NMCC instructor earns credential,
brings ‘green’ concepts into the classroom
PRESQUE ISLE — A faculty member in Northern Maine Community College’s trade and technical occupations department has earned a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Associate credential, denoting her knowledge of green design, construction and operations.
Photo courtesy of Northern Maine Community College
PAM BUCK, left, computer-aided drafting instructor at NMCC, works with first-year CAD students Cherish Cole and Keith Pelletier, both of Presque Isle. Buck recently obtained a LEED Green Associate credential and has begun implementing those concepts into her courses so that NMCC students in her program can get into the “green” mindset.
Pam Buck, computer-aided drafting instructor, has already begun implementing green concepts into her classes.
“I pursued obtaining this credential because I think we should be promoting environmental stewardship,” said Buck. “Buildings use an unbelievable percentage of energy resources in the United States. We need to be making buildings sustainable and energy efficient, which begins with designing structures that are more responsible. I want my students to be thinking about that.”
LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system which can be applied to any building type and any building lifecycle phase. It provides building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in key areas including sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, awareness and education, innovation in design, and regional priority.
Buck is teaching LEED concepts in both her residential and commercial design classes, and she is in the process of reworking course content to build these concepts into her computer-aided drafting (CAD) classes and building design classes, as well.
The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) created and administers the LEED Green Associate credential. An on-line course and two months going through the study process, along with many years of experience working in the industry, helped prepare Buck for the national exam.
