May 17, 2008 Kingsborough Community College together with the Brooklyn Economic and Development
Corporation facilitated the first Green Advantage Training in New York City. The training is a one day workshop
course that covers the principles of sustainable design, building systems and construction. Green Advantage is the nation's only green certification for contractors recognized by the US Green Building Council. It is targeted to women,minority-owned (MWBE) contractors, and other small business contractors with fewer than 50 employees. Green Advantage
certified construction teams can qualify for one LEED® Innovation Credit, which can lead to tax incentives and other competitive advantages.
The cost of the workshop is $450.00 but was offered at a special rate of $150.00, one third of the cost. The training was able to be subsidized by a grant from CUNY Workforce Initiative. The program includes one full-day workshop, a hands on follow up training with products and materials at Bettencourt Green Building Supplies and Green Depot, a study guide and the certification exam. The training was a success. The training session was filled to its full capacity (forty people). There was a lot of networking between businesses. Overall there was positive feedback. Attendees enjoyed the class. The certification exam is two hours and is open book. It took place May 21, 2008. KCC is helping contractors meet New York City's PlanNYC 2030 environmental goals.
CUNY professors and leaders in the construction field recognize that there is gap in the green industry to equip contractors with the knowledge to build green. Designers and architects are able to design an environmentally friendly building but if the actual building is not up to par then it defeats the whole purpose. We want contractors to be able to integrate green building practices and strategies into their projects and also give them a competitive edge.
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Green Advantage Training 