| Earn your California Contractor's license and become | | | | construction that offers an opportunity to use our |
| a specialist in "green" building - a timely concept in | | | | resources efficiently and create structures that are |
| construction that offers an opportunity to use our | | | | not only better for our health and environment, but |
| resources efficiently and create structures that are | | | | also provide cost savings. |
| not only better for our health and environment, but | | | | Complementing your California state contactors |
| also provide cost savings. Complementing your | | | | license with green training will differentiate you from |
| California state contactors license with green training | | | | the competition. Energy efficient buildings constructed |
| will differentiate you from the competition. Energy | | | | with environmentally sensitive materials are in demand |
| efficient buildings constructed with environmentally | | | | by consumers, governments and businesses across |
| sensitive materials are in demand by consumers, | | | | the nation. Green building is not only good for the |
| governments and businesses across the nation. Green | | | | environment, but can also offer huge savings on |
| building is not only good for the environment, but can | | | | energy costs. |
| also offer huge savings on energy costs. A "green" | | | | A "green" building, also known as a sustainable |
| building, also known as a sustainable building, is | | | | building, is defined as a structure that is designed, |
| defined as a structure that is designed, built, | | | | built, renovated, operated, or reused in an ecological |
| renovated, operated, or reused in an ecological and | | | | and resource-efficient manner. By being "green," |
| resource-efficient manner. By being "green," they | | | | they are designed to meet certain objectives such as |
| are designed to meet certain objectives such as | | | | protecting the occupants' health, efficient use of |
| protecting the occupants' health, efficient use of | | | | resources, including water and energy, and a |
| resources, including water and energy, and a | | | | reduction in the structure's overall impact to the |
| reduction in the structure's overall impact to the | | | | environment. |
| environment. While a green building may be more | | | | While a green building may be more costly in the |
| costly in the beginning, lower operating costs | | | | beginning, lower operating costs ultimately result in |
| ultimately result in savings over the life of the | | | | savings over the life of the structure. Some benefits |
| structure. Some benefits such as improved health, | | | | such as improved health, comfort and productivity, as |
| comfort and productivity, as well as reduced pollution | | | | well as reduced pollution and landfill waste, are not |
| and landfill waste, are not easily quantified. For this | | | | easily quantified. For this reason, they are not |
| reason, they are not adequately considered in cost | | | | adequately considered in cost analysis. Even with a |
| analysis. Even with a tight budget, many measures | | | | tight budget, many measures for green building can |
| for green building can be integrated with little or no | | | | be integrated with little or no increase in up-front |
| increase in up-front costs, and they can yield huge | | | | costs, and they can yield huge savings. |
| savings. To achieve the best results, it is important to | | | | To achieve the best results, it is important to select |
| select materials and interior finish products with zero | | | | materials and interior finish products with zero or low |
| or low emission to ensure improved indoor air quality. | | | | emission to ensure improved indoor air quality. Also, |
| Also, be sure to provide adequate ventilation and a | | | | be sure to provide adequate ventilation and a |
| high-efficiency, in-duct filtration system. Prevention of | | | | high-efficiency, in-duct filtration system. Prevention of |
| microbial contamination indoors can be achieved by | | | | microbial contamination indoors can be achieved by |
| using materials that are resistant to microbial growth. | | | | using materials that are resistant to microbial growth. |
| Providing effective drainage from the roof and | | | | Providing effective drainage from the roof and |
| surrounding landscape, adequate ventilation in the | | | | surrounding landscape, adequate ventilation in the |
| bathrooms, and proper drainage of air-conditioning | | | | bathrooms, and proper drainage of air-conditioning |
| coils are also key factors in the health of the | | | | coils are also key factors in the health of the |
| occupants. Results of recent studies show that | | | | occupants. |
| structures with good overall environmental quality can | | | | Results of recent studies show that structures with |
| reduce the rate of respiratory disease, allergies and | | | | good overall environmental quality can reduce the |
| asthma, and also enhance worker performance. The | | | | rate of respiratory disease, allergies and asthma, and |
| bottom line is that the potential financial advantages | | | | also enhance worker performance. The bottom line is |
| of improving indoor environments exceed the costs. | | | | that the potential financial advantages of improving |
| Gain the competitive edge your California contractor | | | | indoor environments exceed the costs. |
| career needs. Fulfill the growing needs of the green | | | | Gain the competitive edge your California contractor |
| movement. Your efforts will have positive, lasting | | | | career needs. Fulfill the growing needs of the green |
| affects for generations to come. | | | | movement. Your efforts will have positive, lasting |
| Earn your California Contractor's license and become | | | | affects for generations to come. |
| a specialist in "green" building - a timely concept in | | | | |