Green Education

If you are looking to further your education on green building, especially as it relates to green flooring, below are some of the places to help. Green education is the place to start when making eco–friendly choices and modifications for your home or business. Learn from some of the experts in the sustainable world and be on your way to making a difference. You don't have to be a flooring professional or even in the construction industry to enroll in green building education classes or programs. If you have an interest in green education, start your search below.

Green Education Programs and Resources

Green Building Certification Institute – GBCI

The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) was established with the support of the U.S. Green building Council. GBCI is a separate entity and administers the credentials for programs relating to green building.

While the U.S. Green Building Council oversees the LEED Rating System and offers education programs relating to LEED, GBCI administers the LEED Professional Accreditation Program. This includes development of the exam, registration and delivery. The GBCI is now developing a maintenance program for LEED AP credential holders. This maintenance program will ensure those holding credentials continue to maintain their knowledge and skills and adhere to the green building guidelines of the LEED Rating System.

www.gbci.org

Greenbuild365

The U.S. Green Building Council and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) now offer Greenbuild365, a year–round building portal where professionals can learn about green building. There is professional training for builders, real estate agents, contractors, architects, manufacturers and engineers who are interested in learning about green–friendly practices.

Resources available through Greenbuild365 include a course catalog, an Expo Media Library and Green Bytes (short videos, articles and podcasts). You can use these resources to learn about tried and true green practices through case studies and audio and visual presentations. LEED courses on green building can be obtained live online, in person with a LEED expert, or you can do the research yourself online at any time.

Greenbuild: www.greenbuild365.org/CourseCatalog.aspx

National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)

The NAHB hopes to conventionalize green building by offering educational training and awarding builders, home building associations and remodelers. If you're about to begin a green building project, refer to NAHB's Model Green Home Building Guidelines for help. These guidelines cover everything from water efficiency and operation, to indoor environmental quality and occupancy. You can download and print these guidelines directly from their website (www.nahbgreen.org).

The NAHB also has the ability to confer green certification to building projects through their Research Center. Certification is awarded to homes that meet or exceed sustainable home construction standards. When assessing a particular project, the NAHB looks at the 7 following criteria:

1. Water efficiency
2. Indoor Environmental Quality
3. Homeowner Education
4. Energy Efficiency
5. Site
6. Resource Efficiency
7. Global Impact

National Green Building Conference

Every year the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) holds a Green Building Conference that showcases the latest green technologies. The 2009 Green Building Conference will be held in Dallas, Texas and will give professionals a chance to learn more on green, network with other people in the industry, and share their practices as it relates to things like indoor air quality (IAQ), water conservation and energy efficiency.

State–Specific Organizations

You may have to do further research to see what the green building regulations are in your local area. California, for example, offers a Sustainable Building Education and Outreach program that provides training on minimizing construction waste and making more conscientious choices in regard to building materials. Iowa also has a green program (Center on Sustainable Communities) that educates and encourages consumers and building professionals to take a more sustainable building approach.

If you want to know what states are currently affiliated with the National Association of Home Builders, you can visit their site – www.nahb.org.