Green Career Choices: Green Engineering Firm

A business or private developer may hire an engineering firm to design and construct their building to their personal specifications. A green engineering firm takes this one step further by designing these buildings to take advantage of ecologically advanced features and to advance that field as much as possible. What makes a building green will vary in different areas with the one common denominator: the best use of energy, space and resources.

What are the Educational Requirements?

A minimum requirement would be an engineering degree from an accredited four year college or university. However, to be competitive in the field, further education would probably be required as well. This might include environmental education, business management and other minor degrees if required by the firm that you are hired into. In addition to the educational requirements, there is typically a minimum standard of experience that is looked for by major firms. If your intention is to open your own firm it would be wise to work for many years as a green engineer before attempting to do so.

What Type of License and Registrations are Needed?

In addition to the educational requirements, each state will have a minimal licensing requirement for the engineering firm including the years of experience working with another licensed engineer you might have to have. You will also need to take several exams with the state Board of Professional Engineers to be eligible.

To be considered a "green" engineering firm additional testing or professional designations might be necessary, dependant on the state in which you reside. The cost of a license and registration could be anywhere from $300-$700, depending on the type of license that your applying for,

Who is the Targeted Market for These Firms?

Companies that are looking to break new ground for new or expansion projects will be the biggest audience with the most earning potential for a green engineering firm. In addition, new construction of homes in various areas may need the services of the green engineering firm as well.

What is the Best Location for this Career Choice?

Because this field depends on many others, it is important to consider the economic conditions of an area before choosing it as your location. Those cities and states that are being rocked hardest economically will not be looking to build in the near future and would not be a good choice. However, as some industries start rebounding, new construction will begin again.

What are the Risks of Opening a Green Engineering Firm?

First, a slow economy and poorly selected area could spell disaster for the new engineering firm. In some areas, especially those that are smaller, the competitive field may be too much to bear a new firm. In addition, the technologies are changing dramatically and it is necessary to keep abreast of these new developments are face being made obsolete, even in a relatively new industry.

Green Entrepreneurship Resources
• *75 Green Businesses You Can Start to Make Money and Make A Difference
• *Finding the Sweet Spot: The Natural Entrepreneur's Guide to Responsible, Sustainable, Joyful Work
• *101 Ways to Turn Your Business Green: The Business Guide to Eco-Friendly Profits
• *Start Your Own Green Business (Start Your Own...)
• *Global Warming Is Good for Business: How Savvy Entrepreneurs, Large Corporations, and Others are Making Money While Saving the Planet
• *The Plot to Save the Planet: How Visionary Entrepreneurs and Corporate Titans Are Creating Real Solutions to Global Warming
• *Starting Green: An Ecopreneur's Guide to Starting a Green Business from Business Plans to Profits