AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A newly minted course to help semiconductor engineers and other high-tech professionals expand their environmental credentials will be offered here Oct. 23 by International SEMATECH Manufacturing Initiative (ISMI) and the Central Texas Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The class, “Understanding LEED® for High-Tech Facilities,” will be held at the Austin Airport Hilton in association with ISMI Manufacturing Week. Modified for professionals working in high-tech facilities, the course will provide in-depth information on topics covered in the USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification exam. Understanding LEED® is part of ISMI Manufacturing Week, Oct. 22-25, comprising two days of workshops and short courses for continuing education. Instructional sessions are followed by the ISMI Symposium on Manufacturing Effectiveness, one of the chip industry’s most recognized conferences on ways to increase fab productivity. The class will cover the LEED® Green Building Rating System, a comprehensive design and assessment tool that helps architecture, engineering and construction professionals improve building efficiency and measure the sustainability of their projects. Instructors will be James Beasley, ESH Technology Project Manger at ISMI, and Barry Giles, Building Services Engineer for Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in Santa Cruz, CA, who is a widely recognized authority in eco-friendly design. “This class is an ideal way to prepare for LEED® certification in a dynamic class taught by one of the chip industry’s leading environmental designers,” said James Beasley of ISMI. “Students will receive the latest data and best practices for reducing a building’s environmental impact, in ways that also contribute to their company’s bottom line.” “The impact of the built environment is significant, so we’re thrilled to be joining ISMI to conduct this extremely important program on eco-friendly fabs and high-tech facilities,” said Kathy Zarsky, USGBC Central Texas Chair. “This type of partnership is exactly what is needed to accelerate the transformation of buildings and communities. We applaud ISMI for taking the initiative to develop best practices for a green fab standard, and for opening up the program in October to the public and other high-tech practitioners.”
