 This newly formed consortium will continue VSBN's outstanding history of quality training and certification of residential and commercial building design, construction, and facility operations' professionals. In 2010, in line with the national emphasis on Green Job training, VSBN is offering Building Performance Institute (BPI) training and certification for residential energy auditors and contractors, and other training for the residential and commercial building industry. VSBN is also identifying a range of partners that will bring additional Green Building training opportunities into Virginia.
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Building Performance Institute Training. BPI Energy Analyst training events take place throughout the year. Contact us to be notified of future trainings carried out in collaboration with GBTC partners. The BPI Certification is a valuable business investment. Find out more about Building Performance Institute at www.bpi.org. |
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Other Training. Check the VSBN Calendar for additional types of training events. |
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Partners: Current partners include: NRCERT/CREATES, People, Inc., and Sustainable Design Consulting.
Partners can benefit from joining VSBN's Green Building Training Consortium through: 1) increased visibility for your training programs; 2) assistance with marketing your training programs throughout Virginia; and 3) logistical support in organizing and carrying out your training programs. |
Interested in a partnership with the Green Building Training Consortium? Contact VSBN at 703-486-2966 or email .
GBTC Partners
 Businesses and job seekers looking to get ahead in emerging green industries can do so with CREATES, an acronym for Construction, Retrofitting, and Energy-Efficiency Assessment Training and Employment System. CREATES is a regional energy training partnership program formulated out of a $3.8 million U.S. Department of Labor grant to teach workers the skills required in energy efficiency and renewable energy industries. With the benefit of federal funds, New River, Wytheville and Virginia Western Community Colleges will provide free* training for potential participants in a 21-county region throughout southwest Virginia. Additionally, an energy efficiency assessment training program has been established at the New River Center for Energy Research and Training in Christiansburg (NRCERT) that will contribute to training participants of the CREATES program.
In addition to FREE training, CREATES is also working to link newly trained graduates with local employers in the energy efficient building, construction and retrofit industries, as well as the energy efficiency assessment field — including residential, commercial and industrial sectors. With CREATES, businesses can positively impact their bottom line by enhancing the skills and job scope of their current staff or taking on new employees with state of the art "green" skill sets. More information can be found at www.createsprogram.org.
If you would like to find out more about how to obtain free certifications and training through this program, or hiring CREATES program graduates please contact:
Jackie Pontious, CREATES Employer Outreach Specialist
(540) 267-4737
Some of the trainings offered include:
- Lead safety for Renovation, Repair, and Painting
- Green Property Management
- Weatherization Fundamentals
- Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Rater
- Building Performance Institute Trainings:
- Building Analyst
- Building Envelope Professional
- Heating Professional
- Manufactured Housing
See the full listing of training classes here.
*Funding for training is provided for CREATES via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) through a U.S. Department of Labor "Energy Training Partnership" grant.
 People Inc. has established the Green Building Training Center in Abingdon, Virginia to provide a full range of training for Green careers in energy auditing and retrofitting for residents of the southwestern region of the state. People Incorporated is a private non-profit corporation chartered in 1964 as the Commonwealth of Virginia’s first Community Action Agency. People Incorporated provides opportunities for low-income people to improve their lives, their families and their communities.
Contact Nick Safay, LEED Green Assoc., CGP, Operations Manager, Green Building Center, to register for classes or for more information at 276-619-2254 or .
 Sustainable Design Consulting is a company with offices in Richmond, VA and Washington, DC that provides Green Building consulting and training. SDC has been approved by the American Institute of Architects as a Continuing Education Provider. This distinction will allow students of their trainings and presentations the opportunity to attend sessions and earn the required credits to maintain licensure. SDC will be offering General, Health/Safety/Welfare, and Sustainable Design CEUs. They are also an approved Education Provider through USGBC. They offer classes in both their Washington, DC and Richmond, VA training rooms, or at your workplace. SDC’s experienced training staff are all LEED Accredited Professionals, four of whom are also Green Advantage™-certified trainers.
SDC has provided a range of professional trainings on LEED, Green Advantage and customized green building design, construction, operations and maintenance topics to numerous audiences.
For our complete list of current training offerings, contact Leslie Philip, Training Coordinator at or 202-667-1620, ext 1210.
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