DIR Applauds Completion of California’s First Construction College

Department of Industrial Relations Director John C. Duncan lauded the opening of the new California Construction College (CCC), a state-of-the art construction school that demonstrates California’s innovation in Career Technical Education (CTE).

The CCC is part of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s commitment to improve and strengthen Career Technical Education at the high school and community college levels. The programs provided by the college, located on the campus of San Jose City College, will allow professionals in construction to obtain a bachelor, associate, or certificate-level degrees. Apprentices will also be able to receive college credit for work experience received during their apprenticeship training.

“This construction college is designed to attract both high school graduates and midcareer skilled workers who are looking for professional careers as construction managers, job estimators, supervisors, project engineers and CTE teachers that require college level training,” said Duncan in an address at the college’s opening.

“Attending the CCC allows students to work in their professions and earn a living while learning the skills necessary to reach their individual career goals. The CCC also plays an important role in meeting the governor’s infrastructure rebuilding priorities,” added Duncan.

The CCC is funded by public and private partnerships. The college received a two-year $500,000 grant made possible through legislation signed by Governor Schwarzenegger. Additional funding from the private sector generated $1 million for startup costs.

Industry leaders say there is a need for California-trained construction project managers because many projects or bids have been awarded to out-of-state firms. In 2006 there were 12,000 construction managers with bachelor’s degrees in California and 30,000 job openings.

The CCC’s construction courses will focus on “green” building practices and prepare professionals for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

“This creative approach helps students facing challenging economic conditions and employers who want to hire construction professionals but are met with a shortage of qualified candidates and increased competition for those that exist,” said Rosa Pérez, Chancellor of the San José/Evergreen Community College District.

The CCC, now serving a pilot class of 30 students, is a joint venture between the Santa Clara County Construction Careers Association, San José City College, and National Labor College an accredited institution based in Maryland, a partnership supported by labor organizations, the construction industry, and the education sector including the California Community College Chancellor’s Office.

Contact:

California Department of Industrial Relations
Dean Fryer, 415-703-5050
www.dir.ca.gov
or
PRx
Pam Kelly, 408-483-2410

Source: California Department of Industrial Relations

Finishing Green for Your Indoor Environmental Quality

Green construction is all about the details, and where finishing is concerned, the types of interior paints and materials used can go a long way towards the final green rating of your project.  According to the Environmental Protection Agency, poor indoor environmental quality (IEQ), specifically indoor air quality (IAQ), can lead to a number of health-related issues from wheezing to headaches and even hearing loss.  Taking preventative steps to protect your project from problems such as mold and moisture, or from using products that contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), can greatly increase your IAQ and IEQ respectively and send your project on its way to a higher green certification.

Luckily, there are a number of finishing products on the market that greatly assist in making your IEQ a higher priority.  For instance, Georgia-Pacific’s paperless fiberglass mats enable a mold and moisture-proof material for everything from exterior sheathing to interior drywall.  Olympic Paint and Stain now carries an extensive 1200-color line of Zero VOC interior paints (even a Zero VOC Primer) in five different finishes that eliminates the need for volatile organic compounds such as low-rated formaldehyde, solvents, pesticides, and cleaning agents typically found in traditional interior paints and primers.

As the construction industry shows a growing interest in eco-friendly products, more and more products are continually hitting the shelves to help you finish green.

Which “Green” Standards Should You Use

Although “green” is definitely the right choice for many of today’s construction projects, it can be pretty difficult to decide on which eco-friendly standards to comply to in your commercial or residential construction, and to what extent those standards should be implemented.  Today, more than 25 states and hundreds of cities have already enacted some form of green building legislation or mandate, but only a handful of general rules and guidelines exist as officially accepted green “standards”.  Of these, the Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the Home Builders Association’s National Green Building Program rating systems stand out as the industry front runners.  But what, if anything, truly sets them apart, and which should you choose?

According to knoxnews.com, the Green Building Council’s LEED rating system is probably the more established of the two predominant rating systems at this point in regards to true “green” policies.  With its introduction of a set of residential construction guidelines last fall, the LEED system designates ratings of certified, silver, gold, and platinum for points received in regards to water usage and control, energy management, design, landscaping, and other criteria, in both commercial and residential construction projects.  While the LEED system is more widely recognized, its stricter sets of guidelines and prerequisites (such as specific products and methods) cause it to often be more costly and obviously less flexible than its counterpart.

The Home Builders Association’s National Green Building Program on the other hand, offers significantly more flexibility in achieving its green goals.  Instead of specific products and prerequisites, its rating relies more on the final result – a pseudo “ends justify the means” approach.  Its base-level green rating of “bronze” can thus be considered slightly easier to achieve due to its flexibility and cost benefits, but at the higher levels of its rating system, little difference can be found between it and the LEED system.

As far as to what extent a builder wishes to “go green”, it’s simply up to them.  The already existing legislation in many states seldom surpasses a minimal “certification” requirement, and while this is sure to change in the future, until green building is the norm, which standards are chosen and to what extent they are implemented will simply remain a case-by-case decision.

Green Homebuilding Is Smart Homebuilding

According to the results of McGraw Hill Construction’s most recent survey, green building might be just the answer builders are looking for in this current housing market downturn, especially in light of rising energy costs.  As the national and global awareness of green benefits increases, mainstream desire for energy-efficient homebuilding projects accompanies it.  This year, green building will account for 6-10% of the total housing market ($12-20 billion in sales), up from 2% in 2005.   Although a 4-8% increase over 2 years may not seem substantial, this number is expected to more than double in the next 5 years.  As more and more headlines include phrases such as “troubled housing market”, “energy crisis”, “environmental health”, and “rising costs”, buyers in a somewhat flooded market are quickly turning to standout homes that are higher quality and more economically efficient.

Many builders are catching on.  According to McGraw Hill Construction, last year, the number of builders who are moderately green (30% green projects) surpassed those with a low green share, and this year, the number of highly green builders (60% green projects) will do the same.  So what are some of the most popular ways to increase energy efficiency and grab a share of the green bandwagon?

As buyer recognition of green brands and energy efficient measures increases, greater insulation, tankless water heaters, and Energy Star appliances have moved to the top of the list of greener building approaches.  Following these, using materials such as low E glass windows, engineered wood products, and water efficient faucets and fixtures is also on the rise.

With a low increase in cost (10%), relatively no difference in project approval times, and increased public awareness of green benefits, green numbers are sure to continue on their upward climb, restating the fact that:  green homebuilding is smart homebuilding.

Perception vs. Reality

Day two at the NABH Green Building Conference was action packed and full of interesting information that shows how often perceptions are different from reality.

In coming to New Orleans, my perception was that residential rebuilding efforts and green building were well underway in areas affected by Hurrican Katrina. But a tour of the city and disaster areas showed me that the reality is much different. The number of still empty homes and empty lots where homes once stood is overwhelming. In St. Bernard Parish only 1/2 of the homes that need to be demolished have been demolished. Another 5600 sit partially detroyed awaiting the bulldozer. And in the lower ninth ward, Brad Pitt’s “Make it Right” project has only one home under construction out of more than 150 planned.

An afternoon eductional session, “The Quest for Green,” presented by Professional Remodeler magazine also offered an interesting glimse into perceptions vs. reality in the green building industry. One slide spoke to the major obstacles to green builing as perceived by builders and remodelers. They thought the number two obstacle was consumer demand. However, when talking with Shawn Rippon from Icynene (www.icynene.com), he mentioned researched that suggested building professionals we only the 3rd or 4th source that homeowners turn to for information about green building. So, building professionals don’t think homeowners want green building and homeowners don’t think building professionals have the information they need. These are two perceptions that certainly need to be addressed in the market.

Finally, I continue to be surprised when talking with green building manufacturers and building professionals about their business. In talking with more than 20 people on day two, the mood was positive and people are still focused on the great growth opportunities that lie ahead despite the media coverage suggesting that the entire housing industry is in shambles.

Day 3 promises to be equally interesting. Stay tuned. 

Arrival at the NAHB Green Building Conference

by Tony Napolitano, Publisher, Smart HomeOwner

To the casual observer or tourist visiting the French Quarter, there are very few obvious signs of the catastrophe brought to New Orleans in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina. However, upon closer inspection, there are reminders of how susceptible human developments are to the forces of nature. It’s these reminders - a photo collage at the airport, the occasional unrepaired building downtown and many still-devastated outlying neighborhoods - that make New Orleans a perfect location for this year’s NAHB National Green Building Conference.

At it’s heart, green building has to be about creating communities that both limit our environmental footprint and mitigate nature’s impact on them. If that’s true, there are lessons to learn at every level of building and development here in New Orleans. In one place we can see the macro effects of wetland destruction on an entire city and the micro effects of water damage to an individual home.

Day one at the event addressed the micro level with a “Tour of Green Homes” that featured a number of green remodeling projects to homes that were damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The lessons are valuable and many people are buying into the value of green building here in New Orleans. The first day also offered a glimpse of the exhibit hall and a welcome reception for attendees.

Day two offers a number of educational seminars and meetings with exhibitors that are promoting all aspects of green building. We will check in this evening with more news from the event.

Walls in a Zip

Modern homebuilding is becoming less about nailing together individual pieces and more about assembling prefabricated systems. Case in point: ZIP System Wall Sheathing from Huber Engineered Woods. The system consists of 7/16-inch sheathing panels with a built-in water-resistive barrier, which eliminates the need for house wrap and speeds build times.

The water-resistive barrier protects the home during and after construction and, once the home is built, controls drafts, which improves energy efficiency. It also prevents the intrusion of liquid water but allows moisture vapor to pass through  (in other words, it “breathes”), so the moisture vapor does not accumulate in the walls.
The panels can be installed horizontally or vertically, with the green water-resistive barrier facing outward. Once the panels are in place, all seams are sealed with a special tape that functions as both a water-resistive barrier and an air retarder.

The system is approved for use by national building codes and comes with a 30-year limited warranty. The company also makes a similar ZIP sheathing system for roofs. For more information: www.huberwood.com.

Smart Ductwork

Ducts for air conditioning and forced air heating systems are typically installed in unheated attics, basements or crawl spaces, where there are few obstacles to work around. Though expedient for the builder because it keeps first costs down, that is not an energy-efficient installation. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, residential duct systems located in unconditioned spaces can lose as much as 20 to 30 percent of the energy in the air they distribute, much of that from leakage because of improperly sealed or insulated ductwork.

However, homeowners and builders can increase heating and cooling equipment efficiency by installing ductwork in conditioned spaces (i.e. insulated spaces) rather than in the usual unconditioned spaces. This type of installation – dubbed “smart ductwork” – eliminates much of that loss because any leakage is into space a homeowner is trying to heat or cool anyway.

Some ducts can be easily located in existing soffits. Others may require chases or bulkheads along walls, ceiling plenums in hallways, or open-web trusses or wooden I-beams within floors in multiple-story homes. Another plus: a duct system within conditioned space can be smaller than a duct system within unconditioned space, making it easier to fit within wall cavities and between floors.

Though ducts installed in conditioned spaces usually do not need anywhere near the amount of insulation around them as ducts in unconditioned spaces, the EPA does recommend at least minimal insulation (with a value of R-2 to R-4), especially in hot and humid areas to prevent condensation from forming on outside cold surfaces. In addition, all ducts in conditioned spaces should be properly sealed to ensure optimal performance and to maintain good interior air quality.

Though installation costs for smart ductwork can be slightly higher than a typical install, payback will come with reduced energy consumption over time. Because the concept is relatively new, try to use a heating and air-conditioning contractor who is already familiar with the practice. For more information: www.toolbase.org/pdf/techinv/ductsinconditionedspace_techspec.pdf.

GridPoint Energy Management Systems

Coming soon to your neighborhood (maybe) – a plug-and-play energy management system from the local utility that can help conserve energy use and provide backup power to critical household circuits for 8 to 10 hours.

The system, called GridPoint Connect, from Washington, D.C.-based GridPoint, integrates with a home’s renewable energy source, such as a solar collector, and ties to the home’s main electrical panel. It then manages or “balances” energy, sending power to the home when needed and selling excess power to the utility. Its components include software, which manages and reports on energy use, an onboard network computer to run the software, and hardware such as storage batteries, a battery charger and an inverter to convert DC power to household AC power.

The system provides homeowners, who pay a modest fee for its use, with detailed information about the amount of energy produced, used or sold to the utility. It also can analyze a utility rate schedule, compare that to the homeowner’s current and historical energy consumption patterns, and help the homeowner determine the most cost-effective time to run appliances or turn off high-consumption appliances. It also can estimate the hours of backup power available in the event of an outage.

GridPoint Connect is a good alternative to backup generators, particularly in areas where towns or homeowner associations disallow home generators. Furthermore, unlike generators (which take a few moments to ramp up), GridPoint Connect’s batteries kick in immediately when the power supply is interrupted, providing 1- to 1.5-kilowatts per hour of battery backup power.

The utility reserves the right to tap into the unit’s backup power during periods of peak demand, reducing its cost of purchasing power on the wholesale market, which fluctuates minute to minute and is most expensive during periods of peak demand. For that reason, it is to the utility’s advantage to place as many systems as possible, at a relatively low cost homeowners. In communities where the local utility has not signed on for the service, homeowners can buy a GridPoint system from an authorized dealer. For more information: www.gridpoint.com.

Reduce Energy Costs with Radiant Roof Barriers

Suitable for just about any new house or addition, radiant roof barriers offer a straightforward way to reduce solar heat gain in the attic during the summer and heat loss through the attic in the winter. The effective component is a layer of aluminum that reflects radiant heat. Radiant roof barriers are available in rolls that unfurl and attach to the roof sheathing in the attic or as an integrated component of roof sheathing.

While the primary benefit of radiant roof barriers is in reducing air-conditioning loads on hot days, when installed in a cold climate a radiant roof barrier can also reduce winter heating loads. The high reflectivity of the aluminum helps block interior heat from escaping out through the roof deck in cold weather.

Some radiant roof barriers are available ready for installation as the roofing support itself, nailed directly to the top of the rafters. LP TechShield radiant barrier roof sheathing, for example, is regular four-by-eight-foot oriented strand board (OSB) with a thin, durable sheet of aluminum laminated to the smooth side of the OSB panel. According to the manufacturer, it can reduce attic temperatures by as much as 30 degrees in the summer and reduce monthly cooling bills by as much as 20 percent.

The barrier, available in five thicknesses, installs with the aluminum layer face down. LP TechShield radiant barrier roofing panels also incorporate small incisions that enable the release of moisture, minimizing moisture build-up.

According to an energy analysis by EarthCraft House Program, an Altanta-based greenbuilding program, LP TechShield radiant barrier minimized peak cooling demand by 14.7 percent and 18.8 percent in two different model homes with well-sealed duct systems and building envelopes, low-e windows and R-30 insulated ceilings. The reduction in peak cooling enabled the homebuilder to reduce the size of heating and air conditioning units by 10 to 15 percent. Homeowners benefit from reduced cooling bills, increased comfort and potentially increased resale value. For more information: www.lpcorp.com/techshield.