The Community Construction program recently completed a training with partner Green New Deal Housing. Participants completed several modules of Laying the Groundwork for Sustainable Housing. They learned about health and environmental impacts of houses, building science, and integrated design.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/490e86_aa21bf402d244cab861ada63b57304bb~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_699,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/490e86_aa21bf402d244cab861ada63b57304bb~mv2.jpg)
The crew learned about why the environmental impact of houses matters, both for the people who build and the people who live in the houses. They learned about heat, air, and moisture and how those act upon a building in terms of durability, indoor air quality, energy use, and comfort. They also learned about integrated design, which is a systems approach that cuts across different disciplines and considers the many different aspects of building, materials, use of the building, and more to better plan for how a building will actually be used throughout its life cycle.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/490e86_fafc69f065604275aa9dff338e5129f1~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_655,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/490e86_fafc69f065604275aa9dff338e5129f1~mv2.jpg)
The crew enjoyed learning new skills that they will use in the Community Construction Program and take with them to future employment. In addition to being better for the environment and the health of the building's occupants, green building practices are an important component of making homes affordable. A home that is energy efficient also has lower utility bills, which is important for its long-term affordability.
Comments