Who are USGBC Emerging Professionals?
USGBC Emerging Professionals are the energetic and dynamic leaders of tomorrow’s green building movement. The program is geared toward individuals out of school and under 30, but does not exclude anyone who may be interested. USGBC Emerging Professionals seek to engage all those who are interested in learning about and advocating for sustainable building practices. So who are Emerging Professionals? Certainly many are young architects and engineers, but they also include young lawyers, education and healthcare professionals, sustainability consultants, and anyone else interested in the future of green building.
Students interested in promoting sustainability and green building on their campuses should go to the USGBC Students web page.
How are USGBC Emerging Professionals organized?
USGBC Emerging Professionals have two organizational facets, the national program and the committees of local USGBC chapters. The national program, known as USGBC Emerging Professionals, encompasses nationwide initiatives and high-level strategy and policy decisions. Locally, Emerging Professionals are organized as committees of their local USGBC chapters. These local chapter committees are responsible for organizing educational and networking events, as well as coordinating volunteer service efforts and promoting USGBC to their peers, the newest members of the sustainability community. Through all of these efforts, USGBC Emerging Professionals can develop the necessary skills to succeed as USGBC chapter leaders as well as future leaders within USGBC and the green building community at large.
What do USGBC Emerging Professionals do?
Through USGBC chapters across the country, Emerging Professionals committees offer a wide range of opportunities to grow in the volunteer and professional arenas. On both the national and local levels, Emerging Professionals are engaging communities, private firms, and governments in order to build the sustainable future of our world. Some specific offerings include:
- Access to leadership and other training opportunities that USGBC offers its chapter leaders, including Emerging Professionals.
- Opportunities to run the USGBC chapter’s portion of USGBC’s Natural Talent Design Competition, an annual design challenge that offers students and emerging professionals a chance to gain experience designing to LEED specifications.
- Networking opportunities that bring together emerging professionals and established industry leaders through special events and other USGBC chapter-membership functions.
- The chance to make a tangible difference through volunteer days with Historic Green, Habitat for Humanity, Builders of Hope, and other community development projects.
- Access to chapter green building educational sessions and LEED study groups.
- A nationwide network of Emerging Professionals that can connect you to the local green building efforts.
- Get Involved
- Local Emerging Professionals committees are organized through their USGBC chapters. Find your local USGBC chapter today to get involved.
- Start a Local Emerging Professionals Committee
- Does your local USGBC chapter not have an Emerging Professionals committee? Are you a driven and talented young person willing to start a local committee? If so, email the USGBC Emerging Professionals program to get started.
- Natural Talent Design Competition
- Students and emerging professionals get an applied learning experience in green building by advancing from local, chapter-sponsored competitions to the national competition, which is judged and awarded at USGBC’s annual Greenbuild conference.
- Access the EP Toolkit and Other Resources
- The USGBC Chapter Leader Extranet is an excellent resource for materials regarding programs, events, education, sponsorship and more. The 2010 Emerging Professionals Toolkit is now available and will provide guidelines and tools to local leaders. Note: Access to the extranet is limited to USGBC chapter board and committee leaders. For access assistance, email Chapter Extranet Items. For more information on the Extranet, visit the Chapter Resource Center.
- USGBC Emerging Professionals National Committee
- Elected from local Emerging Professionals committee members, the USGBC Emerging Professionals National Committee (EPNC) works to develop programs and policies for the benefit of local committees across the country. Find out more by visiting the EPNC Web page.
- Local Efforts
- Local Emerging Professionals committees work with a variety of organizations around the country, including:
- Historic Green
- Habitat for Humanity
- Builders of Hope
- Still a Student?
- Not yet an Emerging Professional? If you are still in school and looking to get involved with your local USGBC student group, visit the USGBC Students web page for more information.
- Find a Green Job
- Looking for a job? Want to become more involved in the sustainability movement? USGBC's Green Job Center to search for jobs and internships in all areas of the green economy.