RuGBC Green Certification Program in cooperation with Triple Green Group
a comprehensive training and certification program to provide companies an ability to increase knowledge and expertise in sustainability among their employees and a recognition program to certify that the company’s specialists have the skill set to provide professional services in the sphere of sustainability
Introduction to Sustainability
In this workshop participants will be introduced to the definition and origin of the term “sustainability.” Through in-class activities we will discover the connections between sustainability and high-performance building design, construction and operations strategies. Interactive, highly participatory and designed to engage with the current issues and work of the participants, this workshop is ideal for representatives of the building sector with an interest in strengthening their knowledge and skills in the area of sustainability. Covering a broad range of topics, workshop attendees will leave with a solid understanding of how to incorporate sustainable concepts into their work; saving money, enhancing human health and asset value, and protecting the environment.
Energy Efficiency for Existing Buildings
In this workshop participants will engage with the fundamental and enhanced strategies for improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings and enhancing asset value. With a focus on the commercial building sector, participants will learn how to assess energy efficiency opportunities, identify appropriate technologies and strategies, and understand common roadblocks and strategies for success in upgrading existing building stock. This workshop is ideal for participants seeking a focused training on the improvement of operations, the reduction of energy costs, and the enhancement of occupant comfort as it relates to energy-consuming building systems.
Economics of Green
Critical to the success of any green building project in any phase is having a clear understanding of the costs and benefits associated with specific high-performance building strategies. This workshop provides an in-depth, hands-on, case-study based approach to the topic of the economics of green. Working with real cases, participants will assess various green building strategies for their economic, environmental and social impacts – the “Triple Bottom Line”. While considering current market conditions, legislative pressures and consumer demand, participants will engage with a variety of real-world green building economic issues. With a focus on translating each of these aspects of a green building into hard currency, attendees will leave with a solid understanding of how to assess the costs and benefits, return on investment and payback figures of green building design, construction and operations.
Green Standards - LEED, BREEAM, DGNB and OthersThere are an impressive collection of green building standards on the international market today including LEED, BREEAM and DGNB. With the choices on the market and the various pressures from consumers, end-users, corporate leadership and government, it can be unclear which rating system or collection of rating systems to choose for your building design, construction or operations project. This workshop will walk attendees through the basics of each program with a focus on the costs and benefits, the ease of project management, the fundamental requirements and the level of effort required to be successful. We will also review the other international standards on the market today and address the adoption and modification of green building rating systems by both the public and private sectors. Attendees of this workshop will assess the efficacy of these standards and leave with a fundamental understanding of their costs, benefits and market position.
Project Management for Sustainable Projects
This workshop will take attendees through best practices for managing sustainable projects. Attendees will have hands-on opportunities to work through common and unique project challenges including goal-setting, charrette facilitation, team selection, responsibility allocation, ongoing training and scheduling. During design, construction and operations phases the teams working on a sustainable project will benefit greatly from an integrative approach. This workshop will frame that integrative approach in a way that will be simple for attendees to take and apply to their own projects, regardless of the current phase. From project concept through hand-off and into operations, this workshop will provide attendees with the tools and strategies needed to successfully deliver a high-performance building project.
Sustainable InteriorsFrom lighting to indoor air quality to finish selection, this workshop will address the sustainable opportunities for interiors projects. With fast turn-around and limited scope, interior fit-out projects must act quickly and within tight budget constraints while providing the highest quality product possible. This workshop will provide attendees with the tools and framework necessary to provide that high quality product in the most sustainable, healthy manner possible. With a focus on fit-out choices designed to enhance energy efficiency, occupant health, occupant well-being and occupant productivity, this workshop will use hands-on exercises, real-world case studies and lessons learned to provide attendees with the knowledge and skills needed to deliver a sustainable interiors project.
Sustainable Residential
High performance homes, sustainable homes, green homes, passive homes and active homes are all similar ways of describing this workshop’s focus on supporting the health, the cost-savings and the performance aspects of residential construction; be it single-family, multi-family, mid-rise or high-rise residential projects. We will consider the strategies available in the residential sector from the perspectives of the developers, investors, builders, architects, project mangers, local government, residents and neighboring community members. We will also consider the costs and benefits and existing mandates and incentives from the public and private sectors and manufacturers. While reviewing sustainable strategies for residential projects, workshop attendees will take a sample home through an integrative process with a focus on providing the home-owner or occupant with the highest quality, best value end-product. Assessing common strategies and common road-blocks, attendees will leave the workshop with a solid understanding of how to deliver sustainable residential design, construction, operations and re-model to their marketplace.
Net Zero Buildings
Using net-zero energy and even net-zero water is considered a high level of achievement in the sustainable building marketplace. Creating as much or more energy than your building project uses and, as much or more clean water than your building project uses is a significant accomplishment. This workshop will take attendees through the techniques, challenges, failures and successes of buildings that have attempted to reach the goal of “net-zero.” These projects include both those have been certified by a green building rating system and those that have not. Workshop attendees will review case studies, participate in hands-on in-class exercises and leave the workshop with a solid understanding of the costs, benefits and market opportunity available for net-zero buildings.
Energy Modeling, Passports and Commissioning
Successfully conducting and applying the results of energy models, Energy Passports, the ENERGY STAR program and fundamental and enhanced commissioning are key skills in the sustainable building marketplace. This workshop provides an assessment of best practices and techniques for the selection, timing, execution and application of these energy-related activities. Workshop attendees will test-out the tools on case study projects, and review requirements for each skill set in its application to various building types and green building standards. Highly interactive and hands-on, this workshop will leave attendees with a solid understanding of the tools available on the market as well as the best practices, strategies, costs and benefits of their application to sustainable building design, construction and operations projects.
