December 9, 2009

Education

Green building course postponed due to lack of students

JESSICA PATTERSON

correspondent

CALGARY

The first offering of the National Sustainable Building Advisor (SBA) course in Alberta didn’t work out as planned.

The Calgary class was rescheduled for fall 2010, due to a lack of students.

Organizer Michael Duarte-Pedrosa of Buffalo Jump Environmental was disappointed.

“The first offering of the course was supposed to run October to June, but because of many reasons – the economy, budget cuts – the course needed a minimum of 20 students to run and we only got 13,” he said. “There were enough students who wanted to take the course, but no one could afford to pay for it.”

However, the challenges of hosting the course didn’t keep him down for long.

“It will succeed because people will see the value in it. It’s what needs to happen in this particular sector of the economy,” he said.

The course has been designed for building professionals looking to increase their knowledge of green building practices.

Classes are taught by local and regional experts and course material includes water conservation and quality, to energy efficiency and integrated lighting design, green materials and sustainable job site operations and other topics.

For the nine-month certificate program, tuition was between $2,500 and $2,700 and included a $200 exam fee, 18 days of instruction, as well as six to 10 field trips.

The National Sustainable Building Advisor course began in Seattle 10 years ago and has spread through the U.S. and through parts of Western Canada.

Dallas Jasper, of Brighter Green Consulting based out of Washington state, brought it to Canada and currently runs the course in Vancouver.

“I think it mostly is the economy. I think it had a big effect on it,” she said.

“The economy, it’s kind of hard to put it out when you’re not sure what’s going to happen with your own job.”

In Vancouver, Jasper had fewer students register this year than she did last year, when she had a waiting list.

“I think everyone involved in the program has said this year it’s been more difficult to get students,” Jasper said, adding that she will run the course in Victoria in the new year.

Both Jasper and Duarte-Pedrosa believe the Calgary course will have a full complement of students in fall 2010, when it is slated to run again.

“If you look at green building, it’s not a fad,” Duarte-Pedrosa said.

“People are realizing it’s the way to go.”

For more information on the Calgary-based SBA course, contact Duarte-Pedrosa at michael@buffalojumpenvironmental.com

Print | Email | Comment