Energy auditing has a tremendous potential to grow in the coming years as people are becoming more aware about environmental protection. This has encouraged many individuals to look at energy auditing as a potential career option.
A career as an energy auditor is being sought-after these days as people are becoming more aware about environmental protection. Recent tax incentives on getting an energy audit done has also made many people to seek the help of professional energy auditors. If you are an aspiring energy auditor or someone who is looking for a career change, then we would like to tell you that this field of work has tremendous potential and can very well, in the next few years, become one of the fastest growing occupations.
An energy auditor inspects a building, process or system to analyze how energy is being used. He carries out a thorough inspection of the building and checks the efficiency of various energy-consuming appliances. This includes tracking the energy losses due to heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems (HVAC). After conducting the inspection and studying the results, it is the responsibility of the energy auditor to make recommendations for upgrades and modifications which can help in conservation of energy. The duties and responsibilities of an energy auditor can be summarized as follows –
- Energy auditor has to carry out the inspection of energy appliances on a frequent basis to ensure that those are working efficiently so that electricity is conserved in the house.
- Energy auditors working with organizations are responsible for preparing an annual activity plan to help the organization to cut down on its energy costs.
- Energy auditors have to look for potential ways through which energy can be conserved and implement these methods to help in energy-saving.
- Energy auditors are entrusted to estimate the costs associated with upgrading the energy appliances and come up with a projection for various replacement costs.
- Energy auditors are also responsible for recommending alternative sources of energy, like solar and wind energy so that non-renewable sources of energy are conserved.
Becoming an Energy Auditor
The energy audit industry is going to grow in the next coming years as local and national legislation is focusing more on energy conservation and environmental protection. Becoming an energy auditor can ensure that you are stepping into a lucrative career along with the personal satisfaction that you are doing your bit for the welfare of the environment. The requirements for becoming an energy auditor depend to a large extent on whether you are working independently or with an organization.
Organizations usually require a bachelor’s degree in engineering or a graduate degree with specialization in engineering. Some organizations may also require an additional Master’s degree or experience in business management. As energy auditing isn’t a standardized profession, there are no set rules about the qualifications to become an energy auditor. This has presented an opportunity to many aspiring candidates as they can start their careers as individual energy auditors by completing certain certification programs.
Some of the reputed agencies that offer certification courses to aspiring candidates are:
- The Building Performance Institute (BPI)
- Energy Audit Institute (EAI)
- The Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET)
- The Association of Energy Engineers (AEE)
Energy auditors employed with organizations spend some time working under an experienced energy auditor to gain experience. Independent energy auditors on the other hand have their task cut out as they have to gain a reputation and market themselves to make their presence felt in this field.
Salary
The average salary of energy auditor in United States is in the range of $26,000 to $70,000. Like every other field, the salary is influenced by factors such as educational qualifications, experience and the type of employer. Energy auditors who have no experience can expect a salary in the range of $30,000 to $40,000. Chicago, San Francisco and Bismarck are some cities which offer good employment opportunities to energy auditors.
The employment outlook for energy auditing is positive as more and more people are becoming aware about the threat that environmental decay poses to mankind. Another silver lining is the tax incentives associated with carrying out an energy audit, which will help in creating more demand for energy auditors. So, aspiring individuals can rest assured that this field which is at a nascent stage right now has a tremendous potential to burgeon.