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IMT finds revealing energy use would create jobs
May 9, 2012 - Two recent reports from the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) show how a new kind of energy policy is creating skilled, export-proof jobs in cities across the United States.
May 9, 2012 By Alyssa Dalton
Under this type of policy, called building energy rating and disclosure, owners of large buildings track exactly how much energy their properties use. Armed with this information, they can make changes that reduce their utility bills and those of their tenants—helping everyone’s bottom line.
The Institute predicts that through a national policy, 23,000 net new jobs would be added in 2015 and 59,000 jobs in 2020.
When buildings’ energy use is made transparent (given a grade that is published online or shared in a real estate transaction), it’s like an MPG sticker for buildings. Individuals can shop for office space or a new apartment with an eye on how much it will cost them in utilities. That, in turn, spurs owners to make their buildings more efficient, creating demand for specialists who can help reduce energy use: energy managers and auditors, sustainability consultants, and HVAC professionals.
Energy Disclosure and the New Frontier for American Jobs profiles business leaders who are adding jobs and expanding their client rosters. These are mostly small business owners who are pioneers in the emerging field of building energy management. The second report is titled Analysis of Job Creation and Energy Cost Savings From Building Energy Rating and Disclosure Policy.
This analysis by IMT and the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst predicts it would reduce energy costs for building owners, consumers, and tenant businesses by more than $18 billion through 2020.
“Better information means more competition for better buildings,” said IMT’s Andrew Burr, the lead author of both reports. “It means more private investment channeled into training workers, retuning mechanical systems, and upgrading equipment. And that means more work improving American buildings and more American jobs.”
“Brilliant in its simplicity, public disclosure of building energy consumption will start a stampede to upgrade buildings,” added venture capitalist Elton Sherwin, author of the book Addicted to Energy.
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