A greener workplace can provide substantial benefits to your organization’s triple bottom line – people, planet and profits.  By reducing the energy intensity of their buildings and materials demand and waste, green workplaces can save money and reduce their impact on the environment.  Come discover the keys to making green workplaces a success for you and your organization.  This course is suitable for those new to green workplaces or already working in a green space and interested in enhancing their knowledge of what makes it a green space. Includes a green workplace toolkit.

Pepper Smith and Kelly Gearhart, instructors. One month course.

$195

 outlineCourse Outline

Unit 1
Introduction to Green Workplaces
EPA estimates we spend 90% of our time indoors
The advantages of green workplace for businesses
The advantages of green workplace for workers
Why the green workspace trend is growing

Unit 2
Planning the Transition to a Green Workplace
Discussing green workplaces within your organization
Facility, equipment, and policy requirements
Identifying low-hanging fruit
Developing a plan for transitioning to a green workplace
Redesigning your workplace for green

Unit 3
Implementing Green Workplaces
Securing and sustaining the commitment of all stakeholders
Measuring success and returns on investment – reinvestment of those returns
Continuous and constant effort strategies
Providing for accountability and reward

Unit 4
Issues in Green Workplaces
Best practices tool kit
Learning curve soft costs
Top 5 low cost/high return strategies
Key advanced strategies 

Question MarkAbout online learning

Online learning is a fun, enjoyable and very productive way to learn. Millions of people are learning online each year. You will engage with the instructor and other participants. You will get to know your instructor and other participants. You may make friends.  It’s easy. It’s fun. 

GearsHow the Course Works

It is easy to participate in your online course. After you register, you will be given a web address to go to get into your online classroom.  You will have a password and use your email address and password to gain access.

Once inside the online classroom, here’s what you can expect.

CalendarParticipate when you want

You can participate any time of day or evening. The online classroom is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There are no live real-time requirements or meetings. You decide when you participate.
For the best learning, participants should log into the course on 2-3 different days of the week.

ChecklistWhat you will do

For each Unit, you will:

  • Read the print readings (about 20 pages a week)
  • Have the option of accessing the online readings
  • Listen to the audio presentation for the Unit and view the slides
  • Have the option of taking a self-quiz to see how much you have learned
  • Engage in written online discussion with your instructor and other participants

For best learning, you should make one or more comments at 2-3 different times each week.
The content (readings, audio lectures, slides) and self quizzes are accessible for the entire course, so you can work ahead, or go back and review again, at your convenience.

DiscussionDiscussion

The Discussion for each Unit lasts one week. All comments are made in writing and can be made at any time of the day or night.

Your instructor will log into the Discussion area at least once a day and answer questions, make comments, and respond to comments by you and the other participants.

We encourage you to make 2-3 comments each week to maximize your learning and enjoyment of the course.

It’s easy. It’s fun.

Next offering(s):
-No sessions currently scheduled-

$195

LAST CHANCE:
   Introduction to Implementing Green Workplaces will be discontinued after the June 2012 offering as the lead instructor devotes more time to teaching our popular LEED courses.

About Your Instructors

Pepper Smith is the Green Programs Manager for Davis Energy Group, a residential mechanical engineering and green consulting firm located in Davis, CA. Pepper is a USGBC LEED Faculty member and instructor for the University of California. Prior to consulting and teaching about residential green building, Pepper worked for D.R. Horton, Sacramento working on Energy Star, Environments for Living, and LEED for Homes projects.

Kelly Gearhart is a Principal with Triple Green Building Group, a green building consulting firm with locations in San Francisco, CA, Atlanta, GA, Savannah, GA and Sophia, Bulgaria. Gearhart is a USGBC LEED Faculty member, Instructor for the University of California, former Manager of Commercial Green Building Services at Southface Energy Institute, Inc. and has been involved with green building education, technical assistance, and leadership since 2005.

Directional ArrowsCourse Objectives

  • To provide organizations and workers with background information on the growth, costs, benefits, productivity, and profitability of green workplaces, and the reasons why organizations and workers benefit from green workplaces
  • To provide those interested in green workplaces with the knowledge necessary to transition from a conventional workplace situation to a green workplace including understanding typical building functions, measuring performance, and utilizing best-practice green strategies
  • To address the most commonly asked questions about green workplaces, including costs, benefits, challenges, and low-hanging fruit
  • To introduce advanced strategies used in green workplaces
  • To have those currently working in green workplaces share their experiences with those interested in green workplaces

Puzzle PiecesCourse Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, you will:

  • Upon successful completion of this course, you will:
  • Possess the information necessary to discuss the advantages of green workplaces in your organization, including trend data on the costs and benefits, information on productivity and profitability, and the reasons why businesses benefit from green workplaces
  • Get the knowledge necessary to champion the transition to a green workplace 
  • Know the most common issues related to green workplaces
  • Possess a high-level understanding of a few key advanced green workplace concepts and strategies.
     
Completion Requirements