The US Department of Commerce’s SABIT (Special American Business Internship Training) Program financed a study tour/training program focused on Energy Efficiency in Construction. The program was from March 2, 2002 to March 23, 2002. Thirteen participants visited the US from the Russian Far East cities of Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, Petropavlovsk, and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. These Russian cities are actively investing in reconstruction and rehabilitation of large buildings and most cities have an active portfolio of new construction. Management Strategies, Inc., (MSI) facilitated this study tour by providing the program planning, which included the technical and logistical support.

Objective:
The objective of this training program was to expose the participants to state-of-the-art technologies and techniques of energy efficient construction and design.

Description:
This program was designed as a study tour/training program and was designed to facilitate business roundtables with American businesses involved in Energy Efficient technologies, export financing, construction equipment and building/construction materials.
Program participants met exporters, manufacturers and service providers of energy efficient technologies such as lighting, heating, insulation, testing equipment (for energy efficiency), commercial construction, residential construction, remodeling/renovation/rehabilitation, building materials and systems, mechanical ventilation, commissioning and testing. In addition the participants were hosted by the City of Portland’s Office of Sustainable Development to learn the emerging trends of "Green Building" and holistic building design.

Opportunity:
This program presented a unique opportunity to enable American businesses to market face-to-face and make contacts without flying to Russia. The Russian participants included General Directors, Deputy Governors, and Small Business Owners, who met directly with American Business leaders.
The American companies made presentations on their technology, “how to incorporate technology into existing structures”, corporate management philosophy and structure, marketing methodologies, public private partnerships, etc.

View EEiC Tour pictures.

This program was rated 1.67 on a scale of 1 - 5 where "1" was "excellent" and "5" was "poor".