Contemporary Business 14th Edition by Louis Boone, David Kurtz

تمرين 19

Labor Unions and Green Construction The construction industry has nearly unlimited opportunities to change the look of the world-or at least, make it greener. One labor union, the Operative Plasterers and Cement Masons International Association (OPCMIA) has already recognized this and is training its members in the use of new green technologies and processes that will ultimately improve the energy efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint of the nation's infrastructure. As the construction industry begins implementing these new technologies, particularly to achieve LEED status, workers need to know how to use them.The OPCMIA training program is called Green Five. It is now being incorporated into existing training curricula in order to reach about 5,400 participants in 70 programs spread across local chapters,community colleges, vocational/technical schools, and OPCMIA Joint Apprenticeship and Training Centers. The Green Five program is training plasterers and cement masons in the sustainable use and application of the following materials: polished concrete, pervious concrete, exterior insulation finish systems, and American Clay. American Clay is a color mineral coating that is toxin free, VOC (volatile organic compound) free, and mold resistant. Training in the use of this product involves the preparation, mixing the material, hand application, primers, additives and sealers, and maintaining andrepairing walls. The Green Five program includes Green Awareness Training, which deals with energy-efficient building construction in general, addresses the process of energy assessment and retrofitting existing buildings, and provides an overview of environmentally sustainable products and manufacturing processes. Leadership training and "train-the-trainer" courses are offered as well. "Program participants include construction workers, building engineers, and energy auditors as part of our outreach toward making green construction knowledge accessible to the whole of the industry," says Gerry Ryan, director of training, health and safety for OPCMIA.
-In what ways does adopting a progressive stance toward "green" training help secure an important industry role for OPCMIA going forward?