Carpenters Union builds $15M training center in PA

Carpenters Union builds $15M training center along Airport corridor

The Greater PA Regional Council of Carpenters--the Carpenter Union--has invested $15 million of private funding into the future of itself and of building in the region.

"The construction industry is constantly changing its technology and building practices, and if we don't stay on the cutting edge of the changes, we'll fall behind the curve. We look at this new Training Center as our future," says Lou Gilberti with the union. "There are two ways to do business. You can either control or compete. As carpenters, we don't control, so we have to compete. And the only way to stay competitive is to train people in the best skills and attitudes."

The new center was built specifically for training carpenters. Currently, the union operates a training facility in the former high school on Neville Island. When the union realized it needed a bigger and better space, Gilberti says it decided to invest in constructing a new center from the ground-up on two acres next to its 42,000-square-foot headquarters off Route 22/30 near the new Settlers Ridge shopping center.

The union broke ground in September 2008, is finishing up construction now, and expects the facility to be fully occupied the second week of January.

The 93,000-square-foot, two-story space was is used for various fields of carpentry training, including commercial, residential, heavy highway, floor covering and cabinet making. It includes vehicular access on both floors and all-glass garage doors that let in tons of natural light. The first floor ceilings are about 22 feet high, and the second floor are about 32 feet.

"We have the capacity to build a two-story house inside the Training Center," says Gilberti.

The Training Center was designed by Astorino, and Mosites Construction Company served as general contractor.

The Carpenter Union currently has about 915 apprentices and 20 full-time instructors. Its graduation rate is more than 85 percent, which Gilberti says is higher than the national average.

Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Lou Gilberti, council representative, Greater PA Regional Council of Carpenters

http://www.popcitymedia.com/devnews/carpenterunion111809.aspx

Are Minority Contractors getting contracts from the Stimulus Plan?

Are Minorities Being Shortchanged by the Stimulus?

By Tim Padgett / Miami Monday, Nov. 23, 2009

Miami's poorer residents have long complained that the city's meager public-transit system makes it harder for them to get to work. So when the Obama Administration announced the $787 billion stimulus plan earlier this year, many hoped some of that money would help fund plans like an expansion of Miami's undersized Metrorail system — especially a 10-mile northern extension that would reach into predominantly African-American and other minority communities largely cut off from downtown and other employment centers. But the project, in part because it's not considered as shovel-ready as jobs like existing highway maintenance, isn't getting any of the $15 billion in stimulus aid for Florida, and has been shelved for the time being.

To Gihan Perera, that's just one example of how federal and state governments are missing a great opportunity to use the stimulus to aid the poor and minority communities hardest hit by the Great Recession. Perera, director of the nonprofit Miami Workers Center (MWC), is among a number of antipoverty activists closely examining which communities and contractors are getting stimulus dollars, and so far he says the picture doesn't look bright for already marginalized "low-opportunity" zones and minority-owned firms. The lion's share of road and other construction work in Florida has gone to venues like airports and new highways that usually benefit more affluent suburbs, Perera argues. And as of September, less than 10% of the $330 million in stimulus projects awarded directly from federal agencies to Florida-based contractors had gone to minority-owned firms, according to a study by the MWC, the Kirwan Institute at Ohio State University and the Research Institute on Social and Economic Policy (RISEP) at Miami's Florida International University. In all, black-owned firms received less than 2%. "The fear," says Perera, "is that the stimulus money could instead serve to exacerbate the inequalities that existed before."

That's not just a concern for the Sunshine State, which now has one of the nation's highest jobless and home-foreclosure rates. Earlier this year, the Associated Press found that across the U.S., the stimulus plan was "set to spend 50% more per person in areas with the lowest unemployment than it will in communities with the highest." In Illinois, President Obama's home state, a Chicago Public Radio investigation this fall found that less than 10% of the Department of Transportation's stimulus contracts had gone to "disadvantaged business enterprises," or DBEs, even though the state says it benchmarked almost a quarter of the dollars for those minority- and women-owned firms. Less than 2% of it had gone to black-owned businesses. Florida's Department of Transport doesn't have a specific DBE participation target for stimulus-related projects, but it says it exceeded its goal of more than 8% for all federally funded (not just stimulus) work in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. Still, given that Florida's workforce is about one-third minority, watchdogs like the MWC suggest the target should be higher.

Washington and the states have been trying to get stimulus money and projects out the door as quickly as possible, often bundling smaller projects into larger ones set to begin work immediately (so-called shovel-ready projects) for more efficiency. Consequently, they have also tended to rely on larger and therefore predominantly white-owned construction contractors (who in turn also tend to use their preferred subcontractors) over smaller minority-owned firms that often don't have ample equipment or personnel. Those smaller companies also have trouble finding the resources to post construction bonds (money contractors must offer up front as a guarantee that a job will be finished) on larger jobs. Serge Jean-Louis, a Haitian-American contractor and president of Nicon Engineering in Coconut Creek, Fla., near Fort Lauderdale, is struggling to land stimulus-related projects in South Florida. He says federal and state officials managing the stimulus should relax bond requirements for smaller firms and DBEs, "or we're going to be out of the stimulus picture."

The Obama Administration insists that 15% of the stimulus contracts awarded so far across the country have gone to DBEs. That's 2½ times the share of federally funded projects that went to minority- and women-owned firms in fiscal 2008, say officials. "It's a top priority of the President's, and we've worked very hard to create those opportunities," says David Hinson, director of the Commerce Department's Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA). Hinson points to the outreach program the MBDA and the Small Business Administration have created to "put boots on the ground" and make contract procurement easier for DBEs. He also suggests it's "a little early to draw conclusions" about the stimulus' level of minority participation.

Most of the federal stimulus money is disbursed via states and counties, and the outlook for minorities does seem better once the dollars reach more local levels. Miami-Dade County's Public Works Department has kept its so far $25 million worth of stimulus projects relatively small, and therefore more accessible to minority contractors, to ensure its own 10% DBE participation goal. On some projects Miami-Dade has even 100% DBE involvement. For now, the county is using what stimulus money it can earmark for transit purposes to purchase a fleet of BRT (bus rapid transit) buses that will at least reach into predominantly minority corridors at a faster clip than conventional metro bus lines. Says Miami-Dade Public Works Director Esther Calas, the stimulus trickle-down "wasn't really crafted to happen as fast as it could have, but once it gets to us we're expediting it quickly." She points out that Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez championed an ordinance last year that accelerates contracting processes related to any kind of economic-stimulus project.

Given such different track records, minority-business advocates like John Powell, director of the Kirwan Institute, which studies race and ethnicity issues, feel that additional stimulus billions should be pushed more directly to the local level, where it stands a better chance of boosting poor minority areas. "These communities see tons of money moving around, but they fear it's passing them by," says Powell, noting that many, if not most, U.S. municipalities don't yet know how to access stimulus funds for basic green projects like home weatherization and biofuel stations.

Powell thinks it's only fair that more stimulus money finds its way to minority communities, since much of today's economic disaster can be traced to those areas being lavished with subprime mortgages. Despite recovery.gov, the federal website designed for tracing stimulus outlays, Powell argues, "We need to put how this is playing out under a larger magnifying glass, make it more transparent." If not, he warns, "we'll have the irony of the first black President presiding over the greatest economic restructuring in decades, but it could actually end up worsening the racial disparity." Whether or not that's an exaggerated warning, heeding it could help Obama ensure that his recovery crusade is on a track that does the most long-term — and not just immediate — good.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1940338,00.html?xid=rss-topstories#ixzz0XkAarNR5

USGBC releases green jobs study

USGBC releases green jobs study results

The USGBC released the results of a green jobs study today at Greenbuild 2009.

Wed, Nov 11 2009 at 1:08 PM EST

Melissa Hincha-Ownby

Green building leads to green jobs. Today, the U.S. Green Building Council released the results of a green jobs study that examined the impact that the green building industry has on the nation’s economy and the growing green jobs movement. The report, prepared by Booz Allen Hamilton, determined that spending in the green construction industry helps to support over two million jobs and is responsible for more than $100 billion in GDP and wages.

As the green building trend continues to gain momentum, it is expected that the industry will help to support approximately eight million jobs by 2013. The report further breaks this down into jobs that are directly related to LEED spending. Since 2000, 15,000 jobs have been created thanks to LEED-related spending and nearly 230,000 more jobs should be created by 2013 as more green building projects look to the LEED rating systems for guidance.

So what types of jobs are being added as a direct result of spending on green construction projects? The report examined the impact that the green building industry has had on the following employment sectors:

• Nonresidential construction
• Residential construction
• Electric power generation, transmission, and distribution
• Water, sewage, and other waste treatment systems
• Waste management and remediation services

Many of the jobs that fall within these employment sectors directly impacted by the green building movement are attainable without an advanced degree. In nonresidential construction carpenters, construction laborers, truck drivers, and heavy-equipment operators are seeing employment opportunities on green construction projects.

One of the most important aspects of the growing green jobs movement is the need for good green jobs - jobs that will provide under and unemployed Americans a pathway out of poverty. The USGBC report estimates that the average annual salary for these positions listed above is just over $40,000.

This figure excludes positions like construction managers, civil engineers, and cost estimators, which all require an advanced degree. When factoring in these positions, the industry-wide average annual salary jumps to $52,200.

Between 2000 and 2008, green construction spending was responsible for 2.3 million jobs in nonresidential construction. This number is expected to jump to nearly 7.5 million jobs by 2013.

Although the green building movement is firmly rooted in the commercial industry, it is still gaining momentum in the residential sector. The USGBC Green Jobs Study predicts that there will be just over 460,000 jobs attributed to green building spending in the residential sector by 2013. This is up from the 143,000 jobs gained between 2000 and 2008.

In a time where the construction industry has been hard hit by the economic crisis, job growth in these sectors will be important in helping the nation recover from the recession.

http://www.mnn.com/business/green-jobs/blogs/usgbc-releases-green-jobs-study-results

Women are 70% of Do-It-Yourself Home Builders

Building a home yourself without swinging a hammer

written by: Jeffrey Wolf written by: Mark Koebrich

DENVER - If you've wanted a new home, but the tough economy is making that a tough proposition - there is a solution.

You should look into building it yourself. The process can save tens-of-thousands of dollars and you can do it even if you've never swung a hammer in your life.

Many people are currently giving it a try. Perhaps more surprisingly, about 70 percent of them are women. They become "general contractors" with the help of a "building coach."

A general contractor will typically take 15 to 20 percent of the cost of any project. If you do that job yourself, you can pocket a lot of cash, no matter how much of a home you want to build.

Some of the homes are breathtaking, even though the builders are largely people who previously had no experience in residential home construction.

Leslie Spees-Mcghee built her house and it's full of wonderful designer touches, such as open beamed ceilings, custom fit cabinets and cozy fireplaces. She also has a unique circular Tuscan staircase that cost her more than she anticipated.

"If you're building your own house, remember, curves are expensive," she said laughing.

Emily Brennan is currently building her dream home. It's a process she says has included a few teary breakdowns.

She discovered homebuilding is all about tight timelines, a process that can be overwhelming.

"You just want to cry and say, 'How am I going to get this all done?'" Brennan said.

It's not that either of the women ever drove a nail, or ran a saw through a sheet of particle board or lifted a section of wall into place. They acted as their own general contractor, the construction boss who organizes all of these activities.

It's a job they performed under the tutelage of Bob Hinz.

Hinz is the real deal: a true licensed general contractor who now sells his knowledge and expertise to do-it-yourselfers. He calls himself a building coach.

"By acting as a homebuilding coach, or as an assistant to the actual homebuilder, we're able to participate in an awful lot of homes at any given point in time. We've usually got 12,13 or 14 homes going at once," Hinz said.

That is how his company, HomeWrights, makes money. Hinz gets 5 percent of the construction cost.

"I love the 'creative chaos' that surrounds the building industry and this business allows us to participate in lots of projects at once, and be much closer to the owner's creative process," Hinz said.

He helps his clients every step of the way by hiring the electricians, the plumbers, the stone masons and bricklayers.

"Custom home building is a little bit science, a little bit art and a little bit magic. My industry gets pretty badly maligned sometimes, but there are a lot of great, honest, hardworking sons and daughters who work in this industry," Hinz said.

He makes sure the staircases are solid, the windows don't leak and the fireplaces are exactly what his student builder ordered.

Brennan ordered a two-sided fireplace.

"You can take a bath and have a fire," she said enthusiastically.

The savings are impressive. Brennan may pocket as much as 20 to 25 percent of her construction estimate of $840,000.

"We're totally under budget right now, which is great. We're really excited. But we have been able to get everything we wanted," Brennan said.

Spees-Mcghee's savings are comparable.

"We saved probably over $100,000 building it ourselves," she said.

Both women say they never had to worry about a complete collapse of any kind because Hinz was always there to save them.

"Thank goodness we have Bob to help us out. It's been great," Brennan said.

They all agree that it's a beautifully innovative solution in an ugly housing market.

The HomeWrights system can work with any size and value of home. They've even done some very nice, small starter homes. Hinz says the irony is that many folks who are interested in the 1,500-square-foot "starter" home want to build a true "custom" home, so they're often attracted to production homes.

Of course, production builders have a very strong cost structure, so they can deliver an 1,800-square-foot home for $100 per square foot.

The other thing that dictates a "typical" HomeWrights client is the cost of land in Colorado. Because our real estate is so expensive, most consumers who are truly interested in real custom homes are pretty well heeled.

To contact HomeWrights, you can call 303-756-8870 or visit www.homewrights.com.

It is possible to have a full time job and do this. Hinz says he's had quite a few clients who've been able to juggle both.

It requires discipline and some long days; usually the first 90 days are the worst because there is so much planning and thought and shopping that must go into the project.

HomeWrights isn't the only company that does this. Another is Direct Build in Parker (www.directbuildusa.com). U-Build-It was also active in the industry, but has been closing their Colorado locations (www.ubuildit.com/offices/colorado/index.html).

Hinz says both are very honorable and well operated businesses with good reputations. Hinz also says this is a very old fashioned way to build. Back in the 30s, Sears Roebuck sold kit homes from catalogues for anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000 and they shipped to the home owner, who built his own home.

One final note: Hinz says he's starting to see some signs the bottom is behind us. Commodities like copper, aluminum, steel and cement are starting to slowly recover in price. Copper has gone up by as much as 10 percent in the last quarter. Lumber, plywood, and gypsum (sheet rock) are still soft, but starting to show signs that they are nearing bottom as well.

Hinz says for people who are waiting for the best time to jump back into the real estate market the perfect window may in fact be behind us. He says now is a very good time to build.

http://www.9news.com/money/consumer/article.aspx?storyid=125948&catid=103

Carpenters union opens trades college in Nova Scotia

By TOM PETERS Business Reporter
Fri. Oct 30 - 4:46 AM

The Carpenters Union of Mainland Nova Scotia has opened a private career college in Lower Sackville that will create more tradespeople for the construction industry to address a shortage of qualified workers.

"The carpenters union has trained its own members for many years and we thought we would like to take this training public in an effort to raise the standards of the industry," Peter Greer, vice-president of the Carpenter Millwright Trades College, said in an interview Tuesday.

Mr. Greer said the most productive and best qualified leaders in industry are moving toward retirement and "about 30 per cent of our workforce will be retired in 10 years and 50 per cent in 15 years."

He said there isn’t a lot of time to transfer the skills of the present generation to the younger workers moving into the industry.

The college, located at 1000 Sackville Dr., is offering an eight-week pre-employment course for people with no experience in the industry and two four-week elective courses in scaffold training and installing construction forms.

There are plans to also offer a drywall course, plus instruction in other industry-related trades.

The pre-employment course provides industry basics, such as how to use portable hand and power tools, how to do construction math, how to improve communications, how to get along with co-workers and how to receive instructions.

"These are basics, but we find these are skills a lot of people don’t have when they come into the industry," Mr. Greer said.

At the end of the eight-week program, students can take the four-week elective courses.

The college, certified by the provincial Education Department, has five certified instructors who have many years of on-the-job experience.

"We want to develop the college into the ‘come-to place’ for innovative, job-ready, skills-development training for Nova Scotia," Mr. Greer said.

"We don’t want to compete with the Nova Scotia Community College, but rather complement their training with ours."

The college also has plans to become a centre of excellence for safety, foreman training, productivity and communications training.

Mr. Greer said the 26,000-square-foot former church building is ideal for the college’s needs. A gymnasium has been converted into a wood shop and drywall lab and a scaffolding training area will be established outside.

"We like to replica industry as close as possible," he said.

The private college has the full support of the international union and is part of a North American program to have several training centres in Canada and the U.S. The union’s international training centre in Las Vegas supports the program.

The curriculum and programs are developed at the international centre and the local trade colleges refine them to meet local conditions.

"We want to deliver better craft value to the industry and raise the quality of the carpentry trade for all Nova Scotians through hands-on training," Mr. Greer said.

"As well as being a college, we intend to become a facility for conferences and discussion groups interested in improving our industry with the focus on skills improvement, construction site safety, quality control and career enhancement for all tradespeople in Nova Scotia."

( tpeters@herald.ca)

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1150183.html

U.S. Department of Labor awards contract to produce ‘A Woman’s Guide to Green Jobs’

News Release

WB News Release: [09/30/2009]
Contact Name: Lina Garcia
Phone Number: (202) 693-4661
Release Number: 09-1200-NAT

U.S. Department of Labor awards contract to produce ‘A Woman’s Guide to Green Jobs’

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Women's Bureau has awarded a $265,690 contract to Public Policy Associates Inc. in Lansing, Mich., which will partner with Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW), a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., in the development of a publication designed to increase women's access to high-growth and emerging industry occupations in the green jobs sector nationwide.

"Women are an important part of the nation's workforce, and there are many exciting opportunities for them in the emerging green jobs sector," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

Through both a hard copy publication and an online curriculum, "A Woman's Guide to Green Jobs" will provide women — who make up 47 percent of the total U.S. workforce — and employment professionals in general with information on hiring needs, training and entrepreneurship opportunities in green industries. National, state and local resources, including women's organizations and workforce practitioners, will be included. As part of this effort, the Women's Bureau will connect women with best practices and support services to facilitate their success in the workplace of the 21st century.

Public Policy Associates Inc. and WOW were selected through a competitive process. The Women's Bureau expects to release the new publication and accompanying curriculum in spring 2010.

http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/wb/wb20091200.htm

SBA Launches New Online Training Course for Women Entrepreneurs

SBA Launches New Online Training Course: Winning Federal Contracts - A Guide for Women Entrepreneurs
Wed Oct 14, 2009 11:45am EDT

WASHINGTON--(Business Wire)-- Women who own small businesses will be able to use a new online U.S. Small Business Administration training course to learn how to identify and take advantage of federal contracting opportunities. The new training course, Winning Federal Contracts: A Guide for Women Entrepreneurs, is part of an ongoing government-wide initiative to promote opportunities for women-owned businesses in the area of government contracting. 

 This free online tutorial is a practical and easy to use guide that walks a woman-owned small business through the contracting process. SBA is committed to ensuring that women-owned businesses receive at least 5 percent of federal contracts and believes better training opportunities are central to meeting this government-wide goal. 

 "Federal contracts can provide unique opportunities for women entrepreneurs and small business owners to grow their businesses and create jobs, particularly during these tough economic times," Administrator Karen Mills said. "It`s also a win for federal agencies, by contracting with women-owned small businesses; they are working with some of the most innovative and dynamic companies in the country." 

 The SBA`s Office of Women`s Business Ownership oversees a national network of more than 100 Women`s Business Centers (WBCs) that provide education and training to help women start and grow small businesses. In addition, the SBA has 68 district offices and other resource partners throughout the country available to train and counsel women-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs seeking government contracts. 

 "This online training course makes critical information and training available to an even wider array of women entrepreneurs and small business owners," said Ana Harvey, assistant administrator for SBA`s Office of Women`s Business Ownership. "SBA wants to help ensure they have the tools and resources they need to compete for and win federal contracts." 

 The Winning Federal Contracts course is designed to help women entrepreneurs learn about the federal procurement process and to prepare them to compete for contracting opportunities. The self-paced guide uses audio and script to provide information about contract rules, how to sell to the government and where to find contracts. 

 The Winning Federal Contracts course is available on SBA`s Web site at www.sba.gov or directly at www.sba.gov/fedcontractingtraining. It is indexed by subject matter, and includes direct links to additional contracting resources. 

 Release Number: 09-71  U.S. Small Business Administration Cecelia Taylor, 202-401-3059 Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS151739+14-Oct-2009+BW20091014  

Chicago Turner School of Construction Management Graduates 58 Women and Minorities

Turner School of Construction Management Graduates 58 Chicago Area Minority and Women-Owned Businesses

October 14, 2009

Turner Construction Company, together with the City of Chicago, the Exelon Corporation, The University of Chicago, Roosevelt University’s Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate and the Federation of Women Contractors has awarded certificates of completion to 58 individuals representing minority and woman-owned business enterprises (MWBEs) , marking the conclusion of the 21st Turner School of Construction Management in the greater Chicago area.

The free, seven-week training program has been a key resource in Chicago for more than 1,000 MWBE business owners over the last 20 years. The program provides insightful and meaningful tools to local woman-and minority-owned businesses, while offering them an opportunity to develop strategic business skills.

The Turner School of Construction Management is designed to enhance the technical, administrative and managerial skills of leaders within these businesses to help them most effectively manage projects and ultimately build their reputations so that they are able to successfully compete in the construction market.“Helping develop greater capacity in the MWBE building community makes good business sense as well as aligning with Turner values and long-history of helping to expand the skills of minority, women, disadvantaged and small-business enterprises,” said Stephen Fort, Vice President and General Manager of Turner’s Chicago operations.

Participants learn the essentials of managing a business, including how to develop a business plan, estimate and bid on a job, obtain bonding, enforce safety principles and establish and manage credit, in order to become better equipped to compete for progressively larger and more complicated contracts. One goal of the program is to develop a pool of minority contractors with the necessary skills to perform work on future Turner projects. Attendees also have the opportunity to network with peers, instructors and others in the construction industry during the training program.

“After graduating from this course, I have gained valuable insight and a new perspective about general contractors and subcontractors, the challenges they face and the way we can more effectively partner with them to benefit the client,” stated Sharon Jaenel, President, PeopleSpace, Ltd.

Wendy Ryce-Smith, President of Ryce Restoration, Inc. stated, “This course has helped Ryce Restoration improve how we plan, bid, estimate, operate, manage risk and partner with general contractors to grow our business.”

http://urbanmecca.net/news/?p=9437

It's time for OFCCP to modernize to reflect female breadwinners

It’s time for OFCCP to reflect the 21st century (Rep. Rosa DeLauro)
By Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) - 09/24/09 12:00 PM ET

Earlier this week, I, Congressman Pete Stark, and 24 of our colleagues signed a letter urging Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis to modernize the affirmative action goals set by the Office of Federal Contracts and Compliance Programs (OFCCP) in 1980 to reflect the current realities of female participation in the construction industry.


This issue is a no-brainer – OFCCP standards, which were designed to end the long-standing exclusion of women in construction, should reflect the world as it is today, not as it was decades ago.


For example, the OFCCP minimum standard for total number of work hours performed by women on a given federal contract progressed from 3.1% to 5% to 6.9% over a period of three years when the program was first established. But after this very positive start, this 6.9% participation rate – based on data from the 1970 census – has not been further expanded in over 30 years.


This is 30 years too late, and the time to act is now. As From the Ground Up: Building Opportunities for Women in Construction, a July 2008 report by Legal Momentum, concluded, the “convergence of economic and demographic trends” in the construction industry – many new projects, a retiring male workforce, growing numbers of women in the field – “means that conditions are optimal for increasing women’s participation in the construction workforce.”


Moreover, as Wider Opportunities for Women has pointed out, higher workforce goals usually results in higher participation for women. When the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. established a goal of 15 percent women for the deconstruction of the Deutsche Bank building, the result was 20 percent women on site, including one superintendent.


In short, these OFCCP standards are based on forty-year-old data that in no way reflect the considerable progress we have seen in the construction industry over the past four decades. A more appropriate participation goal, based on current workforce and demographic data, is both legally defensible and critical to assist women in making more gains in non-traditional fields.


In these hard economic times, women are carrying a huge burden in supporting their families and acting as primary breadwinners, particularly given that they make 78 cents on the dollar as compared to men. Yet, women with less than a college degree can earn 20 to 30 percent more in construction jobs than those in occupations normally open to them. It is past time we helped women establish a firmer foothold in the construction industry, one that reflects their numbers in the labor force.


We should not live in the past. These OFCCP standards should reflect the America of 2010, not the America of 1970.


http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/civil-rights/60143-its-time-for-ofccp-to-reflect-the-21st-century-rep-rosa-delauro

School of Green Recovery is in session: Chicago, September 2009

LEED Workshops
September 29, 2009LEED Core Concepts & Strategies Workshop – Normal, IL
October 13, 2009Green Building Design & Construction: The LEED Implementation Process – Chicago, IL
Online AnytimeGreen Building Basics & LEED Workshop – Online
LEED Core Concepts & Strategies – Online
Intro to LEED for Homes – Online $25
Intro to LEED for Schools – Online FREE

U.S Green Building Council -Chicago Chapter
Upcoming LEED Workshops
Upcoming Events
http://www.usgbc-chicago.org/


Chapter Orientation
Thursday, September 10, 20095:00 PM – 5:30 PMGensler, 11 E. Madison, Chicago

Chapter Business Meeting
Thursday, September 10, 20095:30 – 8:00 PMGensler, 11 E. Madison, Chicago, Illinois 60602

Going Green to LEED – 1st Rockford Branch Event
Tuesday, September 15, 20095:30 PM – 8:00 PMRadisson Hotel & Conference Center, Rockford

GBCI: Credentials & Maintenance – Fox Valley Branch Event
Thursday, September 17, 20096:00 PM – 8:00 PMInteriors for Business, Batavia

Green Building: The Nuts & Bolts for Contractors
Friday, September 18, 20097:30 AM – 4:30 PMNorthwestern University, 339 E. Chicago Ave, Chicago

The Greening of Health Care, Part II
Thursday, September 24, 20098:30 AM – 2:00 PMInteriors for Business, 409 N. River St., Batavia

Emerging Green Builders Networking Event
Thursday, September 24, 20095:30 PM – 8:00 PMUncommon Ground, 1401 W. Devon, Chicago

Panduit Hard Hat Tour – South Suburban Branch Event
Friday, September 25, 20093:00 PM – 5:00 PMPanduit, 80th & I-80, Tinley Park

Green Design for School Facilities: Hubble Middle School Case Study
Monday, September 28, 20096:00 PM – 8:00 PMHubble Middle School, Warrenville

LEED Leaders & Liters: Sustainable Sites Initiative
Tuesday, September 29, 20095:30 PM – 7:30 PMNorcon, 661 W. Ohio, Chicago



Weatherization Training & Curriculum


The Chicagoland Green Collar Jobs Initiative’s Workforce Development Task Force, under the direction of Dr. Victoria Cooper, Wilbur Wright College, Environmental Technology Program with the support of Dean Robert Kelly of the Dawson Technical Institute of Kennedy-King College, are developing a Chicagoland Standardized Weatherization Training Curriculum.

Over the past two months, workforce development non-profits, educational institutions and community-based organizations have meet with Steering Committee members to discuss the skills and knowledge necessary to supply a skilled green collar workforce.

Their results have been collated and developed into the FINAL DRAFT Weatherization Curriculum which is still open for commentary and feedback. There are several ways to add your substantive comments to aid green collar development in Chicago. First, comment below; second, e-mail us or comment via Twitter. In September, a special Task Force will reconvene (with LEED Council) to discuss expanding the current 4-week pilot to 8-weeks.

What’s next With federal funding from the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the Chicago Department of Family & Support Service (DCFSS) awarded LEED Council a contract to conduct 3 classes; the first starting on September 28th. This first class will be an 8-week version of the 4-week Weatherization Pilot which happened in June 2009. Pilot curriculum is 8 weeks of technical, job readiness and financial education training. LEED Council anticipates around 45 graduates by June 2010, with most to be hired by general contractors for residential retrofitting.

We welcome comments and questions about Weatherization Curriculum and the Workforce Development Task Force, please contact us via e-mail, Twitter or Facebook

http://greencollarchicago.org/?page_id=12




Important Information in Weatherization Funding at the State and National Levels

New grant money is available for weatherization funding on both the national and state levels.

The weatherization of homes for low-income families can result in savings of 32 percent on heating bills and hundreds of dollars a year on overall energy bills, according to the Department of Energy (DOE).

National: Illinois was allocated $242,526,619 in Weatherization Assistance Program funding, 50 percent of which has already been received. After receiving the initial 10 percent for training and ramp-up activities, Illinois received $97,010,647 more on June 26, 2009 following a DOE review of our state’s comprehensive application. The final 50 percent of funds will be awarded once the state meets reporting requirements and oversight and accountability milestones, as required by the Recovery Act. This funding expands the state’s Home Weatherization Assistance Program, which is administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). The funding is planned to weatherize nearly 27,000 homes, and DCEO will award money to 35 existing local agencies. Criteria used to determine which homes will be weatherized include the home owner’s poverty level, whether they are elderly or disable disabled, and the home’s fuel cost.

Important Federal updates:
There has been a change in reporting requirements. Only 40 percent of awarded money must be spent in the first year, beginning July 1, 2009 (compared to the 60 percent originally stated). In the second year, 60 percent of funding must be spent. OMB reporting requirements for the quarter ending September 30, 2009 are due on October 10.

In May the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and DOE partnered to coordinate the use of ARRA funding to eliminate barriers preventing the use of weatherization funds in public and assisted multifamily housing. The partnership will streamline the weatherization eligibility process for residents in public housing and privately owned federally-assisted units, as well as 950,000 Low Income Housing Tax Credit-financed units. A family’s income must be below 200 percent of the federal poverty level for a unit to qualify for weatherization assistance.

FAQs about Weatherization funding are online.

State: The Illinois General Assembly passed the Urban Weatherization Initiative Act, effective July 13, 2009, which seeks to increase both employment and entrepreneurship opportunities with the manufacturing and installation of low-cost weatherization materials. DCEO will administer the initiative’s $425 million, with a focus on weatherizing “owner-occupied, single family homes and multifamily (6 units or fewer) housing in census tracts with high rates of unemployment, underemployment, and poverty to ensure that residents of those communities are able to access the work as a local employment engine.” Outreach strategies will also raise awareness on the cost savings and job training opportunities associated with the program. Grants will be awarded via a competitive request-for-proposal process. All applicants must include a plan for local community engagement, including outreach at local intake centers like churches, schools, and community centers. Eligible applicants include private, public and non-profit entities. Grants will be up to $500,000 per fiscal year.

Posted: 8/24/2009 3:11:33 PM- Economic and Workforce Development - Energy and Brownfield

http://www.cmap.illinois.gov/blog_template.aspx?id=16799&blogid=872




For Immediate ReleaseContact: Susan MasselPhone: (312) 744-0757E-mail: susan.massel@cityofchicago.orgMonday, August 10, 2009

RFP issued for "green" deconstruction program

The Chicago Department of Community Development (DCD) today issued a Request for Proposals for a Deconstruction Work Services and Training Program.

The program is a year–round job training and work experience program targeted at formerly incarcerated individuals. Participants will be trained in deconstruction techniques, all relevant Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards and practices, and the operations of tools such as reciprocating saws, pallet jacks, chisels, crow bars, and hammers.
The work experience component of the program involves salvaging surface items from buildings scheduled for demolition, processing building materials for recycling and re-use, deconstructing garages, and participating in the sale of re-usable merchandise. The project period is October 1, 2009 to March 31, 2012.

The program will be administered by the City of Chicago through the Department of Community Development (DCD) and in cooperation with the Department of Buildings and the Department of Streets and Sanitation.

“This RFP addresses two of the City of Chicago’s priorities: providing job training and work experience for residents with criminal backgrounds, and deconstructing buildings and reusing the materials because of the substantial environmental benefits that the practice brings,” said David Hanson, Executive Director of Business Development Services in the City’s Department of Community Development. “This project will connect these two priorities by putting 140 formerly incarcerated individuals in a work training program salvaging items from buildings scheduled for demolition, processing building materials for re-use, deconstructing garages and participating in the re-selling of building materials. We anticipate that the project will last for two and a half years, with four cohorts of 35 participants lasting one year each, starting every six months.”

Respondents with the ability to design a comprehensive job training program that features work experience and exposure to the deconstruction field can find the RFP at www.cityofchicago.org/recovery beginning Monday, Aug. 10, 2009. Submissions are due by at 4 pm, Thursday, Sept. 10.


http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/portalContentItemAction.do?blockName=Planning+And+Development%2fRequests+for+Proposals%2fI+Want+To&deptMainCategoryOID=-536886353&channelId=0&programId=0&entityName=Planning+And+Development&topChannelName=Dept&contentOID=537055335&Failed_Reason=Invalid+timestamp,+engine+has+been+restarted&contenTypeName=COC_EDITORIAL&com.broadvision.session.new=Yes&Failed_Page=%2fwebportal%2fportalContentItemAction.do&context=dept



Green Building Resources and Energy Efficiency


NEW GREEN GUIDELINES FOR STATE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
New energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly guidelines for state construction projects have been adopted that will meet strict national “green” building standards, reduce the state’s energy usage, and make state buildings better for those who work in them and the area surrounding them.

Buildings consume 65 percent of our nation’s total electricity, emit 30 percent of our total greenhouse gases, and account for nearly 60 percent of total non-industrial waste in the United States.

The Green Building Guidelines for State Construction, developed by the Illinois Green Building Advisory Committee, mandate that all new state-funded building construction and major renovations of existing state-owned facilities are required to meet current Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards that are practical for that project. The Capital Development Board (CDB), which manages all state construction, repair and renovation projects, developed the new guidelines and will oversee their implementation.


Exciting new technologies combined with traditional solutions may be seen in future state building projects under the new guidelines. These could include geo-thermal climate control systems, roofs made of heat-reducing white material or covered with live vegetation (“white” and “green” roofs), photovoltaic systems to produce electricity, the use of recycled materials, nowater landscaping, and allergen-reducing ventilation and interior finishes.


Under the Green Building Guidelines, the following Illinois specific goals will apply to every project: There will be no development on prime farmland; water use will be reduced by at least 20 percent through the use of high-efficiency fixtures; and energy performance will be improved by set percentages on new and existing buildings. Other guidelines will also apply to specific projects. In addition to the guidelines, a Measurement & Verification Tool was created to help collect building and site characteristics data and building cost and performance metrics. These are important indicators in tracking and determining the building performance information.


Several state-funded building projects already underway or planned incorporate the new Green Building Guidelines. These include the recently-completed Workforce Development Center at Heartland Community College in Normal; the Integrated Bio-Processing Research Laboratory and Lincoln Hall at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; the Transportation Education Center at Southern Illinois University Carbondale; the Performing Arts Center on the Macomb campus and the Quad Cities Riverfront Campus of Western Illinois University; the Truman College Student Services Center in Chicago;


Links to other valuable info relating to green construction are available via theResources Page and the Illinois Administrative Codes page.

http://www.cdb.state.il.us/green_initiatives.shtml



Are you looking for a green job?

We’re committed to connecting green jobs seekers with potential opportunities around Chicago. This ‘go-to’ page is being developed to provide job seekers a list of external resources that can provide job listings but as the Initiative grows and develops so will this page. We also welcome resources around green jobs, and are open to adding valuable resources for your green job search. Please include these in the comment section below, and we will post relevant additions.
If your organization is hiring green collar professionals, we are in an ideal position to connect your organization with well-trained applicants. Please contact us via e-mail or Twitter.

Resources for Job Seekers
The Chicago Sustainable Business Alliance, hosts regular Sustainability Careers Workshops (some which we post to our calendar) to assist job seekers enter the sustainability sector in Chicago.

Idealist posts jobs listings in the non-profit sector — from volunteer and intern positions to full-time jobs.

NPO.net is a good resource for all thinks non-profit in the Chicagoland region. From training to jobs, they’ve got the info.

The Chicagoland Environmental Network showcases both green-collar jobs and green jobs throughout Chicagoland.

GreenCareersCenter.com has a job board and issues the Green Careers Journal.

Green Dream Jobs is also a great resource for entry level to professional.

Acre Resources Limited is a recruitment firm specializing in green jobs, with their focus being on Environmental Jobs, CSR & Sustainability and Climate Change. They have offices in Chicago and London and could help you with your search.

If you’re looking for more diversity, or assistance with the process, try Illinois Worknet or Illinois Skills Match.

CleanTechRecruits is an internet job site for employers and job candidates in the clean-tech industry, which connects employers with experienced candidates, entry-level college graduates, and interns who are interested in clean-tech jobs and renewable energy jobs.

Renewable Energy Jobs is a global green jobs and career portal for the renewable energy industry. Find the latest renewable energy jobs across the wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, bioenergy, wave, and tidal fields, as well as other emerging sources of renewable energy.

http://greencollarchicago.org/?page_id=18




Construction and Demolition
Recycling Training and Accreditation

This day-long training provides the skills to develop, manage, monitor, document and promote a
successful recycling program for construction and demolition debris. Participants receive three year
Accreditation in Construction Waste Recycling and training to obtain LEED construction waste
management points.

09/17/2009 Milwaukee, WI SE2 Conference

09/24/2009 Madison, WI City of Madison


Reserve Your Spot Today
Register on line at www.wastecap.org/training or call 414‐961‐1100
http://www.bmra.org/2009%20Fall%20Training%20Flyer.pdf

Deconstruction, Reuse, and Green Building

Sisters In The Brotherhood will be sharing GREEN BUILDING information on:

LEED CERTIFICATION TRAINING & CERTIFICATION EXAM
DECONSTRUCTION TRAINING & CERTIFICATION
WEATHERIZATION TRAINING & CERTIFICATION
GREEN BUILDING REUSE CENTERS
BUILDING CODE & BUILDING INSPECTION TRAINING & CERTIFICATION
ENERGY CODE INFORMATION
LEAD ABATEMENT TRAINING & CERTIFICATION
GREEN JOB OPENINGS & TRAINING
CONTRACTOR OPPORTUNITIES


PLUS CLASSES, EVENTS, VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, RESOURCES:
INFORMATION IS GATHERED THROUGH NETWORKING AND PUBLIC INFORMATION.



TO SHARE INFORMATION PLEASE FORWARD INFO TO LNMALCOM@CRCCSIB.ORG
OR POST IN A BLOG, FORUM, OR EVENT ON http://sistersinthebrotherhood.ning.com/


To add a resource, use the CONNECT ME TO SISTERS IN THE BROTHERHOOD at the bottom of http://sistersinthebrotherhood.blogspot.com/


USBGC
U.S. Green Building Council
LEED CERTIFICATION TRAINING, VOLUNTEER, EVENTS
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1412


AFL-CIO Center for Green Jobs
http://blog.aflcio.org/tag/center-for-green-jobs/

Green Collar Blog
http://www.greencollarblog.org/



The Reuse People

TRP offers the following green services and products:
• Building donation and deconstruction • Building Materials salvage • Building Materials distribution
• Great deals on reclaimed building materials and lumber • Project management • Training • Consulting services • Reuse and recycling plans

http://thereusepeople.org/Deconstruction




http://www.delta-institute.org/
Delta Institute
53 West Jackson Boulevard
Suite 230
Chicago, Illinois 60604
(312) 554-0900
(312) 554-0193 fax
delta@delta-institute.org


The ReBuilding Exchange
3335 West 47th Street
Chicago, IL


The mission of the ReBuilding Exchange is to divert building materials from the waste stream and make them accessible to the public for reuse, protecting community health, creating jobs and saving resources. We do this through the promotion of sustainable deconstruction practices, by making used build materials available for purchase at low costs, by providing educational resources and by creating programming that builds community and rebuilds Chicago's neighborhoods.


DONATE YOUR USED BUILDING MATERIALS! Got a renovation planned or have some used building materials in your garage? Bring them to us at our retail warehouse at 3335 West 47th Street in Brighton Park in Chicago. All donations must be pre-approved. Please call or email to check on donation guidelines and acceptance policies. All donations are tax deductible.


BUY MATERIALS FOR YOUR NEXT PROJECT from the ReBuilding Exchange! Before you go buy something new for that renovation project, drop by our retail warehouse at 3335 West 47th Street and check out our inventory. You’ll find quality materials at low prices for all sorts of projects. We have appliances, lumber, doors, windows, lighting, cabinets, sinks, cast iron tubs and more!


VOLUNTEER WITH US! Volunteers are always welcome at The ReBuilding Exchange. Volunteers help organize and move building materials, reducing the flow of materials into the waste-stream and making it easier for the community to find and reuse resources.


For more information, please email us at info@rebuildingexchange.org or call (773) 847-3761.
http://www.delta-institute.org/rebuildingexchange/



Habitat ReStore Directory - United States
http://www.habitat.org/cd/env/restore.aspx



Building Materials Reuse Association
http://www.bmra.org/


BUILDING ENERGY CODES PROGRAM
http://www.energycodes.gov/implement/state_codes/state_status.php?state_AB=IL


U.S. Department Of Energy
http://www.energy.gov/


Chicagoland Green Collar Jobs Initiative
http://www.greencollarchicago.org/


Urban Habitat Chicago
http://www.urbanhabitatchicago.org/


ADD A LINK....

Hard Hatted Women receives Women in Apprenticeships grant

The Suburbanite
Tue Aug 11, 2009, 08:30 AM EDT

Cleveland, Ohio -
Hard Hatted Women (HHW), a Cleveland-based non-profit organization that trains and helps women and girls explore, pursue and excel in careers in high-wage, high-skill industries, was awarded a grant renewal from the Women in Apprenticeships and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) program through the U.S. Department of Labor. Also, HHW was selected as a host for seven AmeriCorps VISTA members, who commit to a year of national service to support anti-poverty programs.

The one-year WANTO grant is for more than $160,000 and allows the organization to continue the statewide Women in Ohio Roadways Construction project. The project promotes an outreach initiative that leverages training and community resources to ensure local participation in the building of transportation projects in Ohio. Strong partnerships with the Ohio Department of Transportation, building trade unions and contractors support the project’s successful achievement of helping more than 200 women enter and succeed in the industry.

“These federal investments in Hard Hatted Women will make sure that the talents and skills of both women and men contribute to the revitalization of our region and state,” said Terri Burgess Sandu, executive director, HHW. “HHW is well positioned to help make Ohio a leader in connecting low-income and unemployed women to both the emerging green economy and infrastructure jobs created by the national recovery program.”

The AmeriCorps VISTA members will be assigned to several different HHW programs. Three VISTA volunteers will work on Tradeswomen TOOLS, a program that has been extended to serve Cuyahoga, Lorain and Trumbull counties and is designed to link women to opportunities in high-wage skilled careers. A Green Jobs Coordinator and a Youth Education Coordinator will help women and girls learn about a wide variety of career paths. Two VISTA members will support HHW outreach and communications.“Filling these positions will vastly increase our ability to not only provide outreach, education, mentoring and leadership skill training for women, it will allow us to work more closely with employers and industry leaders in targeted fields,” said Burgess Sandu.

HHW is playing a unique role in ensuring equitable access to jobs created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the agency’s selection as a VISTA host was made possible by the act.

“The grant from the US Department of Labor as well as the VISTA volunteers will help HHW to effect change statewide,” said Burgess Sandu. “Serving in partnerships with employers and government agencies throughout Ohio allows us to ensure women benefit from new jobs in construction, manufacturing, and in the emerging green economy.”
AmeriCorps VISTA is the national service program designed specifically to fight poverty. Founded as Volunteers in Service to America in 1965 and incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of programs in 1993, VISTA has been on the front lines in the fight against poverty in America for more than 40 years. www.americorps.gov

Hard Hatted Women (HHW) is a non-profit organization with over 30 years of experience empowering women to achieve economic independence by creating workplace diversity in the trade and technical fields. With a focus on training, education, and policy initiatives, HHW works to create systemic change through community, state, and national channels. For more information on HHW, contact: Hard Hatted Women, 4220 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44103. Phone: (216) 861-6500. Fax: (216) 861-7204. E-mail: Info@HardHattedWomen.org. www.hardhattedwomen.org.

http://www.thesuburbanite.com/news/business/x262902882/Hard-Hatted-Women-recieves-Women-in-Apprenticeships-grant