It’s May!
Staying focused on building a stronger future for Vermont’s high-performance building community, the staff and I have been working diligently with our board, particularly David Justice from Vermont Adult Learning, to develop a fundraising plan. We’re also making headway on the vital initiative: our Registered Apprenticeship Program for Carpenters/High Performance Builders. We’ve made significant progress in outlining the budget and are moving closer to finalizing it so we can partner with our Board and the State of Vermont to secure funding opportunities that will ensure we can equip the next generation with the skills needed to meet Vermont’s rigorous standards, combining hands-on learning – yes, even building a tiny house! – with a deep understanding of high-performance techniques. Plus, there’s more!
An Important Tool for Builders
Speaking of professionalism, are you ensuring your company stands out as a leader in high-performance building? SEON – and builder-extraordinaire Peter Yost – developed a set of questions a while back, “Interviewing Your Building Professional,” as a tool for homeowners to use. We encourage you to review these questions to see how your business aligns with the expectations of discerning clients who value expertise and quality.
Pilot Program: Future-Proof Your Building Business
For years I’ve been intrigued with the idea of learning organizations; a model popularized by Peter Senge of MIT’s Sloan School of Management that redefines organizational learning and serves as a cornerstone for companies looking to thrive in an era of continuous uncertainty and change. His book, “The Fifth Discipline” outlines five key disciplines for creating a “learning organization”:
- Personal Mastery
- Shared Vision
- Mental Models
- Team Learning
- Systems Thinking.
These disciplines aim to foster continuous learning and adaptation within an organization, ultimately leading to innovation and long-term success. While the principles of learning organizations can significantly boost performance, our residential building industry has yet to fully embrace this powerful approach.
Therefore, SEON is launching a pilot program to help three forward-thinking residential building companies transform into learning organizations, leading to improved efficiency, better problem-solving, increased innovation, etc. We’d like to work with three companies to develop customized implementation plans based on Senge’s five disciplines, assess the tangible impact on your business, and share your success stories. SEON has already endeavored to pursue some of these disciplines, Personal Mastery through our building science training, and a Shared Vision with our Crew Leadership Development training, laying a foundation for this next step. To learn more about participating in this pilot program and how this approach can benefit your company, send an email to guy@buildingscience.org and I’ll get right back to you!
You’re Building the Future of Vermont. Thank You.
Speaking of your incredible support, I want to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude. Over the years, your generosity has been truly inspiring. If there’s one area where I feel I’ve fallen short, it’s in consistently articulating the profound impact of your contributions. When SEON asks, you consistently give, and that speaks volumes about your commitment to excellence in Vermont’s building industry and our mission of high-performance building in Vermont
SEON Welcomes Marketing Powerhouse: Mark Tolson Officially Joins the Team!
After two years of dedicated volunteer work, we’re excited to officially welcome Mark Tolson as SEON’s new Marketing & Visual Analyst. Mark brings a strong background in visual analysis from the Federal Government in DC, and his expertise is already proving invaluable in crafting compelling videos and impactful one-page messages for our online platforms and partnerships. We’re thrilled to have him officially on board to further SEON’s growth.
Until next month!
Guy
