Inclusive Workforce Development Strategies for Building Electrification

There is an unprecedented amount of work ahead to electrify and decarbonize buildings. Hundreds of millions of dollars in upcoming federal investments in buildings from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) have the potential to create tens of thousands of High Road jobs that support workers and families—although absent government policy, this is not guaranteed.

With the right policies, it is possible to create inclusive access to High Road jobs and to plan a just transition for existing fossil fuel industry workers. Rooted in real world examples, Inclusive Workforce Development Strategies for Building Electrification provides policymakers with a comprehensive guide to develop inclusive workforce strategies for building electrification.

Such strategies include, but are not limited to:

• Policies and programs that drive demand for building electrification and skilled workers, including new community-driven retrofit programs that leverage IRA funding to accelerate building upgrades while also delivering on other community priorities.

• Skill and labor standards that can be applied across a jurisdiction or be attached to public investments or services in order to guarantee certain wages, benefits, or required skill sets for workers.

• Supplier diversity programs that provide contracting preferences and new economic opportunities for minority- and women-owned firms.

• Registered apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs that prioritize opportunities for frontline community members and provide meaningful pathways to union jobs.

• Just transition strategies that create new family-sustaining jobs while safeguarding existing utility workers and opening more opportunities for frontline community members to participate in the clean energy transition.

Whether cities are beginning to consider workforce implications or looking to refine existing strategies, this report offers valuable insights and actionable steps to ensure building electrification efforts create high-quality jobs and equitable economic opportunities for all community members.