Learning Opportunities Learning Lite BitesSpend less time, learn a lot about current green building issues. Learn more.... Take the SBA ClassWhatcom CC starts their Sustainable Building Advisor course this January. Want more info? Visit the national program, or go directly to Whatcom's SBA course page and see a video from their open house. Project Spotlight This winter the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County is presenting a new course, Sustainability in the Building & Construction Trades to apprentice training programs statewide. The course fills an important educational gap by covering high level and practical green building concepts that are relevant to all construction trades. The course includes a video DVD, activities, quiz and certification cards for students who complete the program. Learn more... Giving with GreeningThank you for subscribing to our newsletter. This fall we planted one tree for each subscriber to restore wildlife habitat and improve water quality along Issaquah Creek in the Mountains to Sound Greening. See photos of our staff getting grubby.
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Happy Holidays
Financial Incentives for Green Buildings
For a bleak year in our economy, green building continued to be a bright spot for most of us as the demand for healthy, efficient buildings continues to grow. While many worthwhile have been put on hold, others are taking advantage of the local, state and federal funding available to make green projects go.
Our gift to you this holiday season is a list of our favorite funding sources.
FOR GREEN BUILDING PROJECTS
Elizabeth’s Pick: Community Solar Projects
This year the WA State Renewable Energy Tax Recovery Incentive was expanded to support community solar projects. Local non-profits or groups of individuals can purchase a solar energy system and, in cooperation with a local government, install it on a government-owned site like a school or park and earn a higher tax incentive than individually owned projects. The annual rebate for individually owned solar energy systems has also been increased to $5000.
Elly's Pick: Initiative for Affordable Housing
The US Green Building Council and Home Depot Foundation offer to funds to cover the cost of LEED for Homes registration, verification and certification fees for low income housing projects being built by 501(c)3 developers.
Kelly’s Pick: Commercial Retrofit Incentives
Puget Sound Energy and Seattle City Light will rebate up to 70% of energy efficiency projects in commercial and industrial buildings to help those projects pay back even faster. Money is available for many common upgrades including lighting retrofits, HVAC and boiler upgrades, window replacements and building commissioning.
Brooke's Pick: Solar 4R Schools
The program funds small-scale solar systems at schools (K-12 and colleges) nationwide. The school owns and maintains the solar system, collects solar data and provides education about renewable energy. In return, the Bonneville Environmental Foundation donates the PV system and monitoring equipment, performs the installations, and provides a renewable energy curriculum to the school.
Looking for more?
King County has a list of many other grant and incentive programs at all levels
Puget Sound Energy has many more custom energy efficiency grants, including those for new construction
City of Seattle has fact sheets on green building incentives for commercial and multi-family projects and homeowners
FOR INDIVIDUALS
Colleen's Pick: PSE “For Your Home” Consumer Rebates
Puget Sound Energy rewards energy conservation in just about any form. Homeowners can get rebates on a myriad of improvements including insulation, faucets, high efficiency appliances, lighting fixtures, furnaces, water heaters, heat pumps, and more.
Alistair's Pick: GreenBuildingAdvisor.com
This web site is a great source for residential green building information. Because we like their content, we became an affiliate so you, as an O’Brien & Company newsletter subscriber, are eligible for a 33% discount on the pro membership. Pro membership gives access to a green building encyclopedia, construction detail library, and strategy generator--all well organized to put the information into context.
Kathleen's Pick: Dollars for Green Training and Education
The Green Collar Alliance has a directory of scholarships for people studying environmental topics. Job seekers can also contact their nearest WorkSource center, where they can meet with a counselor to review training options and see if they are eligible for funding. In addition, they can find out if a course they’d like to take is on the Workforce Investment Act "Eligible Training Provider” list.
Certified Project List for 2009
Our projects that have achieved LEED certification, year-to-date
Bellevue Community College Science + Technology Building, NC, Gold, Seattle / KC Metro Communications and Control, NC, Gold, Seattle / KC Metro Tire and Millwright Shop, NC, Certified, Seattle / KPLU, NC, Gold, Tacoma / Puget Sound Energy Skagit Service Center, NC, Gold, Burlington / Rainier Valley Boys and Girls Club & Rainier Valley Teen Center, NC, Silver, Seattle / Tacoma Community College Early Learning Center, NC, Gold, Tacoma / US Navy Charles Luke Milam Bachelor Housing, NC, Gold, Everett / Group Health Cooperative Headquarters, CI, Gold, Seattle / Providence Health Systems Offices, CI, Gold, Renton / ENSO 2201 9th Residential/Commercial High Rise Development, CS, Gold, Seattle / Footprint at the Bridge, 6 units, Homes, Platinum, Seattle / Ashworth Cottages, 17 units, Homes, Platinum, Seattle / Lakeview Lofts, 4 units, Homes, Platinum, Seattle / Matthei Place, 3 units, Homes, Silver, Bellingham / San Juan Passage, 4 units, Homes, Certified, Anacortes.
View the full list in table format.
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Mission & Values
Programs, Planning & Policies
