Sign Up Today: Renewable Energy 101 Workshop

Are you a contractor, building professional, or individual interested in different types of renewable energy systems and the ways they can be used to maximize energy savings and payback?

Renewable Energy 101, a two-day course being offered by Lincoln Land Community College, is designed to provide a broad understanding of available green energy technologies. The course will touch on topics including energy efficiency; wind, solar, photovoltaic, hydroelectric, and biomass energy; site assessment; and installation considerations. A tour of local renewable energy applications and demonstrations of working models will be included.

The classes will be held January 29 and February 12, 2011, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Trutter Center on the LLCC campus.

The $250 cost covers both sessions, lunch, and course materials. Some students might be eligible for a rebate of up to 50% upon successful completion of the course. The registration deadline is January 21.

For more information or to register, contact LLCC's Green Center Manager, Julie Bates, at (217) 786-2434 or julie.bates@llcc.edu.

Tour a LEED Platinum Building Wednesday

Sustainable Springfield Inc., a nonprofit organization that sponsors public lectures about eco-friendly and sustainable issues and practices in Sangamon County, is hosting a guided tour of Erin's Pavilion on Wednesday, Sept. 8 at 6 p.m.

Located at Southwind Park, Erin's Pavilion has been designed to incorporate sustainable features and is on track to become one of only 120 buildings in the world to be certified U.S. Green Building Council LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum.

The guided tour will be conducted by architect David McDow of Walton and Associates, who was the designer for the project.

Green Building: Jobs of the Future

If yesterday's post about green jobs still leaves you wondering how exactly "green" applies to the workforce, here's a great video that can help. It was produced by the Washington State Department of Ecology, but it applies just as much to Illinois as it does to Washington.

It's a cool video that shows the variety of opportunities for green building jobs. Check it out: