Thinking about building or renovating green? Wondering where to start? Maine is home to some of the nation’s leading green building experts. Whether you are looking to hire professional assistance or educate yourself, the following resources offer a road map to guide you on your way.
Maine chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council
Your first stop should be the website of Maine’s green building trade association. Dedicated to serving professionals in the green building field and helping to grow the green building industry, USGBC Maine offers professional training, homeowner education and networking opportunities. They offer study groups for the various LEED certifications, a monthly breakfast series open to industry professionals and the public, a six-week green homeowner series, and more. They also offer a mentoring program for people looking to break into a green career. Looking for a professional contractor? You might want to check out the “Founding Members” list on this website to get a snap shot of some of the folks who’ve been committed to green building ideals for almost a decade.
www.maineusgbc.org
Maine Green Building Supply
Next stop, the Maine Green Building Supply showroom on Fox Street in Portland. Founded in 2002, MGBS is dedicated to making high performance green building products available to the public. Serving contractors and homeowners, MGBS is a great place to visit regularly to stay abreast of the most promising technologies and products available. It’s also a great place to find out who’s who in the green building sector of Maine. They’ve got a great wall of business cards that will help you find everything from a kitchen designer to solar energy installers.
www.mainegreenbuildingsupply.com
The Shelter Institute
The grandparent of efficient home design and building education in Maine, the Shelter Institute has been teaching homeowners how to build in green and sustainable ways for decades. They offer intensive classes and workshops from their campus in Woolwich, where you can also get lost for hours in their building products store.
www.shelterinstitute.com
Environment and Energy Technology Council of Maine
E2Tech is tasked with research and development for the environment and energy sector in Maine. They offer monthly education programs, some of which may be of interest to aspiring green homeowners.
www.e2tech.org
National Green Building Standard’s Green Scoring Tool
Developed by the National Association of Home Builders, this standard provides benchmarks for single and multi-family projects interested in employing green building methods. A free online scoring tool enables homeowners and contractors to track progress towards four levels of certification.
www.nahbgreen.org
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Administered by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED is an internationally recognized certification system that sets standards for green buildings. The program recognizes performance in five key areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. LEED Certifications exist for buildings and building professionals.
www.usgbc.org/leed
www.maineusgbc.org
