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| MEETING RECAP
WELCOME INTRODUCTION
Thank you to the University of Denver, Burns School of Business for hosting EEBC in their Realestate/Construction Department’s Collaboratory Room and providing audio-visual services. If you are interested in using their Collaboratory
for meetings, planning sessions, hybrid meetings, and/or podcasts, etc, please contact Eric Holt at [email protected].
KEYNOTE SPEAKER Associated General Contractors [AGC], Michael Gifford
Colorado's Need for More Workers Means Need for More Training The looming need for more skilled workers in construction trades is leading to new training solutions. Michael Gifford of AGC, which represents 680 commercial construction members, explained research projects a need for 220,000 employees by 2027, up from 185,000 today. Because baby boomers are retiring, means his industry needs to hire 70,000 new workers in that time frame.
The solution, Gifford said, is more training. Currently, his organization and the HBA work in 47 high schools, training 2,000 students on the national curriculum. With increasing code requirements, the organization is ramping up apprenticeships. They are creating three new 2-year construction apprenticeship programs to teach rough, finish, and superintendent training, where students will be eligible for an associate degree from a community college.
Highlights
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Overview of construction industry outlook for the next10 years – what it means to your business. “Potential downturn is a dip not full-blown.”
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By 2027, Colorado's construction industry will be short 220,000 employees!
- Why? Because baby boomers are retiring. The construction industry needs to hire 70,000 new workers by 2027.
- Where do EEBC contractors find a pipeline of skilled, unskilled, and upskill their own employees?
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Good Green Jobs – EEBC's Hiring Pipeline for EEBC Contractors. New hire available Nov 2022! | FLYER
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AGC Hiring Boards | https://careers.agc.org/
Speaker Presentation Resource | ACG PPT
KEYNOTE SPEAKER PANEL & OPEN FORUM | New Homes
- Thrive Home Builders, Bill Rectanus, Chief Operating Officer
- McStain Neighborhood, Rick Lambert, VP Purchasing & Operations
- Build Tank, Inc, Robby Schwarz, Principle, EnergySmart's Marshall Fire New Home Building Advisor
High-Performance Builders Need Contractor Partners Building high-performance homes requires an ever-closer partnership between builders and contractors, according to two long-time high-performance builders. “ We need partners with a desire to innovate and believe that training crews for what’s coming is important, especially training on WHY you do it, ’’ said Rectanus of Thrive Home Builders.
Rick Lambert of McStain Neighborhoods notes that his company has been building all-electric homes for more than a year, but not at a large scale. This allows the company to try things out and learn. “What wins bids for work is showing me you are willing to collaborate,’’ he said. “I am not a mechanical or electrical expert – I need vendors who are willing to. . .make sure we are doing it right.’’
Highlights
- Specifics the builders are looking for from contractors when moving to higher performance building practice, such as Energy Star, Net Zero Energy Ready, Electrification, etc. includes: [Examples of opportunities for insulation and air sealing contractors]
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These contractors “pay more attention to details” that ensure the structure passes the testing we need to certify the home.
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Contractors with installers who understand “The Why” of what product or equipment they are installing and know the techniques that they install will impact the blower door test scores we need.
- Examples of what makes a contractor’s bid for work stand out from their competitors, such as the salesperson/estimator's questions about the job that demonstrate their understanding of the higher performance requirements of their work.
- Discussion of the niche available for contractors working with high-performance small to midsized builders.
Long-time energy expert Robbie Schwarz who is now helping Boulder County with the Marshall Fire rebuilds notes that code officials need as much education as contractors on verifying new energy code requirements. Besides, he noted that many builders have not used new energy code certifications and thus are not familiar with how to build them. “The incremental costs to get to a higher level is not that great,’’ Schwarz said. “But we need to do education to help people understand the incremental differences.’’
Schwarz also said the contractor labor shortage and education shortages are ``huge’’, especially with heat pumps and electrification. “We don’t have enough trade contractors who understand how a heat pump works and how it integrates with a thermal envelope. It comes back to training.’’
UPDATE | Xcel Energy Strategic Issues and 2023 DSM [REBATE] Plan Settlement Process
- Howard Geller, EEBC Expert Witness & DSM Consultant
- Mark Detsky, Dietze & Davis, EEBC Legal Counsel
Time is Now to Get Involved in New Rebate Programs DEADLINE for Your rebate proposals September 30th
The EEBC is involved with two important regulatory proceedings which will help shape the industry for years to come. The short-term Demand Side Management goals and rebates are being set very soon, and the longer-term DSM Strategic Issues [Rebates] legal proceedings [docket] will set new policies on the electrification of homes and existing savings on natural gas and electric programs, among other topics. See Xcel Energy/Public Utilities Commission [PUC] procedure schedule released as of 9/23/22.
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