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UPCOMING USGBC CT-B EVENTS

An Interview with our 2010 Chair James Andrews
by Alex McIntyre, Chapter volunteer

The Great Recession has impacted everyone, but for those of us involved in green building, there is a significant silver lining. Despite the economic downturn, green building has seen an upsurge in interest and activity in most sectors, both a testament to its staying power and a validation that building green gives owners and developers a competitive advantage in a tough marketplace. With the economy beginning to come out of its recessionary shell, green building is poised to make more inroads across all sectors of the building industry. Nowhere is this more evident than in Central Texas. We talked to 2010 board chair James Andrews about what's happening in the green building movement here and the pivotal role the Central Texas - Balcones chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council plays in encouraging this transformation, through education, innovation, advocacy and communication. Learn more by reading our interview with Mr. Andrews please click here.
 

Chapter Snippets

CONGRATULATIONS to members of our Chapter Leadership for winning the San Antonio Business Journal's 2010 Going Green Awards.

Chapter Chair James Andrews is the SA Business Journal's Sustainability Expert for helping shape environmental design all over the region. Read more.

Chapter Board Member Larry Zinn won Green Pioneer as the author and architect of San Antonio's Mission Verde, the city's environmental blueprint. Read more.

Chapter Advocacy Chair Edgar Farrera's firm Marmon Mok Architecture was awarded Best Architecture Firm for intensifying sustainable design efforts in the early 2000s. Read more.

Joeris General Contractors, a long time chapter supporter and where our Chapter Membership Chair Cody Fuller works, won Best Contractor. Read more.

The awards will be presented at the SA Business Journal’s Going Green Awards luncheon on Thursday, September 16, 2010 – for more info click here.

 

Nominations now open for 2011/2012 Chapter Board of Directors
Are you or someone you know already involved in the USGBC Central Texas - Balcones Chapter and interested in joining our leadership? Deadline for nominations is Monday, Sept. 6th (5:00 pm).

2010 has been and continues to be an exciting and productive year for the USGBC Central Texas - Balcones Chapter.  We have a terrific group of leaders who have guided us through an important period of growth and maturation.

Now it is time to begin our search for Board members for 2011 and beyond. The chapter's Nominations Committee is soliciting candidates for the Board of Directors who bring membership diversity, leadership qualities and other qualifications needed to assure strong and dynamic local leadership.

Nominations will be accepted for five (5) board seats and two (2) alternate positions. To learn more click here or to submit a nomination click here for the application form and click here for the commitment form.

USGBC CT-B & AGC Austin Green Mixer
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Austin, TX

Upcoming LEED Workshop:
Understanding the Operations+Maintenance
LEED Rating System - O+M 251
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Early Bird ends September 9
San Antonio, TX

2010 Green School Symposium
Friday, October 1. 2010
Austin, TX
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RECENT NEWS
 
LEED PROJECTS

Don't Leave Green on the Table
by Jeff Coyle, CT-B Chapter vice chair, Communications Committee

Many green building owners and designers may be missing out on federal tax incentives intended to reward energy efficient design, said John Pettit, project executive for Energy Design Service Systems. Pettit was the speaker at the July 22, 2010 Brown Bag Lunch-N-Learn on energy legislation hosted by the U.S. Green Building Council Central Texas-Balcones chapter.

“There are a lot of incentives out there for green building that are not very well known,” said Pettit. To learn more read the Full Article

 

Austin Picks First-ever Chief Sustainability Officer
from Austin Business Journal

On June 18, 2010 Austin named Seattle environmental strategist Lucia Athens the winner of six finalists vying for the city's newly-created chief sustainability officer post.

A 25-year green sector veteran Athens was chosen from more than 185 applicants and is now charged with overseeing the city's environmental initiatives and programs. Full article

Greening the Neighborhood: Mueller earns LEED-ND
from The Austin Chronicle

It's not just hometown pride - on a national level, the Mueller neighborhood is now certifiably special. That's the word from the U.S. Green Building Council, which in a pilot program just designated Mueller a LEED Silver certified plan. The new USGBC designation promotes sustainability for whole neighborhoods and larger mixed-use projects; previously, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system applied only to single structures.But critics pointed to the need for a rating system that looked beyond a building's walls.
Full Article

Participate in our 2010 Commercial Real Estate Survey

Call for owners, developers, property managers, brokers and tenants to complete online commercial real estate survey - identify needs.

The Central Texas - Balcones chapter is conducting a brief online survey to identify the challenges and opportunities facing the local commercial real estate market in relation to green building, in collaboration with its related association partners. This is the first survey of its kind in Central Texas and the results will allow the chapter to better serve this important sector with appropriate education, training and networking opportunities. The survey will be available online until October 1, 2010.

To learn more and complete the survey click here.

 

Understanding Credentialing Maintenance

The new system was designed by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), in partnership with the USGBC, to ensure that LEED-accredited professionals continuously have the latest knowledge and understanding of green building practices, while at the same time achieving recognition for their specific area of specialization. CMP programs and courses that will count toward GBCI Continuing Education credit hours are available both through USGBC and other third-party education providers.
Full Article

 

Second 'green' Office Depot store opens in Austin


Office Depot® (NYSE: ODP), a leading global provider of office products and services, celebrated the opening of its first LEED for Commercial Interiors (CI) registered store on July 15. Office Depot expects the store to be certified a few months after opening. This is the second 'green' Office Depot in the Austin area - the first on Anderson Lane achieved LEED Gold two years ago. Full Article


 
 
The Vision and Mission of the Central Texas - Balcones Chapter
Vision: Buildings and communities will regenerate and sustain the health and vitality of all life.
Mission: Accelerate the transformation toward sustainable building and land development practices in Central Texas through innovation, advocacy and partnerships.
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