New Partnership with ISI to Offer Envision Certification Training for Infrastructure through Portal
LOS ANGELES (March 6, 2020) The City of Los Angeles kicked off a Decade of Action with
the recent mayoral signing of “L.A.’s Green New Deal: Leading By Example”, focusing on
bold action to zero out LA’s main sources of harmful emissions – buildings, transportation,
electricity, and trash. The County of Los Angeles’ bold and comprehensive “OurCounty
Sustainability Plan” was unanimously adopted in August. These new plans for the City of LA
and County of LA call for all new buildings to be carbon neutral by 2030 and existing
buildings by 2045. The U.S. Green Building Council-Los Angeles (USGBC-LA) today
launches its Talent Portal as a go-to point of access for green jobs, trainings, mentorships,
volunteerism and more in support of the City’s, County’s and surrounding regions’ goals
related to the built environment.
With the launch of the Talent Portal, USGBC-LA also announces today the addition of
ENVISION as the newest training offering – for those involved in the work of infrastructure –
through a new partnership with the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI). Envision
is quickly becoming globally recognized as a highly credible approach to sustainable
infrastructure, and therefore, the ENV SP designation is becoming an increasingly important
credential for any professional involved in civil infrastructure.
“Education and workforce development is at the center of USGBC-LA’s mission and we have
always offered educational tours, panels, and events aimed at the architectural,
engineering, and construction community, with more recent additions in the form of training
certification programs over the last five years for tradespeople and janitorial staff,” said Ben
Stapleton, Executive Director, USGBC-LA. “The launch of this Talent Portal allows us to
expand that focus, better connecting a wider range of people with the jobs, employers, and
skill sets that will be needed to build the future in this decade of action.”
The Talent Portal features:
JOBS BOARD: Regional job listings from USGBC-LA, our members, our partners, and
featured leading local employers.
TRAINING: A portfolio of training opportunities (in-person and online) that is updated
regularly to reflect industry trends and supported through member contributions,
experienced trainers, and green building experts. Training programs include:
● ENVISION NEW – Envision provides a consistent, consensus-based framework for
assessing sustainability and resilience in infrastructure. (more below)
● RESILIENCE: Buildings and communities are vulnerable to a wide range of shortand long-term risks. USGBC-LA and the entire green building community are taking a
leadership role to bring resilience down to the local, community level.
● LEED: LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) has led the charge
in distinguishing green building expertise and is one of the most recognizable
certifications in the market. In addition to LEED credentialing, USGBC-LA offers more
specialized classes on LEED Zero, LEED for Communities and Cities, etc.
● WELL Building Standard: This workshop provides an overview of the WELL Building
Standard, highlighting the benefits of integrating human health and well-being in
building design, construction and operations. It also outlines the process to achieve
WELL Certification and provides information to help illustrate the seven concepts.
● GREEN JANITORS EDUCATION PROGRAM: The Green Janitors Education Program
(GJEP) addresses an industry need for a vocational training program that
incorporates green cleaning practices, energy efficiency, recycling, waste
management, and water conservation into the daily operations and maintenance
practices of janitors. Over 1400 Green Janitors have been certified to date, and a
SEED study found that 76% of GJEP buildings saw a decrease in energy and water
usage.
● TRUE Zero Waste and Circular Economy educational series: This series of courses
explores how businesses can create value by striving for zero waste, seeing products
and materials as cycles, the role of creative solutions, and how to contribute to make
the transition to a Circular Economy. Attend to gain insights into what a zero waste
and circular economy is all about, identify skills to make the transition to a Circular
Economy happen, or connect with a community of learners.
● EC3, EMBODIED CARBON & ‘BUY CLEAN’: Webinars and in-person trainings on use
of the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (“EC3”) tool, the Sustainable
Minds Transparency Catalog, and the ‘Buy Clean’ features within both.
● GPRO: Covers the “green gap” between standard trade skills and the new awareness
required to successfully implement sustainable building practices.
MENTORSHIP GATEWAY: With the largest Chapter membership in the U.S., USGBC-LA’s
network provides the opportunity to become a mentor or mentee through curated
matchmaking and activities, and help students, as well as emerging and mid-career
professionals grow and learn from each other.
SPEAKERS BUREAU: Leading and local sustainability experts who are on call to come speak
at events, with the local community, at schools or companies.
VOLUNTEER GATEWAY: Provides fresh opportunities (by topic, by location, etc.) to share
ideas and advance sustainability locally. Volunteers serving 100 hours or more annually will
be honored at the annual Green Gala and professionals can earn up to 50% of their CE
hours per GBCI reporting period for Committee and Branch Volunteer Work.
MEMBER and COMPANY SPOTLIGHTS: Get to know some of USGBC-LA’s most passionate
volunteers, mentors, trainers, and supporters.
USGBC-LA expects the Talent Portal to serve as a go-to for the current and future design,
building and manufacturing communities, which makes the new Envision training a notable
addition. Infrastructure is the foundation for communities – from providing drinking water
and handling waste, to creating spaces to enjoy and roads to connect everyone, not to
mention communication infrastructure. So as cities continue to grow and development
moves forward, the need for sustainable infrastructure becomes paramount.
“California – and specifically the LA region—have always been on the forefront of
sustainability. To that end, ISI is excited to partner with USGBC-LA to put sustainable
infrastructure alongside the great work already being done with green buildings. Throughout
2020, ISI and USGBC-LA will be sharing how Envision provides a framework for
understanding and measuring the complex trade-offs when delivering sustainable and
resilient infrastructure, and we will be training on Envision,” said Anthony Kane, CEO of ISI.
The first ENVISION Sustainability Professional Training will be held on March 18, 2020 from
8:00am to 5:00pm. To learn more, please click here.
Coordinated by USGBC-LA, this partnership and the trainings represent USGBC-LA’s ongoing
mission to offer programs that connect policy to the marketplace, contribute to workforce
development, and provide educational opportunities for those involved in every level of the
sustainable built community to increase their knowledge of both the how and the why of
their job.
For more information on upcoming webinars or in-person sessions, please email
info@usgbc-la.org, and visit our Talent Portal at https://usgbc-ca.org/talent.
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About U.S. Green Building Council-Los Angeles
USGBC-LA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization committed to creating a prosperous and sustainable
future within one generation. Our mission promotes sustainability in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and
Riverside Counties’ built environment by delivering access to knowledge, resources, recognition and
networking. (www.usgbc-la.org)
About Envision®
Envision is the product of a joint collaboration between ISI, which was founded by three national
engineering associations: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), American Council of Engineering
Companies (ACEC) and American Public Works Association (APWA), and the Zofnass Program for
Sustainable Infrastructure at Harvard University Graduate School of Design. Visit us
at www.sustainableinfrastructure.org
