NEWS
Green$ense
2007: Show Me the Money!
On March 15, nationally recognized green development experts
will explore the finances, impacts and business practices of
green building at Green$ense, the Premier Conference
on Green Building for the Mid-Atlantic & Ohio Valley Region.
Keynotes will be given by Susan Eastridge, chief executive officer
of Concord Eastridge, developer for the Pittsburgh Cultural
Trust’s $460-million RiverParc project; and Jim Hartzfeld, managing
director, InterfaceRAISE, Interface Inc. Hartzfeld will share
his vision of how businesses and industries can save the earth
while serving their shareholders. Interface is an industry leader
that has transformed the carpet and flooring sector from an
environmental liability to a “triple bottom line” corporate
leader.
Sessions
at the one-day event include :
- So
You Think Green Building Will Cost More? Think Again!
- Reducing
Risk - Adding Value: How Green Building is Changing the Insurance
Industry
- Wall
Street Goes Green: The Congruence of Speed, Green & Sustainability
- Greening
Your Portfolio Toward the Bottom Line
To register
or obtain more information, call (412) 431-0709 or visit www.gbapgh.org/Green$ense2007.asp.
The conference location is the Westin
Convention Center Hotel in Pittsburgh, PA.
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Show
Your Support for GBA's Mission –
Join Today!
Add to the green building momentum!
With business interests and environmental concerns combining
forces in an unprecedented manner, green building is positively
impacting our environment. As a GBA member, you will be part of an effort
to improve indoor air quality, encourage more energy-efficient
building operations, and reduce storm water run-off (one of
our region’s top environmental issues). Plus, GBA members enjoy
discounts on educational
programs and receive special invitations to members-only
events. Download
a membership form for more information.
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Pittsburgh's
Convention Center Releases 2006 Green Practices Report Card
Pittsburgh's David L. Lawrence Convention
Center, the world's largest certified green building and the
first of its kind in the world, released highlights of the facility's
2006 green practices in a special report card. "As the results
indicate, there is a significant environmental impact when meeting
planners, exhibitors, attendees and the facility's staff pull
together to conserve resources," explains Mark Leahy, the center's general
manager. "In fact, even our service partners are committed to
our green practices. Levy Restaurants, our exclusive food service
provider, purchases fresh-grown products from local farms, including
organic items." Read
more.
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Imperative
2010 Web Cast
To address the building sector's
role in climate change, Architecture 2030, in partnership with
AmericaSpeaks, is hosting a Global Emergency Teach-in. This
event, entitled The 2010 Imperative, will be web-cast live from
New York on February 20, 2007 from noon to 3 p.m. EST. Hundreds
of thousands of students, faculty, deans and practicing professionals
from around the world will log on to discover how they inadvertently
fuel global warming through design, and what they can do to
change this. The Teach-in will focus on professionals and students
in schools of architecture, planning, engineering, landscape
architecture, interior design, industrial design and other design
disciplines, but is open to all. Read
more.
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UPMC Receives $250,000 for Green Initiative
With a $250,000 grant from The Heinz
Endowments, UPMC can move closer to its goal of becoming the
industry leader in environmental health and safety. “Where possible,
we’re going to do our best to prevent diseases, reduce environmental
exposures known to be linked to disease, and help our community
to know about this and do what it can," explains Ellen Dorsey,
environment program officer for the Endowments. Among other things, UPMC will appoint
a director of environmental initiatives to develop system-wide
environmental policies to promote healthy work and patient care
environments in all its facilities. More information can be
found here.
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2006
High Performance Green Schools Planning Grants Program Opens
The
Governor’s Green Government Council announced the continuation
of its High Performance Green Schools Planning Grants Program
for FY 2006-07. To encourage school districts to invest in such
high caliber facilities, these grants will help defray costs
that are not typically included in the design fee, but which
are critical to the creation of a high performance building.
There is no deadline for applications, but awards will be made
on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit the High
Performance Green Schools Planning Grants Program web page
for more information.
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LEED for Schools
Get
ready for the early 2007 launch of this new rating system by
visiting the LEED
for Schools web page. You can download a draft version of
the system, read case studies and FAQ, or obtain links to information
and resources for educators, administrators and building professionals.
New
Report Shows Benefits of Green Schools
Greening America's Schools: Costs and Benefits is
a brand-new report prepared by Capital E that documents the
financial advantages and disadvantages of these buildings. This
national review of 30 green schools demonstrates that green
design is an extraordinarily cost-effective way to enhance student
learning, reduce health and operational costs and, ultimately,
increase school quality and competitiveness. Download
the report from Capital E's web site.
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New LEED AP Exams Launch
Building
industry professionals can now choose from three different tracks
for LEED Professional Accreditation:
