Introducing: Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Building Construction

Introducing: Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Building Construction

BCT is now offering a graduate certificate in sustainable building construction to professionals seeking an opportunity to pursue in-depth studies in sustainability in building design and construction without needing to complete a full degree program. This certificate’s topics comprise sustainable (green) building systems and materials, energy and conservation, building technologies, and construction management. 16 credits of flexible coursework can be completed through a combination of online and in-person courses*, with in-person courses offered in Amherst, Newton (on our Mount Ida campus) or both. If you are considering applying to the Professional Masters in Sustainable Building Systems program after completing the certificate, all 16 course credits will transfer toward your degree. Benefits Who Should Apply? This certificate is for you if you intend to learn more about any of these topics: Building energy assessment and modeling Design of wood structures, including mass-timber High-performance building design Sustainable building certification systems Building Information Modeling (BIM) Managing sustainable building projects Apply and Enroll Applications are accepted on a rolling basis here but you can always start this...
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Peter Levy speaks about the role of energy modeling in building design and construction

Peter Levy speaks about the role of energy modeling in building design and construction

Peter Levy (MS, BEMP, LEED AP, CPHC), who is now co-owner of The Green Engineer Inc., a building energy consulting firm, is an alumnus of BCT's undergrad major as well as our Master's program. He spoke in his presentation about the value of building energy and daylight modeling and highlighted where those fit best into the building planning process. Interested in this topic? Peter will be teaching "Introduction to Building Energy Modeling" as a continuing education course at UMass Amherst's Mount Ida campus starting Fall 2019. More information... Synopsis An overview of the role that energy modeling plays in the design of buildings; including discussions about how energy models are used to inform design, pursue LEED (and other) certifications, procure utility incentives, and demonstrate code compliance. Additionally, how daylight modeling is used to optimize daylight opportunities, mitigate glare problems, and pursue LEED certification. https://youtu.be/54E_30owU1M Links Presentation Slides The Green Engineer ...
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Register Now for BCT’s Spring 2019 Continuing Education Courses at UMass’ Mount Ida Campus

Register Now for BCT’s Spring 2019 Continuing Education Courses at UMass’ Mount Ida Campus

Starting with the Spring Semester 2019, BCT will be offering courses at the new Mount Ida Campus of UMass Amherst in Newton, MA. For this first semester, we provide two courses that target continuing education students and professionals that are interested in furthering their education in sustainable construction and building technology. The following 3-credit, semester-long courses are available for registration now. Start date for the semester is January 22, 2019. Legal Aspects of Architecture, Engineering, and the Construction Process (BCT 597N) Legal issues arising from design and construction services, with a practical focus on risk management and liability awareness. Topical areas include basic legal doctrines, contract documents, contract administration, liens & bonds, claims, professional liability, human resources, legal evidence & recordkeeping, and dispute resolution. The course will also touch on the special legal challenges presented by technological, scientific, and cultural developments including sustainability, BIM/VDC, mass timber, automation, and climate change. Instructor: Steven J. O’Neill, Esq. High Performance Building: Issues and Perspectives (BCT 597Q) This course examines...
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BCT Alumnus Profile: Katherine McCusker (MS ’12)

BCT Alumnus Profile: Katherine McCusker (MS ’12)

Katherine McCusker turned her passion for green building into a career after she pursued our Professional Master's program in Building Systems. Katherine works now for Integrated Eco Strategy in North Adams, MA. We recently checked in with her and she provided this advice for other students: "As a BCT grad student at UMass, I worked in the Facilities Department as Green Building Intern. I got to see how campus staff were planning for and implementing green building principles on campus. My thesis work looked at how buildings on campus compared, from an energy consumption perspective -- benchmarking the EUIs. I now work for a firm in North Adams called Integrated Eco Strategy. We are green building consultants who have found a niche in the world of Living Building Challenge (LBC) projects, specifically helping project teams with the Materials Petal of the program. We've worked on a few local LBC projects: the Kern Center at Hampshire College, the Hitchcock Center for the Environment...
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BCT Alumnus Profile: Peter Levy (MS ’13 and BS ’10)

BCT Alumnus Profile: Peter Levy (MS ’13 and BS ’10)

After graduating from the BCT undergraduate major, Peter Levy pursued our Professional Master's program in Building Systems and is now a Building Performance Analyst at The Green Engineer. We recently checked in with him and he provided this advice for other students: "I enrolled in the Sustainable Building Systems M.S. program knowing that I wanted a career based around reducing energy use in buildings, but not knowing exactly how, or with what tools I would accomplish this. After taking an Intro to Energy Modeling course, I had a pathway and a set of tools which would direct the rest of my academic studies, and lead directly into a career in sustainable design. During my studies, I took courses in energy modeling, building systems, and lighting design, which prepared me for my current position as a Building Performance Analyst at the Green Engineer in Concord MA. As an analyst, I run whole building energy simulations of large commercial, academic, residential and laboratory buildings...
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