Green Building and Your Career

• By: admin
• On: 03/17/2010 10:08:00
• In: Emerging Professionals Practice Group
• Comments: 0

• What options are there for having a green impact in the industry
• Green building education options / career options
• Sandra Leibowitz Earley
  • Graduate and undergraduate architectural study in school
  • Focused on green since 1992
  • Environmentalist at heart
  • Struggle with how to justify career with environmental interests during school
  • Architecture is often left out of environmental careers
  • Wrote the book – Ecological design and building schools
  • Very interested in prof development opportunities before / during / and near end of careers
• Green Building Careers Survey
  • Done be the Environmental Career center based in Hampton VA
  • Focused on green careers in green building along with many other types of industries
  • Did survey in 2004 in partnership with USGBC – featured at Green Build conference
  • General concepts still relevant
  • Will LEED AP opportunities increase?
    • 50% of Mosley Architects in 2008 were LEED AP’s
    • Most of staff in now a LEED AP in 2010
    • LEED establishes excellence and professionalism for clients
    • As more people become aware of env careers, the demand increases
  • Green Careers Journal – Nov/Dec 2009 issues has a feature on green building careers
    • Has a job board on their website
  • What kind of work do you do in the green industry
    • LEED tracking, credits, consulting
    • Material research
    • Engineering
• Commissioning
• Energy modeling
  • What kind of degree prepares you for a career in green building industry
    • Architecture
    • Construction management
    • More and more educational programs are focused on training those that implement the technologies
    • Mechanical engineer
    • Environmental Science
    • Building science – not many program specific to this, but is a growing field
    • Environmental engineer
  • What are desired skills, knowledge and abilities
    • Knowledge of LEED
    • Integrated design
    • Knowledge of green building products and materials
    • Construction experience
    • Energy modeling – may be one of the most important today
  • What are some personal attributes
    • Willingness to learn new skills and be flexible
    • Integrated thinking (across disciplines)
    • Attention to detail
  • What is some advice from the field looking for a green career
    • Pursue green related courses and degrees
    • Professional development
    • Get construction experience – hands on construction experience
    • Start your career with a green employer – firm focused on green
    • Volunteer for a group focused on green
    • Research green building materials – become a green expert
      • Very few people have expertise in this area
      • Understand terminology and how to reference the materials
  • What should colleges do
    • Teach integrated design
      • Design with various disciplines are working together
    • Offer LEED training
    • Hire green faculty
    • Offer sustainability related classes
    • Arrange internships
    • Encourage hands on experience
  • Recent advances in Green Education
    • Architectural education is focused on sustainable design in many schools
    • Solar decathlon
      • Great event every two years in DC
    • SEDE was launched in 2002, led by Cal-Poly, looking at how to create a 5 year sustainable design education program
    • Metropolis Magazine publishes a survey on green design schools and gives rating
    • Emerging green builders group launched in 2003
    • AIA COTE grant program started in 2005 for Ecological Literacy
    • USGBC Education Committee Restructured in 2006
      • Steering committee that reports directly to USGBC board of directors
        • Governs the core curriculum committees
        • Sponsor grant programs for green building research
        • Developed the K-18 approach to education
        • Worked with architectural programs directly
      • Professional development committee
        • Development and support of educational initiatives for professionals
        • USGBC Education Provider program launched in 2007
          • Clearing house for sustainable courses
          • Multiple levels in the depth of the courses
    • So how does all this help my career?
      • Expands your depth and breadth of marketable skills and knowledge
      • Networking expands options
    • Career options
      • Sustainable coordinator for universities
      • Design consultants
      • Sustainability metrics manager (analysis tools)
      • Energy engineer
      • Project architect
      • Energy conservation project manager for college / cities
      • Construction project manager
      • LEED Coordinator
• Summary
  • Environmental field
  • Green demand is growing everyday
  • CDT and CCS certification is important for those working within the industry focused on specifications