Chief Energy Assessor

Thinking about a career in the green or high-performance building space? We sat down to talk shop with Mainers from six different fields: solar, weatherizing and energy auditing, architecture, construction and landscape design. Read on to learn how they got started, their favorite parts of the job, training required and what it might take for you to get there. 

This interview has been edited for length and readability.

ERIK NORTH, Owner & chief energy assessor, Free Energy Maine

Erik North
Free Energy Maine

GHM: How did you get into this line of work?
EN: I have always been interested in homes and energy efficiency, but it became a career around 2006.

A number of friends, all of us in our early 30s, had made the jump to home ownership — right when oil prices sky- rocketed. We kept talking about paying $800/month for heating, and eventually a friend and I resolved to come up with plans to change that. We bought a few books and I cobbled together my first energy audit. Realizing that there was potential for a business, I took a certification course with Maine State Housing, took out a loan and began doing low- income audits for MSHA (Maine State Housing Authority).

GHM: What are some of the jobs you held before getting into your current field?
EN: After graduating school, I worked in restaurants as a cook and restaurant manager for about 10 years, and in sales and marketing doing copywriting after that. I love food and cooking, but always had an eye out for something more broadly fulfilling.

GHM: What training is required for the work you do?
EN: Field experience is best. You can read about vapor barriers and insulation techniques all day, but until you see them applied, you don’t understand how they truly work with the varied housing stock of Maine.

GHM: What do you like best about your job?
EN: Setting my own schedule and providing unbiased advice. We have to do site visits on the homeowner’s schedule, but the rest is self-managed. That flexibility works very well for me.

It’s a great feeling being a guy who isn’t selling them a solution. They’ve had heat pump, heating system, insulation and window salespeople pitching their products as the solution to their home’s shortcomings. While every one of those has its place, we come in and provide an honest and impartial step-by-step plan.

GHM: What challenges do you face on a daily basis in your job?
EN: The biggest thing is helping people gain a basic understanding of what we do. No one has questions about plumbers or electricians, and if a pipe bursts, you know exactly who to call. The concept of someone advising you on what to do (or not to do) in terms of energy efficiency in your home isn’t always intuitive.

GHM: In what ways is your industry growing, shrinking or changing in Maine?
EN: I’d say changing. Over the last ten years, there’s been a definite shift in the younger homeowners. Very broadly speaking, folks my parents’ age call about frozen pipes or comfort issues. But more and more in the last couple of years, there are young homeowners who bring up climate change, their carbon footprints and reducing energy use.

GHM: What advice do you have for anyone starting out in the field?
EN: Just do it — but have reasonable expectations. This isn’t like a heating company where you just open up shop, do a little advertising, and people start calling. Back in 2008, there were dozens and dozens of people jumping into the field in the wake of the recession. From that generation, there are only a few still in business. Buy the equipment and start with the homes of friends and family.

GHM: How does this job help you make decisions about your own home?
EN: It’s mostly made me rethink all of the decisions I made ten years ago. I’m continually learning and re-evaluating — and I have a more sound technical base and holistic view to make decisions in a larger context.

GHM: When you aren’t working, how do you spend your time?
EN: I walk 4-5 miles a day, have an old puggle I take with me, and still love to cook. I can make killer handmade gnocchi with pesto cream sauce.

This article first appeared in the Fall 2019/Winter 2020 edition of Green & Healthy Maine HOMES. Subscribe today!