GBA Update - July 2005

Just Out! House Bill 628 to Be Passed: The conference committee bill amending the Public School Code has passed through the Houses and is awaiting Governor Rendell's signature. When enacted, a LEED Provision [P.L. 286 Section 2574 (c.4) (Section 26 of HB 628 of 2005)] will provide additional reimbursement scaled to the pupil capacity of the building if the structure receives a U.S. Green Building Council LEED rating of Silver or above. The Department of Education, in consultation with GGGC, is to issue implementation guidelines for the provision. To access the bill, please click here.

First Meeting of Emerging Green Builders Scheduled: The purpose of this informal gathering is to network, survey people's interest, and begin to determine what shape Pittsburgh's Emerging Green Builders will take as a group. It will be a little business and a little fun! Held before AIA Pittsburgh's Young Architects Forum on Thursday, July 28th, the meeting will begin at 4:15 p.m. It will take place at 64 S. 14th St on the CCI Center's rooftop garden. For more information, please contact Ryan Snow at 412-431-0709 or ryans@gbapgh.org.

The Solar Decathlon Project Takes Off: Students at Carnegie Mellon University, in collaboration with University of Pittsburgh and Art Institute of Pittsburgh students, take a hands-on approach to demonstrating sustainable urban housing. In preparation for the September, 2005 U.S. Department of Energy's second Solar Decathlon competition, Pittsburgh Synergy designed a 800-square-foot house actively engaging industrial design principles, engineering practices and innovative uses of technology. The project utilizes advanced concepts in product design, systems integration, and assembly/disassembly components as a new paradigm for future housing. For more information, please visit here.

Energy Development Authority Awards Project Money: The Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority awarded $10 million to help finance 17 clean energy projects in the Commonwealth. Those selected will receive financial assistance in the form of grants or loans for a variety of electric power projects, including wind, solar, biomass, waste coal and coal gasification, and comprehensive redevelopment plans, among others. The state financing supports millions of dollars in funding being invested into the projects by private interests. For more information, please visit here.

LEED-NC v2.2 Second Public Comment Period Open: The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is now soliciting comments on the second draft of its LEED for New Construction Rating System (LEED-NC), version 2.2. The second public comment period will be open for 30 days, from July 1st to July 30th, 2005 at 5:00 p.m. PST. Click here to comment on the LEED-NC v2.2 draft.

Join the Ranks of the Energy-Efficient Elite: Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, the EnergyValue Housing Award (EVHA) honors builders who voluntarily incorporate energy efficiency into designing, constructing, and marketing new homes. Awards are given across all climates in the categories of Affordable, Custom/Demonstration, Factory-Built, Production, and Multifamily. All applicants receive a written peer review by a panel of industry experts, a complimentary copy of the EVHA Guide: How to Build and Profit with Energy Efficiency in New Home Construction, and free tickets to the EVHA Dinner Ceremony to be held during the 2006 International Builders Show in Orlando. Applications for next year's awards are currently being accepted. For more information, please visit here.

Greenbuild: Call for Pre-Conference Seminars: The U.S. Green Building Council announces its Call for Proposals for Pre-Conference Seminars for Greenbuild 2005 in Atlanta, GA. The USGBC is requesting proposals for high quality, half-day (3 hour) and full-day (7 hour) seminars to complement the concurrent educational sessions, tours and LEED workshops offered at the conference. All seminars should accommodate no fewer than 60 attendees. Selected pre-conference seminars will be conducted on Monday, November 7 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST. Click here for more information. Click here to submit a pre-conference seminar.

The Green Building Alliance is a nonprofit organization that integrates environmentally responsible -- and high performance --design, construction and operating practices into the Greater Pittsburgh market. As a result, GBA will increase the human health, economic, environmental, and social value of new and existing development.

64 S. 14th St. Pittsburgh, PA 15203
412-431-0709, www.gbapgh.org