18
CONSTRUCTION WORLD
JUNE
2014
The Green Building Council South
Africa (GBCSA) will be doing an
online re-launch of a number of
their existing courses which have
been upgraded, reworked and repackaged,
one of which is the Green Star SA Accred-
ited Professional Programme for New Build-
ings. This AP Programme is the Council’s
core educational offering and teaches the
background, theory and detail of the appli-
cation of the Green Star SA Design and As
Built rating system for new buildings and
major refurbishments.
Other courses to be launched online
include two more specialised programmes,
namely the upgraded Project Certification
Workshop and the Simulations and the
Submissions Course.
“Apart from updates and major upgrades
to the course material, the major change is
the shift away from the presentation of the
courses as ‘live’ hosted, single day courses
presented for 50 delegates at a time in the
three major urban centres in South Africa
ENVIRONMENT
ON THE UP
2014 will see a marked
increase in the availability and
delivery of necessary green
building education in South
Africa as the Green Building
Council South Africa launches
a new online learning system
which will play host to a
number of new programmes
and upgraded existing courses.
to an Accredited Professional syllabus or
set of parts that together make up the GSSA
Accredited Professional Programme for New
Buildings,” explains Donné Putter, educa-
tion and training manager for the GBCSA.
“This new AP programme will be made up
of a comprehensive, in-depth course hosted
online in 13 distinct modules that cover the
theory aspects of the tool followed by a live,
in-person interactive workshop hosted in an
actual Green Star SA building, where learners
are able to experience the building, interact
with their peers and apply their learning from
the first part of the course. This would then
be followed by an online exam, as is currently
offered, to attain the GSSA AP qualification.”
Putter explains that the decision to offer
online training in combination with face to
face classroom style learning was taken as
teaching time can be moved online and done
independently by attendees, and face to face
time can be used for quality engagement and
learning with experts and faculty members.
“The online format allows us to test compe-
tencies ensuring a higher level of under-
standing of the material presented. Reduced
travel time for participants and our lecturers
are also benefits – this has a positive effect
on all of our carbon footprints – and we are
now also able to reach participants in all
geographical locations of South Africa. This
is just the tip of the iceberg, we believe the
possibilities are endless.”
In addition to the re-launch of
the existing courses, including the AP
programme mentioned above, the GBCSA
will also be launching the brand new
Accredited Professional Programme for the
Interiors Tool and the Accredited Profes-
sional Programme for the Existing Building
Performance Tool. These are offered in
parallel with the pre-existing qualification
and teach the application of two new Green
Star SA tools, one for Interiors and one for
Existing Buildings Performance.
According to Putter these programmes
will consist of three parts; online courses
followed by in person workshops and finally
an online exam, and will offer learners the
opportunity to attain two additional AP qual-
ifications. “In July 2014, we will launch the
live (face to face) components of the two new
AP programmes as well as a new course for
green communities.”
In addition to the new online courses
offerings the GBCSA will also be offering two
new ‘in person’ courses, one which intro-
duces ‘Green Star for Contractors’ (sponsored
by Saint Gobain) and another which explains
the drawing up of a green lease between
tenant and landlord.
The half day ‘Green Star for Contrac-
tors’ course was developed for the Green
Building Council South Africa by Saint Gobain
in response to, and recognition of, the need
for contractors to better understand the
impact of the application of the Green Star SA
rating system on their construction projects.
The course covers all the key areas of the tool
that would impact on tenders and subse-
quently site management of a project aiming
for a rating and empowers contractors to play
a key role in obtaining the highest possible
rating on time and within budget.
‘The Economics of Green Building’ course
will continue to be offered as a live in person
programme. This course sets out to demon-
strate the financial motivation for green
building and explores the discussions and
debate around the perceived costs of green
building. It covers the benefits and obliga-
tions of property stakeholders, as well as the
property value proposition and the financial
case for green building.
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Green education
