Launchpad Connect: NYC's Green Economy Opportunity, Building Envelope Jobs, and Launchpad Recap

Welcome to this month’s edition of our newsletter! We’ll use this space to share what we’re reading, thinking, and doing and to help you stay informed about what other movers and shakers are doing in the green workforce development space. This month, we introduce a new ‘Launchpad Lookback’ section, highlighting exciting moments in the previous month. This newsletter is a resource built for you, so let us know what topics you’d like to see more of and what resources would be the most helpful!

Inside This Month’s Green Launchpad

• The Green Workforce Brief: Center for Urban Future report & Policy

• Job Spotlight: Energy Auditor & Building Maintenance Technician

• Launchpad Lookback: Cohort 3 Kickoff & Clean Energy Conference

• Launchpad Updates: Cohort 3 Social, Upcoming Speaking Events

• We Want to Hear from You: Share Events, Resources, & Opportunities

The Green Workforce Brief

The Center for an Urban Future’s new March 2025 report lays out a clear challenge — and opportunity — for New York City: if we want an inclusive green economy, we need bold coordination, investment, and action across sectors. 👇 Read and download the full report below.

📎 New York City’s Green Economy Opportunity - a report by CUF

3 Future-Focused Findings for NYC’s Green Economy

1. 150,000 Jobs on the Table: Building Electrification

   • Electrifying NYC’s buildings could create up to 150,000 jobs, according to the Urban Green Council. But we’re not moving fast enough — only a small fraction of the city’s multifamily buildings are electrified each year. We need to hit 20,000 retrofits annually over the next decade to stay on track.

2. Urgent Demand, Short Supply: A Growing Green Skills Gap

   • NYC’s green transition is outpacing current training pipelines in several areas. Some high-growth roles face critical shortages are:

     • HVAC technicians & electricians – Essential for building retrofits and solar, but in short supply

     • Building automation specialists – Needed to manage increasingly complex smart systems

     • Energy auditors – High demand for building performance assessments

     • EV charging technicians – As NYC expands from 800 chargers to thousands by 2030, trained installers are crucial

3. Scale & Spread: Bridging the Green Training Access Gap

   • To meet NYC’s goal of nearly tripling green-collar jobs to 400,000 by 2040, existing training programs must grow — both in size and reach. Currently:

     • Most programs are small — 17 of 32 serve fewer than 100 people annually

     • Trainings are geographically concentrated in Manhattan and Brooklyn

     • The Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island lack sufficient green workforce programs

Through its thorough and thoughtful research, CUF’s report makes it clear: New York’s green economy will only thrive if we all step up — workforce organizations, policymakers, employers, and funders alike. At The Green Launchpad, we’re proud to be building this movement with you.

Federal Energy Shakeups: What’s Happening?

• 🔗 DOE Halts Clean Energy Grants Under Trump: The Department of Energy cancels over $6 million in clean energy funding, including housing retrofits and EV car-share projects, and reviews 300 others — marking a shift away from renewables toward fossil fuels.

  • Notably, however, EV sales grew rapidly in a recent quarter, so we’ll have to see how the market shakes out. According to The Job’s most recent research, the number of certified automotive technicians is headed in the wrong direction to this growing EV trend, so the workforce training gap seems to persist overall.

But Energy Moves Forward: State Projects Continue

New York’s Green Push:

• 🔗 New York Power Authority's Renewable Energy Expansion: NYPA acquires full ownership of the 20 MW Somers Solar Project in Washington County, marking its first renewable initiative under expanded authority. The project, spanning 150 acres, is expected to create over 100 union jobs during construction and operation, supporting New York's clean energy goals.

 TGL’S Clean Energy Industry Framework

Are you looking to understand how clean energy and workforce development connect? We’ve got you covered! Watch this short video, in which we break down The Green Launchpad’s Clean Energy Framework.

Clean energy careers span multiple sectors, segments, and systems, each playing a vital role in the green workforce. Our framework breaks it down into:

• 4 Key Sectors – Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, Renewable Energy,
  Clean Transportation 

• 2 Major Verticals – Electric Systems & Thermal Systems

Every month, we’ll explore one key technology & system driving the clean energy transition and highlight the careers and skills shaping the future.

This Month…

We’re exploring the Energy Efficiency sector, focusing on Building Envelope system within the Thermal Efficiency segment. Building envelopes — like walls, windows, and insulation — play a crucial role in reducing heat loss and stabilizing indoor temperatures. By improving these systems, buildings use less energy for heating and cooling, leading to greater energy efficiency and more comfortable, healthy indoor environments.

2 Sample Career Pathways in Building Evelope

• 🔗 Mid-Level Residential Energy Auditor (Weatherization Auditor)

  • Job Description: Assess residential buildings to identify energy efficiency opportunities. Recommend improvements, estimate potential savings, prepare detailed reports, and guide homeowners through energy upgrade options. Maintain follow-up to support implementation and ensure customer satisfaction.

  • Certifications: RESNET HERS Rater, BPI Building Analyst Technician (BA-T), BPI Building Analyst Professional (BA-P) or BPI Energy Auditor

  • Career Pathway: Grow into roles like Residential Quality Control Inspector, Multifamily Energy Auditor, Real Estate Appraiser (with green building expertise)

• 🔗 Entry-Level Building Maintenance Technician (Maintenance Engineer)

  • Job Description: ​Maintain and repair building systems in residential and commercial properties, ensuring energy efficiency and performance across HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and structural components.

  • Certifications: No required certifications; however, certificates in one of the following might preferred depending on the job role: HVAC (e.g. EPA 608), electrical, and plumbing.

    • Other Certifications: Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional (CMRP), Certified Manager of Maintenance/Properties (CMM / CMP)

  • Career Pathway: Grow into roles like Building Operator, Building Automation Systems Technician, Product Sales Specialist

Additional Resources:
Green Buildings Career Map – Discover different roles and career growth opportunities
NY Weatherization Careers – Explore New York Weatherization career paths

Launchpad’s March Lookback

March was full of exciting moments for our team! We spoke at the 2025 Clean Energy Action Conference hosted by the Business Council of Westchester, and officially kicked off Cohort 3 of our Accelerator program. Here are some snapshots from the March!

Launchpad Updates

After speaking in Westchester last month, we’re keeping the momentum going with an upcoming appearance at NY higher education institutes and LA — continuing the conversation on building a stronger, more inclusive green workforce. We also have an upcoming social for the last class of TGL’s Accelerator Program: Cohort 3.

 Call for Information

Help us keep the TGL community informed and connected! We're looking for sponsorships, resources, events, trainings and more to feature in upcoming newsletters.

• Want to contribute to a thriving green workforce ecosystem? We're seeking corporate and philanthropic partners to help expand our impact in green workforce development. Sponsor our Accelerator to empower workforce professionals, strengthen the clean energy talent pipeline, and showcase your leadership in the green economy!

• Do you have an upcoming training, class, event, or webinar you want to share with the ecosystem for the next edition?

• Want TGL to amplify what's happening or roles you’re hiring for at your organization?

📧 Email us at [email protected] or reply to this email!