Careers in Home Retrofit
Are you interested in helping people improve the health of their homes and save money on their bills? Older homes use much more energy than modern homes, causing high utility bills and emitting planet-warming carbon emissions. Home retrofit occupations implement upgrades like insulation and air sealing to make homes more comfortable and efficient.This pathway is projected to see large growth in the number of job openings in the near term due to increased local and state funding focused on home energy efficiency and weatherization. Get involved with home retrofits to help your community save money and have healthier homes, while also fighting climate change!
Retrofit Installer
Career Pathway
Pay Range
Role Description
Retrofit Installers work to weatherize homes to reduce air leakage and improve energy savings. Example duties include air sealing and installing proper insulation in walls, attics, crawlspaces and ducts. Installers may also help repair and install heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) duct systems.Demand is likely to increase significantly with the Inflation Reduction Act and the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) providing more funding for these types of projects. By law, contractors performing work that is funded by PCEF must pay employees at least 180% of the state minimum wage. As of July 1, 2023, this equates to $27.81/hour, approximately $57,844/year. Contractors may also have PCEF funds to cover the cost of training and credentials.
Benefits
- Easy entry point into the industry and minimal experience required
- Opportunity for quick advancement
- Help homeowners save money on their energy expenses
- Create healthier and safer indoor environments for occupants
- Provides foundational experience and knowledge to achieve more advanced careers
- Builds experience in wide variety of housing types built during different energy code cycles
Challenges
- Demanding physical labor in tight, unclean places, including crawlspaces and attics
- Exposure to building materials and environments that will require regular use of personal protective equipment (PPE) – including coveralls, masks, eye protection
- Work is often performed while home is occupied, requiring strong communication skills and a need to be conscientious about working in another person's living space.
- Entry level pay is on the low end, but increases quickly when working on PCEF-funded projects or government Weatherization Assistance Programs
Career Pathway Trainings
- Building Science Principles Certificate - Building Performance Institute
- Air Leakage Control Installer - Building Performance Institute
- Retrofit Installer - Building Performance Institute
Retrofit Crew Lead & Site Supervisor
Career Pathway
Pay Range
Crew Lead: $20 - $31 hour / $40,800 - $64,480 annual
Site Supervisor: $31 - $65 hour / $64,480 - $135,200 annual
Role Description
Crew Leaders (also known as Field Manager) are professionals that ensure the quality of weatherization work on a residential home, and often supervise the installation and performance of prescribed energy efficiency upgrades. They set the pace of work to achieve production targets, provide front-end supervision, and must demonstrate leadership. They are often trained to run diagnostic testing, utilizing equipment such as blower doors and duct blasters to find inefficiencies while completing work on site. Crew leads collaborate with installers to ensure the work meets the requirements of the program.
Site Supervisors oversee all field activities, including leading construction crews and controlling all aspects of day-to-day field operations to ensure the project is technically sound and meets construction guidelines. This role facilitates interactions with clients, provides guidance and coordination to crew members, supervises inspections, reviews drawings and specifications, assists with scope of work and change orders, allocates labor and materials among crews, manages materials and supply shipments and identifies problems and solutions.
Site Supervisor and Crew Leader positions typically require 3-5 years of experience and a strong technical understanding of construction and building science, as well as OSHA certification with an emphasis on job site safety. Leadership skills, clear and respectful communication, problem solving skills and the ability to establish and maintain channels of accountability are also required.
Benefits
- Diverse workday with a variety of tasks
- High projected need for these positions with long-term job stability
- Strong earnings potential, with many companies offering bonuses
- Provides the experience needed to open your own business
Challenges
- High degree of responsibility
- Can be a high-stress job with long hours
- Physically challenging with exposed or dirty working environments
- Site supervisors travel between sites and must account for travel & traffic
Career Pathway Trainings
- Retrofit Installer Technician - Building Performance Institute
- Infiltration and Duct Leakage - Building Performance Institute
- Retrofit Crew Leader - Building Performance Institute
- Site Supervisor Certificate - Building Performance Institute