Energy audit training is without doubt one of these branches in "green education" that can offer great rewards to those who take it up now.
Saving energy is no longer a feel-good choice. It is a must, regardless of the economy moving up or down. This career is a stable one for the long-term.
It is not as if home and commercial energy audits are a new, untested thing. They have actually been around since the 1970's.
Then it was the oil crisis that prompted interest in energy saving. Today's circumstances are different. Now it is 'Peak oil' and effects of global warming, combined with a global economic crisis and rising energy prices.
High demand, growing demand, rising prices
Governments, citizens and businesses must now sink or swim. Despite some squabbling about this, climate change is real and can only be curbed by a combination of energy saving, emission reduction and incentives in renewable energy.
Governments everywhere are stimulating the economy with green activities and green jobs, through grants, tax breaks and other incentives. The result? Energy audit training is attractive as never before.
What home energy assessments do is identify where energy is wasted and recommend which steps to take to save it. This may include recommending other products in renewable energy or insulation for example.
Think of it...millions of homes and businesses wanting and needing energy efficiency services, often subsidized by government.
Why energy audit training makes sense
Some reasons for the current good opportunities in energy auditing are:
- a greatly increased awareness of the need to avoid rapidly rising energy bills;
- increasingly entire towns and regions require adherence to certain energy efficiency standards for new buildings;
- renewable energy incentives are a good combination with an energy assessment;
- value of properties increases with energy-efficiency features;
- a rising public awareness of the need to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
Such factors combine to develop a huge and ready market for energy efficiency assessments.
Energy audit certification
In the US there a few levels at which energy audits are done. No energy audit certification requirements are government-mandated in the US, whereas in other countries they are.
The most straightforward approach to energy auditing is where the energy auditor examines your power bills and literally walks through your home or business building. Then he or she will identify any inefficiencies in insulation, ventilation and appliances.
The building's owner will receive recommendations about taking those steps that save energy and money. Identified savings can range from hundreds to many thousands of dollars per year.
An energy audit at RESNET or BPI standards is more in-depth, involving infra-red equipment, blower doors and duct blasting. The cost is significantly higher than a walk-through audit. However, the walk-through audit identifies 80 percent of the savings of the more involved method and is least intrusive.
The right energy audit training in the walk-through method is fast and effective.
Energy savings with energy audit training
Energy savings upwards of 30 percent, in the walk-through method, are not unusual. And energy-inefficient buildings are everywhere! This makes an hour's energy assessment highly valuable for virtually any client. You are not selling. You are helping!
Energy audit training is available as online courses or live training, with some highly respected qualifications offered by some. It can be a part-time job, a career, your business or done in combination with your existing trade. As far as green business ideas go, can you afford not to look into this?
Keywords: energy audit training, green business ideas, home energy audit