When considering some 110,000 new solar energy jobs are expected to trickle into the U.S. job market by the end of 2010, “going green” may become more reality than theory.
For one energy consultant, beginning a new initiative to educate the public and business community on sustainable procedures held personal and professional importance.
While a property manager at RexCorp Realty, Amawalk resident Jeffrey Poritzky frequently found his objective was to reduce costs.
“It became apparent that conservation and where you leak energy, which you discover through an energy audit were important,” Poritzky said of his work in property management. “Once you determine how to save on energy costs, then you can find a way to reduce it even further.”
Translating his experience into action, Poritzky began consultancy STR Solar Works, which is the brain behind the 2009 Northern Westchester Solar Tour, scheduled Saturday, Oct. 3, from 1 to 5 p.m.Â
Three homes are scheduled to be featured, incorporating various renewable energy sources.
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As the overreaching body behind the solar home tours, the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA), a regional counterpart of the American Solar Energy Society, is a grassroots organization that for the most part, relies on volunteers.
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“It”™s not a big moneymaker for us,” said Pam Lester, program manager at the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, of financials. “We get sponsors that help support the program, but in general the costs are greater than the money we bring in. However, last year 32 percent of tour hosts indicated that a previous tour influenced their decision to add sustainable energy features to their home.”
For publicity purposes, Poritzky approached town Supervisor Mary Beth Murphy of Somers who had helped conduct Green Week in the town this spring.
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Business owners from farmers to contractors participated in the event, which Murphy said helped create awareness in a town where some 70 percent of energy use comes from the residential sector.
“We joined something called Smart Grid where towns can collate their energy usage and generate revenue for municipalities through that process,” Murphy said. “People are looking at innovative ways of addressing what some perceive as an opportunity for both commercial growth and doing right by the environment. It”™s the mix you want to look for.”
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As for promoting green jobs in northern Westchester, Murphy said the construction industry could benefit through work like insulation and the weather-tightening of homes.
“I think there are going to be increases in jobs for things we never thought about before,” Poritzky said. “For instance, if someone wants to put up solar panels on a roof, what happens if there is a tree in the way? It could mean more jobs for landscapers.
“Some are genuinely interested in green and some are genuinely interested in green money,” he said. “But, I think people are going to start concentrating more on these kinds of issues, especially in this economy.”
The web site is nsea.org.
