Green Jobs Update

Dean McKenzieDirectorate of Construction

Office of Construction Services

One Perspective

Just What is a Green Job?

Are These Green?

Recycling

VIEWPOINTS

Example 1: Wikipedia

• A green job, also called a green-collar job is, according to the United Nations Environment Program, "work in agricultural, manufacturing, research and development (R&D), administrative, and service activities that contribute(s) substantially to preserving or restoring environmental quality. Specifically, but not exclusively, this includes jobs that help to protect ecosystems and biodiversity; reduce energy, materials, and water consumption through highefficiency strategies; de-carbonize the economy; and minimize or altogether avoid generation of all forms of waste and pollution."

Green jobs are living-wage, career-track jobs that contribute to preserving or enhancing environmental quality. They have some important characteristics.

Example 2:

American Progress .Org Says

What Are The Old Hazards?

• Fall Protection Issues– Installing Energy Efficient HVAC– Installing Solar Panels– Garden Roofs

• Respiratory hazards– Re-insulating older buildings– Fiberglass work– Lead and Asbestos Abatement

• Home, Commercial & Government Building Weatherization For Efficiency.

• Clean Coal Conversions• On-site Recycling, Including Roadway And Bridge

Work

Old Hazards Continued

New Hazards

• Economic Incentives bring new work to Americans which can bring untrained workers to new industries.

• Green Energy Incentives will certainly have this effect.

When The Cost To Purchase Emerging Energy Technology Comes Down, So Will The Worker Training. When The Little Guy Can Go To Home Depot And Buy A Solar PV Panel or Wind Turbine.

Emerging Technologies

What Are Some Other Newer Issues?

• Installing/Removing Photovoltaic products made with Cadmium Telluride

• (known carcinogen) • Building With Carbon Fiber (nano tube)• New Flexible PV Panels will allow each roof

shingle to be a PV Panel, Each Shingle = 17 watts, 1000sq ft of Roof…

• When The Production Cost Comes down So Will the availability and the Installers Training

Photovoltaic Roof Shingles

• New Solar Cell roof shingles, we can’t keep roofers in fall protection now. What about adding electrical shock to the shingle!

Emerging Issues

• Carbon Fiber Nanotube Technology Used for Lighter - Stronger (asbestos type risk?)

• New Composite “Wood” Products– Off-gassing formaldehyde (exposure of

on-site workers)

• Lithium For power storage Is very volatile

• More (?)

Wind Energy Issues

• Confined Space Issues• Overseas Components That Won’t Meet US

Standards.• There are NO direct standards for wind energy.• On-site repair of Carbon Fiber & Fiberglass

Blades.• Blade Repairs Are Often Done By Rappelling

Down The Blade In Mountain Climbing Gear

Is Building a Large Yacht Green?

How About Wind Turbine Blades?

Sanding & Grinding

Molded Fiberglass blade

Confined Space

• Confined space entry• Finish work on seams of

blade • Grind and layup• Permit, monitoring,

attendant, etc.• Styrene at LM• Epikote did not show air

exposures

Citations

• 1910.95 Noise• 1910.106 Flammable storage• 1910.107 Spraying (paint and styrene)• 1910.132 PPE (hands and body) • 1910.133 PPE (eyes and face)• 1910.134 Respirators• 1910.146 Confined Space• 1910.151 Eye wash facilities• 1910.307 Unapproved electrical• 1910.1000 Dust and styrene exposures

Blade Repair

More Wind Issues

• Picture Climbing 300’ Foot Of Ladder And Only One Way Out, Back Down 300’

• The Other Exit Is the Roof Of The Nacelle

• Over Speed Brake Failures

• Some Nacelles are Being Made With Polystyrene Type Foam Which Is Extremely Flammable But Light.

Turbines Can Burn

This One Fell Near A Highway

Residential Energy Production

• Homeowners With Solar and Wind Energy Producing Equipment

• Back Feeding The Grid

• Climbing To Repair

New Materials

• Pressure Treated Lumber – Long In Use Before Arsenic Warnings.

• Need for caution in handling new/untested products.

• Recycled Products That Sound Wonderful, May Turn Out Not To Be……

Challenge:

• Need for Credible Approach– Lots of Folks Jumping on Bandwagon

• “Green” Refers To Long-term Benefits– Environmental Health / Human Health

Incorporate Safety into “Green”

DOE’s Green Grants $16+ Billion

• Implementing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009• • The $16.8 billion designated for the Office of EERE is divided across several EERE

programs. The final appropriations include:• $5 billion for the Weatherization Assistance Program • $3.1 billion for the State Energy Program • $3.2 billion for Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants

– $454 Million for retrofit ramp-ups in energy efficiency • $2.5 billion for Applied Research, Development, Demonstration, and Deployment,

including: – $800 million for the Biomass Program – $400 million for the Geothermal Technologies Program

• $350 million for the demonstration and research and development of geothermal energy • $50 million for geothermal heat pumps

– $346 million for energy efficient building technologies – $256 million for the Industrial Technologies Program – $117 million for the Solar Technologies Program

DOE continued

– $110 million for the Vehicle Technologies Program – $100 million for

facility and infrastructure improvements at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory – $93 million to support wind energy projects – $50 million for Information and Communications technology – $41.9 million to spur the growth of Fuel Cell Markets – $32 million for

modernizing existing U.S. hydropower infrastructure, increasing efficiency, and reducing environmental impact

– $25 million for the Massachusetts Wind Technology Testing Center – $22 million for Community Renewable Energy Deployment

• $2 billion for Advanced Battery Manufacturing Grants • $400 million for Transportation Electrification • $300 million for an Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program and ENERGY STAR® • $300 million for an Alternative-Fueled-Vehicles Pilot Grant Program • For a more detailed breakdown of these figures, see the EERE Network News article,

"Economic Stimulus Act Provides $16.8 Billion for EERE Programs."

In Conclusion

• Defining “Green Jobs” will be an ongoing effort.

• It is imperative that we keep up with technology.

• These issues will only accelerate as energy efficiency and independence grows.