(E03) Engaging Buildings Professionals in the Decarbonization Revolution

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon aims to educate students and the public about the latest technologies and materials in zero energy design and technologies, smart home solutions, and high-performance buildings. USGBC’s mission is to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life. Together, the two have an extraordinary opportunity to transform the building industry.

The Solar Decathlon program partnered with the USGBC to develop the Solar Decathlon Professionals Program or SD Pro. Targeted at early to mid-career design professionals in residential and commercial building design, the program provides architects, engineers, and more with the opportunity to enhance their building science expertise while gaining practical experience in designing and championing zero energy and zero carbon projects.
The first part of the program looks at the Building Science Education Series, which covers the following: the science of building energy use; how to define zero energy buildings; and how to apply the fundamental physics-based principles to design comfortable, energy efficient buildings. The series carefully layers short modular videos focused to build a strong foundational knowledge of building science, starting with broad fundamentals. By focusing on the basics and incrementally adding on the base knowledge, participants build a solid foundation, rather than advance to challenging topics without all the basics. Faculty will also learn how to incorporate teaching the net zero building sciences in their curriculum.

Next, the cohort-based learning program emphasizes the practical application of zero-energy design theory and processes leaving participants with both the understanding and ability to implement zero energy design in their practice. True learning comes from discussion, collaboration, and relationship building with a community of architecture and design professionals participating in the program. The application of material leads to the ability to articulate and implement the “how” of zero energy design in architectural practice.
In this session, attendees will experience the new and different learning experiences that pushes professionals to meet climate goals for the world. This program is bringing in and supporting both current and future generations of new green building professionals to support decarbonization efforts through net zero buildings.