The USGBC-LA Green Building Corps delivers a structured intern engagement program that provides participants with valuable experience, relationships, and contributions towards green building projects that benefit the greater Los Angeles region. Green Building Corps participants commit to a minimum 6 month term of 10–20 hours per week, on either a volunteer or hourly rate basis, and will receive a certificate of completion at the end of their program experience.
Program Overview
Green Building Corps participants will provide project support for the USGBC-LA Annual Legacy Project, Green Schools microgrant projects, Chapter initiatives, and committees. Additionally, green building projects will be sourced across Architecture, Engineering, and Construction firms as well as sustainability consultants, public agencies, and community partners. The intent is for these projects to provide a public or community benefit, allowing unemployed or underemployed people to gain experience, build relationships, and better position themselves for future employment.
Mentorship
USGBC-LA will match participants with mentors from USGBC-LA’s Mentor Network with a requirement of at least one-hour per month meeting, either in-person or virtual, focused on career development.
Resources
Green Building Corps members will be provided with USGBC-LA memberships at no charge and access to USGBC-LA’s training, recorded content, and events at no cost wherever possible.
Now accepting applications for Spring 2022!
Corporate Engagement
Companies can purchase bundles of hours from the Green Building Corps for support on projects, back-office work, event support, data entry, and more. All hourly payments will go directly to support the Green Building Corps.
Bring in GBC support for your company today! Contact us at info@usgbc-la.org.
Download our brochure for more information on our Green Building Corps Hourly Packages!
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This program is supported by:
Green Building Corps Members
Tamsyn Hunnewell
Tamsyn is a LEED AP, WELL AP and TRUE Advisor with over ten years of experience in environmental consulting and sustainable resource management. Areas of particular interest include the relationships between the built environment and natural systems. Tamsyn is dedicated to working creatively with others to solve urban development challenges with focus on the environment, human health and wellbeing of communities. She holds a degree in Environmental Engineering from Syracuse University.
Cheng Peng
Cheng Peng is a Master of Urban Planning student at the University of Southern California Price School with a concentration in Design of the Built Environment and pursuing a Certificate in Sustainable Policy and Planning. During her undergraduate time, Cheng received a Bachelor of Engineering Degree at China Agricultural University, majoring in Agricultural Structure, Environment and Energy Engineering, which aroused her interests in environmental planning and landscape architecture. She is always willing to learn and practice. In the future, Cheng hopes to be exposed to more knowledge and strategies about urban landscape development, taking part in projects and making some impact to communities to better people’s living conditions around the world. At school, Cheng is a student assistant of Price School Global Engagement Office, helping organize and advertise events, run social media accounts, and communicate with Price international students and scholars.When she is not glued to school and work, Cheng enjoys travel and photography, basketball, and tennis.
Megan Wang
Megan Wang was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She is currently a second year undergraduate at the University of Southern California with a major in Architecture and a minor in Health Innovation. She is always looking for opportunities to expand her knowledge on sustainable architecture solutions, while exploring the intersection of health and architecture. This past summer, she was involved in research on sustainable building materials and methods. Outside of architecture, Megan enjoys sharing her knowledge with others and she currently volunteers as an academic mentor. She is also involved in USC’s Habitat for Humanity, which helps provide housing to low-income families in the Greater Los Angeles area. In her free time, she loves to play with her cats, watch movies, and go to concerts. Megan is excited to be a contributing member of USGBC and hopes to learn more about creating a sustainability plan that is centered around environmental justice.
Lydia Olivier
Lydia Olivier is a fourth generation Angeleno who has just graduated with a master’s degree in Regenerative Studies from the Lyle Center of Regenerative Studies at Cal Poly Pomona. She has a certificate as a LEED AP BD+C, a professional degree in architecture, and hopes to continue her research in academia or in a science based approach in a research firm on regenerative and restorative practices in the building and urban planning sectors. She also volunteers her time as board chair to the Garden School Foundation, a non-profit who serves seven schools in LAUSD and teaches garden education and a Seed to Table curriculum. Lydia spends most of her social time in her California native and community gardens and playing competitive tennis in USTA. She hopes to be involved with USGBC committees and initiatives that build on social equity and environmental resilience for communities impacted by the effects of climate change in the urban built environment.
Heather Cruz
Heather is a fourth year student at Loyola Marymount University pursuing her degree in Environmental Studies. She felt a calling to directly address the climate crisis and soon obtained a job with Greenpeace Los Angeles where she gained her first experience in progressive climate action, campaign organizing, and community outreach. After working as a lead at Philz Coffee, Heather later acquired a fellowship through the Civilian Climate Action Corps with a particular interest in food waste. She worked with the City of Los Angeles Sanitation and Environment to research the city’s food recovery capacity as it related to SB 1383 and connected hundreds of food generators with food recovery organizations and services. She now continues her work with Community Organized Relief Efforts (CORE) for COVID-19 relief as well as facilitation support of the LA Food Bank. Heather’s passion for environmental justice also extends through her membership on the onboarding team of the Sunrise Movement where she recruits and leads new members through the Los Angeles chapter's campaign efforts. Heather loves everything she is discovering about her field of choice and hopes to continue reaching new heights in making meaningful change wherever and however she can.
