Career Opportunities in the Growing Green Economy: Green Building Design and Construction
CAPS student interns at PUSD examine school building and infrastructure blueprints. Summer 2023.
Green building design and construction is a rapidly growing career field with a variety of roles that contribute to processes, technologies, and materials that reduce the sector’s impact on the human and natural environment. This article is the first in a series examining the growing green economy.
Background: The Need for Green Skills Development
As jobs in clean energy boom, shortages are growing as the demand for green skills fails to keep pace with skyrocketing green career opportunities. In our report, The Future of Work is Green, we found that the rise in green jobs demands a swift deployment of workforce training initiatives. Closing this skills gap is essential to meet the increasing need for people who can contribute to the climate agenda and drive the transformation toward a greener economy. California is leading the way in green careers, with an estimated 4 million green jobs set to emerge over the next 30 years as the state transitions to meet its ambitious climate goals.
Green building construction is poised to play a pivotal role in the green economy as well as climate mitigation. By decarbonizing the state’s building stock, California can reduce 40 percent of its total greenhouse gas emissions while creating thousands of job opportunities. School districts alone comprise more than 10,000 facilities in California and cover 125,00 acres of land in the state. With an estimated 40% of school buildings in California being over 50 years old, the state's education infrastructure represents a big opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
California is investing over $1 billion in the state budget for clean and healthy schools and homes, establishing clean building targets, and eliminating outdated natural gas incentives. The move to reduce or eliminate carbon dioxide emissions from the state's housing and commercial buildings creates demand for green building talent across California.
“A particularly intriguing aspect of sustainable construction I’ve been exploring is the concept of Zero Energy housing. These structures produce all the energy they consume on-site through renewable sources such as solar panels,” said Ariana Robles, a former student of Porterville Unified School District who is entering the field of civil engineering after her transformative experience as a CAPS intern. “I’m drawn to the idea of working on projects that can serve as models for sustainable living, especially in underserved communities like my own, where access to energy-efficient upgrades and appliances may be limited.”
The demand for green jobs is accelerating, particularly in green building design and construction.
Careers in Green Building Design and Construction
From civil engineers to HVAC technicians, various green building design and construction roles contribute to the processes, technologies, and materials that reduce the sector’s impact on the human and natural environment. Green building design and construction span all stages of a building’s life cycle. These projects often involve renovating existing buildings to withstand extreme weather events and reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption.
Green Construction Roles: Many jobs in green construction are available to those with a high school or GED diploma. Some of the key roles in the field — including HVAC technicians, plumbers, carpenters, roofers, and weatherization technicians — begin with certification programs or apprenticeships. These roles can provide high-earning salaries, with HVAC technicians earning an average of $50,000 annually.
Design Roles: Green building design and construction begins with architects, civil and mechanical engineers, and urban planning professionals with, at minimum, bachelor’s degrees. Professionals in these roles often hold master’s or other advanced degrees as well as an AP credential in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Developed and maintained by the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the LEED certification program sets the standard for green building practices and strategies by offering certifications for building projects and credentials for green building professionals.
CAPS energy engineering interns conducting a lighting inventory audit. Dec 2023.
California's Commitment to Building Decarbonization
Building infrastructure is a critical component for California as the state aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. In 2022, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), further bolstering the field by creating an estimated 900,000 energy-efficiency jobs. These include energy-efficient building tax credits generating 720,000 jobs, home energy rebates with 170,000 job opportunities, and affordable housing projects that will create 10,000 jobs.
“We’re in the biggest economic revolution we’ve seen in generations thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act and other clean energy policies,” said Bob Keefe, Executive Director of E2, a national, nonpartisan group that advocates for policies that are good for the economy and the environment.
Green Building Job Stability
California has taken ambitious steps to promote stable careers in green building construction and design, setting itself apart as a leader in the green economy. The state has been at the forefront of energy efficiency initiatives and has implemented various regulations and programs to support sustainable construction practices.
Notably, California became the first state to create a commercial building and residential multifamily energy disclosure requirement. This mandate encourages transparency in energy efficiency and drives property owners and developers to invest in green building construction.
In 2022, the California Energy Commission developed and adopted landmark standards for building construction as part of the state’s building decarbonization policies. The 2022 Building Energy Efficiency Standards provide crucial steps in the state’s progress toward 100 percent clean carbon neutrality by 2050.
The new building codes support using things like electric heat pumps, establishing electric-ready requirements for new homes, expanding solar photovoltaic and battery storage standards, strengthening ventilation standards, and more.
The commitment to green building construction in California extends to disadvantaged communities as well. Initiatives like the Farm Worker and Multi-Family Low-Income Weatherization Program aim to equitably reduce greenhouse gas emissions by installing energy-efficient products in low-income single-family households, helping communities with limited resources benefit from the advantages of green construction.
Examples of Jobs in Green Building Design & Construction
Heating and Air Conditioning Mechanics and Installers
Energy Auditors
Other Jobs in this Field
Weatherization Installers and Technicians
Architectural and Engineering Managers
Energy Engineers
Construction Managers / Laborers
Insulation Workers (Floor, Ceiling, and Wall)
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
Carpenters
Roofers