Writer: Esteban Pages
2 min read February 2023 — As Boston’s skyline transitions toward energy efficient, low carbon buildings, new green career pathways are opening up. Green jobs program PowerCorpsBOS, Roxbury Community College’s (RCC) Center for Smart Building Technology and A Better City (ABC) are teaming up to develop the necessary skills to enable the transition.
According to the City of Boston’s news portal, an orientation event was held on Feb. 13 for students interested in participating in the program. Those that join will study at RCC’s Center for Smart Building Technology and be provided in-service learning opportunities within large buildings coordinated by A Better City.
The building operations pathway is all the more significant considering that 70% of Boston’s greenhouse gas emissions are generated by the building sector. Not only does it promote workforce development for the area’s younger population in growing industries but it also supports the city’s carbon neutrality goals. The region’s climate sensitive infrastructure development efforts are multifaceted, covering energy efficient buildings as well as transportation. “We are doing more on electrical vehicles and the Green Line Extension, which is important to establish and strengthen the regional connectivity between Cambridge, Boston and Somerville. We need climate-friendly infrastructure while ensuring that people can get to work, their homes and wherever they want to go in a manner that does not require cars because our residents are demanding a shift to renewable and sustainable systems,” said City of Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui in an interview with Invest:.
PowerCorpsBOS’ green jobs program draws from Philadelphia PowerCorpsPHL’s model, focused on creating equitable and inclusive workforce pipelines into green jobs for young people belonging to historically marginalized groups. In that vein, the pathway is set to teach participants skills in building operations maintenance to unlock peak efficiency for large buildings, all while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Energy audits for electrical maintenance, HVAC, plumbing systems are but a few areas the pathway covers in the curriculum designed by RCC.
The pathway also serves as a complement to Boston’s Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO). The ordinance called for residential buildings between 20,000 and 35,000 square feet with 15 to 35 units to report their energy use in 2022, setting the deadline for May 15 this year. By 2031, they will be subject to the city’s emission standards when reporting for 2030 emissions — with the ultimate goal of achieving net zero by 2050. “Everyone is looking at BERDO and thinking about how they will comply. We’ve seen an increase from commercial buildings, hotels and hospitality, medical centers, and hospitals – all looking to partner with us to support them in their decarbonization efforts,” said Vicinity Energy Chief Customer Officer Jaclyn Bliss in an interview with Invest:.
For more information, visit:
