Governor Patrick Tours Next Step Living Headquarters; Highlights Clean Energy Job Growth Across the Commonwealth

Press Release

Governor Deval Patrick today toured Next Step Living headquarters in Boston's Innovation District, highlighting significant job growth at the company and throughout the Massachusetts clean energy economy thanks to the Patrick-Murray Administration's investments in innovation and clean energy. The Governor's visit comes on the heels of a new report released today by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), showing the state now employs more than 64,000 people in the clean energy sector, following a 6.7 percent increase in jobs between July 2010 to July 2011.

"I have said from the beginning of this Administration that, if we get clean energy right, the world will be our customer," said Governor Patrick, during his visit to Next Step Living. "Now the clean energy industry is fueling the Massachusetts innovation economy, and we are reaping the benefits in the form of new jobs and investments."

Next Step Living was founded in 2008 with the goal of making it easy for New England residents to make energy efficiency improvements in their homes. Since that time, with assistance from the Patrick-Murray Administration and MassCEC, the company has grown dramatically -- from 20 to more than 200 employees throughout the state, helping homeowners achieve greater energy savings.

"Thanks to the Patrick-Murray Administration, Massachusetts is leading the clean energy revolution," said Next Step Living CEO Geoff Chapin. "Whether through supporting least cost procurement legislation, the Green Communities Act, or the Global Warming Solutions Act, the Patrick-Murray Administration has created a fertile environment for companies like ours. Thanks to their support, the city of Boston, and the utility program in Massachusetts, we have been able to grow from providing 20 green collar careers to over 200 careers in just 18 months. Our collective focus is on saving homeowners money and making their homes more comfortable year round, and we couldn't do it without the supportive environment here in Massachusetts."

Next Step Living has partnered with some of the state's many workforce development programs, including the MassCEC-funded Pathways out of Poverty program, to tailor curricula that trains workers specifically to suit industry needs. Many of the training programs serve veterans groups, workers who have been laid off from other industries, and other disadvantaged or otherwise underemployed individuals.

In the fall of 2010, Next Step Living received a $250,000 Energy Efficiency Service Innovation grant from MassCEC. The grant supports the continued growth of the company's core residential energy efficiency business, while enhancing its potential to provide additional services that will achieve deeper energy savings for their customers. Next Step Living is now expanding into offering renewable energy and helping other new technologies find markets in the homes they serve. In the spring of 2011, Next Step Living and the Mass Energy Consumer's Alliance were awarded $1.8 million in Recovery Act funds from the city of Boston to implement the residential portion of the Renew Boston Program.

"At the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, we're investing in and working with the whole clean energy community to advance all forms of clean energy technology from the drawing board to the global marketplace," said Patrick Cloney, Executive Director of MassCEC. "Working as a partner with Next Step Living helps us to build a strong workforce and create jobs---helping to create revolutionary change that will benefit our society, economy and environment for generations to come."

"Today's report confirms what we have all expected, green jobs are the silver lining of the Massachusetts economy," said Senator Karen Spilka, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. "Companies like Next Step Living continue to make significant contributions to our economy by creating jobs and helping families across the Commonwealth save money and resources by making their homes more energy efficient."

"Since the creation of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, the Commonwealth has become a leader of clean energy expansion," said Representative Nick Collins. "Under the Governor's leadership, this state has invested in workforce development and energy conservation which will be paying dividends for years to come. Next Step Living and other companies like it are good for the economy, good for the environment, and good for the future of the Commonwealth."

2011 Massachusetts Clean Energy Industry Report:

As part of the visit, Governor Patrick highlighted the release of MassCEC's 2011 Massachusetts Clean Energy Industry Report, which showed significant growth in the Massachusetts clean energy economy. The report, prepared by BW Research Partnership on behalf of MassCEC, identified 4,909 clean energy companies in the state, employing more than 64,000 people, following a 6.7 percent increase in jobs between July 2010 to July 2011. The clean energy industry employment now represents 1.5 percent of all jobs in the Commonwealth and the report forecasts an expected employment growth rate of 15.2 percent from July 2011 to July 2012.

"The data reported by MassCEC today are good news for the Massachusetts economy and our environment," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard K. Sullivan Jr., who chairs the MassCEC Board of Directors. "Through Governor Patrick's vision and supported by innovative programs implemented by MassCEC, the Commonwealth has become fertile ground for growing a clean energy future and we are well on our way."

The survey found a large number of firms in varied industries - ranging from construction and manufacturing to research and development - reporting activity and employment in the clean energy sector.

Read the MassCEC report: http://masscec.com/index.cfm/pid/11151/cdid/12401.

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