Success Stories
The Green Generation (G2) youth sustainability workforce development program is an example of the innovative work from state and local partners. The G2 program was piloted in the South Side suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, and provides transformative experiences to youth through immersive training on leadership, advocacy, and technical aspects of home energy performance and urban sustainability. This training offers early exposure and engagement to emerging markets for students from under-resourced communities.
The program was initially designed by Urban Efficiency Group, a minority-owned sustainability firm located in Chicago, Illinois, and further developed through a partnership with the Community Economic Development Association of Cook County, and the University of Illinois’ Indoor Climate Research & Training group, an Interstate Renewable Energy Council-accredited training center, and Urban Efficiency, LLC, a minority-owned home energy performance firm and Building Performance Institute (BPI)-certified trainer.
As part of the Building Performance Association’s Regional Education Series – Midwest that took place October 21 and 22, panelists Ameedah Hafeez and Darnell Johnson (of Urban Efficiency Group, LLC) and Karl Stanley (of NiSource) covered the very important topic of workforce development during their presentation, Workforce Development Townhall – Telling the Energy Efficiency Story.
The village of Broadview has partnered with two Black-owned environmental sustainability firms to help protect voters and poll workers during the Nov. 3 election by installing what are called Retrotec Blower doors at the entrances of four of its five polling places.
The Retrotec Blower door is typically used to test homes for air leakages, said Stacy Johnson, the president and director of field operations for Urban Efficiency, one of few firms in the burgeoning green energy industry owned by an African American.