Federal money is beginning to flow into the Capital region’s green economy, and East Lansing-based
Urban Options is getting ready.
The 20-year-old environmental organization is seeking an
energy program manager to handle new opportunities it expects to be managing across the state.
Urban Options is already doing restaurant and hotel energy audits under a $50,000 City of Lansing grant using federal
Community Development Block Grant dollars.
Fifty-five restaurant owners have been given a list of suggestions to improve their
energy efficiency since November, Joel Wiese of Urban Options says. 20 more may apply before the program ends June 30.
Besides getting free, helpful information, each owner gets a $300 coupon to apply toward things like LED signs, or low-water-flow kitchen sprayers.
But Urban Options only has two auditors for the restaurant program, and Wiese expects many more will be needed as the state and federal governments tighten emission standards. So the non-profit is offering a
class beginning June 9 to train 12 people in a Home Energy Rating System (HERS).
The five-day technical training costs $1,250 with a $500 on-the-job follow-up class. While the cost may seem high, home auditors can make salaries in the $35,000 range, if they hustle, says Wiese.
The class will be taught by the
Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corp., from another state because Michigan currently has no training provider, Wiese says. The deadline for class registration was April 27, but will be extended.
“With all the programs coming out, the job opportunities are going to be huge.”
Source: Joel Wiese, Urban Options
Gretchen Cochran, Innovation & Jobs editor, may be reached
here.
All Photographs © Dave Trumpie
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