Photo Credit: US Army Corps of Engineers

A question for all you design professionals out there: When was the last time a project you designed was built exactly as shown on your drawings?

The answer, I imagine is “never.”

There’s a myth outside of the construction industry that the architectural team hands over a giant set of blueprints and specifications to the contractor and then a team of construction workers execute those plans with nary a glitch.  The misconception is that the construction team “just follows plans” when in fact there is a very entrenched but varying culture on construction sites that determines how workers behave and how projects gets built.

To improve the performance of our buildings, much higher levels of coordination is required between the construction, design and operations teams as well as among the trades working on the project.  To build green, it’s critical to get all of these individuals on the same page and change the culture of the job site to include sustainable work practices.

To help the construction industry teach the workforce about sustainability and green work practices, Urban Green Council developed GPRO, a national training program to teach the people who build, renovate and maintain buildings the principles of sustainability combined with trade-specific green construction knowledge.

We’d like to share an excerpt from Trades Going Green in  the January 2012 issue of GreenSource magazine. Bruce Buckley features GPRO prominently as he writes about the importance of training and collaboration when building sustainable buildings.

“Changing the culture is an important first step in training trade contractors to think green, says Steve Lehtonen, senior director of environmental education with the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO). “The most important thing to me is the psychology of what we’re doing,” says Lehtonen, who runs IAPMO’s Green Plumbers training program. “We want them to buy into green practices.”

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC) launched its Green Roof Professional (GRP) designation program to improve the delivery of green roofs. Jordan Richie, manager of education and accreditation at GRHC, says the program sees a mix of designers and contractors in roofing and landscaping. “We want to stress a collaborative design and installation approach to any green roof,”

Knowledge of green systems and techniques should be a skill set that all contractors have, not one reserved for accredited professionals, says Mike Callanan, executive director of the National Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (NJATC) of the National Electrical Contractors Association and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.“

The takeaway is that properly trained construction teams who understand green work practices and concepts will build better, higher-performing buildings.  As we bring GPRO nationwide, it is our goal to make all buildings be greener as workers become trained in green practices and behavioral norms change.

We are proud to announce that Urban Green Council has issued its 1,000^th GPRO Certificate!

In the 11 months since we launched our first public class, we have trained or are in the process of training over 1,700 candidates in five different construction modules.  We wanted you to hear from our Certificate Holders directly, so we invited a student from each GPRO module to tell us how GPRO has impacted the way they work.

Loretta Tapia, GPRO: FUND

NYC Cool Roofs Site Supervisor, Community Environmental Center, New York, NY

I look at buildings differently.  I better understand the relationships between building systems and their effect on the environment. My job involves painting cool roofs and concentrates on the urban heat island effect, reducing carbon emissions and air pollution while increasing energy efficiency within the building.  We are still learning the effects of cooling roofs and how they prolong the life of vents and machinery on the roof.  I often have in depth conversations with building supers, while inspecting their roofs, which include benchmarking, lighting efficiency, weatherizing, and updating boilers and air conditioners. GPRO has given me a good foundation to build upon in understanding how important it is to do this work and continue to learn and educate others about sustainability.

Ty Stranger-Thorson, GPRO: CM

Area Manager, The Garland Company, Magnolia, TX

The actual way I work has not changed much, but the hard hat stickers and my GPRO credential listed on my LinkedIn page have both raised some questions from colleagues and clients alike regarding my GPRO certificate. This has started dialogue regarding green construction and practice, from the designers to the installers.

The more we are able to spread the word about these types of programs the easier it will be to have our buildings constructed by workers that understand and implement green building practices.

Isaiah Matos, GPRO: O&M

Assistant Resident Manager, Douglas Elliman, New York, NY

The GPRO courses changed various aspects of my life, both professionally and personally. GPRO illuminated a new way of thinking when performing at work on a daily basis. Simple things from the types of products that I purchase for the buildings to the way I manage construction and renovations have all changed. GPRO introduced me to integrated design and thinking, so making simple decisions like changing lamps may have inverse cost effects on the HVAC system, which is something I never considered before. Water conservation can reduce energy use by simply not having to heat and transport as much water as before the reduction. The integrated systems approach has changed the way I make every decision.

GPRO also introduced me to the USGBC and the LEED rating system. The influence of some of the lecturers inspired me to move further into the green building industry and pursue LEED accreditation. As of now I am a LEED Green Associate and I am studying for my LEED AP in Building Operations & Maintenance, which I hope to have before new year 2012.

Bob Hattier, GPRO: EL

NABCEP Certified PV Installer, IBEW Local 134 Chicago, Chicago, IL

GPRO addresses the disconnect that has long plagued green building.  Now with trade level certification there can be a true integrated design and construction process.  In my work I have a new understanding of the other trades’ approaches and strategies used in efficient building, and it fosters communication between us. I look forward to the day when many more are trained and green building is the norm.

Carl Gambino, GPRO: PL

Journeyman Plumber & Instructor, U.A. Local 1 NYC Plumbers Union

The day after the Fundamentals class, when I went back to my job at Tower 1 at the World Trade Center (the project is working towards LEED Gold certification), I looked around and was able to understand so much more about what was being built and why I was being asked to change the way we worked. I also noticed how other trades were contributing to the green building design.

Interested in taking a GPRO course? Our delivery partners in Upstate NY and LaGuardia Community College are both holding public sessions this winter.

On November 14th, 2011, the NYC Department of Buildings launched phase two of the Sustainable Contractor Designation Program to include NYC licensed plumbers and electricians, in addition to General Contractors for 1-, 2- and 3-family homes.  This initiative identifies trade licensees who demonstrate knowledge in sustainable practices through third-party certifications and agree to promote the use of green technologies to their customers. Those licensees that the Department identifies as sustainable will have an icon in the shape of a green leaf displayed next to their names in the Department’s Buildings Information  System (BISWeb). Learn more about this program here.

This is great news for GPRO! In addition to GPRO: Construction Management, now GPRO: Plumbing and GPRO: Electrical Systems have been named as one of the acceptable credentials for the Sustainable Contractor Designation Program.

GPRO: Green Professional Building Skills Training is a series of courses and certificate exams that teach the people who build, renovate, and maintain buildings the principles of sustainability combined with trade-specific green construction knowledge.

Related posts on GPRO

Ellen is the Director of Construction Education at Urban Green Council, and runs GPRO: Green Professional Building Skills Training. GPRO is a series of courses and certificate exams that teach the people who build, renovate, and maintain buildings the principles of sustainability combined with trade-specific green construction knowledge.

Here at Urban Green Council we LOVE data!  At Greenbuild last month Harvey Bernstein, VP of Industry Insights and Alliances at McGraw-Hill Construction, released a new study on the Workforce and Green Jobs.

The upshot is that in construction, green jobs are growing at a faster rate than non-green jobs. Green training is considered valuable to contractors, trades and A/E professionals and is becoming more widespread throughout the industry.

How big is this industry anyway? Globally, construction in 2011 is projected to be a $7.2 trillion industry, representing 11% of global GDP. In 2020 this is expected to rise to $12 trillion (13.2% global GDP), mostly in emerging countries.  Projections for the next 9 years are for growth in single family homes and commercial construction but flat for institutional projects.  As we all know too well, construction and design jobs in the U.S. have been generally declining since 2008, but the good news is that green construction has been rising as a segment of the market.  This year, green jobs make up more than 1/3 of jobs in the A/E and contractor communities.

Is there a shortage of green-qualified construction workers? 69% of AEC firms expect work force shortages of qualified construction workers during the next decade.  The MH survey tried to determine the reasons why.  Major reasons cited are:

• Lack of interest in the construction industry among high school students because its perceived as not being high-tech enough
• Retirement of senior staff
• People leaving the workforce during the downturn and concern that they won’t return
• Licensed trades (MEPS) expect the worst shortages.  Contractors expect shortages in carpentry, millwork, electricians, concrete/cement workers, HVAC workers and boilermakers

What does green really mean?: The survey asked what “green” meant to each individual.  Top responses included: energy use reduction, reduction of use of natural resources, and installation of renewable energy (this response was higher for trades).

Is specialty knowledge valued? Formal training is prized by the trades and by decision makers.  80% of trades surveyed said that unions and associations were highly valued sources of training for trades.  Happily we seem to be moving towards higher levels of teamwork in the industry – the survey reported that General Contractors are looking to improve their collaboration skills and value employees who are proficient with technology and have good people management skills.  From the perspective of A/E firms, GC’s and subcontractors, certified employees help them win projects and increase competitiveness across the board.

What are the benefits of green training as seen by those in the industry?

• More job opportunities: Training is key to getting and maintaining better jobs. 30% of green job workers said they needed major training when they started, and most reported that formal education and training programs will continue to be needed. 71% of hiring decision-makers believe that having green skills increases an individual’s competitiveness

• Higher compensation:
  • 58% of the entire survey estimated a 4% higher salary for green skilled workers;
  • 38% of trade contractors said they valued green skills at 7% or higher salary;
  • 14% of AE firms said they valued green skills at a 10% or higher salary

• More job security and opportunities for advancement. Trades (carpenters, HVAC/boilermakers, electricians, concrete/cement masons and plumbers) are expected to see the greatest growth in green jobs. The survey found 15% of trade jobs today are considered green jobs, and this is expected to increase to 25% in three years.

• Outside sources of training are surpassing on-the-job training for green skills.  The number of people who responded that they can get training on the job was lower as compared to those who stated a need for outside sources of training as more specialization and technology takes effect – this response rate was similar for trades and AE professionals.

How many green jobs are out there? One oddity of this survey is how it defined “green jobs”:  Green construction or installation job in building construction involving installation of a uniquely green system or requiring different skills to meet green goals.  This definition does NOT include administrative or non-construction professions such as manufacturing or producing green products.   Hmm…and I thought I had a green job.

• Of the design professionals surveyed:  there was a steep increase in those that stated that more than 50% of their projects are green.  The rate of increase is less steep for GC’s but still climbing.
• Of the responses from the unemployed (mostly architects): 17% are seeking an exclusively green job, 60% are seeking a green job and 31% said they were not as interested in non-green jobs.

Photo credit: Linh Do

Brian Wennersten, LEED BD+C, O+M, GPRO:CM is an Instructor and Principal of SKYed Eco Education & Consulting, and a certified GPRO Instructor. The following is derived from an interview with Anthony Brower, LEED AP BD+C, ID+C, Sustainable Design Director at Gensler.

GPRO continues to expand its reach in teaching green building practices to those working in the construction field with its recent release of GPRO Electrical Systems course.

Local Union 3, I.B.E.W NYC, longstanding supporters of GPRO, will continue their commitment to green building practices by teaching GPRO Electrical Systems and Operations & Maintenance Essentials to their apprentices and journeymen this fall. Topics will include: fundamentals of green building and sustainability in electrical systems, lighting, heating and cooling, renewable energy, green job management and other work practices that will assure high building performance.

The electricians union will also soon begin construction on their new Electrical Industry Training Center (EITC) building in Long Island City, which is aiming for LEED certification.  The space will provide an innovative and technologically advanced learning environment for union members to continue their professional development. In addition to GPRO courses, Local 3 will offer hands-on training for solar and wind power at their custom designed training installation on the roof of the new building.

Local 3 electricians joined in the integrated design process with the architects at Gensler which enabled the team to provide a more holistic approach to the project.  We had the opportunity to speak with Anthony Brower, Sustainable Design Director at Gensler.  Mr. Brower said that from an electrician’s perspective, reducing energy consumption was at the forefront in the design of the building.  He noted that the training center will allow end users to learn about the latest technology in Advanced Lighting Control systems as well as benefitting from improved indoor environmental quality.   With all of these energy efficient features, GPRO students will not only be able to learn in an amazing setting, but they will be taught by example from how the building was designed and constructed while continuing to meet the increased demands to train electrical professions in energy efficient technologies.

Good News!  GPRO: Construction Management has been named as one of the acceptable credentials for the NYC Department of Buildings’ new Sustainable Contractor Designation Program.  Later this year, more GPRO courses will be listed as the program is expanded to include more professions. Notably, consumers will be able to search the DOB database to determine if the contractor they are considering hiring has the credentials to build green. Here’s details from the DOB:

On July 19^th, New York City Department of Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri launched the new Sustainable Contractor Designation Program.  This initiative recognizes those individuals with expertise in environmentally friendly construction who are working to meet today’s increased demand for new, green technologies and reduce the City’s carbon footprint. The program identifies contractors who demonstrate knowledge in sustainable practices through third-party certifications/credentials.

Contractors who choose to participate in the program agree to promote the use of green technologies to their customers and report these projects to the DOB. Additionally, the program allows consumers to search for and identify contractors with expertise in green practices.  Those licensees who the DOB indentifies as sustainable will have an icon in the shape of a green leaf displayed next to their names in the Department’s Buildings Information System (BISWeb).

Currently, only general contractors for 1-, 2- and 3-family homes can participate in the program. Later this year, the program will be expanded to allow master plumbers and electricians to participate.

The DOB has identified a list of acceptable credentials that will qualify a General Contractor for this designation.  These credentials include GPRO Construction Management Certificate, LEED-AP (Homes or Interior Design and Construction), Certified Passive House Consultant, BPI Certified Professional, Energy Star Home Builder and several others.

Brian Wennersten, LEED AP+, GPRO:CM is an Instructor and Principal of SKYed Eco Education & Consulting, and a certified GPRO Instructor. Tom Chartier, a 32BJ 1,000 Green Supers instructor, was interviewed for this story.

New York City’s building service workers have been incorporating green building and maintenance practices into residential and commercial building projects, area theaters and stadiums since at least 2005.  It was then that the joint labor-management Thomas Shortman Training Fund secured funds to incorporate these practices into their curriculum.  The fund was originally created to provide continuing education for building service professionals who are members of SEIU Local 32BJ, the largest property services workers union in the country.  In 2009, the program evolved into the 1,000 Green Supers.  The goal?  Train 1,000 superintendents in one year and further their positive environmental impact on New York City buildings.

During the development stage, Urban Green Council worked closely with 32BJ to incorporate their GPRO certificate program into the 1,000 Supers curriculum.  Earlier this year, GPRO’s Fundamentals of Building Green and Operations and Maintenance Essentials courses were adopted as key components of the 40-hour training.  By participating in the courses and passing a multiple-choice exam, students earn the GPRO: O&M certificate.  “Having incorporated GPRO into the 1,000 Supers curriculum, our students now leave with two credentials in lieu of the one BPI certification originally included. Also, the 1,000 Supers original focus was mainly on NYC issues; by incorporating GPRO, the bigger picture of climate change has been expanded upon,” said Tom Chartier, 32BJ 1,000 Supers Instructor.

In January 2010, the U.S. Labor Department granted almost $3 million to 32BJ’s Thomas Shortman Fund through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.  The renewed funding has expanded classroom training to reach an additional 1,000 supers enrolled in the program.  This past May, hundreds of NYC superintendents celebrated at their graduation with keynote speaker Steven Chu, U.S. Secretary of Energy. This first wave of graduates is only the beginning of 1,000 Green Supers’ success story.

Continue Reading

Deb Kleinman is the Executive Director of the USGBC Colorado Chapter, which is one of the first GPRO Delivery Partners outside of New York City. Deb talks to Urban Green Council ED Russell Unger about the genesis and potential impact of GPRO:

Deb Kleinman: How did GPRO come to be?

Russell Unger: A few years back, when we scanned green building education, we saw a glaring lack of attention to the people who actually construct and operate buildings. The green building movement didn’t seem to be thinking past getting developers on board and having architects and engineers design green buildings. We reached out to the Building Trades Employers’ Association and the Building Construction Trades Council, the umbrella organizations representing contractors and trades here in New York, and after a few months of discussion GPRO was conceived.

DK: Why is GPRO so important?

RU: To create higher-performing buildings, the teams that build them need to adjust to the cultural shifts taking place in the construction industry.  This evolution towards green building requires not only that technology and building systems be well-integrated, but also that construction teams work more closely with each other than in a conventional job.  Construction roles are changing and GPRO will help workers navigate this transformation.  For example, in green buildings contractors are now regularly being asked for their input during the design phase, building operators are now considered an extension of the construction team, and the various building trades on green sites are more aware of what the other trades are doing.   GPRO is a critical step towards making all buildings in this country greener.

Continue Reading

Patrick Gallagher is Vice President of Estimating at BP Mechanical Corporation

A little over a year ago, The Subcontractors Trade Association (STA), formed the Green Building Committee, which I chair. The Committee’s mission is to promote sustainability in the construction industry and to educate and support the STA membership in understanding the benefits and implementation of green building practices.

We believe that what subcontractors need most is education on what sustainability actually means, and their role on a green job.

In early committee meetings it was always stressed that we should help subcontractors understand how to execute green practices and why these practices are important. We also think it’s critical to educate ourselves about the impact our industry has on the environment.

“We all agreed that the only way green building practices will grow into common building practices is to develop a passion for what we do. By limiting the impact construction has on the planet, we will maintain a livable economy for future generations of builders, and a sustainable environment for our children and our children’s children.“

We have been fortunate over the last year to work with Urban Green Council in launching GPRO.

The course that’s most relevant to STA members is GPRO: Construction Management, which is designed for experienced CMs, GCs, site superintendents, project managers, projects engineers/clerks, facilities managers, commissioning agents, and others involved in the construction process.

My own firm, BP Mechanical, was one of the first organizations to test the program. We offered Construction Management along with the prerequisite, Fundamentals of Building Green, and I must confess I was quite nervous on how it would go over—but it was fantastic!

A class of 18 project managers, supers and estimators were engaged and excited to share their experiences with green building and learn what more they can do on green jobs. I strongly recommend that all subcontractors bring GPRO to their companies.