Introduction to Sustainable Homes & Careers

| Offered in-person via training program partners | NO COST for program participants

Learn about approaches to high performance construction and careers pathways into the residential sector

Overview

To meet current and future demand, the construction industry workforce will need to be more diverse, skilled, and younger than ever before. Sustainable practices create greater interest among those looking to enter the industry, and those who gain knowledge of energy efficient practices and a green credential are more attractive and valuable to future employers.

Earth Advantage (with support from the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) and Energy Trust of Oregon) works with our community-based partners to deliver customized training and a certificate of knowledge to prepare tradespersons for beginning a career in sustainable home building. We provide flexible training options to support a wide range of program types (youth training, pre-apprenticeship, higher education, and professional development) and delivery methods (in-person, virtual, on-demand) and work with our partners to shape the curriculum to suit the needs and priorities of an individual program. Our goals are to support our partner organizations and enhance their excellent training programs to ensure these new tradespersons have an understanding of high performance building approaches and career pathways in residential construction.

The 2-day training consists of the following training modules that introduce students to green building market activity, principles, approaches, trades, and career pathways:

Sustainable Building Trends & Trajectory
Careers in the Residential Building Trades
- Career Pathways, Relevant Credentials & Trainings
Building Science & High Performance Envelopes
Site Visit to a Certified Energy Efficient Building Project
Introduction to Home Retrofit & Weatherization
Introduction to Energy Assessments & Scores

Hands-on activities involve performing blower door testing, utilizing infrared cameras, reviewing plan sets, and assembling high performance wall mockups. On-site elements include performing a site visit to an under-construction energy-efficient certified housing project that provides Q&A opportunities with the construction team and instructor.

Recommended Audience

Students / New Workers

Continuing Education

Flexible based on partner program structure. No professional CEs available.

Trainers

Learning Objectives

Attendees will:

Learn about what energy efficiency in construction means and why it is important in today's building industry
Understand the common problems found in standard construction
Explore high performance building approaches and technologies used in both new construction and home retrofits
Benefit from a foundational understanding of building science
See building science principles put into practice first-hand during on-site project tour
Gain the info and resources necessary to explore trades and job opportunities in residential construction
Obtain EA's 'Green Building Trainee' credential to highlight their advanced training to prospective employers

Trainees that complete our 2-day Introduction to Sustainable Homes & Careers and complete the certificate of knowledge packet will earn our ‘Green Building Trainee’ certificate of knowledge. The credential provides a certificate of completion, logos and a listing in our registry of designated professionals that can be included in a job seeker's portfolio and provided to prospective employers. Participants, partners and employers have all found value in a professional accreditation provided by Earth Advantage, a trusted third-party certification program.

Interested in integrating our training into your workforce program? Contact us