Training Illinois Carpenters for the Clean Energy Economy – Through a video report produced by the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Regional Council's green-training and certification program is featured.
The carpenter-training center in Elk Grove Village is making Illinois a better place in three ways. First, the center gives workers the skills they need to secure meaningful employment making our buildings more efficient, more comfortable, less expensive to operate. Second, the money Illinois residents and businesses will save on energy will make our economy stronger. And third, when we waste less energy, we emit less harmful pollution into our air, land and water, making the state a healthier place to live.
Thanks, NRDC!
=================================================================Green Building Industry Recogizes UBC Training – Two leading advocates of sustainable building—the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Green Building Initiative—recently approved course materials created by the Carpenters International Training Fund (CITF) that complement the training offered to UBC members. As green building practices became commonplace in most new, retrofit, or tenant improvement projects, the Carpenters International Training Fund is responding by first creating and now consistently updating its green training program. Green construction is now a core UBC curriculum.
Awareness: Green Building, a manual for Carpenters Union members, was published last year. The information supplements intensive craft-skills training with an overview of the green building philosophy and how it is changing the construction industry.
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Carpenters Building a Sustainable Future – Take a look behind the scenes through video as carpenters and signatory contractors immerse themselves in energy efficiency and sustainable construction classroom and shop training.
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Carpenters' Sustainable Energy Construction and Retrofit Training – A Video Overview featuring Craig Triplett, Building Performance Institute (BPI) Certified Proctor for the Building Analyst and Building Envelope, and member of the board of directors, Illinois Association of Energy Raters & Home Performance Professionals.
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On March 1, 2011, a grant funded through Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was used to begin training 28 contractors (23 in Commonwealth Edison's territory and 5 in Ameren territory in mid-central Illinois) in the sustainable energy construction market. The total funding for the training project is $28,000. The Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters Apprentice & Training Program (CHICAP) is one of three BPI Training Affiliates chosen by MEEA to put on this training.
MEEA Statement: The Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) is pleased to be working with the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters Apprentice & Training Program to provide Building Performance Institute (BPI) Building Analyst and Envelope certifications training in Elk Grove Village and Pekin, Illinois. CHICAP is one of three BPI Training Affiliates chosen by MEEA to put on these trainings using grant funding from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
CHICAP was selected for its comprehensive Building Analyst and Envelope curriculum complete with on-site, hands-on models, as well as for the additional mentoring and support services provided to students. These trainings enforce building science principals while the after-training support ensures students have the experience to be able to successfully transition to whole-home work and contribute to the development of a robust and sustainable home energy retrofit industry in Illinois. Specifically, the BPI BA and E certifications earned through these trainings will be requirements for lead contractors and energy auditors in the coming statewide Illinois Home Performance with Energy Star program.
Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® is a national program run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and sponsored locally across the country. This program connects homeowners with qualified contractors and energy auditors who assess each home's 'performance' and recommend renovations that result in energy savings and improved home comfort. Illinois Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (IHPwES) is our state's local version of this national effort. The two key objectives of IHPwES are to improve the comfort, safety, and energy efficiency of Illinois homes and to support local businesses that perform this renovation work.
MEEA's collaboration with CHICAP furthers these objectives by building a knowledgeable workforce and ensuring the building trades are part of the process in advance of the IHPwES roll out. CHICAP has demonstrated a strong commitment to training through investments in local training centers and a focus on real-world practical applications. Ultimately, these building science trainings are equipping professionals with the necessary skills to provide whole-home energy upgrades that will improve comfort, safety, and the bottom line for Illinois residents.
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On Feb. 21, 2011, the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters—supported by a U.S. Dept. of Labor grant program and funded through a State Energy Sector Partnership (SESP) grant for approximately $1.7 million from the Chicago Workforce Investment Council (CWIC)—began training local carpenters in the burgeoning energy sustainability sector. The program is expected to train approximately 475 carpenters to embark on a career in the sustainable energy construction market.
CWIC Statement: As a result of a three year American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Chicago Workforce Investment Council (CWIC) is excited to partner with the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters Apprentice and Training Program (CHICAP) to provide new opportunities for Chicago residents to enter a career pathway in energy efficiency and green technology, as well as provide advanced skills training for the current unemployed workforce. This training will make these workers more marketable in the growing sustainable energy construction market. The partnership between CWIC and CHICAP is a unique effort that will provide quality training, including the necessary skill-sets and certifications, to employ carpenters in green careers.
