The Workshops

WHO ARE THESE WORKSHOPS FOR?

• Construction professionals considering incorporating green building into their business practices. The workshop series will provide these professionals needed educational and training capabilities in green building, and will give them an opportunity to meet potential interested clients.

• General public interested in buying or designing a new home or addition that is energy efficient, optimizes the use of renewable energy, is healthier to live in, is more durable, and uses materials wisely. The general public attendees will have the opportunity to meet building professionals, who will be better able to provide them with a green home.

Green Building Fundamentals for Homes (full day or half day)

The course will be a valuable tool for builders, contractors, remodelers, designers, and home owners/buyers on learning the principles and strategies involved in green home design and construction. The course will provide numerous “tips” for home builders or home owners just getting started in “greening” their product or project by focusing on the five topic areas of green building. The course will be an indispensable educational source of thorough, unbiased information and will be an ideal complement to any green building program available in North Carolina. The half day course is introductory in nature and less Q & A. Attendees will learn the details of

Site considerations including solar access requirements
Energy efficiency, renewable energy and zero energy homes
Indoor environmental quality
Water conservation
Green materials

The book that is the basis of this course SBIC’s Green Building Guidelines©: Meeting the Demand for Low Energy may be purchased at workshop.

Green Building Implementation Strategies for Home (full day)

This course will go beyond the introduction of green building strategies. Building science principles will be integral to the presentation and the realities of design and construction will be discussed thoroughly.What you will learn:

Sealed crawl spaces
Advanced framing and other envelope opportunities
Moisture management
Thermal mass and decorative concrete
HVAC (system options, duct installation, air leakage concerns & ventilation methods) and radiant floor heating
Green materials
Operations & maintenance

Marketing for Green Buildings:
Communicating Value to Increase Sales (half day)

The course will focus on real-world strategies to help companies take advantage of the growing momentum toward building green. The course will include national and local case studies, an examination of current green marketing research, and resources for green marketing implementation. In addition, the instructors will facilitate a small-group breakout session in which participants will have the opportunity to create their own green marketing plan. What you will learn:

What is the definition of “Green” as it relates to the building industry?
What are the various factors that motivate buyers to choose “green?”
How can companies successfully integrate "green" into their current marketing strategy?
How can companies avoid the perception of "greenwashing" their green marketing execution?
What does the future of “green” look like and how can companies prepare now to maximize opportunities?

Solar Electricity for your Home or Business (half day)

Learn in a concise short session what you need to know for incorporating solar electricity into your next project. Understand how renewable energy fits into green building programs. Included will be ample time for Q&A. The instructors are both experienced installers of solar electric systems and experienced presenters. What you will learn:

Basics of solar PV design and electric generation
Solar resource sitting (orientation, solar access)
Introduction of photovoltaic systems for the three basic type of systems – off grid, battery back-up, green power only
Energy consumption analysis, sizing, design (aesthetic integration with building)
How to integrate PV power systems with emergency generators
How to connect PV systems to the grid
System Parts Batteries – Inverter - Controls
Installation – Roof supports - PV panel roof mounting - ground mount - Inverter - battery containers / storage units
Maintenance and servicing techniques
Green Power / Tax credits / costs / return on investment

Solar Hot Water for your Home or Business (half day)

This course will go beyond the basics to provide in-depth instruction on how to install a solar water heating system, and will cover specific topics such as: optimal orientation and roof slope, various system types, rough-in particulars, system performance, and financial incentives (federal and NC renewable energy tax credits). What you will learn:

Introduction to solar hot water systems
Orientation / solar access Different types of systems
Drain back – glycol – thermo-siphon - combination
System Parts
Flat panel / concentrating / batch / pool Tanks, controls, pumps, pv power
Installation options
Pre-heater standard system with radiant heat systems w/ on demand or boiler by pass for summer use
Installation methods / Completed Systems
Different roof mounts, getting collectors onto the roof, second floor with drain pan vs. crawl or basement installation, piping methods, wiring controls, installing controls on roof – costs related to different system choices and/or installations - Maintenance
Tax credits / costs / return on investment

Integrated Interior Design & Product Selection (half day)

Earn 4 AIA credits while learning about the latest sustainable interior products and materials. This half-day workshop will provide an overview of how to evaluate new green products and integrate green materials into your next construction project, while maximizing LEED points and providing the most value to your customers. What you will learn:

What are the latest green interior design products and industry/consumer trends in this rapidly growing field
How to integrate sustainable, high-quality alternatives to conventional building materials in your next project, whether it’s a single custom home or an entire environmentally conscious development
How can I optimize interior selections for LEED projects?
Learn which products can help you maximize healthy, sustainable interiors while delivering the most value to your customers

Residential Water Conservation and Native Landscaping (half day)

This course will teach effective water saving strategies that can be incorporated into your new home construction, or integrated as upfit solutions for existing homes. Outdoor water collection strategies give your home an edge with today's drought-conscious environment. An overview of strategies will be provided that can help you earn points towards green certification with Green Building programs. Pending Legislation affecting water use in new home construction will also be presented.

Greening the Design of Homes (full day)

A case study of completed projects will be presented. Whole building design approach will be emphasized. Green design theory and construction decisions meet reality. Experiential information from actual design projects and decision making from pricing to move-in will be shared with attendees. The design lab’s focus will be to have exercises working with development specifications and conventional home designs in order to develop solutions using green strategies in relation to site, and home design.

LEED Implementation Courses (length varies)

LEED implementation courses are designed around the needs of the sponsoring organization. Depending upon length topics can include the following:

An introduction and assessment of LEED knowledge base for needs of current and future projects in connection to implementation plans and a description of what involvement with a LEED policy (or project) will imply. This includes a discussion of priorities and description of LEED products: LEED-NC, LEED-EB, LEED-CS, LEED-CI, LEED-ND, LEED-H and others.
Challenge 2030: a commitment to a reduction of CO2 emissions, and a carbon neutral future
An introduction to Integrated Design Process – Charrettes – LEED online challenges and opportunities – Design and Construction Review Submittals
Metrics for evaluating the LEED process and results
A discussion of Life Cycle Assessment Tools: BEES 4.0, EcoCalculator, others.
Discuss LEED certification categories and strategies:

Site, (Stormwater management)
Water, (conservation, reuse)
Energy, (daylighting and energy analysis, renewable energy)
Materials, (selection, life cycle cost analysis)
IEQ, Innovation (air quality, ventilation, daylighting, views)

Daylighting and lighting integration – Energy goals
Relevant Case Studies discussion in conjunction with existing and future projects: renovations, utilities buildings, offices, core and shell, interiors

Charrette Facilitation (length varies)

Workshops are organized around breakout groups to provide in-depth focus on specific issues, including site, energy, materials, indoor air quality and water. We strive to find an effective balance between practical and ultimate design solutions and work with the entire group to outline specific action steps and implications.

Webinars (length varies)

GreenPros offers select courses via webinar. Our instructors host a moderated workshop session via the internet and phone.

Customized Courses

We can design courses tailored to your specific needs. Contact a GreenPros professional for details on custom workshops.