NEWS

GBA Member Event Planned
GBA is planning its first member networking event at the South Side's Club Café.  Members: mark your calendars for October 17 and get ready to enjoy two hours of the Club's intimate atmosphere and sophisticated music.  Be our guest while you catch up with friends and colleagues on the green scene. More information on membership.
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Laurel Highlands Network Kicks Off
The kick-off program for GBA's satellite network from the Laurel Highlands Region is an exciting program slated for September 19.  During a tour of the DEP Cambria Office Building, participants can learn about the integration of green principles into the design and operations of this site. The guest speaker, John Boecker of L. Robert Kimball & Associates, will provide a comprehensive tour of this green building. Register Here.
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Podcast: "Greenburgh," Green Building in the Steel City
Pittsburgh is at the forefront of the nation's green building movement. With a constant see-saw of completed projects around the country, depending on the day, the city has either the most or the second-most green buildings in the nation. This reputation is beginning to cause people to reformulate their ideas about Pittsburgh as the smoky Steel City. In this podcast, PennFuture's D.J. Trischler talks to Pittsburgh leaders to get an update on the latest energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly buildings in Southwestern Pennsylvania. First heard in the broadcast is Green Building Alliance (GBA) Executive Director Rebecca Flora.
Listen to the story.
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As Power Bills Soar, Companies Like PNC Embrace Green Buildings
Commercial buildings devour more than a third of the nation's electricity. During heat waves such as much of the country has experienced this summer, these buildings often rely on auxiliary generators that are less efficient and more polluting than electricity on the grid.  After its Pittsburgh operations center was completed, PNC began erecting green bank branches and opened its 23rd on July 19 in Ashburn. Each 3,650-square-foot branch costs $1.3 to $1.4 million, at least $100,000 less than those built by competitors. Read more.
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A Neighborhood on the Brink (of Trendy)
“If Pittsburgh's market were on steroids like New York's, this would've happened a long time ago,” said developer Ernie Sota in a recent New York Times article. Along with his reference to the increasing interest in green buildings locally, he also discusses the nine green townhouses (Windom Hill Place) his company is currently constructing in the South Side Slopes neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Read More.
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AIA Pittsburgh Design Awards Call for Entries
See the official Call for Entries edition of eColumns (www.aiapgh.org/ecolumn/callforentries.htm) or visit www.aiapgh.org/design_pgh.html to view the submission criteria and download a Request for Submission form. Questions? Call AIA Pittsburgh at 412-471-954.
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Info Update from the AIA Young Architects Forum
YAF has announced a discounted rate for the upcoming fall conference: “Livable Communities: Walking, Working, and Water.” More information about the conference can be found at www.aia.org/yaf_n_0608_www. Additionally, for the latest updates on architectural internships, visit the Designing Tomorrow's Architect website at www.designingtomorrowsarchitect.org/outcomes.cfm
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Pittsburgh Civic Design Coalition - Report from Chattanooga
The Pittsburgh Civic Design Coalition, a group formed to promote quality design as a defining feature of the Pittsburgh region, released its Report from Chattanooga last week. This publication reflects the lessons learned when the Coalition took 30 leaders from the Pittsburgh region to Chattanooga in October of 2005 for a Civic Design Exchange trip. To view the report and learn more, go to www.pghdesigncoalition.org.
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Last Day to Take LEED-NC, Version 2.1 Exam
Hurry! October 31, 2006 marks the final day to take the current version of the LEED for New Construction, Version 2.1 of the LEED Professional Accreditation exam. There will be a black-out period in early November as the U.S. Green Building Council transitions to the new exam tracks, which are currently scheduled to begin mid-November.

New Exam tracks are:

If you have questions or concerns about the cut-off date or the new tracks, please forward them to exam@usgbc.org.
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September 7 - Ellen Dorsey: Making the Connection – Health and the Built Environment
Join Dr. Ellen Dorsey, Environmental Program Officer of the Heinz Endowments, as she explores the linkages between chemical pollutants and rising health problems. She will also identify important areas of progress in the field of environmental health and sustainable design.   Formerly, Dr. Dorsey was executive director of the Rachel Carson Institute and an associate professor of Political Science at Chatham College, where she developed programs on women's environmental health and sustainable development.  A Fulbright Scholar, she has published numerous articles and monographs on rights-based approaches to sustainable development, women's environmental health and human rights, human rights policy and practice..Register here.
*Please note change in presenter due to scheduling conflict.*
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September 13 - LEED Commercial Interiors Technical Review
LEED-CI gives the power to make green interiors choices to
tenants and designers who do not always have control over
whole building operations. Attendees of this review will learn how to successfully certify a high-performance LEED-CI interior and make it both a healthier place to work and a less costly space to operate and maintain. The LEED-CI standard is already being used across the country and demand for expertise in this area continues to expand. Come and learn how to get involved with this growing trend. The workshop will help you prepare for the new LEED-CI ACCREDITED PROFESSIONAL EXAM!!! To register, visit here.
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September 15 - WYEP Studio Tour
The location of this innovative 21,000-square-foot restoration of blighted property in Pittsburgh's South Side allows access to the historic neighborhood, mass transit and bike trails. Designed for maximum performance, its building envelope and mechanical systems utilize recycled and rapidly renewable materials. Large windows allow 90% of the interior space to be flooded with natural light. Click here to view the Case Study.
Register for the tour here.
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October 5 - Driving Down the Cost of LEED, Driving Up the Value of Your Building
This workshop will provide the skills, tools and knowledge needed to deliver LEED-certified projects within expected economic and environmental project goals. Who should attend? Design and project management professionals who are working on either public or private large building projects. More information can be found here.
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October 30 - GBA and PHLF Present: The Greening of Historic Properties National Summit

The Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation and
Green Building Alliance invite you to participate in this fall event. A national forum will explore preserving historic buildings while simultaneously making smart improvements to promote their efficiency, occupant health and the environment. More information.
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October 31 - Using LEED-NC on Historic Projects
Held in conjunction with the National Preservation Conference, this half-day workshop will cover the adaptive reuse of historic projects, how to minimize impact on historic resources, leveraging LEED-NC concepts into historic projects, and implementing green strategies and modifications necessary for a sustainable design. The course instructor is Ralf DiNola of Portland, OR. Register online.
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