Building Capacity

Cool Factor: Youth Green Building Careers Symposia Inspires

When teens report that they'd change "nothing" when asked about the usefulness of an educational event, you know you've done something right! And that's exactly what most students participating in Built Green Santa Barbara's Youth Green Building Careers Symposia said on anonymous evaluation forms. 45 youth and six instructors from local schools and the Youth Corps attended the symposia, which offered inspirational stories, useful career building information, and a tour of the Built Green Resource Center, a historic green remodel located in the Presidio in downtown Santa Barbara.

 A roughly three-hour session (repeated in the afternoon), offered panels of designers, builders, and associated businesses (such as solar installers and window forensic specialists) who used show and tell to describe what they do, shared their personal stories about how and why they came to green building, and discussed what they do to succeed in the field. It was the personal stories that really inspired. One student wrote in his evaluation: "I liked how [the contractor] shared how he started with nothing, and now has a successful business." At the conclusion of the morning and afternoon sessions, participants completed a "job shadow" application identifying their top three choices among the panelists they heard from for a one-hour on-the-job visit.

For those planning a similar event, several elements factored into its success. Perhaps the most important was the element of partnership. Without youth participants, the event would have been a bust. We needn't have worried. Tradart, SBC Workforce Investment Board (WIB), and perhaps most importantly Partners in Education (PIE) provided the youth side of the equation. Michelle Magnusson, Program Development and Accountability Manager for PIE, a Santa Barbara County Education Office Program, performed yeoman's work getting the word out to school career centers and coordinating with schools to get students to the event. And WIB provided reimbursement funding and a van to support Youth Corps participation. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of this side of the equation was the fact that capacity was limited to 30 for each session. The plus side to this limitation was that only youth who really wanted to be there were there. You could have heard a pin drop during presentations! No fidgeting, no secretive texting. Not your average high school classroom experience!

The second half of the equation -- professionals with green building careers -- was fulfilled through Built Green's partnership with the Santa Barbara Contractors Association (SBCA). Karin Perissinotto, Executive Director of the SBCA reports she "had no problem filling the panels. We have a very active membership willing to give of themselves for the benefit of Built Green and youth considering green building careers. I wasn't really surprised at the level of interest. We just had to call and they were there!" Further support for the event was provided for the event through a grant from the California Coalition for Construction in the Classroom which is in the sunsetting.

Often, contractors are invited to schools to talk in assemblies and classrooms. Holding the symposia in the Built Green Resource Center, where green building is on display, provided an energizing background to the professionals' personal stories. Green building can be an abstract concept; the Resource Center provided physicality. When Dan George, Vice President of the Built Green Board of Directors and long time green contractor, discussed how the building was insulated and protected against infiltration, he was able to direct participants to the truth window revealing a behind-the-wall look at insulation used in the building, and to turn on a display showing how various insulations protect (or don't) against infiltration.

Panelists were also able to build on each other's experiences, creating themes such as "getting trained, and staying trained" to succeed, and "earning a paycheck for doing work that contributes to the community feels good." What became very clear from the stories panelists shared is that green building careers are not for people who like to stand still! Over and over, panelists shared how keeping abreast of what's changing in the green building world is critical for success, and this learning keeps them excited about showing up in the morning!

In addition to Built Green, PIE, and SBCA representatives, panelists represented 13 organizations, including four design firms: Thompson Naylor, Paul Poirier + Associates, Kent Mixon, and Keeping Interiors; four general contractors: Allen Associates, DL George, and Campanelli; three specialty contractors: SBWindow Forensics, Maverick Windows, and California Solar Electric; retailer Livingreen; trainer Santa Barbara City College Construction Academy; and utility program Energy Upgrade California.

Kathleen O'Brien, Editor of the Building Capacity Blog, recently completed her term as Built Green's Interim Program Director and was the main convener of the Youth Green Building Careers Symposia. Kathleen has a special interest in inspiring youth to enter the green building arena and was featured in "Green Building: Jobs for the Future." She recently celebrated her 20th year as founder of O'Brien & Company, which played an instrumental role in developing Built Green Santa Barbara as well as other Built Green programs in Washington and Hawaii.

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Living Future 2011: Delicious

The Mac Lovers among us must have loved Majora Carter's declaration in her keynote that the “USGBC is PC, Living Future is Apple.”  Not sure I agree with the exact analogy but I get what she means. Regrettably I didn’t get to the Cascadia Green Building Council’s Living Future Conference this year, but I learned this pearl second hand from Alistair Jackson, my colleague at O’Brien & Company. Alistair and Kelly Kirkland, also of O’Brien & Company did attend, and when asked to share their highlights came up with more than I can reasonably cover in a single blog…so I will summarize:

Impact: Majora Carter’s keynote focused on local strategies that solve big problems and pay back multiple times.  Her examples included working with the most expensive citizens in our community (the generationally impoverished and veterans of war) – and provide them with the skills to do environmental restoration, climate change adaption and energy retrofit work.  This “conversion” would reduce entitlement budgets, reduce municipal operating budgets and foster self-respect in these generally marginalized populations.  For planners, this amounts to risk reduction. She called it “Hometown Security” rather than Homeland Security. 

In the same vein, Kelly was encouraged by the increasing value place on the contribution construction trades can make to green building. Outside of the formal sessions, she “heard more than ever before about green building training for the construction trades. Some of this training is happening on the job site of projects in progress, and one project even set aside time to build a ‘practice’ building to help trades people learn by doing—so they could do better when it came time to build the real project.”

Connections: In her keynote, Margaret Wheatley encouraged the audience to focus not on “critical mass” but on “critical connections” with others. At most conferences that might seem daunting, but Kelly “found most attendees of LF11 fully present and engaged in looking for ways to advance green building. I met people building the most progressive Living Buildings on the planet, people engaging kids to improve their community, and people with a genuine passion for their work.” Before Kelly even arrived on site, she met presenter Jane Turville on the Amtrak bus ride up to (Vancouver, BC) Canada. Jane is the writer/director/producer of “The Greenest Building” an inspiring case for green renovations of existing (especially historic) buildings, with case studies from around the US. Check out the film’s web site to see some clips: http://www.thegreenestbuildingmovie.com.

The issue of connection was implicit in a presentation on “trust-based” contractual arrangements offered by Turner Construction. Apparently not all of the designers in the room were comfortable with the idea based on their comments, but Alistair appreciated Tony Toppenberg’s (Tony is a Cost Estimator at Turner) discussion of an integrated approach in which the three key parties  (owner, architect, and the builder) share the risk and reward of delivering (or failing to deliver) on project goals.   (More on this subject in a future blog!)

Re-Imagination:  In addition to the novel idea of trust-based contracts (!) Jason Twill (Senior Project Manager for Sustainability) of Vulcan Real Estate discussed how the Living Building Standard forces one to rethink both the ideal building design process and business model for multi-family buildings. In Seattle, at least, it turns out that 4-5 story mid-rise is the maximum for truly achieving Living Building.   While on-site energy is inevitably one of the limits to growth, it turns out that Net Zero water is the greater constraint.  Seattle-based research shows that relying on precipitation alone won’t get you to net zero water (even in Seattle!). That means relying on recycling grey and black water to some degree.  Working outward from this “natural” building constraint, one would need to review thinking about design (integrating the process) regulations (permitting water recycling), economics (valuing water recycling), leasing (moving to gross leases to allow capture of performance savings), and marketing (including building performance transparency and education). Only this, Jason?

For their “15 minutes of Brilliance” presentation, students from Jasper High School read their inspiring, opinion essays about the state of education.  Kelly’s favorite line: “education should be experimental (read experiential) with real consequences.”  Education, no matter the age of the learner, needs to do a better job of making connections between the way we behave and the consequences or impact of that behavior.  It seems obvious from the takeaways shared by Alistair and Kelly, that Living Future did a good job modeling that.

Alistair Jackson, LEED AP for Homes, CSBA is Principal and part owner of O’Brien & Company, and is responsible for the company’s residential technical services team (including the LEED for Homes providership). Kelly, LEED AP for O+M, CSBA is Project Associate for O’Brien & Company and the firm’s marketing and educational services coordinator. She presented at Living Future 2011, on Washington Green Schools, and has produced several green building curricula for construction trades.

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Sustainable Building Advisor Institute: Introducing the next generation of SBA education & service

 The name and look have changed, but the purpose remains substantially the same: to provide practicing professionals with the tools they need to make our built environment more sustainable. In December of 2010, the Sustainable Building Advisor Institute (SBAi) was launched, replacing the National Sustainable Building Advisors Program (NaSBAP) incorporated in 2004.

 In part, the new name better reflects the fact that there are several SBA providers outside of the U.S. It also signals an uptick in organizational development. After several years of incubation under the aegis of O’Brien & Company, the non-profit hired its first Executive Director, Dallas Jasper, a CSBA and marketing expert par excellence! It expanded its Board of Directors as well, with representatives from Alberta to California, from Pennsylvania to Washington.

For years, as the lead instructor for the Sustainable Building Advisor course at Seattle Central Community College and then at Olympic College here in the Northwest, and as the manager of NaSBAP, people would ask me to describe it. This is where Dallas’ messaging skills are quite apparent. On a newly launched website, a vision statement says it quite well:

The Sustainable Building Advisor Institute creates high value green building educational programs providing professionals with comprehensive, relevant curriculum in an environment where relationships develop and opportunities can emerge. Graduates are prepared to take a leadership role in the world of green building.

1250 professionals have graduated from the course, and since 2005, when the CSBA exam and credential were launched, more than 850 have earned the elite status of CSBA. It’s pretty clear that graduates take their leadership role seriously, given their reports back to SBAi: from testifying on behalf of green building policy, to managing sustainability programs in building, design, and planning firms, to developing green building programs in their communities and/or organizations, to creating citizens groups to advocate for sustainability.

Jasper’s goal to provide high value is also clear. In years past the BuildingGreen Suite has been available at discount to current students. Alumni now also qualify for the discount. In addition, graduates of the SBA Program are now eligible for $500 discounts on i-Sustain Study Missions to other countries, introducing decision makers from the Pacific Northwest to best practices, and to the experts responsible for their implementation. And this year will be the first time the organization will have a presence at GreenBuild.

You'll also begin to see topical educational products that build on the SBA course. This has been something alumni have been asking for since inception, symptomatic of satisfaction with their SBA education as well as the desire to stay in touch with other alumni. In the SBAi’s April newsletter, Tom Corcoran, a recent graduate, shares how he was “stunned to realize that the flow of learning in the SBA environment was bilateral,” referencing the wealth of background experience and skill-sets among the students as well as the teachers, who would use that base to build capacity further. The sense of community that occurs in the class because of this flow, and the course design, enhances both professional and personal growth, and is a benefit that nearly all graduates speak of when asked to participate in information sessions with prospective students.

And, as has been true for some time, the SBA course provides value in that it can help with other professional credentials, such as:

• The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has approved the SBA Program for core Continuing Education Learning Units.
• The Canadian Architect Associations including, AIBC, AAA, SAA, OAA have approved the SBA Program for Core Continuing Education Learning Units.
• The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI)’s approved Education Reviewing Body has approved the SBA Program for 100 GBCI CE Hours towards LEED Credential Maintenance.
• The SBA Program fulfills the LEED Green Associate exam eligibility criteria of an education program that addresses green building principles.
• The USGBC Education Provider Program has rated the SBA Program as a 400 Level Mastery Course.

As we all know, not all change is productive. From this vantage point, however, it is quite satisfying to see how the SBAi is continuing to strengthen its capacity to fulfill its mission effectively. If you are a community college or environmental educational organization wishing to bolster your green building education (or utilize green job workforce funding), this program may be just the ticket. If you are a practicing professional (including unemployed or underemployed), consider joining the very special corps of individuals who have completed this program and converted their learning experience into a leadership experience.

Article Posted by Kathleen O'Brien, CSBA, LEED AP, founder of O'Brien & Company, Inc. and Editor of Building Capacity Blog. She helped develop the curriculum used for SBA programs in nearly 30 locations around the country and was a co-founder of NaSBAP, a 501c3 nonprofit, and the antecedent of SBAi. Also see last week's post by Kelly Kirkland: "Do I need a green building credential?"

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CSBA Reports on Developing a Green Building Education Plan

Do I need a green building credential? Kelly Kirkland, Education Coordinator, responds.

LEED AP BD+C. CSBA. EBCP. SFP. CEM. Talk about an alphabet soup! With unemployment and underemployment still high, I’m frequently asked about professional credentials in the realm of green building. What do they mean? Which are best? Do I need to get one to stay competitive?

Why they Look Good

Even if the credential you are considering isn’t as widely recognized as LEED AP, professional credentials communicate an achievement and area of expertise. It’s not a bad thing to have to explain what it means—but only if you have a concise, impressive answer ready. (If your instructor or education provider can’t give that to you, go elsewhere for your credential!)

Entering the Green Job Market

As job seekers know (or eventually discover) people don’t land jobs just because of the letters   after  their name, or even where and what they’ve studied, the projects they’ve worked on, their professional reputation, or who they know—it’s a combination of all of those things.

If you’re looking to change careers into something related to green building, credentials can be an important way to get yourself up to speed in a new area that complements your existing skills and experience. They also add credibility and indicate you are serious about pursuing the line of work.

The credentials that introduce this article are relevant for specific areas of work. LEED AP BD+C stands for LEED Accredited Professional Building Design + Construction, and indicates experience and skill in new construction (primarily non-residential). Existing Building Commissioning Professional, Sustainable Facilities Professional, and Certified Energy Manager indicate knowledge as well as in-depth training or professional portfolio in the realm of existing building systems, though for different aspects.

With money flowing for green jobs, specialty credentials are proliferating, especially in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and green building topics. The key is to choose a credential that leads to work you’re interested in and qualified for, not just one that you think will sound good.

Speaking of money flowing, you may be able to get funding support, too. The Workforce   Development Council of Seattle-King County drew $10 million dollars to our area for job training.  Similar funding is likely available where you are to get trained, especially if a credential (such as a certificate or accreditation) is involved. Check out your local workforce development agency to connect you with programs and funding.

Moving On Up

If you’ve already got a job in the fields of building design, construction, engineering, real estate, facility management, a new credential can help you advance in your field or transition to a related field with greater ease.

As the Class Coordinator for the Sustainable Building Advisor program in Seattle, I’ve seen carpenters transition into resource conservation managers and architects become sustainability directors for engineering firms. I would never say that having the CSBA (Certified Sustainable Building Advisor) credential was the only reason they got their jobs, but they report back that it made the difference.

Final Thoughts

Some people resent the addition of credential maintenance to the LEED AP designation, but, for all of us working in this rapidly changing field, it’s important to keep learning or be left behind. (Check out Elizabeth Power’s recent blog post on how to maintain your LEED AP credential.) Even if the credential is a requirement for holding a job, it’s something that belongs to you that you can take with you.

If you do decide to pursue a certificate program, there are many online. However it may be a   better investment of your time to find a live program where, in addition to capturing content, you can network with other students and take advantage of their real-world experiences.

Kelly Kirkland, CSBA, LEED AP O+M coordinates educational consulting projects for O’Brien & Company, teaches LEED Operations & Maintenance (O+M) Study Sessions as well as Lite Bites, and is the Coordinator for the Sustainable Building Advisor program at the Seattle Central Community College. She recently completed designing and facilitating a four-day learning experience for the Washington Conservation Corps on sustainability with an emphasis on Low Impact Development.

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Relationships + Expertise = Successful Adoption of Hawaii- and Trade-Specific Green Building Curriculum. Interview with Karen Nakamura, CEO BIA-Hawaii

In partnership with the Building Industry Association (BIA) of Hawaii, O'Brien & Company has developed a green building training curriculum for the State. The content includes green building fundamentals for pre-apprentices and apprentices, green building practices for general contractors, and journey worker technical modules with in-depth information on trade-specific green building techniques. The final product is a set of flexible teaching materials including videos, activities and lesson plans that will be used by construction academies, colleges, unions and other trade and educational organizations to upskill incumbent workers and to prepare entry level workers for green building jobs. The project was funded through a grant from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations’ Employment Training Fund.

Editor: You invested a lot in this project in terms of staff time and energy…why was it so important to your organization? KAREN: The Building Industry Association of Hawaii has been representing the interests of the building industry and its associates for over 50 years. It’s become pretty apparent that when our economy recovers, builders who don’t offer green building services won’t be offering any services. For builders who doubt this, I take them by the hand at our “Remodel it Right, Remodel it Green” Show to see the long lines of people waiting to talk to companies that sell green products and services. The general public is aware and interested. Yet, I would estimate that 90 percent of our industry members do not know what it means to build green.

In addition, this isn’t just about getting business, it’s about providing quality construction. As it says in our mission statement, we take a leadership role to “enhance the quality of life for the people of Hawaii.” It is critically important that we get everyone educated. This lull in our economy is the perfect time for us to focus on making sure that contractors, and the trades who work for them, know what they are doing. When we were performing an initial needs assessment in preparation for applying for the Department of Labor Grant, we identified several situations where a more informed labor base would have avoided missed opportunities, or even significant mistakes. We found projects where the radiant barriers were being installed inside side out. Not good.

So this is about helping your BIA membership? Actually it’s about helping the entire industry to be better technically informed and about the benefit this means for our community. In addition to being offered through formal training programs, the materials are available on-line, free to anyone who wants them. We have nearly 300 contractor members, but there are 11,000 contractors in our State. This represents a tremendous opportunity to improve our industry’s ability to deliver high quality, cutting edge green buildings. Contractors, members or not, will be able to access the green building fundamentals overview, and follow that up with the General Contractors module.

You mention two of the modules: green building fundamentals and general contractors. What are the others? There are three others: Carpenters, Masons, and Operating Engineers & Laborers.

Can you share more about the formal training programs? Absolutely! Probably the most exciting outcome of this project is the fact that the materials are being enthusiastically integrated into existing programs. Frankly, I was worried about acceptance by the Construction Academies in our high school system – our primary pre-apprenticeship programs. It turned out I didn’t have to worry. When we piloted the Green Building Fundamentals materials at our local Construction Academy, they totally embraced it, and looked immediately for ways to incorporate green concepts into their hands-on projects. Now it’s been adopted by construction academy in high schools throughout the state. Community Colleges are also integrating the modules into their classes on campus. Unions are using them as part of their apprenticeship and continuing education programs.

 What explains this level of acceptance? First, we had the right people at the table, and we were able to do that because we have long time relationships upon which we built new ones. This doesn’t happen overnight. We have built a positive relationship with key labor groups over the last several years through producing effective worker training programs, and by inviting unions in to recruit apprentices from these programs.

In addition, several of our members who are already involved with and committed to green building programs were able to bring in additional union, apprenticeship, and pre-apprenticeship program participation, as well as support from suppliers, specialty contractors, and manufacturers. We were able to partner with the laborers, the masons, the carpenters unions, and with contractors signatory to the operating engineers union. This project took our influence to an entirely new level.

  Over 75 organizations (including businesses, trade organizations, educational institutions, and non-profits) participated in putting these materials together, through focus groups to help design them and content reviews to refine them, and by providing photos, illustrations, and narrators for the videos.

Having the right people collaborating, meant we had access to practical, local expertise. We like to say this program was “Made in Hawaii.” We also know when to ask for help. We couldn’t have done this without green building curriculum development experts like O’Brien & Company. (Editor: Thank you, Karen!). I’m serious, if we had collaboration and buy-in without that kind of expertise we would have nothing; if we had the expertise but no buy-in the result would be the same. You need both.

Karen Nakamura has been the Executive Director of the Building Industries Association--Hawaii for close to two decades and has successfully led a family-owned and multi-generational contracting business in Honolulu. In Hawaii, she is known as someone who "gets things done!" The Building Capacity Blog is edited by Kathleen O'Brien, Founder and President of O'Brien & Company, and long-time advocate for local green building programs, and for green job creation. She was featured in the film Green Building: Jobs for the Future.

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Workforce Training Tool Responds Directly to Industry Needs: Interview with Laurie Black, Director Workforce Initiatives

EDITOR: We enjoyed working with you on developing the "Sustainability in the Building and Construction Trades" course. Can you share with our readers how the course is being used? BLACK: The course was designed to introduce pre-apprentices and apprentices to green building concepts, terms and best practices. There are four recorded modules that can be used as is or used interactively. Quizzes test learning, and a certificate is available for those who complete the course successfully. Instructors are provided a guide to help them run the course.

We launched the course at the Pacific Northwest Apprenticeship Education Conference this past spring and we know it's being implemented in the field. We're getting a great response from the trainers using the course materials. In fact, it's now been adopted for use in the Building and Construction Trades Department's "Multi-Craft Core Curriculum" of the AFL-CIO.

Why do you think the course is working? A big part of the course's success is its genesis. We started with a 25-member green building industry panel in 2008-2009, chaired by David Allen of McKinstry and including many other design and construction professionals leading in the field of green building, as well as representation from educational, economic development, and workforce development groups. The panel's goal was to identify the highest workforce development priority; they felt strongly it was to integrate green building knowledge across sectors. They also felt it was important to target apprentices first because as these apprentices would move forward in their careers as journey workers and construction project managers they would bring that knowledge with them. The idea for the course emerged from this discussion. In addition, the course was built with the input of an advisory committee representing multiple trades and training programs. So the course was a direct response to the industry's need and was shaped with significant input from industry and industry trainers. Not only that, the narration was done by apprentices. This really appeals to trainers who want to offer something their trainees can relate to.

What's next on the agenda for your agency? The training you helped develop provides a foundation, intended to be used across trades and in any training program. It is not craft-specific by design. Now, through grant funding from the Department of Labor, we are contracting with Joint Apprenticeship Training Committees to deliver craft-specific training. We are also working with local community colleges to provide training for energy efficiency occupations in the built environment as well as training for more senior level positions, such as the commercial building energy auditing course that will be offered at South Seattle Community College.

What else? We have convened a Green Workforce Leadership Council, which includes employers from five green economy sectors: green building, energy production and distribution, manufacturing, transportation (both mass transit and fuel efficiency vehicles) and environmental remediation/protection. The goal of this council is to give us a cross-sector view of workforce needs as the green economy grows in our region. This council also commissioned a study to track all of the federal funds coming into the area, where it is going, and how many jobs have been created from that investment.

What challenges did you face in developing the Sustainability and the Building and Construction Trades? It was new territory for us. For one thing, we found that developing a video course (especially one that isn't boring!) is more involved than we thought. And making sure that all of the course elements went through proper review and met with the approval of the advisory group was of course, time-consuming. It was a great idea to use apprentices to narrate, but they needed a little extra coaching - the results were great though and the extra effort definitely was worth it.

From this vantage point, what key learnings can you offer someone in green building job development? First, an understanding that there are very few unique green building jobs. Mostly we are seeing existing jobs on projects that are pursuing energy efficiency. The skills for the green jobs in demand are largely the same. What is changing is the knowledge required -- knowledge about green materials, green products, and green processes. This knowledge needs to be integrated with existing job training programs. In fact, if you create resources outside those normal pathways, your trainees may not be able to access the jobs. Second, an understanding that there has been a significant lag between investments in training and investments in job creation. Estimates of green building job opportunities have been high, especially given the downturn in the economy. We've seen that in terms of weatherization and public building energy audits in particular. Policies and investments to create jobs are just coming on line now. It's important not to overpromise the opportunities, and to pace the training with them as they emerge and the economy recovers.

Laurie Black’s background combines over twenty years of executive experience in private industry and six years in non-profit workforce development, giving her an understanding of both the supply and demand sides of the workforce equation. Currently she is Director of Sector Initiatives for the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County (WDC) with a particular emphasis on green jobs training. The WDC is now leading or is a partner on three Department of Labor grants which bring over $10 million into the region for training in the building and construction trades as well as other occupations related to energy efficiency in the built environment.

Editor's Note: O'Brien & Company has also worked with Laurie on developing a job description and handbook for a "Sustainability Coordinator." DOL’s Bureau of Labor Statistics has just recognized positions related to sustainability, acknowledging that many companies are trying to "green" their operations and not all of them have the knowledge base to do so. Where there's a need, there's a job opportunity! This publication is for businesses and non-profits (especially small to mid-size organizations) that are not likely to have (or need) a senior level manager dedicated to sustainability, but would like to address operational issues in a more sustainable manner.  The publication will be available on the WDC and O’Brien websites and also available in a printed version from the WDC.

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Time to Deal with Your LEED AP Credential
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Economic Sustainability is all about Place: Interview with Ellen Miller-Wolfe, City of Kirkland

In 2007, O’Brien & Company was privileged to support you in the development of an Economic Sustainability Strategy for the City of Kirkland, located on Lake Washington in Western Washington. It was a pretty intensive effort, combining a somewhat traditional update of economic data with an assessment of sustainable economic development opportunities. Now that some time has passed, what were you hoping for, and did you achieve it?

MILLER-WOLFE: Primarily we were hoping to identify ways to develop and promote Kirkland as a green business destination – a place where people are applying the green concept to their products and services. Some of this was already going on, but the study showed that there were lots of ways businesses could be “greener” and enhance their business profile by doing so. We felt the green idea was a good match for our community culture – people are generally very supportive here of the environment and healthy, outdoor living. We also wanted our own community to understand that we actually have it all right here, that Kirkland isn’t just a place to come home to, but a place to visit, play, work, and live. A lot of very creative commercial activity is going on here, including a significant number of home businesses. We wanted to fill out Kirkland’s business profile more, with green businesses, and green jobs. And yes, I think the project was a very good starting point for this development. It gave us a map, so to speak.

 

I understand you’ve received calls from all over the country about the project..did you anticipate the level of interest your project received? Well, we knew that our approach to combine an economic assessment with a look at green business and green business practice was unusual. So we weren’t totally surprised that there were a number of communities watching this project as it went forward. We also participated in regional forums on green jobs and green business, including one with Governor Gregoire who spoke on green jobs legislation that had just passed. It was an exciting time, and a great time to be launching our green business effort. And you’re correct, we have fielded phone calls from communities interested in what we have done, from back East, as well as around here. I enjoy the mentoring role this project has placed us in. It’s very energizing.

Of project outcomes, which makes you feel most proud? One of the most significant points coming out of your study was the idea that sustainability is about place. It’s local. Your study recommended a buy local campaign and we’ve created Kirkland First. This is a web-based platform providing a local business directory; it also promotes awareness and participation in the City’s Green Business certification program. We could have posted all of our licensed businesses on the site but we didn’t want to dilute the effort, and we definitely didn’t want to offend a business that didn’t want to participate. So we work with our businesses to get their information on the site and ensure it is complete and correct.

That sounds like a challenge. It is. It’s probably taken a year to get to the point we feel this is ready to be promoted to consumers. We have roughly 400 businesses (of just over 3600 Kirkland businesses) now subscribing to the site. The other challenge is funding. We’d like to spin Kirkland First off to a private entity, but they need the capacity to keep it going. We’re working on it. There’s some interest in it going regional – but then that would defeat the premise of being local. We have been somewhat “non-conventional” in that we are interpreting local to include franchises that are located in Kirkland. Jobs are local.

But it’s worth it? Definitely. At one of the public information sessions we held for the project it became clear that people who live here had absolutely no idea that goods and services they were looking for were actually available here. The Kirkland First site is changing that. It’s saying “Look who’s here!” Not only that, many of our green, local businesses don’t know about each other, either. We recently had a business to business event on the first anniversary of setting up the Kirkland First website, and many of these local business owners met up for the first time. This kind of interaction strengthens the community. I mentioned earlier the high number of home-based businesses. And a surprising number – over 60% -- of the businesses located in Kirkland are here because the CEO lives in Kirkland. And these CEOs can become ambassadors for Kirkland, pulling more businesses and more jobs into our community. It’s back to the importance of place again. These individuals like the quality of life in Kirkland, so they live here and start their businesses here.

What else are you doing besides Kirkland First? We’ve been running a very popular seminar series for local businesses called “Weathering the Storm” – focused in part on how to get through this downturn by greening their businesses. We’ve brought in experts to talk about things businesses can do to save on operational costs, and how they can creatively finance these improvements.

The biggest commercial development in Kirkland currently is Park Place; this redevelopment and expansion in the City’s downtown commercial district is expected to provide an important economic boost for our community. What may be especially significant to your readers is the project’s goals to achieve LEED certification, as well as provide other public benefits, such as walkable connectivity with adjacent areas and attractive open spaces. We’ve been incentivizing green building with expedited review for LEED and Built Green certification projects as well as for projects using Low Impact Development techniques where they are not required. (We are in the process of expanding this benefit from just single-family permits to include multi-family and commercial projects.) Kirkland’s Green Building Program offers free green building consultations; we have 5 LEED AP’s on Staff, and the Program's Lead is a Certified Sustainable Building Advisor (CSBA) so we are able to provide quality technical information. We are also developing a Green Code for the City that should be completed by June 2011.

In addition we are working with a number of Cities in the region including the C-7 New Energy Partnership on issues such as climate change, electric vehicle technology, greening our fleets. Within the City, our interdepartmental green team has really evolved. Every department has sustainability initiatives going on.

Any plans to revisit or update the Strategy? Not at this point. Although this interview makes me think I should revisit your report to see what we haven’t yet applied.

Any advice for your peers who might be reading this? I’d suggest a similar approach. An assessment and strategic planning process that includes community dialogue is a great starting point. The analysis and process provided us with enough data to confidently act, as well as some directions to move in. It was also fairly comprehensive in its scope, so it tied together multiple City departments, which has benefited us as we’ve moved forward.

Ellen Miller-Wolfe is Economic Development Manager for the City of Kirkland. The interview was conducted by Kathleen O'Brien, Editor of Building Capacity Blog, and President of O'Brien & Company, sustainability consultant. The Economic Sustainability Accessment and Strategy was developed by O'Brien & Company with E.D. Hovee & Company, economic and development services consultant.

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Green Building Jobs in a Lousy Job Market:Where's the Opportunity? Kathleen O'Brien responds

With anything “green” being the buzz word du jour, it’s not easy figuring out what the real deal is. This seems particularly true with green jobs where the promise of employment (getting a job, keeping a job) can overwhelm common sense. In simplest terms, green jobs are those where you work for or own a company or organization that specializes in offering a green service or product. Their “mission” is green. In addition, green jobs are those where you provide a unique green service within a more conventional business or organizational setting. In the latter circumstance, for example, you might be the sustainability coordinator for a grocery store chain. The grocery store may sell organic and/or local food or other environmentally friendly products, but this is just part of what they do. Their “mission” is to sell groceries, green or not.

Most green building jobs fall into existing Department of Labor job categories. They require a familiar set of skills with some additions, as well as an expanded knowledge base. A good example would be a roofer that installs photovoltaic (solar electric) roofing shingles. Another example would be a plumber that installs dual flush toilets or indoor plumbing systems that allow you to reuse greywater, such as water that drains from the shower or clothes washer.

There are exceptions, such as the energy auditor or rater job titles that have emerged recently. These exceptions can require new skills and new knowledge.

In either case, retraining, or training is required to perform the job effectively. Due to stimulus funding there is money for developing green job training programs right now, as well as money to help the unemployed take these programs once developed. Educational institutions around the country have used this funding to take advantage of the growing interest in green building and to help those who want green building jobs to skill up so they can qualify for them. When holding an information session recently for green building education courses I’m involved with, I was, not surprisingly, asked the obvious – "Will I get a job if I take this course?"

Training does not create work where it isn’t, and there is no denying that the building industry is cool, if not frigid. Many in workforce development will agree that money for job creation has not been as forth coming as money for job training, although that's beginning to change. In Santa Barbara, for example, there is discussion of paid trade apprenticeships to green building contracting firms.

But in a rather bleak market, I do see opportunities in the green building arena: it is in upgrading existing buildings to reduce operational costs, in designing and building high end high performance projects that will future-proof against rising operational costs, and in long term planning of sustainable developments. And we can anticipate that more, and more stringent, environmental and building performance policies and codes will force the issue.

Getting a green job requires the same perseverance as a non-green job…but in a market where it’s hard to get ANY job, standing out is a good thing. That’s where training associated with a nationally recognized credential can help. This year, the nine-month Sustainable Building Advisor (SBA) Certificate Course will be offered at nearly 25 locations around North America (including six locations in Canada). This course, offered through the National Sustainable Building Advisor Program (NaSBAP) and in its 10th year, prepares students for a national exam to earn the CSBA credential. Graduates have been hired, promoted, and respected for completing the course and achieving this credential (a video showcasing successful graduates is available on the NaSBAP website).

The American Institute of Architects has approved the SBA course for 100 Learning Units, and the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) has approved the course for
LEED AP credential maintenance credits. It also fulfills the LEED Green Associate exam eligibility criteria of an education program that addresses green building principles.

In a lousy job market, sitting on your hands is NOT an option. If you are unemployed, or if your job is in jeopardy, think about up-skilling with green job training. And, if you are on unemployment, be sure to check with your local educational provider to see how you can apply for funding to cover training costs. Good luck and G'bless!

Kathleen O’Brien is Editor of Building Capacity Blog, Program Director of the non-profit National Sustainable Building Advisor Program, and Founder of O'Brien & Company, the oldest green building consultancy in the Northwest. O'Brien & Company also offers highly regarded study sessions to prepare for the USGBC LEED exams.

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Visionary Built Green Program: Santa Barbara's Gateway for Green Building. Interview with Executive Director Karin Perissinotto

Editor: O’Brien & Company has had the privilege of working with the Santa Barbara Contractors Association since 2004 to develop and provide strategic support for your Built Green certification program. Can you share with our readers what you were hoping to accomplish with Built Green? KARIN: Our vision when we began Built Green was to become a “gateway” for environmentally sound design, construction, and development practices in Santa Barbara and nearby communities. We feel strongly that we have achieved this vision. Over 100 projects have been certified in our program to date – mostly remodels, since our primary focus at first was in the City of Santa Barbara, which is pretty built out. With our expansion out into the County, we expect a big spike in certifications for new construction. Most of the 400 homes destroyed by the Montecito Fire are being reconstructed as Built Green.

In addition to getting green buildings on the ground, our program has been a magnet for individuals and organizations active in the green building scene or interested in being so. In addition to attracting more contractors, our membership has become more diverse, with designers, suppliers, and non-profits. We have solar companies, greywater and rainwater system suppliers, energy raters, green material suppliers on board now. As a result, we are a much better resource to the community, as well as to our members. And we’ve doubled our membership, so we are more stable, even in this economic downturn.

What are you especially proud of? Well, I’m proud that as an organization we recognized our role in creating the built environment (for good or bad) and decided to put our money where our mouth is. A few of us heard Ed Mazria speak on Architecture 2030 and we took the message back to our membership. We decided to be leaders in our community, rather than reactors.

One thing that is unique among green building program development is that your association kicked off the effort with a fairly large financial commitment from its own general fund. That’s unique? Well it just seemed like we should do it. Besides getting the connection between what we build and the impact on the environment, we felt we would be the best ones to identify how to do it better. We also understood that regulators were going to get involved. We wanted to be at the table for those discussions.

How do you think having Built Green has changed those discussions? In a couple of very important ways. First, we’ve been able to offer a voluntary option in the market that is credible. Builders know what can actually be built. Our Built Green Program is recognized and respected by local jurisdictions (our entire checklist is available on the City of Santa Barbara's website) and is actually being used by them to “spur” green building and raise the bar. We’re not very interested in just adhering to minimal green building codes. We want to do better. Second, we’ve been able to change the focus of green building in our area from a “boutique” high-end industry to something that’s deliverable and attainable for all. At the end of the day, if only a wealthy few can afford green building, we really haven’t solved the problem.

You use the word “credible” to describe your program. Critics of industry-based voluntary green building programs may question that. We get that. We are lucky in that we have a very dedicated and innovative leadership AND we have our eyes and ears open to possible green-washing. Builders tend (and need) to do what works, what's sellable, but green building practices and materials are evolving. What I thought was green five years ago isn’t really green today. We need a critical eye to determine if we are still delivering what people need. One of the ways we maintain that critical eye is by having a commitment to listening and learning from a broad base of people, both the green building skeptics and the environmentalists. Our Advisory Council helps us keep on track. We also work alongside organizations that we’ve noticed in other areas tend to compete with programs like ours. For example, we have a very close relationship with the California Central Coast Chapter (C4) of the U.S. Green Building Council Chapter. We're actually  invited to testify at the City's Council meetings on all things green building. This is a good thing.

Last year you were able to create your own Built Green Resource Center by remodeling a historic building. How did you manage that? It was a bit of magic, mixed with old-fashioned sweat. We were looking at having our own office, and fell into this opportunity to work with the Santa Barbara Trust for Preservation to remodel a building owned by the California State Park System (in the Santa Barbara Presidio). It was in pretty poor condition, and now it really is a “jewel” with green features. We were able to get permission to put solar on the roof – no small feat in Santa Barbara. Besides creating a legacy in the community, this project proves that green building isn’t just about brand new, modern buildings.

So surely the Resource Center is a big part of achieving your vision? Yes, the building is our gateway, serving as center of education, inspiration, and action. The building’s product exhibits and green features, along with the green building classes we’ve held there, contribute exponentially to the community’s awareness as well as to our industry’s knowledge base. We’ve hosted over 100 classes this past year; along with basic business-management programs, we’ve run classes on weatherization, the building envelope, greywater systems and the like. Students from local schools visit the Center and conduct learning projects. This past year we had a high school class crunching data for us on energy and water usage, and a middle school comparing CFLs vs. Incandescent energy consumption. It’s pretty exciting. One thing we’ve noticed too, with the downturn, is that having centralized resources and information helps businesses on a shoe-string. They don’t necessarily have the resources to do the research on green building materials themselves. So they can come and touch and sniff.

Meanwhile, green building organizations, such as C4 and the Architecture 2030 Committee use our classroom for meetings. This is very different. From being a contractor-centric organization, we have turned outward to become a community resource.

What's next on the agenda? We’d like to ramp up our educational program even further. We met with our Advisory Council this past July and one of things we identified in that meeting was the opportunity to do hands-on training and training in specific green building skills. We also looked at developing green job opportunities, so perhaps connecting skills-based training of un- or under-employed individuals to job placement with members.

Anything else? We also want to continue our work to raise the bar for green building standards, by working with our jurisdictions to avoid focusing on code minimums and keep the focus on incentivizing more rigorous practice. To do this we’re going to have to provide some cost-benefit numbers, so we’re looking at that, as well as providing exemplary examples. We proved that Built Green works on an historic remodel. We’d like to look at other applications – perhaps affordable housing.

What would you say to other groups hoping to do similar work? Get the right people in the room, not just the choir. You need to hear from all angles to be an effective community resource. Also, hire professionals that don’t just tell you what you already know or what they think you want to hear. A good consultant should provide a critical eye, sees both sides, and is not afraid to say how it is. Like you (laughing). (Editor's Note: Thanks!) The other thing is to actually take the time to celebrate your successes. Sometimes it’s hard to recognize when you’ve done something monumental, because you get caught up in getting it done. If you're like us, we're "doers." But we learned we had to get better at telling our story.

Karin Perissinotto is the Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Contractor's Association (SBCA), and the President of the Board of Directors for Built Green Santa Barbara, a 501(c)3 founded in 2004 by the SBCA. This interview was conducted by Kathleen O'Brien, Editor of the Building Capacity Blog and President and Founder of O'Brien & Company. Santa Barbara is one of over a dozen Built Green programs the firm has helped develop or provided assistance to.

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Welcome to Building Capacity at O'Brien & Company

Why “Building Capacity”? As part of launching this blog, I thought it might make sense to tell you why we’ve named it “Building Capacity.” Sustainability is a term of art for an idealized condition – in which we humans modulate our use of the earth’s resources, get to participate in a resilient green economy as a result, and share the benefits of doing so equitably. Every one of us here at O’Brien & Company is committed to using our expertise, intuition, and passion about green building and sustainable development to achieve this vision. And I know from my conversations with you over the years that this is your commitment too.

It’s a tough assignment in a world that naturally resists change (who doesn’t?), but one we can’t ignore. So how can we create conditions for effective movement towards this vision? One reason for resistance to change is the level of risk that that change represents. Building capacity reduces that risk by lessening the distance between here, and there. So, with this blog, I’ll be focused on providing an informative forum that helps us all build our capacity to do things better – really.

Forum implies an exchange of ideas. I’ll be posting interviews with folks we’ve worked with that highlight problems, solutions, and lessons learned we think are transferable to your projects. We invite you to comment, and to especially share your experience regarding similar issues. (Experience is another way to reduce risk because we actually know what we’re in for– but we don’t ALL have to fall in the ditch!)

Our consulting staff will also be responding to questions you submit. Keep in mind we’ll be on the lookout for questions that hone in on nitty-gritty and are likely to generate information that interests our broader reader base. And of course, blog users can comment on our answers too! So lots of dialogue is what I’m looking for, hoping to address the intriguing, the pragmatic, and the sometimes perplexing aspects of achieving a truly sustainable built environment. We’re never bored, and you shouldn’t be either! -- Kathleen O'Brien