state will also help them seek some of the $2 billion in federal stimulus money that has been set aside for advanced battery research.   Read more about green jobs in Michigan.

Mayor Diaz Unveils Energy Smart Miami Program. Miami Mayor Manny Diaz recently unveiled the $200 million Energy Smart Miami program. Done in conjunction with Florida Power & Light, GE, Cisco Systems, and Silver Spring Networks, the program will install wireless smart meters and a smart electric grid, expand solar power at local universities and schools and expand use of plug-in electric hybrid vehicles. Not to mention create 800-1000 new jobs. Read more about green jobs in Miami.

Walmart  to Place Solar Panels on Their Commercial Rooftop Which will Create About 130 Green Jobs in California. Wal-Mart recently announced they’re going to double their use of solar panel on its own facilities. And that could be the way to do it for more commercial players in California, according to its Governor. Within 18 months, Wal-Mart wants to expand their sustainable energy efforts by adding solar panels on 10 to 20 Wal-Mart facilities in California. That will be in addition to the 18 solar arrays that are currently installed with excisting facilities. The supplier of the new solar panels for Wal-Mart is BP Solar. The solar panel installation will create about 130 jobs.   After the panels have been installed, Wal-Mart is going to consider expanding the technology to additional sites. Read more about green jobs in California.

Vision Energy’s $1 Billion Wind Bet in Illinois will Create 290 Jobs. Vision Energy’s $1 Billion Wind Bet in IllinoisVision Energy, a Cincinnati-based developer of clean energy projects that has built two large wind firms in north central Illinois (see pix left) and in Indiana. The company has proposed a 33,000-acre, $1 billion wind farm encompassing parts of four Illinois counties. The K4 project, according to Vision Energy President Turner Hunt, will build and operate over 300 wind turbines and employ as many as 250 construction and 40 full-time operations and maintenance workers.  Read more about green jobs in Illinois.

Many Private-Sector Companies Not Hiring Green Jobs Yet in Madison There are green jobs in Madison, but there’s just not too many of them — not yet, anyway. One thing people should consider when looking for a so-called “green-collar job” is that it includes a lot of things, WISC-TV reported.

“They are human resources jobs, marketing jobs, entry-level program assistants jobs,” said Mary Schlaefer, with the Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corp. “Green jobs span a broad spectrum.”

Madison-based WECC hired about 40 workers last year, in a variety of positions. Currently, the company lists everything from IT jobs, to program managers overseeing the implementation of energy-efficient weatherization projects. In the hard-hit construction fields, some say that green jobs are starting to kick in at just the right time. In Madison, more and more large-scale and commercial and institutional construction projects are being built using only the most-advanced eco-friendly methods. Iron workers, building the skeleton of the Institutes of Discovery on University Avenue, might not realize it, but they’re working “green jobs.” The $150 million structure is expected to qualify as a silver LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) facility.  Read more about green jobs in Madison.

© 2009, Tracey de Morsella. All rights reserved. Do not republish.