Green Building Resources
Whether your project is big or small, there are many resources to help you make it green! Visit our very own Green Building Resource Center in downtown Oakland or take advantage of local classes, trainings and workshops. Or maybe you would like to know more about green building certification, terminology, and technical tools. Here is a list of some of the many resources available to help you get started on your green building project.
Green Building Resource Center
Located next to the Planning and Permit Center on the 2nd floor of 250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, the Green Building Resource Center provides an introduction to green building practices and materials through samples, case studies, and video and print materials. The Green Building Resource Center is open at the same time as the Permit Center 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday, closed holidays and weekends.
Staff is available Monday from 8:30 am to 10:30 am and Thursday from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm to assist project applicants with planning waste elimination and reduction and recycling.
Education, Trainings, and Certification
- Click here for Build It Green Professional training
- Click here for the U. S. Green Building Council training
- Click here for the U. S. Green Building Council's Northern California training
- Click here for Energy Upgrade California contractor training
- Click here for PG&E's Energy Efficiency Classes
- Click here for the UC Berkeley Extension Classes in Construction and Environmental Management
- Click here for the UC Davis Extension Classes in Green Building and Sustainable Design
- Click here for the UC Davis Extension Classes in Renewable Energy Systems
- Click here for the Sonoma State University School of Extended Education Green Building Certificate Program
- Click here for the California Energy Commission's approved list of Home Energy Rating System Program providers
- Click here for information on the Green Jobs Corp
Green Building Organizations
- Click here for information on Green Building in Alameda County
- Click here for information on the U. S. Green Building Council and the LEED rating system
- Click here for information on Build It Green
- Click here for information on Energy Upgrade California
- Click here for more information on Energy Upgrade California in Alameda County
- Click here for more information on CALGreen
Green Building Certifiers (Rater's List)
- Click here to find GreenPoint Raters.
- Click here to find Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professionals (APs). This directory is maintained by the Green Building Certification Institute.
- Click here to find a Bay Friendly Qualified Landscape Professional
Green Building Tools
- Energy Upgrade California in Alameda County is now offering the Home Energy Analyzer. This free online tool uses advanced analytics to monitor your home's energy use. It then offers specific tips to help you save money on your energy bill and make your home more comfortable. Click here to sign up for your Home Energy Analyzer Report.
- GreenPoint Rated's new Green Home Calculator will answer the question we all want to know: How green is my home? The Green Home Calculator also provide tips on what you can do to improve your home's efficiency and comfort. Click here to access the Green Home Calculator.
Green Building Materials
- Click here for the link to Build It Green's Green Product Directory.
- Click here for the link to Build It Green's comprehensive lists on suppliers of green building products within the 9-County San Francisco Bay Area. The products listed in these reports must meet criteria consistent with the measures outlined in the Build It Green Guidelines.
- Click here for the link to StopWaste.Org's Builders Guide to Reuse and Recycling.
- Click here for a link to StopWaste.Org's Buying Recycled-Content and Environmentally Preferable Products page. This page has guidelines for buying environmentally preferable products, fact sheets, and more.
Green Building Assistance
- Click here for a link to the Ask an Expert Hotline and assistance with GreenPoint Rated projects. This on-line form lets you pose your green building questions to an expert familiar with the GreenPoint Rated rating system. Most inquiries are responded to within two business days.
- Click here for a link to LEEDuser. This site is for LEED Accredited Professionals who need help in developing and documenting a LEED project. Some information on this site is available only through a membership.