Green Building Initiative Launches Personnel Certification Programs; Civil Engineers Adopt New Post-Disaster Manual

St. Louis construction careers center wins national award; Power Tool Institute offers safety publications for free downloading

New Textbook About HVACR Trade Basics Available

Delmar, a provider of learning solutions has released HVACR 201, the second book in a four-part series of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) training textbooks for HVACR apprentices, entry-level technicians and students.

The book was written in partnership with the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA); the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors – National Association Educational Foundation (PHCC Educational Foundation) and the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES).

Building on the information in HVACR 101, HVACR 201 begins with the important components of a system, then advances to cover topics in electrical, heating, motors and cooling, as well as troubleshooting and installation procedures.

Instructor supplements include a manual, image library, PowerPoint slides and an electronic test bank.”

For more information, visit http://www.informationdestination.cengage.com.

ASCE Adopts New Post-disaster Assessment Manual

A new manual that outlines polices and procedures for engineering assessments after disasters has been adopted by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

The Post-Disaster Assessment Manual was developed by ASCE’s Task Committee on Engineering Review Procedures (TCERP) so that the society’s procedures for such assessments would be available in a single, readily accessible source.

ASCE has participated in more than a dozen assessments in the last decade, including studies of the World Trade Center and Pentagon in 2001; earthquake assessments in Italy, China, Peru, Japan, Sumatra-Andaman, Algeria, Alaska and California; and assessments following hurricanes Katrina and Ike.

ASCE has two purposes in doing post-disaster assessments. First, the behavior of engineered facilities that have been exposed to extreme forces must be evaluated so engineers may learn from the disaster. Second, those lessons must be documented to inform the future actions of both the profession and society.

When developing the manual TCERP assessed not only ASCE’s long-standing practices for such reviews, but also the practices of more than 20 other organizations. The resulting document provides a single, comprehensive source for policies and procedures governing every aspect of post-disaster assessments, including: criteria for launching an assessment; funding mechanisms; selection of team leaders and members; team responsibilities; conflicts of interest; coordination with other organizations; schedules; staff support; public communications; and dissemination of lessons learned to engineers and the public.

AGC of Milwaukee Names Dairyland Electric’s Martinez as its Associate of the Year

Christopher Martinez, owner and president of Dairyland Electric, Milwaukee, has been recognized by the Associated General Contractors of Greater Milwaukee with the Associate of the Year Award. The award is presented to an associate company each year for outstanding service to the betterment of the construction industry. Martinez serves on the 12-person board of the AGC of Greater Milwaukee. His three-year term concludes in December of this year.

Martinez received the award based on his community service efforts. The AGC of Greater Milwaukee was approached by Professional Dimensions, a Milwaukee-based professional women’s organization, whose leaders sought to assist the Dominican Sisters with their commitment to better their northwest-side neighborhood. Their particular mission was to provide home improvements to area residents. Martinez and his team of electricians donated both time and materials to provide electrical wiring to two homes. Professional Dimensions also recognized Martinez and his team’s efforts with an award.

Dairyland Electric is a union contractor that provides electrical and telecommunication services to the industrial, commercial, healthcare, educational and institutional markets in southeastern Wisconsin.

Green Building Initiative Launches Personnel Certification Programs

The Green Building Initiative (GBI), one of the nation’s green-building organizations and exclusive provider of Green Globes green-building certification in the United States, now offers two new personnel-certification programs for green building practitioners.

The certifications, Green Globes Professional (GGP) and Green Globes Assessor (GGA), will help expand knowledge about sustainable building best practices and extend the reach of the Green Building Initiative as it responds to ever growing demand for the Green Globes certification.

The GGP designation will expand the number of green-building experts trained in the use of the Green Globes rating system. The GGA credential is the only formal training program for qualified green-building assessors that is open to the public.

All candidates who meet the minimum requirements will be accepted into the GGP program, but only a limited number of GGA applicants will be accepted, as GGA professionals will become part of the GBI’s nationwide network of paid third-party assessors for Green Globes certification.

Successful GGA applicants will be chosen based on professional background, geographic location, areas of expertise and other factors determined by the GBI.

Training and testing for both programs will be online.

Qualified GGP candidates will have at least five years’ experience in the building industry and some familiarity with current sustainability practices. A background as an architect, engineer, builder, contractor or green building consultant as well as a strong interest in green building practices is preferred

The GGA certification will signify the only professionals who are designated by the GBI to perform third-party certifications of buildings that have been evaluated using the Green Globes rating system.

Candidates for the GGA program must meet strict requirement that include: at least 10 years of total industry experience as an architect, engineer, facilities manager, or a closely related field; at least 5 years of specific functional experience directly related to design, engineering, construction and/or facilities management of commercial buildings; a degree in architecture, engineering, or other relevant technical and/or environmental education program; prior knowledge of green building and/or management practices, environmental issues, and sustainability, and demonstrated experience using sustainable building practices, including documented involvement in three or more building projects where sustainable improvements were applied.

Individuals interested in either the GGP or GGA program should visit www.thegbi.org for more information.

Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 36 Expands BIM Curriculum

Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 36 and the Sheet Metal Workers’ Joint Apprenticeship and Training Program, St. Louis, have added Steve Sneed as an apprentice instructor and coordinator of their newly developed Building Information Modeling (BIM) program.

BIM is rapidly growing in the construction industry as a way for workers in different trades to work more efficiently together on job sites.

Sneed has been involved with the Sheet Metal International Training Institute’s newly developed BIM program, Construction Coordination Software (CCS), since its inception and holds all current certifications involved with the product. He is a certified detailing educator, certified detailing coordinator and a certified detailing inspector, which will allow Local 36 to teach the new CCS software as well as certify apprentices or journeymen who complete the course study. The ultimate goal is to certify additional Local 36 workers so that they receive their own set of the CCS software that can be used on job sites to help them and their contractors be more cost efficient.

St. Louis’ Construction Careers Center Wins National Award

Leonard Toenjes, president of AGC of St. Louis (left) and Brandon Dyer, 2009 Construction Careers Center graduate (second from left) help display the Founder’s Award. (Photo courtesy of AGC of St. Louis)

St. Louis’ Construction Careers Center charter high school, operated by the Associated General Contractors of St. Louis, was recently awarded the Founder’s Award by the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE).

The Founder’s Award recognizes individuals, companies, or organizations that have had a profound effect on construction education.

The Construction Careers Center charter high school was started in 2000 with a single freshman class. It has become nationally known for its groundbreaking approach to workforce development targeted to the construction industry.

“That the CCC continues to garner national recognition is a testament to the visionaries in the St. Louis construction industry who conceived of the idea ten years ago,” says Leonard Toenjes, president of AGC of St. Louis. “The continued dedication and commitment by our member firms is gratifying and is truly making a difference in the lives of tomorrow’s leaders.”

The CCC provides a four-year fully accredited high-school-level curriculum and broad exposure to the construction industry and relevant vocational education preparation. The school’s construction curriculum is specifically designed by the industry to prepare students for direct employment, apprenticeship training, a community college or a four-year degree institution.

The Associated General Contractors of St. Louis represents more than 450 area construction firms.

Somerville Earns 2009 Sustainability Leadership Award

The sustainable design of the Waupaca, Wis., regional Fox Valley Technical College earned architectural and engineering firm Somerville Inc. a 2009 Sustainability and Energy Efficiency Leadership Award. The award is presented by group of seven industry associations. (Photo courtesy of Somerville)

Somerville Inc., architects and engineers, Green Bay, Wis., received a 2009 SE2 (Sustainability and Energy Efficiency) Leadership Award for its design of the Fox Valley (Wis.) Technical College - Waupaca Regional Center.

The SE2 Leadership Award program recognizes leadership in energy efficient and sustainable design, construction and operation of Wisconsin commercial and other non-residential buildings and related systems.

The award has been in existence for six years, and is administered by the following partner organizations: The Wisconsin Green Building Alliance, the American Institute of Architects-Wisconsin, Energy Center of Wisconsin, ASHRAE-Wisconsin Section, Focus on Energy, International Illumination Society-Milwaukee, International Facility Management Wisconsin.

More information about the SE2 award and conference can be found at www.wgba.org. or by calling Wisconsin Green Building Alliance at 414-224-9422.

Download Free Safety Publications From Power Tool Institute Web Site

The Power Tool Institute (PTI) now offers downloadable PDFs of its major publications on its recently revised Web site at www.powertoolinstitute.com. Safety Is Specific, available in both English and Spanish, is PTI’s compilation of rules and safe practices for power tools. A Teacher’s Reference Guide to Power Tool Safety is PTI’s 24-page brochure featuring lesson plans, student activities, quizzes, support materials, and references to additional information on each power tool category in Safety Is Specific. All publications are available in hard copy and may be ordered at no charge on the PTI site.

The site is user friendly, with simple navigation and easy on-line ordering of publications. Four safety videos are available in both English and Spanish, which can be viewed immediately or ordered on one DVD at no charge.

The site’s other new features include a glossary of common power-tool terms; PTI voluntary procedures, including the PTI procedure for determining power tool horsepower; and the PTI lab test procedure for determining stated relative torque measurement for corded and cordless drills, drill/drivers, and screwdrivers; and a safety maintenance checklist.