Energy advisor (Energieadviseur)
Information on this skill...
An energy advisor is someone who specializes in energy-saving measures to save energy. The profession of energy advisor is broad and cannot be defined on the basis of a specific energy measure. Saving energy is in most cases a combination of measures, which will lead to energy savings. To really save on energy costs, more is needed than just turning off lamps or the television. To be able to work as an energy consultant, you must therefore be specialized in various fields. The structural condition of buildings will also be taken into account in good advice. Because the energy costs increase annually and are now a considerable monthly charge for most people, it may be wise to engage an energy advisor so that effective measures can be taken, so that the monthly energy costs are reduced. In addition, there are many modern applications nowadays, which can reduce energy costs. Think, for example, of installing solar panels, smart thermostats, insulating buildings afterwards and installing modern heating systems. Because the costs of energy measures can be relatively high in some cases, it is wise to engage an energy advisor. A good energy advisor is aware of all the measures that can be taken to save energy. Incidentally, it is not the case that all energy measures are equally expensive, because, for example, insulating facades afterwards is relatively speaking not very expensive. Also, having solar panels installed is relatively speaking not very expensive anymore.
As described earlier, the profession of energy consultant should also be seen as fairly general, because nowadays there are many ways to be able to save on energy costs. It is therefore very important that an energy advisor is specialized in a broad way with regard to energy measures. One of the most important measures that people can take to save directly on energy costs is to have the house or other types of buildings insulated. Especially insulating the crawl space, facades and roof will quickly give a lot of benefit. But also think of replacing single class or old insulating glass. Nowadays there is insulating glass available that insulates many times better than old insulating glass, such as HR ++ glass with a cavity filling of Argon gas. But also an old boiler is often unprofitable in consumption and can better be replaced by a more modern one. In that case, for example, a heat pump can also be considered.
SAVING ON ENERGY COSTS
If you really want to save on your energy costs, it is best to tackle the largest energy consumers before the small measures are taken. To find out whether you are using too much energy, an energy advisor can look at your home and compare the energy bill with similar homes. An average house in the Netherlands consumes approximately 1650 m3 of gas per year and 3500 kWh of electricity. But there are also households that use many times more, which can have various causes, such as having a lot of equipment in the house and not paying attention to the heating costs at all. In addition to the aforementioned measures that can be taken, there are other possibilities that can help to bring down the energy bill.
COSTS ENERGY MONITORING RULES
The costs of energy measures, such as insulating a home, can be quite substantial and prevent many people from actually insulating. Nevertheless, this is a pity in many cases, because if the costs are calculated per year, it quickly turns out to be interesting. In addition, it is not the case that everything has to be carried out at once. It is wise to first tackle the major energy leaks of a home, so that the greatest return can be achieved. There is no point in starting solar panels if the walls or roof are not yet insulated. Nowadays there are many providers when it comes to insulating buildings. The prices of energy measures have also fallen considerably in recent years, so that the tipping point can be reached fairly quickly. Those who are connected with several homes can also collectively try to request quotes, so that greater benefits can be achieved. When it comes to large collective quotes, it can also be worthwhile to hire a construction cost expert. This may be the case, for example, if we speak of an association of owners. In that case, the property manager will request several quotes, which can also be reviewed by a construction cost expert. When it comes to large buildings, such as a public building or office building, it can even be useful to engage a building physicist. A building physicist looks at buildings in a broader way, which can increase the comfort of buildings.
REDUCE HEATING COSTS
Less heating costs can also be achieved by setting the heating less often and less high. Of all the energy measures, turning on the heating less often is the easiest measure. Of course, this will not be easy for everyone, because a warm home is simply very comfortable. Another possibility in that case is to have a wood stove installed. Modern wood stoves can achieve a high efficiency, so that a lot of heat can be created with relatively little wood. A wood stove will not be possible for everyone, because there is also a possible smell nuisance. In addition, not everyone has the opportunity to store firewood.
SOME SIMPLE ENERGY MEASURES ARE:
- Close the curtains so that the heat lingers
- Hang an hourglass in the bathroom (showering)
- Actively keep track of the meter readings
- Have the boiler cleaned and adjusted every year
- Take a water-saving shower head
- Take thermostatic taps both in the shower and on the heaters
- Switch on television and radio with a power strip
- Switch energy supplier every year
- Preferably do not heat electrically, as this is unprofitable
- Don't heat rooms where no one is
- Replace old refrigerators and freezer (10 years)
- Turn off your thermostat at least an hour before bedtime
- Make sure your thermostat doesn't turn on unnecessarily
WHAT DOES AN ENERGY ADVISOR DO:
TRAINING TO BECOME AN ENERGY CONSULTANT
There are no national training opportunities for the profession of energy consultant through ordinary schools. However, there are various courses in the field of energy measures, and it is conceivable that energy advisors are trained internally for their specific field. An energy consultant can also be trained as an architectural consultant, and have gained a lot of knowledge from his specific professional knowledge. Furthermore, it is not possible to name a specific training, because the profession of energy consultant must be seen very broadly. In addition, the profession of energy consultant may relate to various professionals. Insulating cavity walls cannot simply be compared to installing a modern heating system. Nowadays there is a special association where energy advisors can join so that they are recognized energy advisors, called Energy Performance Advice (EPA). Accounting is also important as an entrepreneur.
COMPANIES WHERE AN ENERGY CONSULTANT CAN BE EMPLOYED
An energy consultant can work for various companies, such as an installation company, contractor, energy supplier and energy consultancy. In addition, in some cases an energy advisor can be regarded as a civil servant if a municipality provides information about energy measures. It is also conceivable that an energy consultant works as a consultant or as an entrepreneur. As described earlier, the profession of energy consultant nowadays has to be seen very broadly and the profession can relate to different professionals.
COMPETENCES ENERGY CONSULTANT
The most important competence of an energy advisor is your professional knowledge and your independence as an advisor. In addition, you will have to be well-versed in communication, because you have a large advisory role within this profession. Keeping up with the latest techniques and possibilities is also important within this profession, because rules and techniques change quickly. In general, it is also important that an energy consultant can be seen as a mechanic and technician. This is important, because an energy advisor in the field must be able to assess how energy measures can best be applied. Another important competence is that an energy advisor can be seen as a commercial employee. This is important, because in many cases an energy advisor is also responsible for drawing up quotations. In that respect, it may also be important that an energy advisor can be regarded as a negotiator. Generally important words are innovation, listening, energy, laws and regulations, performance, reliability, planning and organizing. If an energy consultant works as an entrepreneur, networking can also be regarded as an important competence.
LABOUR MARKET PERSPECTIVE AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AS AN ENERGY ADVISOR
The labour market perspective as an energy advisor is fairly good, because more and more people are thinking about energy measures. However, the labour market perspective is highly dependent on your specific work and possible employer. For example, an energy consultant from an installation company can also be a salesperson. An independent advisor is usually only focused on giving advice. There are no real career opportunities as an energy advisor, other than that you can further specialize in the field of energy measures, such as by following extra courses. In addition, you may be eligible for the position of sustainability manager.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT AND SALARY ENERGY ADVISOR
There are no specific employment conditions for this profession, because you can work for different types of companies. As an independent entrepreneur, you naturally determine your own employment conditions and these do not apply further. The salary as an energy consultant will usually be between 2500 and 3500 euros gross per month, depending on your age, education and your responsibilities within the organization. However, it is conceivable that there is a bonus payment per order received. As an independent entrepreneur, your income will be highly dependent on your assignments as an energy advisor. Most energy consultants work for a fixed fee and not per hour.
The content on this page has been automatically translated from the Dutch language. For this reason, texts and videos on this page may contain small errors.
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