Students Love the Green Building Speaker Series
By Michelle Zimney, IBGC
3C-REN is delighted to be partnering with In Balance Green Consulting to deliver green building education for students in high school, community college and vocational programs throughout the tri-county region with our Guest Speaker Program. Over the past year, we have presented in over 40 classrooms, with a focus on two core “101” level green building lessons.
The first lesson, Green Building 101, introduces typical materials in construction, their sources, and relative impacts on the environment and carbon emissions. We explore solutions through efficient resource use and implementation of green building design strategies such as daylighting, natural ventilation and passive solar.
Second, our Green Careers 101 lesson helps students survey the broad range of jobs related to the construction industry, including various trades, planning, inspections, and maintenance. Students are encouraged to think about the skills needed for different career paths and work environments that appeal to them.
Building on these successes, we look forward to offering three new presentations in 2024:
- Introduction to Zero Net Carbon Design for community colleges
- All-Electric HVAC and DHW for CTEs
- Hands-on Green Building for high schools
If you’d like to have our speakers at your school, contact us!
3C-REN Helps “Homeless Services Center” Save Big!
3C-REN’s Multifamily Home Energy Savings Program recently helped a San Luis Obispo multi-unit housing and services center save more than $40,000 annually by implementing energy efficient and solar upgrades. The 40 Prado Homeless Services Center operates 365 days a year, empowering San Luis Obispo’s unhoused residents to achieve economic self-sufficiency. The Center is owned and operated by the Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County (CAPSLO).
CAPSLO’s goal of this project was to reduce operating costs to redirect funds to new or improved services. 3C-REN provided technical support to finalize the project scope and maximize cost savings, as well as nearly $39,000 in incentives. 3C-REN also helped CAPSLO access incentives from multiple programs at the federal, state, and local level that resulted in over $600,000 in total direct project rebates, and only $48,000 in out of pocket costs.
To reduce the building’s natural gas use, CAPSLO replaced the existing gas-powered water heaters with a highly efficient electric heat pump water heater system. This decision was based on 3C-REN’s expert advice which helped determine the best system and size for the building. To offset the increased electrical use and to further reduce operating costs, CAPSLO installed a solar and battery backup system onsite through a complementary program. The upgrades resulted in significant energy and cost savings, including a 91% reduction in energy use through the inclusion of solar energy. This amounts to a 1.5 year simple payback and 86.5 metric tons of CO2e emissions saved annually – the equivalent of taking 19.3 cars off the road!
To get in touch with a 3C-REN Technical Assistant, or find out what opportunities are available for your property, fill out our interest form here.
What's New
- Contractors! Earn $1,000: use a loaner water heater while customers wait for heat pumps!
- 3C-REN’s Multifamily program was awarded $200,000 for the Department of Energy Buildings Up Prize. The funds will be used to pilot an EV car share program at an affordable multifamily property on the Central Coast!
- The Q1 calendar is live! Sign up for FREE online and in-person classes on embodied carbon, energy code implementation, energy audits, and more. Make your plan today.
Code Coach Corner
- Do you have questions about solar and battery requirements for new construction non-residential projects? Check out our latest blog post where we simplify the requirements.
- Partner Highlight: Learn how tiny homes comply with the energy code from Smart Share Housing Solutions.
Congratulations!
Last Fall, our Building Performance Training program graduated its second High Performance Fundamentals class, a regional curriculum developed to address skilled worker shortages by teaching proven methods to reduce building emissions. These foundational classes offer valuable job skills while also tackling climate change and are ideal for people looking to enter the workforce, as well as those who are early on in their careers as building practitioners.
Students attended class every other week from September through November and demonstrated their understanding of the subject matter through quizzes. Six participants successfully completed the entire six-part series and received a 3C-REN High Performance Fundamentals certificate. Congratulations!
- Kyle Basnett (Basnett Construction)
- Marco Cervantes (DMHA Architecture)
- Sara Huskey (County of San Luis Obispo)
- Denise Kneeskern (Gannage Construction)
- Nilton Lin (Office For Sustainable Design Architecture)
- Sara Sharp (Simple Energy Solutions)
Upcoming Events
High Performance Buildings & Careers
March 7 @ 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Register Here
Using Building Science to Design and Build High Performance Homes
March 14 @ 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Register Here
Crafting High Performance Enclosures: Roofs, Walls, and Floors
April 11 @ 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Register Here
Heat Pump Fundamentals: Space Conditioning and Water Heating
April 25 @ 3:00 am – 5:00 pm
Register Here
Water Heating Distribution Best Practices
May 9 @ 3:00 am – 5:00 pm
Register Here
Home Assessments for Decarbonization
May 23 @ 3:00 am – 5:00 pm
Register Here
All 3C-REN programs and services are free to participants in the tri-county region.
3C-REN offers ICC CEUs and AIA LUs for many of our educational events.
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