Nick Hill knows about the challenges and opportunities that arise as a consequence of the current focus on green building.

_{Partner Nick Hill says he can see the opportunity in the green building sector as it evolves and grows. Photo: Contributed}As owner of Ritchie Contracting and Design Ltd. in Penticton, he appreciates that clients want to incorporate sustainable practices and materials into their homes and projects. He also knows they are cost-conscious, especially in the current climate.

As a partner in Solum Rammed Earth Builders Ltd. and a partner in Earthen Living Inc., Hill can see the opportunity in the green building sector as it evolves and grows.

For those reasons, he’s been extremely interested - and involved - in the development of Okanagan College’s Green Building Design and Construction program.

“We need programs like this,” says Hill, who is also President of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association of the South Okanagan. “We need to develop the professional expertise and networks that can help us answer client needs when they seek advice on green building.”

Hill has been part of an advisory group helping Okanagan College develop the 360-hour certificate program, which will be offered in a format that blends online instruction with workshops and classes in the College’s Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Building Technologies and Renewable Energy Conservation, one of the world’s greenest buildings.

He’s also contemplating signing up for the program, either for the first intake in February or later. “There aren’t many programs about building envelopes that are easily accessible.”

That was part of the point of the blended format, explains Barry Brooks, an engineer who has taken the administrative and educational lead for the program’s development. “Most of the instruction and work is done in an online format, but students will be expected to come to the Centre of Excellence for a short period of time for the hands-on components.”

Besides being a good source of advice and input, Hill is a good example of the type of person who will benefit from the program, says Brooks.

“This is intended for the professional who designs or builds for a sustainability-focused clientele. One of the admission requirements is work or educational experience in construction, engineering, architecture or building design.

“We look at everything from building science, to solar and thermal control, from construction waste management to cost effectiveness. And underpinning it all is the message about balancing environmental stewardship with facility functionality.”

For more information on the program, curriculum, instructors, fees and schedules, visit okanagan.bc.ca/greenbuilding