Pennsylvania, like every state, is facing challenging issues in the recession. Two immediate issues that directly impact families are lost revenues from layoffs and increasing utility bills given the winter heating demand. Homeowners need ways to save money and make their homes more energy efficient, but there are not necessarily enough people trained to help them find the most cost-effective solutions.
According to the Department of Energy, over 40% of national energy consumption comes from homes and offices, and of that, over 40% goes toward heating and cooling. The opportunities for jobs and savings are real and many home and business owners do not necessarily need to wait for government programs to kick in.
Philadelphia Area GREENandSAVE has conducted Home Efficiency ‘Checkups’ over the past several years and given the increasing demand, they have now formalized an ‘academy’ career program to train ‘Home Efficiency Consultants’ to provide the ‘Checkups’. The Checkups typically take two to three hours and cost homeowners $200 - $300, but the savings are guaranteed to more than cover the cost of the service. The Checkups differ from Energy Audits in that the Checkups include a review of the whole house utility and health factors as well as energy consumption. Consultants that conduct several sessions per week can make between $1,000 - $3,000 per week, and $4,000 or more each month.
The GREENandSAVE Eco Academy training program starts in Greater Philadelphia on January 17th at the GREENandSAVE Campus Building #500. The location is just west of Philadelphia at 435 Devon Park Drive, Wayne, PA. The core curriculum includes two Saturdays and mid-week practical components of the program.
Trainees may enroll up to two days prior to the first Saturday session but the cut off is January 10th to receive the early enrollment rate of $695 instead of $995. See www.EcoAcademy.com for details.
GREENandSAVE’s Founder and Green Architect (PENN Masters - 1993), Charlie Szoradi was inspired by President-elect Barack Obama. Szoradi was asked to host the “Clean Tech for Obama” CT4O fundraiser at his Solar Eco-Home just outside of Philadelphia earlier this fall and, along with many others, he met with fellow members of the Delaware Valley Chapter of the Green Building Council and the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia. The October 5th event served as the springboard for the job creation opportunity that now exists in Greater Philadelphia. The demand for weatherization and energy savings in addition to the need for new jobs gave rise to the formation of the GREENandSAVE Eco Academy which plans to expand the curriculum and training across the country following the Philadelphia pilot programs.
“We’re on a fast track to positive change, and we believe in the spirit of American innovation, self-reliance and community support. Our team loves the inspiration and commitment that President-elect Obama provides the country when it comes to job creation and energy independence, and we’ve already started right here in our own backyard.” says Szoradi.
The launch of the GREENandSAVE Eco Academy is set for January of 2009 in Philadelphia, with a curriculum focused on Home Efficiency Consulting. Further Eco Academy sessions are slated in other states down the line. Over the course of 2009, and beyond, the Eco Academy intends to add additional curriculum targeting other aspects of energy savings and eco-stewardship ranging from Office Efficiency Consulting to training for careers in Green Nutrition, Eco-Tourism, and even specialty ‘Green Collar’ niches like training for ‘Green Collar Pet Care’.
GREENandSAVE has a 15-year legacy in the ‘Green’ market, which is rapidly generating interest across all facets of society. The company was born out of Mr. Szoradi’s Masters Thesis on ‘Eco Humanism’ at the University of Pennsylvania. The company’s website, GREENandSAVE.com, has become one of America’s leading free ‘Green’ home remodeling resources for those that want to save money and the environment as well as create a healthier home and overall lifestyle. Major online resources and the 150 year old institution, the American Institute of Architects, link into the site to educate their members, and The National Association of Realtors uses the content in the curriculum to educate their agents.
The company’s research and writing team continue to analyze products and performance data from a broad range of public and private sector reports, as well as manufacturer specifications and actual user feedback. Clear Channel Radio's Great Green Home Show also picked GREENandSAVE.com as "The BEST user-friendly site for Homeowners." The company is the first to offer comprehensive Return on Investment (ROI) rankings and Take Action recommendations on multiple ways to ‘Go Green’.
In addition to the free online resources GREENandSAVE provides Home Efficiency Consulting services and training, supports a network backbone of over five thousand home remodeling service providers across the country, and provides a Realtor Resource that includes personalized marketing services for agents along with a state-by-state directory. All around, GREENandSAVE is committed to “Saving Money and the Planet one Household at a Time.”
For Philadelphia Area residents, there are monthly sessions over the first quarter of 2009 that start at $695. No prior experience is required for the training program. Individuals interested in full or part time careers can get the complete information on the curriculum and enrollment for the GREENandSAVE Eco Academy. online or by calling 484.588.5407.
Beyond the training and the Home Efficiency Checkups, homeowners across the country right now can see the Return on Investment rankings for Home Remodeling that include the added cost, the payback time, and the annual savings.
In addition to the infrastructure and green-collar job creation strategies of President-elect Barack Obama, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell is promoting projects that will help create 13,000 new green-collar jobs in the commonwealth. His top priorities include “creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses.” According to www.depweb.state.pa.us, “Pennsylvania is investing $665.9 million to push PA into the top tier of states taking steps to cut consumer energy costs, and significantly expand the alternative fuel, clean energy and conservation sectors. The plan is estimated to cut PA's energy bills by $10 billion over the next 10 years.”
The home of American Independence may soon become the home of American Energy Independence…one new Trainee and Home at a time.
