My name is Eliza and I am an energy auditor at EFEKTYWNIEJ company. On a daily basis, I look for solutions that allow for energy savings in enterprises and households. I analyse buildings, indicate the possibilities of thermal modernisation and advise on renewable energy sources. My work is a combination of technology, ecology and social awareness – and that’s what I like about it.
My adventure with this field began in 2013, when I chose to study renewable energy sources. At that time, this topic was not so popular, and the sector was just developing. I didn’t realize at the time how promising this direction was – I chose it out of curiosity and the feeling that I wanted to do something that matters.
After graduation, I was looking for a job that would allow me to use my education. I succeeded – I became an energy auditor. However, soon another opportunity arose that I did not expect – conducting training in the field of energy efficiency of buildings, the use of renewable energy sources technologies in residential construction and energy management. At first, I was full of fears. I am young, and some participants with many years of experience approached me with distance. I had to prove that I knew what I was talking about. I quickly understood that the mere transfer of specialist knowledge is not enough – you need to build a relationship, create an atmosphere of openness and joint learning, but also show the added values resulting from the use of specific solutions or activities that affect our external environment, in particular the natural environment or sustainable development. During each meeting with the participants of the training, I repeated that I did not come only to “train”, but I am also here so that we can exchange experiences together.
Being both an auditor and a coach allowed me to see how much there is still to do. I still meet people who are not aware of the huge heat losses generated by their buildings, what are the real benefits of thermal modernization or how important energy is, which we simply will not use. Often, when I present the results of audits, clients focus mainly on financial savings, omitting the ecological aspect. I try to show them the long-term effects – not only for their budget, but also for future generations. Here it is important not to show customers and colleagues only dry calculations, but to present it to them in a vivid way, close to their everyday life – not everyone knows what 1 GJ, 1 MWh is, what the heat transfer coefficient or thermal bridge is. In other words, having broad soft skills, including those related to environmental protection and awareness of the consequences of our business activity to climate change, has allowed me to increase the efficiency of my work. Therefore, I can say that green soft skills are of great importance and it is worth using them not only in professional work, but also in everyday life.
There were moments of doubt, because the world is not perfect. However, I focused on education and dialogue. I know I can’t change everything at once, but I can be part of that change.
Looking back, I regret that during my studies I did not take full advantage of all the opportunities – I did not ask as many questions as I could, I did not use the knowledge of experts enough. I think that at that time I was still looking for myself. Today, I know that openness to people, continuous learning and improving your soft skills is crucial in this industry.
I believe that green enterprises will become the standard, but we need time. I wouldn’t want changes to be forced by penalties and restrictions – this leads to resistance and negativity. The green energy transition must be harmonious, understandable and respectful of economic realities.
If I were to give advice to people who want to act in the spirit of sustainable development, I would say: be authentic, open to conversation, do not be afraid of new challenges and discussions about the need to protect the environment. Green soft skills will definitely help you with this.