Green Education

The NKBA currently offers courses and local chapter programs that specifically cover sustainable design. These presentations explain how kitchen and bath industry professionals can enhance the "greening" of homes through the use of sustainable materials and design techniques in order to reduce the environmental impact of kitchen and bath projects, as well as to protect the health of their customers.

NKBA Courses

Residential Green: Kitchens and Baths
Dates/Locations:

• June 2, 2008 - Portland, OR
• June 9, 2008 - Baltimore, MD
• July 9, 2008 - Sioux Falls, SD
• October 20, 2008 - Phoenix, AZ
• October 28, 2008 - Boston, MA

It's no surprise that as attention to the greening of our built environment turns increasingly to our homes, kitchens and baths become key sustainability elements and eco-friendly kitchen and bath design and products are in demand. We know that green is not only popular, but also important to what we do, to the clients we work with and to our lifestyles. This four-hour course builds on global environmental concerns and looks beyond them to what we as kitchen and bath designers can do differently to contribute to the sustainability movement. Designs and products for kitchens and baths that enhance the home's energy efficiency, health, comfort and durability are among the green concepts to be discussed in this course, which will present you with ways in which you can work toward the greening of your projects. Click for more >>

Experience Green
Sponsors: GE Monogram, Lutron, TOTO
Dates/Locations:

• October 6, 2008 - Ontario, Canada

Experience Green course discusses the question "Why is green here to stay?" and the challenges and opportunities that go along with designing sustainable kitchens and baths. The course will cover four components of green design as they relate to designing and constructing sustainable bathrooms and kitchens: water conservation, energy conservation, material conservation and indoor air quality. Lighting and control systems, kitchen cabinet construction, radiant heating, recycled and salvaged materials, sustainable finishes and Energy Star appliances will be addressed in detail. The course will show designers and fabricators how to measure their success with green products and the LEED System of benchmarking, while showing them how designing green can be affordable by applying for state and federal funds. Finally, a list of green resources will be provided to obtain current news, product information and design practices for the sustainable home. Click for more >>

Chapter Programs

Experience Green: Making Green Work for Everyone
Speaker: 2008 NKBA President Sara Ann Busby, CKD
Dates/Chapters:

• May 8, 2008 - Oklahoma Chapter
• June 18, 2008 - Sierra/Nevada Chapter
• September 17, 2008 - New York Tri-State Chapter
• October 13, 2008 - West Michigan Chapter

Green design continues to grow in popularity in the kitchen and bath industry, as well as with residential homeowners and commercial builders. The demand to create eco-friendly and healthy kitchens and baths that don't sacrifice style or comfort has reached the mainstream and is spreading to all segments of the industry. This program is designed to help fellow professionals understand their options and create more energy-efficient living spaces. What is our responsibility as manufacturers, specifiers, and designers to use products that are environmentally responsible and how can we convince the end user that this is an important and cost-effective decision to make? Join Sara as she discusses how to work together to find the balance between the dream and the reality of sustainable design.

Going Green
Speaker: Dick Holmes
Dates/Chapters:

• May 14, 2008 - New York Tri-State Chapter

Join the New York Tri-State chapter for "Going Green," presented by guest speaker Dick Holmes of Delta and Brizo.

Green Built Michigan
Speaker: Elyse Kopietz
Dates/Chapters:

• May 21, 2008 - Northern Michigan Chapter

Elyse Kopietz, Executive Director of Green Built Michigan, details what Green Built Michigan is, describes what a green home looks like, explains why you should build green, and provides an overview of the past, present, and future of green.