Solar energy is one form of environmental friendly power that remains on the upswing. Whatever your opinions on climate change, lessening the dependency on fossil fuels offers benefits that include energy independence as well as the typical advantages to becoming more “green.”

Recent advancements in solar power technology are making it more cost effective to implement at both the home and the business. Let’s take a closer look at how to better encompass the power of the sun by using solar energy.

Solar Power Farms popping up all over the United States

Commercial solar power farms are being implemented all over the United States. The Indianapolis International Airport is the home of the U.S.’s largest airport-based solar power farm. The airport recently saw an expansion that doubled the size of its solar power installation, which now stands at 151 acres capable of generating 31.7 million kilowatts of power — enough for 3,200 average-sized homes.

Airports are finding that leveraging unused space on their property offers a great opportunity for solar power farms, which become a revenue source for the airport. Denver’s international airport is also home to a large solar power farm. Forward-looking engineers need to step up to the plate and help similar solar installations take flight in their own town.

Making a Difference with Solar Power at the Residential Level

Many engineers are taking steps to use solar power at home, by installing panels that continue to drop in price and improve in efficiency. In Austin, Texas, a local energy company is offering credit to customers who make the investment in solar panels for their homes.

Austin Energy hopes that 55 percent of its energy generation will come from renewable sources by 2025. As such, the company is constructing a 600 megawatt solar energy generating plant, as well as a 450 megawatt wind facility. As solar power continues to become cheaper, engineers need to lead the way in showing how its implementation benefits all of us.

If you are interested in exploring a career in renewable energy, talk to the experts at The Talley Group. As one of the top engineering staffing agencies in Washington State, we are a great source of Seattle engineering jobs. Schedule a meeting with Talley today!

As the intellect and skills of environmental engineers continue to be leveraged to help battle climate change, one positive impact is the growth of the environmental engineering job market. If you are interested in this engineering discipline or even if you currently work in the field, now is the time to explore opportunities to make a vital difference both locally and on a larger scale.

With that in mind, let’s explore the surge in environmental engineering jobs a bit more closely.

The Green Engineering Job Scene transcends Disciplines

Green engineering initiatives offer hope for an improved environment and they are also providing lucrative opportunities for companies innovating in many areas of engineering. Grant Trump, president and chief executive of Calgary-based Environmental Careers Organization (ECO Canada), feels this is due to the importance of green engineering techniques transcending traditional engineering sectors.

“Environmental employment is cross-sectoral and multi-disciplinary. We are the thread that links almost every industry sector in the Canadian economy, because almost every organization has environmental considerations,” said Trump.

Environmental Engineering Innovations abound in many Areas

Everything from waste water treatment to renewable energy benefits from the application of new engineering technology. This has created copious employment opportunities in many locations in the United States and Canada, including the Seattle area. Kathleen Lyons, editor of Green Job Idea Blog, remains bullish on the employment prospects of the environmental engineer.

“Employment in renewable energy, waste-water treatment, forestry and natural resources will grow, but so will adjunct areas such as finance, hospitality, building, skilled trades. In any industry there is an environmental twist. There is a green cast; a new view of the whole work environment. It’s a paradigm shift,” said Lyons.

In short, if you want a green-friendly engineering job, the market remains promising, so make it a point to edit your résumé and brush up on your interviewing skills!

Partnering with a top notch engineering staffing agency is a great call when looking for employment in any engineering sector. As one of the top employment agencies in Washington State, The Talley Group is a perfect source of Seattle green engineering jobs. Make it a point to talk with them today!

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) defines sustainability as a set of economic, environmental and social conditions in which all of society has the capacity and opportunity to maintain and improve its quality of life indefinitely, without degrading the quantity, quality or the availability of natural resources and ecosystems.

The civil engineering profession recognizes the reality of limited natural resources, the desire for sustainable practices and the need for social equity in the consumption of resources.  To this end, the ASCE supports the following strategies in the field:

• Promote broad understanding of economic, environmental, political, social, and technical issues and processes as related to sustainable development;
• Advance the skills, knowledge and information necessary for a sustainable future; including habitats, natural systems, system flows, and the effects of all phases of the life cycle of projects on the ecosystem;
• Advocate economic approaches that recognize natural resources and our environment as capital assets;
• Promote multidisciplinary, whole system, integrated and multi-objective goals in all phases of project planning, design, construction, operations, and decommissioning;
• Promote reduction of vulnerability to natural, accidental, and willful hazards to be part of sustainable development; and
• Promote performance based standards and guidelines as bases for voluntary actions and for regulations in sustainable development for new and existing infrastructure.

The ASCE believes that civil engineers should take a leadership role in sustainable development and take on the responsibility of providing effective and innovative solutions in addressing the challenges of sustainability.  As the bridge between science and society, working on multidisciplinary teams with other professionals, such as ecologists, economists, and sociologists, civil engineers can effectively address the issues and challenges of sustainable development.

As part of this challenge, civil engineering has become more than providing standard designs and plans. It is about creating unique design and construction practices that are cost-effective, healthier, and easier to maintain.

Green design is a powerful and timely concept. Across the nation, municipalities, developers and architecture firms are realizing its value. Green design brings with it an all-new array of ecological, engineering and planning issues, which play a part in still-developing sustainability requirements and regulatory processes.

Globally, the civil engineering profession has recognized the reality of shrinking resources, the desire for sustainable practices and design, and the need for social equity in the consumption of resources. Civil engineers have helped raise expectations for sustainability and for environmental stewardship. The profession has led world acceptance of green design and has been at the forefront in making environmental considerations part of life-cycle and cost-benefit analyses.

Civil engineers have been instrumental in urging clients to use environmentally-friendly technologies to improve the quality of life in urban environments. Green designs routinely incorporate recycling (that is done with the help of EZ Junk Removal | Kansas City), either by using recycled materials, or by making project components recyclable at the end of their useful life. Most new construction is based on green and smart-building technologies, and many new buildings actually produce more energy than they consume.

Overall, the “green movement” is providing an opportunity for civil engineers to think outside the box about the short-term and long-term effects of their designs, and provide solutions that minimize the impact on the environment.