Sustainable Practices

NCSP 5127 Green Building: A Systems Approach

This course counts as 16 hours towards the Sustainable Buildings & Energy Certificate or 1.6 continuing education credits.

Course Format

Online: self-paced and term-based courses available

Course Description

In this course, students will explore an overview of green building. Students will spend a part of each class designing green homes and green communities.

Topics Include

• Site selection
• Site protection
• Green building materials
• Energy efficiency
• Renewable energy
• Water efficiency
• Rain catchment
• Capturing and utilizing waste water
• Advanced framing
• Recycling and reusing waste from building sites
• Indoor air quality
• Site reclamation
• Costs of green building
• Sustainable communities

Instructor Biography

Dan Chiras is the author of numerous books on residential renewable energy and green building, including The New Ecological Home, The Homeowner’s Guide to Renewable Energy, The Solar House, The Natural House, and The Natural Plaster Book. Learn more about Chiras’s work at http://www.evergreeninstitute.org.

Required Text

Students must purchase The New Ecological Home: A Complete Guide To Green Building Options, by Dan Chiras.