Tacoma Community College in partnership with the National Sustainable Building Advisor Program (NaSBAP) will offer the first Green Building Program in Pierce County and the sixth program of its kind in the State of Washington. This nine-month training certificate is designed for working professionals eager to apply sustainable concepts to buildings through design, development and construction. Program begins Sept. 22 on TCC’s Tacoma Campus.
Courses in the Green Building Program will be taught by professional builders and architects. Those who enroll can expect an intensive program with hands-on learning through guest speakers, team projects, visits to sustainable buildings, and access to the latest in green building resources. An online component will enable virtual communication among students.
To accommodate professional schedules, the Green Building Program will meet two full days each month (Friday and Saturday). Program costs approximately $2,000 and includes the NaSBAP certification exam fee.
Professionals from the following fields may benefit from this program: architecture and planning firms, engineering companies, developers and contractors, government agencies, research institutions, resource conservation organizations, utilities and environmental consulting.
Individuals who complete the program are eligible to take the NaSBAP certification exam and earn the designation CSBA (Certified Sustainable Building Advisor). Those who finish will also receive the knowledge and tools to accomplish the following: identify and articulate key sustainable building practices and goals; analyze the costs and benefits of implementation; work on projects with designers, architects, builders, operators and utility mangers; apply LEED, Built Green and other relevant criteria and established guidelines to projects; and be in a career field that is rapidly growing.
The NaSBAP is a nonprofit corporation, founded in the state of Washington. It is a natural outgrowth of a successful program offered to working professionals in the Northwest by Seattle City Light and Seattle Central Community College since 1999.