Corporate Training By Zack Academy - 2013 Habitat X Summer National Conference

The 2013 Habitat X Summer National Conference is a dynamic training event designed to help you move to the next stage in your career or business. This much-anticipated event is one part conference, one part technical training, and one part industry summit. Borrowing from the best of each format, we create a blended training environment that is both memorable and effective. You can expect a potent mix of technical training, personal skill refinement, and industry brainstorming. 

The Program:

The Conference will follow three tracks, with topics of relevance to anyone who works in the housing industry.

• Leadership and Communication
• Business and Market Transformation
• Tools and Techniques

Note: You can pick and choose from these tracks, or follow a single track the entire week.

The Conference Format:

Our days begin and end with Plenary Sessions that include everyone in attendance. During these meetings we fine-tune our agenda, and facilitate discussions that allow everyone to share their expertise and expand their knowledge.

This year we'll host several Industry Panels with industry experts. We manage these far-ranging and relevant discussions to provide top-level views of our industry that get integrated into much of the work we do elsewhere in the conference.

We save the Small Group Workshops for our most focused work. In these sessions you'll work side-by-side with industry experts to drill down into the subjects of leadership, technology, and industry.

We'll take Field Trips to nearby LEED-certified buildings. We'll be guided in these trips by Ann Edminster, one of the primary authors of LEED-for-Homes.

What's Included:

• Four days of highly focused training and in-depth collaboration.
• Lunch and snacks provided each day.
• A hosted reception at Turman Larison Contemporary Gallery Tuesday night.
• A catered social event at Spring Meadow Lake on Thursday night.
• Take-home printed or digital resources that support your learning and personal development.

Lodging:

Great Northern Hotel

835 Great Northern Boulevard
Helena, Montana
406-457-5500

This is the preferred hotel for this event because it's centrally located in downtown Helena, it's within walking distance of all the conference venues, and it's one the nicest facilities in town. We have a block of rooms reserved for conference attendees: mention Habitat X Conference when you reserve your room to get the discounted room rate. This rate includes a full breakfast.

Distance from Carroll College: 0.3 mile

Days Inn

2001 Prospect Avenue
Helena, Montana
406-442-3280

This is a basic, clean, and reliable motel that's located on the edge of town and run by cheerful staff. You'll be farther from the action than at the Great Northern, above, but we offer it as an alternative for those who are traveling on a tight budget. And we'll provide a shuttle to and from the conference facility each morning and evening. We have a block of rooms reserved for conference attendees: mention Habitat X Conference when you reserve your room to get the discounted room rate. This rate includes a full breakfast.

Distance from Carroll College: 2.2 miles

Wingate Inn

2007 N Oakes St.
Helena, Montana
406-449-3000

Distance from Carroll College: 1.9 miles

Jorgenson's Inn & Suites

1714 11th Avenue
Helena, MT 59601
800-272-1770

Distance from Carroll College: 2.2 miles 

Syllabus

Tuesday, July 30

• Opening session: This a planning and brainstorming forum in which we lay the groundwork for the entire conference. Keynote speaker Ann Edminster will discuss why Integrated Project Delivery -- if implemented the way she envisions -- will change the way we design, build, and inhabit our homes in the future.

• Planning session: We"ll work in a roundtable format that"s managed to provide an optimum amount of information about one another, and our expectations for the event, in an efficient and timely manner. Through this process, we"ll fine-tune the agenda, and identify topics for the industry panels on Thursday – these sessions will draw from group"s expressed interests and embedded expertise.

• Group workshop: We"ll identify and document the learning objectives for the conference. As with every session this week, we"ll provide a planning template in both printed and digital forms so you can adapt this tool for your own work.

• Catered Lunch at Campus Center

• Small group A: Leadership and Communication track, facilitated by Chris Dorsi and J West.

• Small group B: Business and Market Transformation track, facilitated by Ann Edminster and Ben Cichowski.

• Panel Discussion: Steve Loken and other expert builders discuss their vision for transforming -- once and for all -- the market for sustainable housing. Plus Q&A. Moderated by Chris Dorsi.

• Wrap up and debrief

• Hosted reception: The good folks at Turman-Larison Contemporary in downtown Helena will host us for drinks and hors d"oeuvres. Evening casual attire. 5:30 - 7:00.

• Dinner on your own 

Wednesday, July 31

• Group session: We"ll review our work from the day before. A group reporter will have been chosen from each small group -- they"ll capture the group"s summary comments and report back to the entire group each morning.

• Small group A: Tools and Techniques track, facilitated by Ben Cichowski and J West.

• Catered Lunch at Campus Center 

• Small group B: Leadership and Communication track, facilitated by Ann Edminster.

• Group field trip: We"ll take a field trip to the nearby LEED-certified office building owned by the State of Montana.

• Plenary session: Interviews with experts chosen from within the group. Plus Q&A. Lead by Chris Dorsi.

• Dinner on your own

• Optional evening event: Community Pecha Kucha Night at Exploration Works Science Center. Mingle with the locals, and watch presenters work the Pecha Kucha format by presenting on a variety of subjects. No-host bar. 6:00 - 9:00. Casual attire.

Thursday, August 1

• Group session: Review field trip reports. Fine tune the agenda.

• Plenary workshop: Business and Market Transformation, facilitated by Chris Dorsi, Ann Edminster, and others.

• Catered Lunch at Campus Center

• Small group workshop: Tools and Techniques track, facilitated by Ben Cichowski.

• Small group field trip: We"ll take a field trip to the nearby LEED-certified Exploration Works Science Center. We"ll execute a demonstration training plan developed by the group as we explore the building and its systems. Lead by LEED AP Ann Edminster and representatives from Mosaic Architecture.

• Plenary session: An industry panel of respected leaders discuss why social movements are often more powerful than policy. Plus Q&A. Moderated by Ann Edminster.

• Hosted dinner: We"ll meet at Spring Meadow Lake for a catered outdoors BBQ. Beach attire. 6:00 - 8:00.

Friday, August 2

• Plenary session: We compile, evaluate, and expand on our best work from the week. We"ll then capture it all in a summary green paper that will be distributed after the conference.

• Small group A: Business and Market Transformation track, with Ann Edminster. Others participate according to expressed interest.

• Small group B: Tools and Techniques track, with J West and others. Peer-initiated sessions, topic and format to be determined by group process.

• Catered Lunch at Campus Center

• Plenary session: Industry panel discussions on topics determined by the group. Moderated by Chris Dorsi and Ann Edminster. These ad-hoc panel discussions are often said the be the most valuable part of the entire conference.

• Closing session: We"ll discuss the week"s work. We"ll develop follow-up plans to complete any un-finished discussions. We"ll identify opportunities for future collaboration and cross-education, and consider plans for future meetings. Adjourn.