The National Sustainability Coalition and Messer Construction Co. will co-sponsor a NSC Green Build Boot Camp to provide basic sustainability training to help small and diverse construction and construction-related firms to “go green.” The initiative is part of a comprehensive effort by the Greater Cincinnati Green Construction Collaborative to strengthen Cincinnati’s small, minority-owned and entrepreneurial business community by linking under-resourced companies with sustainability training, technical assistance to develop and implement a sustainability action plan, and green business certification to effectively compete in the emerging green economy.

Mark Luegering, Senior Vice President at Messer Construction Co., Icy L. Williams, Chairperson of National Sustainability Coalition, and Larry Falkin, Director of Cincinnati’s Office of Environmental Quality announce training prgrams to help diverse businesses go green. Photo by Dan Yount The effort is being spearheaded by Icy L. Williams, former Corporate Supplier Diversity leader at Procter & Gamble who now serves as chairperson of the National Sustainability Coalition. The Coalition works to create a business environment in urban cities that assists in the growth and sustainable development of minority owned, women-owned and small businesses. At the core of the Coalition’s program is sustainability software, created by subject matter experts, to build a competitive advantage that is recognized and valued in the emerging green economy. The state-of-the-art web-based components of the training are delivered by Myca Multimedia through a robust learning management system.

The Greater Cincinnati Green Construction Collaborative brings together a number of local organizations to foster sustainable development of small and diverse businesses in three overlapping phases.

Messer will host the first phase of workshops at its headquarters on Fishwick Drive in Bond Hill. “As the world of construction technology rapidly evolves, so does Messer’s commitment to be at the forefront of these ever-changing standards,” says Tom Keckeis, president and CEO. He adds, “As Messer strives to move forward by transitioning to new and improved technology, it is critical for our subcontractors and suppliers to move forward as well.”

According to Williams, the purpose of the basic training is to support the need for small and diverse suppliers to better understand the principles of sustainability and green building concepts. Green Build Boot Camp is a blended format that includes both classroom discussion combined with online curriculum and a virtual tour of Messer’s headquarters, which has been redesigned into a green building. Attending this special four-hour workshop on Tuesdays and Saturdays in November, December and January is the first step in becoming a marketable green supplier in the emerging green construction economy.

The second phase of the program is designed to transition small businesses to sustainable operations, whereby sustainability based thinking, perspectives and behaviors are integrated into everyday operating procedures and the culture of the company. The skills training is being provided through the Ohio Small Business Development Center, a division of the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati’s Economic Empowerment Center. The African American Chamber of Commerce and the Urban League’s SBDC are collaborating with the Coalition to provide online curriculum, specialized workshops and technical assistance that will help under-resourced businesses design and implement a sustainability action plan to improve the environmental impacts of their operations and activities.

The Coalition awards green business certification to companies that are improving their environmental stewardship and contributing to a better quality of life in their communities. A third party auditing process is more reliable than self certifi- cations and ensures the implementation and functionality of sustainable operations.

A more advanced third phase of the Coalition’s program offers a full sequence of courses at Cincinnati State Technical & Community College to prepare small businesses to understand and meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards in such areas as sustainable design, heating and air conditioning systems and construction management. The College also includes a course that prepares individuals to sit for the LEED Accredited Professional Exam. At CSTCC’s Workforce Development Center in Evendale, businesses can get hands-on education and training in such areas as solar panel installation, geothermal systems, fuel cells and thermal solar applications. There are also courses for small companies and individuals that are interested in providing energy audits or retrofi tting infrastructures for energy efficiencies.

For more information call 242-1066, 335-1978 or visit 1 www.nscoalition.com .