SOUTH PORTLAND — Southern Maine Community College is working with the Maine Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council to offer certification courses on green construction, building operations and maintenance.

The courses are part of the Green Professional Building Skills Program developed by the New York City Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. The council has a green rating for buildings.

The three courses aim to teach sustainability principles and construction techniques to professionals who build, renovate and maintain buildings in Maine.

Margaret Innes, chairwoman of the Maine council’s board, said the idea is to get tradespeople familiar enough with the principles to begin teaching each other.