News & Events

Free Information Session

Join us for an engaging discussion about the latest sustainable building tends and learn more about how you can become a Certified Sustainable Building Advisor (CSBA). RSVP by clicking on the date that works for you:
June 13, 2013
July 18, 2013

Early Bird Registration Discounts

Register by 5/15 and save $200 on tuition for the next 4-month SBA Program that begins on June 15, 2013.  See the schedule and learn about the tuition discounts.

Continuing Education Credits

Earn 100 American Institute of Architecture (AIA) Learning Units and Built It Green continuing education credits by participating in the SBA Program. LEED APs & LEED GAs may also earn up to 100 continuing education units through this USGBC approved Mastery Level Education Provider Program.

SBA Blog

World’s First Algae-Powered Building Opens

New green building materials are constantly popping up on the market and it has become hard to stay on top of what’s latest and greatest.  Occasionally, however, one catches your eye and makes you double take – thinking, “how on earth is that possible?” I recently came across a headline that made me do just [...]

The post World’s First Algae-Powered Building Opens appeared first on Sustainable Building Advisor Program.

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The SBA Program curriculum and courses provides a systems approach to designing, constructing and operating high performance buildings. The program courses are delivered in the form of interactive lectures taught by subject experts, with hands-on exercises and field trips to exemplary projects. The program culminates with a final presentation based on team projects and an exam that earns you the designation Certified Sustainable Building Advisor (CSBA).

The Curriculum

Sustainable Building Advisor Program Curriculum and CoursesCourse 1: Fundamentals of Sustainable Building and Design

  • The case and rationale for sustainable building
  • A view of the current state of green building in this region and across the nation
  • Integrative Design Process, Charrettes and Integrated Project Delivery
  • Review of prominent green building rating systems
  • An introduction to the practicum project

Course 2: The Importance of Place: Site, Transportation and Land Use Issues

  • Strategies for placemaking
  • An understanding of sustainable site design
  • Sustainable site analysis and conduct a site assessment
  • Importance of transportation planning, siting, relationship to sustainability
  • Strategies to achieve sustainable transportation patterns and site development

Course 3: Energy Efficient Design

  • The effect of building energy systems on the human experience and the global environment
  • The value of contextual, holistic approach to building energy system design
  • Interaction between a building, its occupants and the local climate
  • Understanding the building science of shading, daylight, orientation and building envelope
  • Fundamental building energy systems, including HVAC, lighting and renewable technologies

Course 4: “Green” Materials Selection

  • Factors in material selection and the issue of trade-offs
  • Resources to assist in determining materials appropriateness
  • Analytical process to evaluate materials for a project including
  • Understanding Life Cycle Analysis and Embodied Energy
  • Considerations for structural materials selection, including advanced framing

Course 5: Indoor Environmental Quality & Health

  • Benefits of improving indoor environmental quality
  • Innovative ventilation system design strategies
  • Linkages between health, well-being and productivity
  • Barriers and solutions to achieving good indoor air and acoustical comfort
  • Physical, psychological and financial benefits of daylight and view

Course 6: Water and Site Design

  • Benefits of adopting a natural systems-based approach
  • Impact reduction through landscape layout, plant selection and placement
  • On-site management methods for storm water and wastewater
  • Water catchment, greywater and living systems
  • Indoor water conservation

Course 7: Sustainable Job Site Operations

  • Construction waste management, site protection and IAQ protection
  • Opportunities for deconstruction and reuse
  • Benefits of Building Information Modeling (BIM)
  • Active construction project site-tour

Course 8: Building Operations and Maintenance

  • Facility management (FM) functions
  • Building Commission (Cx) and its critical importance to the performance of a building
  • Effective operations, maintenance and procurement
  • Home performance testing and improvements

Course 9: Presentation of Team Projects