Vocational Education in Green Buildings

Guest Post by Meghana Joshi, MBA in Green
Edited by Ela Sharma

Green Buildings are designed by architects and engineers and constructed by general contractors. The project’s success depends heavily on the experience and expertise of the team executing it. However, a vast knowledge gap exists between the project architect, the contractor and subcontractors who get the job consummated in the end.

The construction industry represents 20% of the U.S. economy, comprising $1.27 trillion of our gross domestic product. With such large amounts of money and influence, the construction industry is inherently risk prone. Lack of knowledge negates the opportunity for architects, contractors or developers to take risk and propose Green Building ideas to their clients. LEED is relatively new. Subcontractors, who are closest to implementing a building project, have limited or no knowledge and experience about Green Building products, often leading to inappropriate material use and loss of LEED points.

Vocational education, rather than just certifications or Associate Degrees, can change the perception of the execution team. It will better equip them to deal with the real problems arising from Green Building Construction, rather than just the theory of how it would work.

Three questions arise when we think of job training for Green Buildings:
1. What are the special skills necessary to handle Green Building projects?
2. What are the new job opportunities and what would be the income range?
3. How do we train people for these jobs?

Key areas of education in Green Building Movement are:
1. Architecture with sustainability
2. Environmental studies
3. Resource management
4. Business management with emphasis in sustainability
5. Building science
6. Ecological design
7. Energy management
8. Water management
9. Renewable energy
10. Social finance

In my opinion, some of the success criteria for Green Building Movement are:
* Inclusion of courses and questions about Sustainable construction and design to Architectural and Engineering curriculum for architects and building engineers.
* Enforcing Green building standards such as Green Globe or LEED.
* Green building technology tests to licensed professional for re-licensure.
* Community education to sub-contractors and construction personnel to educate them about the Green materials and technologies.
* Setting up one stop Green Building knowledge resource center in Building and Planning Department of every city, and ensuring that this information is readily available to all the personnel involved in such a project.
* Introducing Green Building concepts and providing job orientation to high school students who are inclined towards a career in Architecture and/or Green Buildings.

To summarize, by making all appropriate information and knowledge readily available and accessible to the consumer, Green Buildings can reach the heights of Technology in the Financial Market.

References: USGBC; CNN Money