As the economy hit a very rough patch in the late 2000s and early 2010s, people looked for creative ways to save money. At the same time, many of us became more aware of how our way of living effects the environment. Because of these two factors, a trend turned into a financial necessity, to use less energy and reduce our utility bills. Some people understand the ways they are wasting energy, but most don’t know where to get started… That’s why energy auditors are becoming vital profession to address the growing demand to make our homes and businesses energy efficient.
Energy auditors provide an analysis of a building’s energy efficiency
What Does an Energy Auditor Do?
In simple terms, an energy auditor will conduct a walk through of a home or building. They will visually inspect the structure and perform tests with specialized equipment to determine areas of the structure that need to be improved. Sometimes, they’ll use a blower door system to measure the air leakage rate, or they’ll use an infrared camera to find spots where air is passing through walls, they check moisture levels and the quality of the air to ensure that the heating and cooling systems are working properly. They provide an assessment of a property and how it uses energy. At the end of their review of the structure, they present a very detailed report to the home or building owner will all of their findings. If there are problems in the ways energy is used or wasted, such as air being lost in a leaky air conditioning system or insulation missing from critical parts of the structure, an energy auditor will suggest ways to make the necessary improvements.
How Much Does an Energy Auditor Earn?
If you’re contemplating a career change, a recent college graduate or if you’re entering the workforce for the first time, one of your first thoughts is, “how much will I earn?” For energy auditors, there is a range of salaries depending on factors such as location, experience and expertise. However, the annual salary range often falls between $48,000 and $72,000, with an average of roughly $67,000.
FLIR E60bx – Infrared cameras are used to find leaky areas
How Can You Become a Trained and Certified Energy Auditor?
Home and business owners rely on energy auditors to help reduce energy consumption and costs. People lose large sums of money because of wasted energy, and they need help to find the problem areas and suggestions on how to improve the energy efficiency of their home or building. To get the best results, these owners need a certified and highly trained auditor to point out issues properly and to suggest the right solutions to improve the problem areas.
There are various certifications that you can attain. Three of the most common certifications come from the Building Performance Institute, Residential Services Network and the Association of Energy Engineers. They offer online, classroom and hands-on training, as well as certification exams that must be taken in order to become a licensed energy auditor. Going through the certification process is very important. Home and business owners are more likely to hire an auditor that is licensed and certified because it gives you a high level of credibility.
What Happens After Certification?
Energy auditor’s provide a detailed report of their findings
Once you become a certified energy auditor, you will have many options. One of the main benefits of being an energy auditor is the flexibility it allows. Many auditors work from home or set up a small office in which to operate.
Aside from the flexibility of working directly with home and business owners, certified auditors can team up with utility companies to provide audits, as well. Many utility companies offer their customers free or reduced price audits, but they contract this service to auditors. The benefit to such an arrangement for an energy auditor, is a steady stream of customers.
The demand for energy efficiency has grown among home and business owners, so the need for more energy auditors has increased. In fact, as the decade began, energy auditors were considered to be in high demand. Why is this the case? People realize that an energy efficient home or building can save them a lot of money in the long run. That’s great news if you’re interested in becoming an energy auditor. You have the opportunity to start a promising career in a growing field and the flexibility to be your own boss, which makes it a very tempting combination.
You’ll also like:
How Solar Energy System Owners use Net Metering to get Paid
Fight Back! Choose this Weapon in your War against Energy Waste
Who Knew?…Solar Panel cleaning is a growing business
Leave a Reply