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On the road to Greenbuild 2017 in Boston, we take stock of the contributions that green buildings and associated sustainable markets have had in driving economic growth—and look toward the careers that will continue to drive marketplace transformation.

Green construction is projected to account for more than 3.3 million U.S. jobs and to generate $190.3 billion in labor earnings between 2015 and 2018, according to the 2015 Green Building Economic Impact Study.

We know that architects, building engineers and contractors play a huge role in ensuring sustainability, but there are many other roles that make a difference in achieving environmental, economic and social progress. Here are some of the top green jobs that are expected to grow in the next seven years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

1. Wind turbine service technician

Projected growth: 108 percent

Wind turbine technicians work on all aspects of the wind system, including turbines, controls and ancillary support equipment. They are expected to climb towers and platforms at least 85 feet high. They install, inspect, diagnose and repair turbines and components and review related manuals, blueprints and schematic diagrams to maintain a highly automated system.

Example job titles: wind energy mechanic, wind turbine mechanic, wind turbine technician.

2. Solar photovoltaic installer

Projected growth: 24.3 percent

Solar photovoltaic installers assemble, install or maintain solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on roofs or other structures in compliance with site assessment and schematics. Their responsibilities include assessing the environment and mitigating any hazards associated with installation, along with sealing the systems against weather. This often includes electrical work and testing.

Example job titles: solar technician, PV testing technician, solar energy technician, solar field service technician.

3. Environmental engineer

Projected growth: 12.4 percent

Environmental engineers are involved in efforts to improve recycling, waste disposal, public health and water and air pollution control. They also address global issues, such as unsafe drinking water, climate change and environmental sustainability.

Example job titles: air pollution control engineer, environmental remediation engineer, hazardous substances engineer, pollution control engineer, soil engineer, waste management engineer, water treatment plant engineer.

4. Construction and building inspector

Projected growth: 8 percent 

Construction and building inspectors ensure that construction meets local and national building codes and ordinances, zoning regulations and contract specifications. Inspectors generally perform an initial check during the first phase of construction, follow-up inspections throughout and a final comprehensive inspection.

Example job titles: architectural inspector, bridge inspector, building code inspector, construction inspector, electrical inspector, plumbing inspector, plumbing inspector, residential building inspector.

5. Building custodian

Projected growth: 5.8 percent

Custodians work to make sure that buildings are neat, clean and safe. They also may oversee building security, window cleaning and minor building maintenance and repairs. Custodians implement a building’s green cleaning program, ensuring that safe and environmentally friendly cleaning products and procedures are used and that waste is disposed of properly.

Example job titles: cleaning and maintenance worker, custodial worker, floor cleaner, janitor, office cleaner, school custodian, window washer.

Learning at Greenbuild

To learn more about careers and sectors in the green building industry and for great networking opportunities, join us at Greenbuild 2017 in Boston, India and China. In Boston, don’t miss the career-related events below:

Course: Internships: Creating a Talent Pipeline for Green Industries

Thurs., November 9, 1–2 p.m.

This session will cover the topic of internships from the perspectives of interns, employers and a unique state-led initiative to support the clean energy industry through on-the-job training. Learn how to structure a successful internship program, discover the job prospects in sustainability and discuss lessons learned from both attendees and presenters.

Course: Staying Nimble in Your Sustainability Career

Thurs., November 9, 5–6 p.m.

Learn how to adapt to an ever-changing landscape in green building and a steady flow of new technologies, rating systems and opportunities. Top leaders in the industry share how they grow their technical expertise, build relationships and catalyze market transformation.

Register for Greenbuild Boston

China’s commitment to green building, stated explicitly in President Xi Jingping’s 13th Five Year Plan (FYP), is significant. The government of China sees clearly the importance of building sustainably. As such, the nation has rapidly moved to the forefront of sustainable development.

With the backing and support of visionary companies, Chinese business leadership is also committing to greening every aspect of its ongoing developments—from commercial offices and industrial centers to high-rise residential communities to the retail, recreation and transportation structures that support them.

USGBC is delighted that LEED has played a significant role in helping China’s leaders realize important benchmarks in green building, and we are helping China achieve key objectives in its ambitious 13th FYP. Through hard work, sound investment and dedication to the sustainability of our planet, China has realized some tremendous milestones using LEED.

Now, as we move closer to the October 17 opening of the inaugural Greenbuild China, we spotlight 10 of those breakthrough events for you:

1. April 2013: Shanghai EXPO UBPA Development becomes the first LEED Platinum project certified under Neighborhood Development in greater China.
2. September 2013: Haworth Showroom in the LEED Platinum Parkview Green building in Beijing becomes the world’s first LEED v4 project.
3. January 2014: The first LEED home in China is announced.
4. August 2015: Nike’s Logistics Center becomes the first LEED Platinum warehouse in China.
5. December 2015: The world’s second largest building, Shanghai Tower, achieves LEED Platinum certification.
6. May 2016: The Glumac Shanghai Office T1 becomes the first LEED Platinum building certified under LEED v4 not just in China, but also in East Asia.
7. March 2017: China certifies its 1,000th building using LEED.
8. March 2017: China is named the largest market for LEED outside the United States.
9. April 2017: Parkview Green is the first project in China to adopt Arc.
10. June 2017: Johnson Controls’ Asia Pacific Headquarters achieves both LEED Platinum and EDGE certifications.

Though these are just 10 of China’s many LEED milestones, they represent important green building events for an ascendant country that is moving rapidly to address critical social and environmental challenges. If you would like to learn more about the people and projects that are helping China to sustainably meet its present and future development needs, please join us in Shanghai for Greenbuild China. On October 17 and 18, come see how China’s green building industry and the LEED rating system are aligning to build a more sustainable future for all.

Register for Greenbuild China

China has been identified as one of the top 10 countries for LEED, and global green building construction is doubling every three years. The Top 10 Provinces and Municipalities for LEED in Mainland China were recently identified as areas that have made significant strides in sustainable building design, construction and transformation over the last year.

To gain all the knowledge you need, focused on the content most relevant to green building in China, join us for Greenbuild China, taking place October 17–18, 2017, with two pre-conference workshops taking place on October 16. The educational program promises to deliver forward-looking information to help drive the market.

Greenbuild is known as the space for green building industry leaders to convene and shape the future of sustainable buildings and cities. China is a leader in green building, and at the inaugural Greenbuild China, you have the chance be a part of the conversation at the ground level.

Top sessions at Greenbuild China

This year’s program explores many topics, including those related to Smart Cities, materials and GRESB. After working with local experts in the field, the developers of the education program built three sessions with these topics in mind. The Greenbuild China program is split into three targeted tracks and offers something for everyone:

• “Your Building, Your Health”: Addresses human and environmental health in high-performance building design
• “Success Through Sustainability”: Explores application of green building concepts and its importance
• “Built to Perform”: Explores optimal building performance and design

View the full program.

Greenbuild China will also offer extensive education on USGBC’s newest version of LEED, LEED v4. Seven sessions have been granted LEED-specific CE credit, two sessions have been granted WELL-specific CE credit and an entire full-day workshop will be offered to give a deep dive into LEED v4.

Additionally, there is a half-day workshop on SITES, a green building certification system for sustainable land design and development. Attendees can earn up to six GBCI continuing education credit hours for attending the core program and an additional four or eight by attending one of the workshops.

Register for Greenbuild China

India has been identified as one of the top 10 countries for LEED, and global green building construction is doubling every three years. Furthermore, India is one of 193 countries to adopt the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and is pursuing these goals aggressively.

Now is the time to learn about innovative green building strategies, products and services, and the program for Greenbuild India will deliver this forward-looking information to help drive the market.

Top sessions at Greenbuild India

Because India has one of the fastest-growing economies, it is challenged with acting responsibly while providing employment to its population. “Bridging the Gap: Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities” addresses this crossroad in the sustainability movement. In addition, pooling land for affordable housing is a major challenge. Attendees will learn about green affordable housing from the perspectives of stakeholders, sustainability advisors, tenants and the public. This topic directly correlates with the “Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme,” announced by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, which envisions housing for all by the year 2022.

Globally, there is a serious challenge in accessing clean water for all. 844 million people do not have clean water within a reasonable walking distance. “Water Security, a Necessity” will share water management initiatives at city scale in order to shift those management strategies at the project scale.

Lastly, many systems that are currently used in India cannot handle the volumes of waste generated by an increasing urban population. “Untapped Wealth: Waste as a Resource” will teach waste diversion tactics, best practices for project management and how these practices can lead to job opportunities in rural areas. In recent years, Shri Narenda Modi launched Swachh Bharat Mission in India, a campaign that aims to achieve the vision of a clean India by October 2019.

View the full program.

Discounted early bird registration pricing is in effect until September 8, so register for Greenbuild India today.

Register for Greenbuild India

When it comes to water and the built environment, there’s a great to think about. Less than 1 percent of the Earth’s water can be considered useful for human consumption (the rest is saltwater or trapped in the polar ice caps) and of that, around 14 percent is used by buildings.

The Water Efficiency credit category in LEED v4 builds on the lessons learned from previous versions and expands upon the strategies to take into account indoor use, outdoor use, specialized uses and metering. It also measures all sources of water relative to a building, including cooling towers, appliances, fixtures, process water and irrigation. Using an “efficiency first” approach, projects are asked to first pursue water use reduction strategies and then to consider nonpotable and alternative sources of water.

 

 

Metering at the whole-building level is introduced as a prerequisite for new and existing buildings, ensuring that projects can monitor and control their water use to identify opportunities for water savings.

The LEED Building Design and Construction water efficiency credits and prerequisites include:

• Prerequisite: Outdoor water use reduction
• Prerequisite: Indoor water use reduction
• Prerequisite: Building-level water metering
• Credit (up to 2 points): Outdoor water use reduction
• Credit (up to 6 points): Indoor water use reduction
• Credit (up to 2 points): Cooling tower water use
• Credit (1 point): Water metering

The LEED Operations and Maintenance water efficiency credits and prerequisites include:

• Prerequisite: Indoor water use reduction
• Prerequisite: Building-level water metering
• Credit (up to 2 points): Outdoor water use reduction
• Credit (up to 5 points): Indoor water use reduction
• Credit (up to 3 points): Cooling tower water use
• Credit (up to 2 points): Water metering

To learn more about water strategies in LEED, join us at Greenbuild 2017 in Boston, India and China.

In Boston, don’t miss the events below:

Course: Understanding Water and LEED: From Rainwater to Metering and Everything in Between

Fri., November 10, 8–9 a.m.

This session will present an overview of resources, strategies and tips for successful credit achievement. Attendees will hear from USGBC and GBCI experts about how water is addressed in LEED today and what’s on the horizon for future development.

Summit: WaterBuild—The Water Summit at Greenbuild

Tues., November 7, 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

At WaterBuild 2017, some of the brightest minds in the fields of resilient and sustainable community planning, water cycle management, risk mitigation and green building will come together to connect and explore what lies ahead at the nexus of water and building.

Register for Greenbuild Boston

Parksmart and sustainable mobility will be front and center at this year’s Greenbuild International Conference and Expo. Don’t miss out! Join us in Boston from November 8 to 10 for renowned speakers, engaging sessions, an interactive exhibit hall and invaluable networking.

Be sure to check out all of the offerings related to Parksmart at this year’s conference:

• Visit the GBCI booth and Certification Work Zone on the expo floor. Subject matter experts will be on hand throughout the conference for technical help. Get all of your questions about Parksmart and the Parksmart Advisor professional certification program answered, or get help with registering a project.
• Parksmart Advisor Training (Mon., November 6): Parksmart Advisors lead clients through the Parksmart certification process for sustainable parking structures. This training provides the education required to earn this valuable professional certificate and offers a deep dive into the specific management, programmatic, technological and structural elements of Parksmart.
• Parksmart: An Introductory Workshop for Certifying Parking Structures (Tues., November 7): The workshop will introduce attendees to the complex relationships among parking, transportation and sustainability, and provide a comprehensive understanding of the intent, sections and selected measures of the Parksmart program.
• Mobility Drives Smart Cities: Parking Industry Data (Thurs., November 9): Parking can be an economic driver, catalyst for development and an essential piece of the mobility equation. This interactive session will delve into the triple-bottom-line impact of planning for parking appropriately, as well as how technology is driving (and disrupting) demand and supply.
• From Today’s Parking to Tomorrow’s Sustainable Mobility (Fri., November 10): A revolution in technologies in both the parking and transportation industries offers the opportunity to steer and accelerate the adoption of sustainable mobility. Over the next 20 years, investors, tenants, regulators and consumers will drive parking asset owners and managers to embrace the hardware and software necessary to achieve high-performance parking facilities. This will help us track progress toward creating more mobility for more people, using less resources. Presenters will share their experience as owners, consultants and advocates on how Parksmart removes barriers and exploits transformational opportunities.
• Park Above and Park Below (Fri., November 10): This walking tour invites attendees to explore the nexus of urban green space development and transportation design. Learn about the Garage at Post Office Square, a 1,400-space parking garage, which was among the first projects to earn GBCI’s Parksmart certification. Attendees will also discuss how innovative green space development can provide opportunities to engage communities, support public events and art installations and enable an active lifestyle.

Register for Greenbuild Boston

Greenbuild is the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building. It is the go-to place for the industry to convene and shape the future of the green building and sustainability movement.

This year, SITES and sustainable landscape design will be featured throughout the conference. Join us in Boston from November 8 to 10 for renowned speakers, engaging sessions, an interactive exhibit hall and valuable networking.

Visit the GBCI booth and Certification Work Zone on the expo floor. Subject matter experts will be on hand throughout the conference for technical help. Get all of your questions about the SITES rating system and SITES AP credential answered, or get help with registering a project.

Also, you can learn more about the synergies between SITES and LEED and how any LEED v4 project can now automatically earn all of the points in the Sustainable SITES credit category in LEED when they achieve SITES v2 Gold certification or higher.

SITES workshops and sessions in Boston

• Exploring the SITES v2 Rating System for Sustainable Land Design and Development (Mon., November 6): Explore the SITES v2 Rating System and make the case for pursuing SITES v2 certification using real-world project examples.
• High-Performing Sites and the Soils Beneath Them (Wed., November 8): Review the complexity of soil ecosystems as well as share experiences of designing landscapes—particularly in urban or degraded contexts. This session will frame the importance of soil in green infrastructure, urban landscapes, resiliency and the SITES rating system.
• SITES v2 Materials Credits: From Specification to Reuse (Thurs., November 9): Examine the SITES v2 materials and resource credits that support the entire life cycle of a project, from materials specification to use, maintenance, deconstruction and reuse.
• Integrating LEED ND and SITES into Your Design Approach (Fri., November 10): This session will share a design framework based on the LEED v4 for Neighborhood Development and SITES v2 rating systems that can become a working tool for your design approach to better integrated solutions, more sustainable design and higher-performing outcomes.

SITES at Greenbuild China

Can’t make it? We’ll also be at this year’s inaugural Greenbuild China. Register for the conference to attend our SITES workshop on October 16, and be among the first in China to be able to speak to the value of SITES, understand the central rating system components and themes, identify the important steps for pursuing SITES certification and set a framework to start studying for the new SITES AP exam.

Register for Greenbuild Boston

The first annual Greenbuild India International Conference & Expo, will be taking place November 2–5, 2017, in Mumbai. Greenbuild India offers a forum for the green building community to unite, change lives, revolutionize business and address pressing issues, such as air quality, human health, energy use and global climate change.

The green building industry event of the year will feature inspiring keynotes, invaluable networking, an interactive expo hall and engaging continuing education sessions. The 2017 education program sets a high standard for green building education offerings and promises to deliver forward-looking information to help advance the green building marketplace.

The education development process

Greenbuild India follows the standard rigorous Greenbuild education development process for its education program selection. The Greenbuild India Call for Proposals was open from December to February to collect session proposals from green building industry stakeholders. Once closed, volunteer reviewers reviewed each proposal at least seven times based on a set of six pre-determined criteria to create an average score for each proposal. The top 75 percent of proposals advanced to the next round of review, where our Program Working Group met in Mumbai to identify priority topics and vote on the merits of the remaining proposals.

What Greenbuild India education offers

The rigorous review process resulted in a strong program, focused on the content most relevant to the green building industry in India. The Greenbuild India program is split into three tracks and offers something for everyone:

• Designing for Health and Performance – addresses human health and the environment in the context of high-performance building design
• Building Blocks of Green – sessions cover essential topics including water, waste, lighting and more
• Creating the Sustainable City – explores application of green building concepts on a city-scale

Greenbuild India will also offer extensive education on USGBC’s newest version of LEED—LEED v4. Four sessions have been granted LEED v4 specific CE credit and an entire full-day workshop will be offered to dive into LEED v4. A full-day workshop on EDGE, a green building certification system for new residential and commercial buildings in emerging market countries will also be offered. An attendee can earn up to 10.5 GBCI continuing education credit hours for attending the core program, and an additional eight for attending a workshop.

Why attend?

Greenbuild has become known as the place for the green building industry leaders to convene, and shape the future of sustainable buildings and cities. Founded in 2002, Greenbuild started in the U.S. and brings together every year industry leaders, experts and frontline professionals dedicated to sustainable building. Additionally, India has been identified as one of the top ten countries for LEED, and global green building construction is doubling every three years.

Greenbuild India is where you can learn about current research and best practices to elevate your business; connect with sustainability experts; and see innovative technologies and products firsthand.

Register for Greenbuild India