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The Green Column
by Richard C. MacCrea, Andrews Valley Initiative
In order for the green movement to create jobs, a long bridge must be crossed, that of education. Local green builders deal with a lack of training among their workers. Organizations like the Southern Appalachian Sustainable Building Council and local builders associations have approached local high schools and community colleges about creating green building programs. The schools are interested in helping people fit into the local job market. But the colleges have a valid concern. Setting up a program like this, organizing a curriculum, and hiring teachers is all very expensive. What if they build it and no one comes? They need to see an interest in taking these courses. Are you a laid off construction worker? Are you tired of watching TV reruns? Can you invest some of this time learning about green building? Is there financial aid for your job training? Research online; ask the employment offices and local colleges. Meanwhile, do your own self-education. The Internet has volumes of information. If you are not online, do your research for free at the library. Start on these web sites: buildingscience.com, southface. org, healthybuilthomes.org. epa.gov/greenbuilding/ and usgbc. org. Research phrases like “green construction”, “energy efficient buildings”, etc. There are many promising fields in green construction: HVAC (heating, ventilation, and cooling) systems consume more energy in our buildings than anything else. Learning how to design and install more efficient systems could help people reduce their cost of living while keeping them more comfortable. Insulation installers are key to making buildings energy efficient. There is a huge need to bring older buildings up to standard. Remodeling is our largest area of potential for reducing energy consumption. Many times the energy savings can pay for the improvements. Energy “Raters” are experts trained to find ways to reduce energy loss. They might pressure test the building and its HVAC system for leaks. Thermal imaging photography can identify where the hidden leaks are. Computer software can be used to create an energy model of the structure to help them calculate the best ways to save energy for that specific building. There is also a need for radon remediation. Home inspections often uncover unhealthy levels of radon and this can stand in the way of a sale. Study areas outside your field. Understanding how all the systems of a building work together is very important for everyone working on green projects. It can also put you ahead of the line for re-employment, and you will be more proud of your work. Maybe you are ingenious enough to discover a new way to help people reduce energy costs? Our next column will consider our Greening of Andrews Valley Program. Your question might be the perfect topic for a future column. Email me. Richard C. MacCrea is the director of The Greening of Andrews Valley, a program of Andrews Valley Initiative. He works in the field of energy efficient, green building.
rmaccrea@verizon.net