USGBC Emerging Professionals

Maybe you're thinking I left the 'Green' out of the title above... I did not. This was especially confusing because when I wrote this post, it was taken almost verbatim from an email I received from USGBC National.

So basically, there will only be two types of membership for our chapter: Those that are employees of National USGBC member companies, and those that are not. Emerging Green Builders (EGB) will no longer be a membership type with our chapter.

The chapter will have a new group, Emerging Professionals (you can read more about it at http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=116) who are "individuals out of school and under 30, USGBC Emerging Professionals seek to engage all those who are interested in learning about and advocating for sustainable building practices".

Those that were previously referred to as EGBs will have to transition to USGBC Students, http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1906, who are "college and university-based student groups, where students from any discipline come together to learn about and advance USGBC’s mission ".

This summer we will be working with our local student groups to help undergo the process of transitioning to a USGBC Student Group. This means that the USGBC Student groups in Omaha and Lincoln will be managed directly through National USGBC. This decision was made in part due to the additional liability a chapter takes on as an umbrella organization for student groups.

The name 'Emerging Green Builders' won't be supported by USGBC anymore... (which is somewhat unfortunately since our chapter just finished design of a new EGB NFC logo). But anyway, USGBC Students will be supported from National USGBC and not part of the local chapter anymore, though our chapter will remain a resource for students.

So to sum up - "EGB" Omaha and Lincoln now are "USGBC Students" Omaha and Lincoln. And what was previously the "EGB" committee within USGBC NFC will not be the "Emerging Professionals" committee.

Stay tuned for more changes and information as I figure out what's going on...