Need for Careers in Energy Efficiency Grows

As homeowners increasingly seek out energy-efficient home features, the demand for jobs targeting energy efficiency in the built environment is growing. According to a recent report from the Building Performance Association, nearly 2.4 million jobs in 2024 were energy-related, marking a 4% increase from the previous year and almost double the workforce size recorded in 2021.

Where are the most jobs in energy efficiency?

Employment in energy efficiency remains concentrated in several states. California leads the nation with 312,090 such jobs, followed by Texas with 182,506, New York at 135,393 jobs, Florida at 132,060 jobs, and then Illinois at 89,878 jobs.

Growth, however, is not limited to those states. The fastest job gains were reported in New Mexico, which saw a 7.7% year-over-year increase in jobs targeting energy efficiency, followed closely by Nevada and Idaho at 7.3% each. Oklahoma at 7.2%, Colorado at 6.6%, New Jersey at 6.5%, and Hawaii at 5.8% also posted strong growth.

Despite growth across some states, hiring in the sector has been difficult

Even as employment in energy efficiency expands, employers continue to struggle to fill open positions. Companies across the energy efficiency construction, manufacturing and trade sectors continue to report hiring challenges. Between 84% and 88% of firms in these subsectors reported recruiting workers was at least a “somewhat difficult” task, according to the report.