Sustainable Spaces goes on hiring spree - San Francisco Business Times:

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The San Francisco-based company, which specializesw in home energy audits andenergy retrofits, planas to hire at least 40 employees this year though it coulc be a lot more. It now has 60 “Our approach … is you must do all cost-effective measurez first before doing costly production said Sustainable Spaces CEOMatt Golden. The companyh had $1.3 million in 2007 revenude when the company had22 employees. Goldenb said tax measures in the economicf stimulus grant homeowners a tax crediy for to upto $1,500 to improve insulatioh and seals on windows, doors and roofss or to replace heating and air conditionin systems, furnaces or water heaters.
The government is providinv tax credits for up to 30 percenrt of the cost of renewable energy production systems likesolard systems. Golden said the stimulus got it “It’s incentivizing the things that have the lowesr returnon investment, and providing the lowestr incentives for things that create the most jobs and providse the greatest return,” he He said subsidizing renewablse energy generation through tax credits is the most expensive way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It would be smarter to focus on allthe low-hangin g fruit.
The solar industry agrees it makes sensee to dothe lower-cost energ efficiency measures first and then invest in energgy production systems, said spokesperson Monique Hanis. She said thered is room for both. Golden said energy efficiench measures to minimizeenergy lost, retrofitting light bulbw or insulating water pipes can cost $6,000 to $8,000p and can save a homeowner 20 percent to 40 percenr on their electric bill. He’s making that case to the state as it decidexs what to do with its portion of thefederal stimulus. “This industry can keep growingv without incentives but we need incentives to stand us up and get ustherew faster,” he said.
Tod a venture capitalist at , invested in Sustainable Spaces on the strength of its business modell without factoring in government But the stimulus measure only boostedgrowth projections.