I am a registered architect. As an active contributor to one of the most damaging industries to our climate (construction & building systems), I often daydream about pivoting careers into something more productive for the planet. I’m not talking about stuff like green washing or ~LEED accreditation~. Even sustainably-focused jobs are hard to come by and usually pretty regionally specific. Architects have a broad set of skills, and it’s not always clear where I can take those skills and put them to better use.
Any thoughts/insight would be appreciated as I hop into my mid-life crisis before 30.
To be honest, cost wise there are going to be big differences between regions. However what I learned from my own house improvement journey, the first step is insulation, always insulate as much as possible. Next up with insulation is ventilation, to make sure the air is clean for you to breathe. The the next step is looking into how much heating/cooling is still needed. And check if you can use a heat pump or aircon efficiently. And then when you know your energy need you can add solar. Although that can also be useful earlier in the process. But the first step is always insulation since it reduses your need for energy immediately and is usually one of the cheaper options.