April 10th, 2009
John Neal, age 26, Oakland, Calif.
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.
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