David Neiger and Laura Hutchings of Populus Sustainable Design Consulting recently returned from Idaho and New Mexico, where Populus provided training to various municipalities regarding performance-based energy codes.

Blaine County, Idaho

In Idaho, Populus hosted a hands-on Energy Design Workshop sponsored by the City of Hailey, Blaine County and the local AIA Chapter.  The Energy Design Workshop gave builders and architects the opportunity to work in small groups with local home energy raters to achieve varying levels of above-code home energy performance.  The Workshop began with a presentation by David Neiger, which included a behind-the-scenes look at how home energy modeling works to create a miles per gallon rating for a home.  Following David’s presentation, the architects and builders broke into smaller groups, each targeting a different level of above-code energy performance from a HERS 70 to a HERS 35.  Each group began with the same code-built model and were given a menu of energy efficiency upgrades with associated costs.  At the end of the exercise, each group shared lessons learned, energy upgrades chosen and the percentage cost increase associated with reaching each HERS score.

Following the Energy Code Workshop, Populus presented regarding performance-based energy codes to the Hailey City Council and Blaine County Board of County Commissioners.  After returning from Idaho, the Populus team voyaged to New Mexico where Populus trained staff and officials from Los Alamos County and the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities regarding green building programs and performance-based energy codes.

You can learn more about the training and services that Populus offers for municipalities and building industry professionals here.

Populus is a full service sustainable design consulting firm that focuses on high performance, net-zero and near-net-zero custom residential and multi-family projects.  Populus guides architects and builders through the requirements of mandatory green building codes and optional green home certification programs, providing HERS rating, LEED for Homes Green Rater services and LEED for Homes training.  Visit Populus at www.popboulder.com.

Today, Populus concluded its third LEED for Homes Intensive Training Class in Boulder, Colorado.  The class is geared toward green building professionals (especially architects and builders) interested in learning more about the USGBC’s LEED for Homes program, those interested in learning green building and building science principles (especially as it relates to durability issues, indoor air quality and energy efficiency), real estate professionals who seek to understand and market green homes, as well as product manufacturers and salespeople who want to better understand how their products interact with green building certification programs.  While the class is an intensive introduction to green building and building science principles, it is also designed for those interested in studying for GBCI’s (the “Green Building Certification Institute”)  LEED for Homes AP (or “Accredited Professional”) exam or Green Associate exams.

David Neiger Teaches Indoor Air Quality and Building Science Principles at Populus' LEED for Homes Class

Populus’ next LEED for Homes Intensive Training Class is scheduled for October 1st and 2nd in Santa Fe, New Mexico at the Marvin Design Gallery by SolarGlass.

Populus is in the process of scheduling our next class in Colorado and will be releasing more details in the near future.  If you live in Boulder or Denver, or elsewhere in Colorado, and have an interest in our LEED for Homes Intensive Training Class, please email Laura Hutchings at Populus (laura@popboulder.com) and we will add you to our interest list and notify you when the next class is scheduled.

For organizations who are interested in scheduling a green building LEED for Homes educational event at their offices, please contact Populus at 303-325-7650.  We offer our intensive training nation-wide and will work with you to tailor our green building educational program to meet the goals of your organization.  Oftentimes this option will be more affordable than sending numerous individual attendees to our LEED for Homes Intensive Training.

Populus has experience training corporate sales teams, municipalities, real estate professionals, architects and builders regarding green building and building science principles, indoor air quality, energy efficiency (including an in-depth explanation of the Home Energy Rating System (aka “HERS Rating”)), and green building materials.  Populus seeks to empower the green building industry with the information required to create healthy, high-performance (whether its ENERGY STAR or Net Zero) green homes.

Populus also has experience consulting with municipalities nationwide regarding performance-based energy codes.  We can tailor our training and consulting services to effectively educate municipalities, code officials and industry stakeholders about the implementation of progressive energy efficiency codes.

If you’re interested in learning how Populus can provide green building education and in-depth coverage of the LEED for Homes program or RESNET’s Home Energy Rating System, contact Laura Hutchings at laura@popboulder.com to find out more.

Populus is a full service sustainable design consulting firm that focuses on high performance, net-zero and near-net-zero custom residential and multi-family projects.  Populus guides architects and builders through the requirements of mandatory green building codes and optional green home certification programs, providing HERS rating, LEED for Homes Green Rater services and LEED for Homes training.  Visit Populus at www.popboulder.com.