By: Steve Cowell

As our economy continues to sputter, one little-noticed industry has been booming for a while now: energy efficiency. The sector is hiring like crazy — a fact that speaks volumes about the close relationship between clean energy and the economic recovery that we’re all waiting for. Energy efficiency could save us all.

My firm works with utilities, government agencies, housing authorities, and other groups to help increase energy efficiency. We started in 1984 with three employees and one office. Today, we have nearly two dozen offices nationwide and employ 700 staffers from coast to coast. Most strikingly, we’ve added more than 250 people and 12 offices in just the last two years. The reason is crystal clear: Energy-efficiency services are in great demand. We are continuing to expand rapidly as more groups turn to us for help.

But energy-services firms are not the only ones that can benefit from the demand for energy-efficiency services. With the right programs in place, reducing power consumption can improve the bottom line for many other types of companies. Case in point: The building infrastructure in this country is old and inefficient. Retrofitting these buildings requires an army of workers. These include heating/air conditioning installers, insulators, and building inspectors. Many of these tradespeople are out of work and these retrofitting jobs can get them back on their feet. Products like insulation, caulk, triple-paned windows and doors, and high-efficiency heating and cooling systems will also get a boost. And that’s not all. The goods need to be made, inspected, shipped, and sold, widening the circle of employment opportunities for manufacturers, retailers, and distributors. This expanded workforce means people will have more money to spend.

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And impressive (but not gross) demonstration.

It’s agreed. Women should work in the HVACR industry. That was an easy question. So simple in fact, many of the contractors The NEWS posed that question to were seemingly surprised we even asked. It was the qualifying question as to where women fit in the HVACR industry that produced some differing opinions. Some felt that a woman could easily do any job in the HVACR industry that is available. Her only limitations would be her own training and capabilities. Others didn’t come right out and say it, but some of their responses limited women more to office functions, dispatch, and sales — the communications side of the business.

Overall though, the respondents seemed more than tolerant of the idea of having a competent woman, no matter which role she chose, as a part of the industry.

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Bosch Thermotechnology North America, a leading provider of high quality water heating and comfort heating systems for homes and businesses, announced today that it has launched a new consumer education website at http://bosch-climate.us.

The website features links to product information covering Bosch’s portfolio of residential and commercial solar thermal tankless water heaters, gas tankless water heaters, electric tankless water heaters and electric mini-tank water heaters.

Visitors to the site can explore an interactive Energy Efficient Home, learn about available tax credits and rebates and discover how Bosch’s patented tankless water heating condensing technology works to heat water up to 50 percent more efficiently than a traditional gas storage tank water heater while reducing NOx and CO2 emissions, making for a more sustainable world. Additionally, visitors can take advantage of the site’s Dynamic Sizing Calculator to determine the appropriate model tankless water heater for their needs. An insightful intellectual challenge awaits those ready to put their energy efficiency knowledge to the test by taking the site’s Energy Quiz.

“We wanted to create a site that really drove home the idea of becoming more energy efficient because for most consumers, the home is where it starts. Bosch offers a large variety of products and solutions that can improve the quality of life of consumers while becoming more energy efficient. This new website presents information on energy efficient Bosch products in a professional, entertaining and engaging way, proving that becoming more energy efficient doesn’t have to be hard work, and the return is not only great on your pocketbook, it’s great for the environment too,” says Nuno Fernandes, customer engagement and demand creation director, Bosch Thermotechnology. “Bosch tankless water heaters and Bosch solar thermal systems are among the highest quality and most reliable products in the industry and are backed by the strongest service organization in the industry. Our goal with this project was to design an industry-leading website to appropriately showcase our industry-leading products and services. ”

The site’s Support Center tab features a comprehensive suite of customer service materials ranging from product manuals, warranty information and technical support to a sophisticated new “Where to Buy” contractor look-up to quickly connect to a local installation professional.

Database and calculation portions of this new site where designed and are maintained by the MyPointNow.com network.

WASHINGTON — A major U.S. union is asking the Obama administration to crack down on various Chinese trade practices that it says are robbing American workers of jobs in the burgeoning field of clean energy such as solar and wind power.

The United Steelworkers union on Thursday filed a 5,800-page petition with the administration contending that China’s central and provincial governments are giving Chinese companies unfair advantages over American firms through the use of government subsidies that are prohibited under global trade rules.

Under U.S. law, the administration will have 45 days to decide whether to accept the petition and launch an investigation that could lead to cases being filed against China before the Geneva-based World Trade Organization.

The deadline for the administration to decide the case will occur just a little over a week before this year’s November congressional elections, a fact union officials hope will bring pressure on the administration to rule in its favor.

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