ABC members that believe the practice of sustainability extends past the jobsite can apply to ABC’s Green Contractor Certification program, which documents the efforts of members that are developing an environmentally friendly workplace environment.
To meet the needs of its green members, ABC’s Green Contractor Certification program focuses on the sustainability initiatives firms undertake in the workplace, not on construction practices, and it certifies companies, not individuals. To achieve certification from ABC’s National Green Building Committee, each company must submit an application detailing its green efforts and undergo a third-party onsite assessment.
“ABC members have been on the forefront of the green building movement since its inception, but ABC also believes in stretching green achievements beyond the construction process and into the workplace,” said W. Brewster Earle, chairman of the ABC National Green Building Committee and president of Energy Services at Comfort Systems USA, in Hartford, Conn. “The Certified Green Contractor program is another step in ABC’s goal to provide support and recognition for those members who are setting an example for the industry by promoting green practices within the company and those members who would like to create sustainability in the workplace as well as in the construction practices.”
Each certified company must complete 13 prerequisites ranging from the electronic distribution of documents to establishing an aggressive recycling program. In addition, companies are required to fulfill at least 12 out of 36 elective items that include conducting a professional energy audit, engaging in water conservation efforts and providing incentives for carpooling or using public transportation. Each company also much achieve four education and training benchmarks, such as instructing employees on sustainability issues and requiring at least 25 percent of eligible manager to receive green building awareness education.
To learn more about the Green Contractor Certification program, click
here.
For more information on how to green an office or a jobsite, visit
www.GreenConstructionAtWork.com.