Eighteen engineers, architects, manufacturers and builders from a half-dozen former Soviet republics, along with their interpreters, visited the National Housing Center in Washington, D.C., last week to learn about energy efficiency, sustainability and the National Green Building Standard from NAHB experts.

The visit was part of the U.S. Department of Commerce partnership-building program, Special American Business Internship Training (SABIT), which seeks to expand trade relations and share business development expertise with Eurasian countries.

In addition to meeting with NAHB, the touring industry representatives will meet with a variety of experts in Minneapolis; Flagstaff, Ariz.; and Syracuse, N.Y., during the next several weeks to learn about energy efficiency and sustainability as it relates to architecture, engineering and design; insulation; lighting; renewable energy sources; certification; marketing; and local government programs.

While at NAHB, John Ritterpusch, of the Construction, Codes and Standards department, discussed how various local and state versions of building codes are used by thousands of jurisdictions throughout the U.S. — a concept that befuddled many of the visiting industry representatives because they must adhere to centralized building and energy codes in each of their home countries of Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Ukraine.

Ritterpusch explained NAHB’s role in the development of green building programs and criteria, as well as the green building standard.

He discussed the green building certification process through the NAHB Research Center as well as the Research Center’s product testing and certification program.

For more information, email Giuliana Nava at NAHB International Department, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8182.