Looking to rent an apartment? Make sure it has all the amenities you’ll need: laundry facilities, exercise room — and a car for occasional long-range errands.

In San Francisco, they are not leaving that last one to chance. The Planning Department mandates that for every 50 to 200 units in a new residential building, at least one space must be made available for a car sharing vehicle.

The idea is that parking for an apartment complex shouldn’t shut out, but should encourage, those who use car sharing. And if the space has got a car at the ready — all the better.

Zipcar, Inc., the Boston-based car sharing service that claims to be the world’s largest, announced this week that San Francisco has granted it a certification that qualifies the company to fill those designated car-share spots. That means that Zipcar can place its cars at the car share parking spots, giving it a competitive edge over other services.

“As a ‘Certified Car Share Organization,’ Zipcar will help meet the demands of San Francisco developers and residents, who increasingly are requesting car sharing at their buildings,” said Lawrence Badiner, Zoning Administrator of the San Francisco Planning Department.

Eventually, other car companies could get certified, as well, by applying to the city Planning Department.

In the meantime, Zipcar can fulfill the needs of building owners and tenants, as Zipcar President and COO Mark Norman explained in his statement: “Developers can better attract tenants by offering Zipcar as an on-site amenity, and effectively cut costs by reducing the overall number of parking spaces necessary, since fewer residents will own cars.

“Residents can more easily live car-free with the convenience of a Zipcar just steps from their home.  A car-free life will save money, simplify their lives and reduce their environmental footprint.”

Integrating car sharing, biking amenities or locating near mass transit also wins building developers points toward LEED designation by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Zipcar serves many major and smaller city markets in North America.

For more information about car sharing, see carsharing.net.

Electric vehicle company THINK has released its first U.S. EV-Ready Cities Index. The THINK EV-Ready Cities Index takes into account purchase and usage incentives – such as HOV lane access and infrastructure support, and market fit, including hybrid sales, traffic congestion, EPA air quality zone status, and potential energy sources for vehicle recharging. The index was compiled for THINK by ASG Renaissance, a market research and business services firm located in Dearborn, Mich.

Los Angeles is the most EV-ready U.S. city.

1. Los Angeles
2. San Francisco
3. Chicago (tie)
4. New York (tie)
5. San Diego
6. Portland
7. Sacramento
8. Newark
9. Seattle
10. Atlanta
11. Denver
12. Boston
13. Washington DC
14. Philadelphia
15. Phoenix

THINK is a Norwegian carmaker whose subcompact EV City model is road-ready and being sold in Europe. The company has set its sites on the United States and is building a manufacturing plant in Elkhart, Indiana. It’s also working with AeroEnvironment to develop a fast-charging EV network, which it demonstrated in January at the Washington D.C. car show. The new network would be able to restore 80 percent of the vehicles power with a 15-minute charge. AeroEnvironment Inc. is headquarted in Monrovia, Calif.

Parents concerned about all the bad news pertaining to plastic toys, with their chemical loads of hormone-disrupting and possibly carcinogenic additives, can find refuge in a line of toys made by an environmentally minded U.S. toy company.

San Francisco-based Green Toys Inc., a company that constructs toys from recycled milk containers, is introducing a new line of toys for babies and toddlers at the  Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair in Nuremberg, Germany next week.

Green Toys' new 18-block set for the very-much younger crowd

The new line, called My First Green Toys™ , will include seven new products, all made in California, with 100 percent post-consumer plastic that contains no BPA (Bisphenol A), phthlates or PVC (polyvinyl chloride).

Available this spring, the line will include a Green Toys stacker, tugboat, blocks, feeding spoons, spoon and fork set and a plate and bowl set. Previous toys from Green Toys Inc., also have been made from recycled milk jugs, but were aimed at young children.

“We’ve been deluged with requests for Green Toys brand products designed for infants and toddlers both in the US and abroad,” said Robert von Goeben, president and co-founder of Green Toys Inc., in a news release. “Our customers tell us they love Green Toys products because they know where the toys are made and exactly what they are made from. The My First Green Toys line allows us to offer the benefits of safe, environmentally-friendly products to a younger age group, while providing parents with peace of mind.”

In 2009, Green Toys™ brand products were featured in the Top 10 Toys of the Year in Disney FamilyFun Magazine, and the company received praise from Goddard Systems Inc.’s Top 10 Eco-Friendly Toys of 2009, and the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA), which honored it with a 2009 Best Toys for Kids Award.

The packaging for Green Toys, made from recyclable corrugated materials, won a 2009 Greener Packaging Award.

Green Toys Inc., was founded to create safe, classic toys in an environmentally responsible way that promotes recycling and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

The toys are available online at the company website and at many retailers. Find a store near you using Green Toys’ store finder tool.

Everyone knows you can’t shop your way to green. A true greenie is always looking for ways to reduce and reuse. That line of thinking generally doesn’t propel you to the mall, at least not often.

But (you knew there was a but…) eco-conscious consumers still have needs. Their motivations are just different. They look to buy lower impact, organic products from like-minded companies and retailers. They want fairly produced goods to create a less-toxic home environment, with healthful food, that supports sustainable practices.

Over the past two years, we’ve noticed that the market is bringing us more and more small, green stores that aim to be a nexus for this movement. Take it back. Some are large, like the home supply Green Depot in New York City. They sell lotsa stuff that can really help you dig in to cut your energy bills and remodel greenly.

Earth Goddess sells eco-goodies at its new store in Allentown, N.J.

Many of these stores, though, are smaller urban hubs that are helping nurture nascent green brands, organic products and alternative ways of life.

Of course, yes, we know, there have always been alternative stores. I have delighted for many years in burrowing through salvage spots, hardware outlets, off-the-track food markets and old-time seed stores that somehow survived the century.

But these new green stores are taking the movement uptown. They’re selling not just raw goods, but eco-stylish clothing, pure spa formulations, health food concoctions and creative, high-concept products that up-cycle  used everyday items. (Some pricey, some a bargain.)

You’re likely to see a sleek salad bowl crafted from a chunk of discarded wood or an artsy organic cotton quilt. At the the Twin Cities Green store in uptown Minneapolis, which we visited a few months ago, we found  everything from pure latex mattresses to a hemp washrags, from soy candles to purses constructed of license plates.

Other stores, such as the Greenheart Shop in Chicago focus on food — serving up raw honey, Fair Trade chocolate and healthful teas — and clothing. The shop, which helps support artisans around the world and human development projects in the U.S., sells gorgeous handbags made from recycled saris and affordable frocks constructed of recycled and organic fabrics.

Still other green purveyors, and there are getting to be many, lean toward selling household goods, rugs made of flip-flop scraps, garden tools and compost.

And leave it to San Francisco, to bring us the leading edge, Green 11: A store that tackles consumer waste. At Green 11, you can refill your existing plastic bottles with organic cleaners, shampoos and personal products.

It’s great to see that the free market does provide. This week, we heard about two more green stores opening, one in Houston and one near Trenton, N.J..

Best wishes to:

• One Green Street, opening at 5160 Buffalo Speedway in Houston. Owners Sherry and David Eichberger will be selling personal products like natural perfumes, clothing made from recycled plastic, pet food and . . .  too much to mention. See their products page. Sherry was inspired to open a store devoted to a cleaner lifestyle after seeing two robust adult men in her neighborhood lose their lives to leukemia, a disease that’s been linked to environmental toxics.

• Earth Goddess, 28 S. Main St.,  in Allentown, N.J.., carries candles, reusable bags, purses made from recycled tires and a large selection of recycled and earth-friendly jewelry.  Rick Lobley tells us they’ll be selling everything from fingerless bamboo gloves to cheese boards made from wine bottles to those purses constructed of recycled soda can tabs.

Copyright © 2010 Green Right Now | Distributed by GRN Network

Nannette Miranda
More: Bio, abc7news.com News Team, E-mail, Twitter

SACRAMENTO, CA (KGO) — California recycling centers have been disappearing recently. More than 600 of them have faded away since state funding dried up.

Freddie Hunter was ready to recycle on Monday, but was surprised to see that his neighborhood depot has shut down. It is one of more than 600 convenience centers near supermarkets that have closed recently because the recycling fund is too broke to keep them open.

“I think it’s terrible. I think it’s terrible. I think something should be done about that,” Hunter says. “Us poor people need every little penny we can get there.”

Recyclers are suing state leaders because the politicians borrowed nearly a $500 million over the years from the CRV fund. Those unclaimed container deposits went to help balance the budget instead of help recycling programs.

“When you borrow and you don’t pay it back when the program is in trouble, that’s no longer a loan. That’s basically stealing money from the recycling program,” says Mark Murray with Californians Against Waste.

The recycling program does not just help the environment. It also keeps at-risk young adults out of trouble by giving them jobs. Local conservation corps used to employ 4,000 people who are typically high school dropouts or parolees. Without funding, almost 1,000 kids have already been laid off their green jobs.

Conservation Corps member Donta Washington really wants to stay in the program.

“I have big hopes and aspirations and everything like that,” she says. “So, this job has really put me on a straight path.”

The governor, who touts himself as a green leader, vetoed a proposal a few weeks ago to increase the CRV because he did not like it. He will push lawmakers for a better bill.

H.D. Palmer with the California Finance Department says, “The Governor is disappointed that we are in this situation, which is why he wants to move very quickly in January to get a fix in place to right size this fund.”

That is a challenging task, considering the state is facing a $21 billion deficit.

Michael Finney
More: Bio, abc7news.com News Team, Blog, Twitter

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — When Thanksgiving dinner is all finished, what are you going to do with all that trash? You may not have to dump everything in a landfill.

Debra Seglund is mystified about, of all things, her garbage.

“I don’t know if this container is recyclable, maybe it is,” she said.

She wants to be a good citizen, but is not quite sure how to go about it.

“Well it has coffee grounds in it, so I know those can go some place, but I don’t know where the cup goes,” she said.

Seglund lives in San Francisco, where the law says residents must sort their garbage three ways or face a penalty.

Trash must be recycled, composted or as a last resort, dumped in the landfill. Seglund really wants to do it right, but sorting is a lot more complicated than one might imagine.

“Some things are made of different substances. Where do those things go? Do I need to take things apart? You know, how in depth do I have to get on this,” she said.

Seglund has spent a lot of time in her kitchen analyzing her trash and still is left with questions. Can you recycle a takeout food box? What about rancid olive oil? Do you have to wash bottles or containers before recycling them? How do you handle messy food scraps?

“I’m pretty good at getting the paper things out and the cans and then after that I’m kind of lost,” Seglund said.

Seglund called 7 On Your Side and we brought over somebody who really knows her garbage.

Joanne Wong is a top waste manager for the city of San Francisco. She insists this whole garbage sorting thing is really a snap.

“They have to see their waste in a different way,” Wong said. “I think it’s becoming second nature. I think people really do know what goes where. We try to make it as simple as possible.”

Wong set out to unravel the mysteries of Seglund’s trash.

Messy food scraps go in a compost bin lined with something biodegradable.

Rigid plastic containers? San Francisco recycles all of these.

Coffee lids too.

The rancid olive oil can be turned into biofuel at a city-sponsored center.

And yes it is OK to recycle stuff with food residue on it, but it is nice to rinse it off first.

The simple breakdown is — anything that was once alive goes into the compost.

Bottles, cans, clean paper, rigid plastic and clean foil goes into the recycle bin — at least if you live in San Francisco.

Elsewhere, there are fewer options and fewer rules for sorting trash.

For example, in San Jose yard trimmings get picked up for composting but not food scraps; same for most of San Mateo County. In Santa Rosa, residents can compost food scraps like veggies and tea bags, but not meats or dairy.

Seglund and Wong worked for nearly an hour sorting her trash; in the end three-fourths of her trash was saved from the landfill.

That matches the city-wide statistic — 75 percent of trash is recycled or composted.

“I was surprised at how little actual trash I ended up with once we separated things out,” Seglund said.

If you’ve been taking your home green, you know how ideas can feed off each other. Someone gets picky about paper recycling; someone else becomes the food waste arbiter; pretty soon everyone has their eco-role and the household’s carbon footprint is shrinking.

Hotel Triton Lobby (Photo: Markham Johnson)

Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants realized early on that green grows like that.  The hospitality chain, with roots in San Francisco, has a history of putting eco-friendly ideas in place. Even before green hotel or green restaurant designations were developed, Kimpton was experimenting with eco-friendly practices at its San Francisco properties, such as the Hotel Triton, where motion sensors turn off lights and 60 percent of the waste gets recycled.

Non-toxic products, green cleaners, low VOC paints, low-flow faucets – all these turned up in Kimpton Hotels while other hotels were still on the highway of high-consumption. In addition, Kimpton has restored several historic buildings, supporting pedestrian-friendly urban areas. Stay at a Kimpton and you may find yourself ensconced on an eco-friendly mattress, drinking organic coffee and munching on a Clif bar.

Still, as the Kimpton chain grew greener, it had to figure out how to roll out the plan to all of its properties, including those outside of the Bay Area where environmental practices were not as well understood.

By 2005, the luxury hotel group had decided to standardize its green practices, requiring all Kimptons to adhere to an “Earth Care” program. But it didn’t want to impose a rigid top-down program. The solution: Kimpton named “eco-champions” at each of its hotels and encouraged them to form green teams and let ideas bubble up.

“You’ve got to get people on the front lines, who are doing the work, whose job you’re changing, a voice…and they’re right there, they see where the waste is,” said Niki Leondakis , chief operation officer for Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants.

The Kimpton leadership, which currently oversees 48 hotels in cities from New England to California, learned the importance of buy-in earlier. In 2003, when Kimpton decided guests could opt out of having their sheets and towels washed every day, management was surprised that many housekeepers were reluctant to make the change. “The housekeepers couldn’t grasp the idea that they were doing a good job by not changing the towels. They needed training that if the towels were on towel bar, the guest wanted to save water and soap…and it was OK,” Leondakis said.

Today, the staff is more likely to get it, though the hospitality group still treads carefully in determining what clients will tolerate – and remain satisfied customers. That has left several green issues still on the table, such as whether a hotel can reduce plastic water bottles when guests on-the-go seem to expect that perk, or whether guests will accept room amenities in bulk dispensers (foregoing that little souvenir of the trip).

“We were initially, like, ‘We’re going to get rid of bottled water entirely.’ And we’d offer filtered tap water in reusable containers both in the restaurants, and our vision was to create a reusable container almost like a flask that people paid a nominal fee for and then they’d refill it at a water cooler. But the consumer does not seem to be ready for that,” Leondakis said.

Look for the green teams and “eco-champions” to find a solution. So far, the local crews are forging viable new ways on various fronts.

In DC, Chef Robert Weland at the Post Modern Barasserie in D.C. was the driving force behind an herb garden. He not only uses it in his dishes, but gives tours.

In Portland, at the Hotel Monaco, someone decided the facility could get along without those paper-wasting phone books. Now all Kimptons get by without guest room phone books.

Hotel Monaco Chicago (Photo: David Phelps)

In Chicago, the cities’ three Kimpton Hotels, the Monaco, Burnham and Allegro became leaders in the Green Seal green cleaner certification program, prompted by a mayor’s green initiative. Now the three are among just 50 Green Seal certified hotels nationwide.

The 20-year-old program requires the use of green cleaners, energy efficiency and recycling. (For details, see this listing.)

Using green cleaners prevents water pollution, provides for healthier interior air and curbs carbon emissions. The typical silver-ranked Green Seal hotel saves 400 tons of CO2 emissions every year, said Charlotte Teyraud, a spokeswoman for the non-profit Green Seal.

The Chicago hotels also  advocated for a commercial recycling program, that was eventually put into place with the help of city hall, says Nabil Moubayed, manager of the 192-room Hotel Monaco Chicago along the city’s Magnificent Mile:

Now in the “5^th phase” of instituting the Kimpton “Earth Care” program, Moubayed says the Hotel Monaco has found that going green is working on many levels:

• About 60-70 percent of the hotel’s customers use the opt-out linen/towel program, saving money and water.

• The Green Seal-approved cleaners, which the hotel buys in bulk, concentrated form, are saving the hotel about $25,000 a year. The non-toxic cleaners are healthier for staff and guests and biodegradable. (As for that outdated worry about green cleaners not working – Moubayad says surveys burst that myth. “When we look at guest comments. We have the highest score in the company for clean bathrooms and guest rooms.”)

• The hotel recycles about half of its trash, which also saves money because sending out the garbage costs more in trash fees than sending out recyclables, even in this down-market for recyclable material.

Hotel Monaco room overlooking Chicago River

Green ways are catching on among staff, he says. When Monaco’s valet crew discovered that the dry cleaners they were using was discarding hangers after one use, they were aghast. They went to work to find a solution. Now the hangers are reused.

Guests, too, are contracting the green bug. While they remain a diverse group that’s not easily gauged, Moubayed says surveys show that the majority of people stay at Kimpton because of the hotels’ greener rep.

“We’ve seen a pretty high percentage of guests choosing use because we have a strong Green Care program.” he  said. “We don’t want them to feel like everything we doing is in their face. The (guest room) recycling bin for instance is bronze not bright blue. And the low flow shower heads, we don’t’ necessarily want them to notice that, but it  is helping the environment.”

Moubayad had no special sustainability training before coming to the Hotel Monaco, but he has built on what he has learned through Kimpton.

“I found I had a passion for it,” he said. “It’s the right thing to do., not just from the consumer point of view, but as a human, for the future generations. It’s the right thing to do.”

(Another key way that hotels across the US are greening their profile is by building, retrofitting or tailoring operations to meet standards set by the US Green Building Council. For more on these green hotels, see our recent story: A green wave coming, hundreds of hotels finalizing their LEED certification.)

Copyright © 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

The Department of Energy announced $10 million has been awarded to 16 cities for 40 new Solar America Cities Special Projects. The funds, made through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will enable the cities to increase solar energy use in their communities through innovative programs and policies that the government believes can be replicated across the nation.

The cities chosen for these awards came from the group of 25 large U.S. cities that are part of the DOE’s Solar America Cities program, which recognizes the participating cities as partners highly committed to solar technology adoption at the local level. Those cities already have been given millions of dollars in funds and technical assistance to accelerate solar adoption.

To this point, the cities have used the funding to develop solar financing models, improve solar permitting processes, and create training courses for solar installers, among other uses. The DOE said this new award will enable the cities to scale up their most promising projects and concepts to overcome key barriers to urban solar energy use. The DOE plans to share the lessons learned and best practices from these projects with local governments throughout the nation through a substantial outreach effort planned to launch in early 2010.

The DOE has selected the following Solar America Cities Special Projects:

Austin, TX

• Solar Curriculum Development and School Demonstration Projects

Berkeley, CA

• Smart Solar Regional Expansion and Solar Map Enhancements

Boston, MA

• Solar Evacuation Route

Madison, WI

• MadiSUN Community Solar Financing
• Target Marketing Solar to Businesses
• Solar Business Center

Milwaukee, WI

• Solar Hot Water Business Council
• Solar Water Heating Demonstration Projects and Best Practices Manual
• Property Assessed Clean Energy Financing
• Solar School Swap

Minneapolis – Saint Paul, MN

• Solar for District Heating and Cooling

New Orleans, LA

• Third Party Solar Tax Credit Implementation
• Sustainable Energy Financing District Implementation

New York City, NY

• Smart Solar City Data Acquisition System
• Community Solar Financing
• Smart Solar Virtual Community

Portland, OR

• Solar Now! Regional Outreach Campaign
• Neighborhood-Based Volume Solar Purchasing
• Residential Solar Power Purchase Agreement Model for Utility-Bill Financing
• Neighborhood-Scale Distributed Energy Systems

Salt Lake City, UT

• Solar Rebate Program Expansion and Third Party PPA Legal Analysis
• Financing Options for Mid to Large Scale Solar Systems

San Diego, CA

• Solar Financing Options for Multifamily Affordable Housing
• Solar-Powered Fire Shelter Integration into Disaster Response Planning

San Francisco, CA

• Debt-Financed Solar Water Heating Retrofits for Affordable Housing
• San Francisco Sustainable Financing Program (SF²)
• Commercial Solar Power Purchase Agreement Model
• Solar Financing for Public Schools

San José, CA

• Property Assessed Solar Financing through Joint Powers Authority
• Solar Loans for City Staff
• Qualified Energy Conservation Bond Financing for Revolving Solar Loan Fund
• Streamlined Regional Solar Permitting Process
• Solar Train the Trainer Internship Program
• Solar Career Training for At-Risk Youth
• Green Vision Education and Demonstration Center

Santa Rosa, CA

• Clean Energy Advocate

Seattle, WA

• Community Solar Financing through Municipal Utility

Tucson, AZ

• Creative Financing for Municipal Solar Installations
• Solar One Stop Shop
• Solar Integration into Green Building Codes and Infrastructure Planning

As of May 1, Wells Fargo business customers – excluding those from the former Wachovia Corporation – had electronically deposited 468 million-plus checks worth $1,003,355,000, according to a news release.

This option was made possible by a 2004 law, but Wells Fargo says its customers continue to adopt the practice at a “dramatic pace.”

Aside from the paper savings, Wells Fargo points out that business customers who bank and make deposits online save time and money and, most importantly, driving time. They estimate that these customers have cut their potential carbon greenhouse gas emissions by 1.2 million pounds of CO2.

Now just imagine what we could save if there weren’t a recession…

Somewhere in between the sleep-away camps, beach excursions and baseball games of summer, kids and parents alike generally see the appeal of the sand-free floors and refrigerated air of a good museum. Institutions across the country know this is a great time to squeeze some education into kid-friendly, entertaining exhibitions; here’s a list of some of the best nature-oriented attractions for vacationers who’ve felt a bit too much heat this month.

What I do:

I’m currently the construction manager for Sustainable Spaces in San Francisco. Sustainable Spaces is a home performance retrofitter that offers turn-key solutions for homeowners to improve the health, comfort and energy efficiency of their homes.

The first step of our process is a GreenUP, a comprehensive home energy assessment conducted by Home Performance Specialists trained in building science. This results in a personalized roadmap of each home, which then guides our specially trained construction crews on how to most effectively retrofit the home’s heating, cooling and ventilation systems.

My role is to work with construction crews and our clients during the construction phase to ensure that each job runs smoothly, our crews can work safely, and that every solution performs optimally and every client is satisfied with the work completed.

How it helps:

Our clients, homeowners, feel the benefit of our work first. Depending on what work was performed they will typically lower their energy bills, improve indoor air quality and occupant health, and will live more comfortably in their homes.

The public benefits because we are laying the groundwork and pioneering an industry that is going to grow significantly in the coming years. This industry will re-deploy construction workers and create new jobs at a time when our economy really needs a boost.

In terms of the environment, one of our goals is to help homeowners reduce their carbon footprint. Residences account for around 20% of carbon emissions in the U.S! [Some say the percentage is even higher.] This is a huge percentage that has to be addressed if we plan to lower greenhouse gasses, and Sustainable Spaces is showing the country how it can be done.

How I got here:

When I started my BA in English, my goal was to discover a career that would satisfy my diverse interests and my desire to do something rewarding. By the time I graduated, I knew that I wanted to help fix the environment, and I knew that I wanted to get my hands dirty. I have always enjoyed work that has kept me active, including construction work, which I’ve done off and on my whole life. So armed with a BA in English, a strong work ethic and a desire to fix the environment, I moved to the Bay Area and started researching green construction companies.

When I found Sustainable Spaces, I pestered Matt Golden, one of our founders, until he gave me the opportunity to join one of the construction crews. Any preconceptions I had of scoring a glamorous green job faded on day one when we all suited up with respirators and full jumpsuits and dived into the crawl space of a home that needed a vapor barrier installed.

The next week we were fixing a leaky duct system, the following week we were air sealing an old SF Victorian. I understood the theories behind each task, and it was actually fun work once you got into it (I call it urban spelunking), but it took a while to understand the full repercussions (nationally) of what were doing.

I had already dedicated myself to learning building science and new construction techniques, but once I realized we were making a significant impact – not just in every home that we worked on, but towards the larger goal of improving the nation’s existing housing stock – I knew I had found a rewarding career.

Where I’m going:

Our company has doubled our growth each year in the past five years! The opportunities, as I see them, are endless.

How I’m doing:

Sustainable Spaces is dedicated to its employees. We have good benefits and pay competitive wages. Our “minimum wage” is above San Francisco’s living wage. We pay quarterly bonuses, reimburse for public transit, and have a bike benefit plan to name a few.

Advice:

In general, if you are motivated to find a rewarding career in home retrofitting, first find a company that interests you – read about them and ask good questions during your interview. A lot of companies want to be on the green bandwagon, but if you want to work with one that is good, it should base its construction work in building science – the way that Sustainable Spaces does.

Spending long hours in attics and under houses is certainly not for everyone, but the best building scientists and home performance retrofitters enjoy it or learn to enjoy it. Know that the work we do is typically not visible or glamorous, but it is rewarding. Our work requires good hands-on skills, an acute attention to detail, and excellent problem-solving skills.

See more profiles at MY GREEN JOB

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