Mountainside Institute Programs

Mountainside Institute offers programs throughout the Teton region. What follows is a listing of recent, future, and ongoing programs of the Institute. We are dedicated to partnering with individuals, organizations, and institutions. If you think you might be interested in partnering with us, please contact Dahvi Wilson.

Green Construction Management Intensive Program

While research in the construction industry makes it clear that the future of building is green, many construction management programs are not yet preparing their students for this new trend. Proper green management of a construction project requires a systemic consideration of the project from start to finish. It involves working with designers and architects to determine efficient insulation, glazing, and framing; tracking and separating waste streams; sourcing local, healthy, and renewable products; managing the impacts to construction sites; mitigating dust and air quality impacts; as well as integrating specific construction techniques to ensure energy efficiency. It may involve various levels of performance testing throughout the project’s lifespan, and it may require new forms of energy modeling and documentation. Given the amount of specialized knowledge that green contractors must posses, it is critical that we begin educating future green contractors now. Doing so, will give future practitioners a critical hand-up, and it will ensure the quality of green construction in the years to come.

Mountainside Institute is working with a few regional universities. Alternative Building Solutions, Grand Targhee, Ken Baker, and local engineer Troy Barry to develop a comprehensive program for delivering high-level, practical, and exciting project management training for both enrolled students and construction professionals interested in continuing education. This program is likely to focus on providing enhanced internship opportunities for CM students to smoothly integrate with existing university programs.

The Green Construction Management Intensive will provide construction management students with a comprehensive introduction to the skills and considerations they will need to be aware of when undertaking green construction projects. By working with accredited universities, the Intensive will be bring a select group of students to Teton Valley, Idaho to earn course credits or certificates, focused on green construction management. This program will involve classroom time and field time, working on green building projects throughout the valley. Mountainside Village may be the site of a hands-on residential green building practicum, and other developments, such as Grand Targhee, may be the site of a multi-family/ commercial green building practicum. Grand Targhee has also expressed initial interest in possibly offering housing and classroom space, which could be an additional draw to the program.

Teton Valley Energy Audit Pilot Program

Mountainside Institute is currently seeking a grant to support the pilot of a home energy audit program in Teton Valley. The program would function in a very similar manner to the program that Lower Valley Energy offers in Jackson.

The TVEAPP will model itself after Lower Valley Energy’s successful energy audit program. Any Valley resident will have the opportunity to register for an energy audit, at a cost of $100. Once they are registered, a certified home energy auditor will come to their home, complete a thorough inspection, and produce a detailed report indicating what steps the homeowner can take to reduce energy waste. If the homeowner completes any of the suggestions listed in the report, they are refunded their $100, regardless of the expense incurred to complete the retrofit. Retrofits can include installing better insulation, switching to CFL lightbulbs, installing a programmable thermostat, and much more.

This pilot program will be offered in partnership with Fall River Rural Electric Co-Op and Lower Valley Energy. Lower Valley will supply their expertise and advise based on the lessons they have learned through their audit program. Fall River will work with us to evaluate the success of the pilot program, using Bonneville Power Administration’s conservation calculation tools and protocols. Fall River does not currently have the resources to offer such a program on their own, but they are more likely to take on such a project in future funding cycles if it has already been demonstrated to be successful. By working with Fall River from the beginning, Mountainside Institute will maximize the potential for a seamless transition to a utility-funded program in the future.

Kill Your Watt Teton Valley

Ever wonder how you end up using all that electricity every month? Mountainside Institute will help local residents find out exactly what is going on with their electricity use and their electric bill. By taking on the Kill Your Watt program, formerly offered in Jackson Hole by Pursue Balance, Mountainside Institute will give 15-20 households in Teton Valley the chance to use one of our Power Cost Monitors for three months. Power Cost Monitors are simple devices that fit on your electric meter and measure how much electricity you are using in real time. The device then wirelessly communicates that to a small console that stays in your home. The console makes it easy for you to see how much electricity you are using at any given time. For example, if you turn on your toaster, you will see exactly how much your electric use jumps in real time. Our friends in Jackson found that armed with this information, residents were able to make much better choices about their electricity use AND reduce their electric bills!

We already have a few residents who have indicated their interest in participating in the first round of this program, which we hope to launch by the end of 2009. If you are interested in being considered for this opportunity or to learn more, contact Dahvi Wilson

The Green Housing Market and the Added Value of Green Neighborhoods

We know that if green homes are going to make it here in the Teton regions, our real estate professionals are going to need to know how to sell them. Equally importantly, we want to make sure our real estate professionals are prepared to succeed in the growing green homes market. For this reason, Mountainside Institute has been proud to team with a few different sponsors to offer a continuing education course for real estate professionals for the last two years. The course, worth several hours of credit for licensed realtors, introduces its students to the features and benefits of green construction, several green certification programs, and sales and marketing tips for green living. It also introduces the design features, benefits, and market value of green neighborhoods. Thanks to the Teton Board of Realtors, EcoEdge, Wyoming Title & Escrow, Hickman Land & Title, and others for making these courses a success!

Do-It-Yourself Energy Conservation with Valley Lumber

Times are tough and energy is expensive. This winter, we were pleased to partner with Valley Lumber and several other sponsors to bring a special do-it-yourself program to Teton Valley. Every other week, for six weeks, we set up a table at Valley Lumber and offered tips on how to cheaply and effectively make your home more efficient. Valley Lumber offered discounts on useful items like insulation, spray foam, window plastic, programmable thermostats, water heater timers, lighbulbs, and more; and Mountainside sponsored a raffle at each event. Overall, we introduced nearly 200 people to some of the quick and easy ways they can reduce their home energy bills.

High-Performance Building for Contractors and Architects with Ken Baker

Last year, Mountainside Institute partnered with green building expert Ken Baker to train Teton Valley architects, contractors, and engineers about the latest in building science. The course qualified for continuing education credit for architects and builders, and featured a conversation about updates to the building code, energy efficient construction, and best practices. Special thanks to Penny McBride and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance for helping to make this program happen.

Teton Valley Green Forum

Mountainside Institute is a founder and coordinator of the Teton Valley Green Forum, a loose network of local organizations and business with a green focus or interest. We have been meeting about once a month for the last year to keep each other up to date on upcoming and ongoing projects, coordinate schedules where possible, and minimize redundancy of effort. We've also had the chance to work on a couple of joint projects, such as last year's Teton Valley Sustainability Fair, our current project to develop a "green beat" series for our local newspapers, and work on a Sustainability exhibit for the Driggs Geotourism Center. While the Forum is not a formal organization, and has no short-term plans to become one, it has been a useful resource for its members.