As gatekeeper of the nation's green building standards and developer of LEED, the U.S. Green Building Council is understandably picky when it comes to bestowing its stamp of approval on education providers for the design and building professions.
That’s because they know that achieving true sustainable design takes more than sitting in a seminar or two. It takes time and a commitment to good performance outcomes - every day, on every project.
That’s true all the way from the conceptual designer to the subcontractor, and even the trash man (pardon, “waste management services”). Each player has to truly understand the green goals and how to achieve them. GCs not only appreciate contractors with that knowledge -- they depend on them.
That’s why IMI developed the Sustainable Masonry Certification Program for contractors willing and eager to be a part of LEED teams.
And that’s why this week USGBC recognized SMCP as an approved education course, receiving GBCI continuing education hours. It is one of the few upper level [Level 300] courses for contractors, and it is the only certification program for the masonry industry. In fact, USGBC eagerly accepted our program, and encouraged us to submit more (stay tuned).
It’s IMI’s second course to earn this badge, joining one for architects and designers, “LEED and Masonry Construction.”
USGBC recognition and IMI programs give union contractors and members an edge in green building, which increasingly dominates today’s construction market. Since SMCP’s launch last summer, IMI has educated hundreds of contractors, project managers, and estimators across the U.S. and Canada. We will keep at it, because like USGBC, we know that especially when it comes to green building, not all contractors are alike.
"Now, instead of the GC just telling us what to do, we see where they're going with it," says Nick Purdy from Purdy Masonry in Zionsville, IN.
See SMCP contractor reviews and learn more about Sustainable Masonry.
