Training and certification for green stormwater infrastructure

Example of training and education conducted by Metro Blooms in the Twin Cities Metro Area.

Formal training and certifications in green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) benefit both the trainee and the investments made in GSI. The experience and certifications can help the trainee to pursue GSI-specific jobs within the stormwater industry or provide a more competitive resume to support GSI proposals. Many certification organizations, such as the National Green Infrastructure Certification Program, list the certified professionals on their website, increasing the visibility of the individuals. Additionally, earning GSI certifications can allow the professional to become involved in the decision making of certain trade groups.

Training the designers, contractors, and maintainers of GSI increases the functionality and longevity of the GSI. Professionally trained maintainers have been shown to dramatically reduce the number of failed GSI inspections. North Carolina State University studied GSI performance with maintenance by workers with GSI certifications and workers without GSI certifications. The study found that prior to the hiring of GSI certified workers, only 5% of the studied GSI passed the inspection, and after hiring GSI certified workers, 95% of GSI passed the inspection (“Certifications”, 2014).

Certifications and trainings can be broad and applicable to a large audience or they can be specific to one type of GSI (e.g., the American Society of Civil Engineer’s Permeable Pavements course is specific to permeable pavement), to an audience (e.g., the International Society of Arboriculture’s Tree Risk Assessment Qualification is specific to arborists), or to a geographic area (e.g., Michigan Natural Shoreline Certification Program is specific to Michigan shorelines). A list of trainings and certifications for GSI practitioners or those interested in GSI is provided below. Many of the certifying bodies provide additional trainings independent of the certifications.

Certifications

• National Green Infrastructure Certification Program (NGICP)
  • Online or in-person (locations vary)
  • Provides base-level skill set
  • Designed for entry-level workers
  • Objective: train workers on the proper construction, inspection, and maintenance of GSI
  • GSI covered: bioretention, permeable pavements, rainwater harvesting, rooftop detention practices, dry wells, and stormwater wells
• National Recreation and Park Association - GSI Certificate Program
  • Online
  • Designed for parks and recreation workers, community partners, public works, and planners who are interested in incorporating GSI in their parks
  • Objective: train workers on the basic design elements of GSI, operation and maintenance of GSI, and the logistics of incorporating GSI in park design (policy, finance, and stakeholder engagement)
• North Carolina State University - Stormwater SCM (Stormwater Control Mechanism) Inspection and Maintenance Certification
  • In-person (varying locations throughout North Carolina)
  • Designed for engineers, landowners, regulators, and landscape personnel
  • Objective: improved understanding of how GSI function and the inspection and maintenance requirements of each GSI practice
  • GSI covered: wet retention ponds, bioretention areas, swales, stormwater wetlands, permeable pavement, and rainwater harvesting.
• National Ready Mix Concrete Association - Pervious Concrete Certification
  • In-person exam (locations vary)
  • Exam preparation is self-taught using the pervious concrete contractor certification reference book
  • Three certifications available. Designed for technicians, installers, and craftsmen
  • Objective: Support the proper construction of pervious pavement, evaluation of site and placement conditions, and overseeing of pervious pavement pours
  • GSI covered: pervious concrete
• Center for Watershed Protection - Clean Water Certificate Training Program
  • In-person (locations vary) with online options
  • American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited GSI and stormwater training program
  • Designed for under- and unemployed individuals looking to enter or advance within the stormwater industry
  • Offers 2 levels of trainings
  • Level 100 objective: introduction to construction, maintenance, and inspection of GSI
  • Level 200 objective: develop advanced skill set for career advancement of those in the stormwater industry
• Green Business Certification Inc. - LEED & SITES Certifications
  • Online or in-person (location varies)
  • LEED
    • Designed for architects, design engineers, consultants, and those interested in sustainable design
    • Objective: Illustrate a high understanding of sustainable design and green design
  • SITES Advanced Professional (AP)
    • Designed for landscape architects, consultants, planners and designers, ecologists, and professionals interested in nature-based solutions and sustainable land developments
    • Objective: Illustrate expertise in sustainable land development
• University of Minnesota Erosion and Stormwater Management Certification Program
  • Online
  • Suggested course: Certification for Permanent Best Management Practice (BMP) Maintenance Stormwater BMP Maintenance Certification
  • Not GSI-specific
  • Designed for people who inspect or maintain stormwater control measures
  • Objective: obtain an understanding of the functions of stormwater BMPs and an understanding of the maintenance required to maintain the functionality of stormwater BMP
• International Society of Arboriculture - Tree Risk Assessment Qualification
  • In-person (locations vary)
  • Designed for arboriculturists
  • Objectives: learn visual and basic tree risk assessment and obtain an understanding of advanced diagnostics for tree risk assessment and how to mitigate said risk
  • GSI covered: trees
• Green Roofs for Healthy Cities - Green Roof Professional Accreditation
  • Online
  • Trainings provided through the Living Architecture Academy
  • Trainings outside of the accreditation are also offered
  • Designed for architects, engineers, planners, roofing contractors, horticulturalists, policy makers, developers, and those interested in green roofs
  • Objective: obtain an understanding of green roof integration with traditional building systems, an understanding of potential implementation issues and how to navigate them, and an understanding of the quality assurance, warranties, and liability issues
• GSI covered: green roofs
• American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association - Rainwater Harvesting Training and Certification
• Online
  • Designed for rainwater catchment system designers, installers, and inspectors (specific workshop for each)
  • Objective: obtain an understanding of rainwater harvesting, system components, various uses, rules & regulations, planning and installation, and construction and maintenance
  • GSI covered: rainwater harvesting
• Stormwater Training Center - Green Stormwater Infrastructure Inspector Certification
  • Online
  • Designed for construction, development, and municipal personnel as well as environmental consultants
  • Objective: learn proper GSI inspection practices in development, transfer, operation, and maintenance

Training Courses

• Metro Blooms
  • Online and in-person
  • Metro Blooms partners with communities to create resilient landscapes and foster clean watersheds, embracing the values of equity and inclusion to solve environmental challenges.
  • GSI covered: Sustainable landscapes and habitat restoration with an emphasis on stormwater management, native vegetation and invasive vegetation management
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee - Native Landscape and Green Infrastructure Design for Stormwater
  • Online
  • Designed for landscape architects, designers, engineers, planners, and contractors who design stormwater management; municipalities who oversee and review stormwater management systems; non-governmental organizations who educate about native landscapes; and those wanting to learn more about plant selection for GSI
  • Objective: obtain an understanding of the incorporation of native plantings in GSI from the design stage through installation and maintenance and even public outreach
  • GSI covered: rain gardens and bioswales
• Washtenaw County - Master Rain Gardener Class
  • Online and in-person (Ypsilanti, MI) plus an archive of recordings of the course lessons
  • Designed for homeowners looking to construct their own rain garden
  • Objective: obtain a basic understanding of rain gardens design to ultimately design or adopt a rain garden
  • GSI covered: rain gardens
• International Water Association - Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment Course
  • Online
  • Designed for wastewater engineers or those who want to incorporate onsite treatment in small communities
  • Objective: obtain an understanding of how wetlands function, wetland uses, and design and O&M considerations
  • GSI covered: wetlands
• American Society of Civil Engineers - Permeable Pavements: Design, Construction, and Maintenance Course
  • Online
  • Designed for engineers (specifically drainage, transportation, land development, geotechnical, and green stormwater infrastructure engineers)
  • Objective: obtain a deeper understanding of permeable pavement to properly design pavement, plan for construction, and outline operation and maintenance practices to ensure pavement function is retained
  • GSI covered: permeable pavement
• Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) - Green Infrastructure Maintenance Training
  • In-person (Minneapolis, MN)
  • MWMO staff provides green stormwater infrastructure maintenance professional development training for other professional groups
  • Recommended trainings: Green Infrastructure Management
  • Designed for professional groups in the urban stormwater sector
  • Objectives: obtain an understanding of GSI maintenance practices and the impact proper maintenance has on a GSI’s health and functionality
• CED Engineering - A Guide to Rain Garden Design, Construction, and Maintenance
  • Online
  • Designed for civil and geotechnical engineers, site developers, contractors, and design and construction personnel
  • Objective: obtain an understanding of designing a stormwater catchment zone, native plant selection, design of stormwater drainage and overflow systems, rain garden design in sandy and silty soils, and proper maintenance practices
  • GSI covered: rain gardens
• Green Infrastructure Foundation - Green Infrastructure Training
  • Online
  • Three training courses are offered: 1) Introduction to Green Infrastructure, 2) Valuing the Benefits of Green Infrastructure, and 3) Green Infrastructure for Climate Adaptation
  • Designed for those with an interest in GSI, particularly those in the public sector
  • Objectives: obtain an understanding of GSI functionality, GSI cost and how to quantify the monetary value of GSI benefits, GSI best practices, and GSI characteristics that support climate adaptation
• PDH Online - Design of Bioretention
  • Online
  • Designed for engineers
  • Objectives: obtain an understanding of bioretention design from site applicability to sizing to hydrologic analysis
  • GSI covered: bioretention
• CED Engineering - Stormwater Best Management Practice Design: Basins
  • Online
  • Designed for civil and geotechnical engineers, site developers, contractors, and design and construction personnel
  • Objectives: obtain an understanding for the design criteria and analysis of basins as well as inspection, operation, and maintenance procedures
  • GSI covered: wet retention ponds, dry detention basins, and infiltration basins
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Best Practices for Green Infrastructure O&M
  • Archived online
  • Additional EPA GSI webcasts archived here
  • Designed for planners, designers, and maintainers
  • Objective: obtain an understanding of sound GSI operation and maintenance practices and navigating GSI maintenance through the transfer of land ownership
• ESRI - Building the Foundation for Green Infrastructure Planning
  • Online
  • ArcGIS Online account required for the course
  • Optional prerequisite is ESRI’s Introduction to Green Infrastructure course which covers the basics of the GSI design process
  • Designed for engineers, planners, and those interested in incorporating GSI in their community
  • Objectives: use ArcGIS to apply criteria based on project goals to ultimately identify and prioritize habitat cores for GSI implementation
• Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey - Green Infrastructure Training Program
  • Free Online
  • Designed for engineers, planners, developers, policy makers, municipalities, and those interested in incorporating GSI in their community
  • Objective: obtain an understanding of GSI planning, implementation, and policy
  • GSI covered: covers GSI broadly as well as delving into the design and construction rain gardens, specifically
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association - Nature-Based Solutions for Coastal Hazards
  • Online
  • Designed for coastal managers and planners
• (Objective: obtain an understanding of GSI practices that can reduce the impacts of coastal hazards and how to navigate challenges associated with GSI implementation
• Georgia Association of Water Professionals - Green Infrastructure for Plan Reviewers
  • Online
  • Designed for public-sector site development plan reviewers, contractors, inspectors, and designers
  • Objective: obtain an understanding of how to evaluate the selection, design, and location of GSI to meet the desired functionality

References and Resources

• Certifications for Green Infrastructure Professionals - The Current State, Recommended Best Practices, and What Governments Can Do to Help. Emmett Environmental Law & Policy Clinic and the Environmental Policy Initiative, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Mass.: July 2014.
• Green Jobs Training: A Catalog of Training Opportunities for Green Infrastructure Technologies. EPA. February 2009.