Students in the construction management program at Cal Poly Tech worked with Clark Construction on the Poly Canyon Village, a student housing project seeking LEED certification.

In today’s industry, the focus on sustainable construction has many professionals in the business world and in academia preparing the next generation of workers to meet the building and design needs of the future. As states begin to adopt green incentive programs, laws and mandates for their buildings, the need for a qualified work force will also rise.

If in fact, sustainable construction is what owners demand, one must ask: Who is responsible for teaching green building’s theories and methods? Universities and colleges? Construction and design firms? Organizations that certify these facilities? Or is it a combination of all of these?

Mike Montoya, a professor with California Polytechnic State University in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design, believes it will take the combined effort of all stakeholders in the industry. He says colleges and universities, such as San Luis Obispo, Calf.-based Cal Poly, have made huge strides in preparing this new breed of builders and designers.

Montoya teaches commercial construction methods with an emphasis on sustainability. “Over the course of the last couple of years, I’ve been developing courses as they relate to sustainability and the LEED program,” he says. “I left the industry a few years ago to teach full-time to try and move sustainability forward.”

While architecture programs have been widely known to offer sustainable courses, Montoya says the emphasis is starting to shift toward other programs within construction schools. “Historically, in most construction schools, the architecture programs had been teaching sustainability, but in general, the construction end of academia was a bit behind. What I’ve been trying to do is bolster that,” he says.

Montoya implemented sustainability discussions in the courses he taught, in addition to offering new courses such as Sustainable Design and Construction Practices and Applying LEED to Commercial Design/Build Projects. The courses are considered technical electives and are open to students in construction management and architecture and sustainability degree programs.

“We do teach the topic of LEED in most courses where it is applicable,” Montoya says. “The primary reason I focus on LEED is because it’s the most prominent, and it’s clearly the direction that our industry is going. Most of the commercial contractors have embraced the LEED program.”

Hands-On Learning
One key element of Montoya’s LEED course is getting students involved in local projects during design and construction. Serving as the perfect backdrop for the course in fall 2006 was Cal Poly’s $250 million student housing project, the Poly Canyon Village, built by general contractor Clark Construction.

According to Project Executive Mark Blackmon, Poly Canyon Village involves nine residential buildings, two parking structures and community areas with retail, foodservice and recreation functions. As Blackmon explains, the project team’s target goal is to gain 30 LEED points on the project.

In collaboration with Clark, students used the project as a model to learn how LEED principles are incorporated into the design and construction of a building. Montoya’s class worked directly with the design/build team and Clark to determine the parameters of the project, and then devised a proposal in the classroom on how to apply the LEED principles. That proposal was then used by Clark to improve the project’s LEED rating.  

‘Education is the Cornerstone’
Other notable construction and architecture schools offer similar courses, including Arizona State University’s Dell E. Web School of Construction, University of Florida’s M.E. Rinker Sr. School of Building Construction and University of Colorado’s College of Architecture and Planning. Public universities have been at the forefront in pushing sustainable practices in the industry by offering certificate, degree and graduate programs, as well as community outreach programs and co-op programs to foster the link between industry and education.

“The curricular model across the board is staring to reconsider [sustainability] as something that we need to teach our students,” Montoya says. “All of the curriculum across the United States is starting to have discussions about [sustainability].”

Organizations such as the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) also have embraced education. The organization provides nationwide workshops, online courses and many other resources for both students and educators.

“Education is the cornerstone of USGBC’s mission,” says U.S. Green Building CEO Rick Fedrizzi. “USGBC’s vision is a completely sustainable built environment within a generation.”

Keen On Green
As Montoya notes, students are eager to engage in learning about green building. “The first time I offered the LEED course, I had room for about 25 students and I had 50 sign up,” he says. “Clearly they recognize it’s something they need to get smart about.”

From a contractor’s perspective, Blackmon says he has witnessed “huge interest” from students ready to work for companies that embrace sustainable building. “What we’re finding is that students that are taught green building are coming to expect that the company’s that they work for are in some way, shape or form involved in green construction,” Blackmon says.

Some students have taken matters into their own hands, taking the LEED accreditation exam in an effort to learn more about LEED and to make themselves more marketable to potential employers.

Stephanie Simonds, a senior in the construction management program at Cal Poly, passed the LEED Accreditation exam in June. “I had a lot of interest in [LEED],” she states. “I think it’s where most construction is going. I know some companies emphasize LEED a lot more than others and strive to go toward that direction.

“The schools need to start by educating us, so we are not going in [to a job] not knowing anything,” she says, adding that the college has exposed her to the theory of sustainable design but not as much practical design.

Simonds’ main criticism with the college is that sustainable courses, although available, are not widely publicized – something she says Cal Poly could improve on. She recommends it offered classes focused on green building on a regular basis or make them part of the graduation requirements.