Former Vice President Al Gore to Keynote Greenbuild Phoenix

The USGBC announced that the Greenbuild 2009 keynote speaker will indeed be Al Gore:

"Nobel Laureate, best-selling author, and the subject of an Oscar-winning documentary – the Honorable Al Gore will address thousands of Greenbuild attendees at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz. as part of the Greenbuild Opening Keynote & Celebration on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Featuring an opening plenary address by USGBC President, CEO and Founding Chair Rick Fedrizzi and a closing concert with nine-time Grammy winner Sheryl Crow, the event promises to deliver inspiration, excitement, and the unique opportunity to listen in person as Former Vice President Al Gore continues to bring climate change to the forefront of international consciousness.

Along with four terms in Congress, two terms in the Senate, and two terms as Vice President, Gore has written the bestsellers Earth in the Balance, An Inconvenient Truth and the just-released Our Choice. The first 5,000 full-conference attendee registrants will receive a complimentary copy of Gore's latest book and all other attendees will be able to purchase the book on site."

Register for Greenbuild 2009 here!

Text from USGBC newsletter

House OKs 6.4 Billion to Make Schools Greener

Here is an article that was reprinted by USGBC about the greening of public schools (originally published on May 14, 2009, CNNPolitics.com, Ed Hornick author). Finally, something good for the schools:

Rachel Gutter, of the U.S. Green Building Council, says the benefits of an eco-friendly school will pay off economically.

"The typical green school saves $100,000 a year on direct operating expenses. In school terms, that's enough to hire two new teachers, purchase 200 new computers or 5,000 textbooks," Gutter said.

"So these are major savings. And that's just one year. The typical school lasts 40 years. And when you do the math, it starts to become some serious savings. ... It pays for itself after a few years of operation."

The council, on its Web site, lists several benefits of green buildings, such as improving air and water quality, conserving natural resources, reducing operating costs and improving employee productivity.

But Gutter says that part of the concern over green schools is the fear over construction costs.

"The research shows the greatest barrier to getting more green schools built is the perception that they cost more up front to build," she said. "The fact of the matter is that they don't. ... Building green doesn't have to cost more, and then everything else, all the savings over the lifetime, are just savings you get to put back in your community's pocket."

The legislation, if signed into law, would also help to create new jobs -- around 136,000 positions, according to calculations by the Economic Policy Institute.

But much more is at stake, Gutter says.

"It's about raising a new generation of leaders who inevitably are going to inherit the problems we will leave behind," she said. "So when you're actually able to use the school itself as a teaching tool, as an opportunity for learning, that's when the connections with curriculum really start to happen."

Read entire article here.

Dell Children's is First LEED Platinum Hospital

Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas has become the first hospital in the world to receive the LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Platinum designation, given by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Many consider building to LEED standards a waste of money and just a reason to brag, but it is clear that LEED buildings are actually money-saving, not to mention healthier to occupy. The poor building standards that have governed for such a long time result in the occupants developing chronic conditions such as asthma. We spend most of our time indoors in schools, office buildings, and hospitals, the air we breathe there has an absolute direct impact on our health. Here are some reasons why Dell Children's is superior to other hospital buildings:

"Dell Children's, which occupies nearly one-half million square feet on 32 acres that were once part of Austin's old Mueller Airport, opened in June 2007. Its environmentally-sensitive design not only conserves water and electricity, but positively impacts the hospital's clinical environment by improving air quality, making natural sunlight more readily available, and reducing a wide range of pollutants.

Inside the facility, sunlight reaches 80 percent of the available space. Outside, sustainable and indigenous building materials were used throughout the façade. A 4.3 megawatt natural gas-fired power plant produces 100 percent of the hospital's electricity, heating and cooling."

Read the full article here.

USGBC: 15 Year Anniversary

The USGBC (US Green Building Council) is celebrating 15 productive years! On their website you can view a great presentation highlighting the 15 individuals who have been involved in the making of the USGBC organization and shaping it to what it is today. Read about and watch video clips featuring Rick Fedrizzi, David Gottfried, John Picard, Bob Berkebile, Pliny Fisk, Susan Maxman, Mark Ginsberg, Alex Wilson, Auden Schendler, Bill Walsh, Peter Templeton, Scot Horst, Linda Cato, Martha Jane Murray, and Danniel Wallach.

One interviewer quoted Churchill whose words mark this point in time so well "You can always count on Americans to do the right thing after they have tried everything else and failed." The incredible thing about this 'green' movement is that it is not just about architecture or culture, it is a social movement. Likewise, the USGBC is not just about buildings, it is about people and lifestyle. Going forward, the organization hopes to continue their mission and avoid misrepresenting the current need for sustainable building, to avoid calling it mainstream when only 2-10% of homes can actually be called 'green'. This also involves exposing corporations that claim to be green without ever complying with LEED, they do not deserve a free ride just by masking themselves as environmentally friendly recyclers. The challenge ahead involves a lot of work on both new and existing buildings in America.

USGBC 15 YEARS PRESENTATION LINK

New LEED worthy materials

If you have worked with the USGBC (US Green Building Council) LEED certification program, you are always subconsciously on the lookout for exterior and interior materials that can get you LEED points. Today I will highlight three interior products that are LEED worthy:

1. SILK DYNASTY WALL COVERING: "Because of this cotton-and-abaca textile's durability, flexibility, and resistance to water damage, it's versatile enough to be used in more than just sunny climes. The pattern is GreenSpec-certified; contributes to LEED credits for its rapidly-renewable, raw, low-emitting, regional material; and comes in six colorways."

Check out www.silkdynasty.com for more info.

2. UNICORK FLOORING (pictured above): This great alternative flooring material can score up to 3 LEED points. A blurb about it..."Unicork has exceptional physical properties including acoustical and thermal insulation, durability, resistance to mold and mildew, naturally hypo-allergenic, and easy to clean. Unicork is suitable for use in homes, offices, institutional,
healthcare, and retail environments, including stores, restaurants, and any other
commercial installation." Some of the environmental benefits of using cork are that it is a renewable natural resource, it is a natural thermal insulator, it resists mold and mildew, and is naturally hypoallergenic. What's not to love?

Look at http://tomkt.com/main.html for information.

3. ENVIROSLAB COUNTERTOP (pictured above): These affordable and unique countertop slabs are hand made with 100% recycled glass and porcelain and color-customizable resin in Texas and can be shipped to all fifty states and internationally.

www.enviroglasproducts.com