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| Governor Jerry Brown announcing Executive Order B-18-12 for state buildings over 10,000 sq. ft. and musing on energy efficiency and elegance at USGBC California's Top10 Reception. (Ron Fong) |
Our largest Advocacy Day group yet turned out for the inaugural Road to Greenbuild event. We had good representation from every California chapter, great representation from the Northern California Chapter, and fantastic cooperation from the Capital Branch.
Advocates blanketed the Capital with their cheerful, informed demeanors, as well as their USGBC California information packets and colorful square pins. The morning "Top10" press conference featured the debut of USGBC's honor roll of top California state and local policies and culminated with the dynamic and inspiring Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson accepting a Green Hard Hat Award on behalf of the Greenwise Regional Action Plan. Distinguished USGBC visitors Jason Hartke (VP, National Policy) and Kimberly Lewis (Sr. VP, Chapters and Greenbuild) and Campaign Specialist Extraordinaire Matt Pearce enlivened the proceedings and were the featured speakers during our USGBC California group lunch.
Between afternoon meetings, word spread quickly of Governor Brown's well-timed issuance of Executive Order B-18-12, which significantly raises the bar for new and existing state building performance and sets a clear example for building owners around the world. Much more to come about the new EO and its implementation details as the year goes on.
Needless to say after the events of the day, the "Top10" Reception at the LEED Platinum Cal/EPA Building was a joyous affair. An overflow crowd enjoyed Magpie Catering’s local and sustainable hors d'oeuvre menu, paired with wines from Rominger West Winery of Davis and a variety of Sierra Nevada brews from Chico.
An interesting side note: By special request from USGBC California legislative advisor Justin Malan of Ecoconsult, our wine pourer from Rominger West was none other than family patriarch and fourth generation Yolo County farmer Rich Rominger, an icon in sustainable agriculture. Rich Rominger served as Deputy Secretary of the USDA for eight years during the Clinton Administration, where he worked to reform farm policy and helped establish the National Organic Standards. Before that, he was Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture for six years during the lively first Jerry Brown administration. Needless to say, it was a very pleasant surprise for the current Governor to see such an esteemed volunteer and old friend supporting our event.
Northern California Executive Director Dan Geiger mastered the ceremonies, which featured Jason Hartke describing the California State and Local Top10 lists and saluting California's special history of innovation, and "Preacher's daughter" Kimberly Lewis, who raised the roof on Greenbuild and the November worldwide gathering of the tribe in San Francisco. In between, our Guests of Honor, Governor Brown, Senator Fran Pavley, and Assemblymember Nancy Skinner, accepted USGBC California Green Hard Hat Awards from USGBC California Secretary Jennifer Ward, Vice Chair Scott Bruce and Chair Dennis Murphy for their “transformational leadership building a sustainable California."
Governor Brown's remarks were typically unique, expansive and insightful, encompassing a survey of local buildings and their sometimes wayward attempts at energy efficiency, the importance of experimentation, a comparison between Rand Corp's Herman Kahn and RMI's Amory Lovins, and observations on the terms "efficiency" and "elegance." The Governor placed the release of his Executive Order B-18-12 squarely within the storied history of Californian innovation and leadership, and jokingly pointed to Department of General Services Director Fred Klass and State and Consumer Services Agency Secretary Anna Caballero as the Administration's key implementers of these "Big, Bold" goals.
In the wake of the Governor's presence, Green Hard Hat Award winner Senator Fran Pavley reflected on AB32 and the subsequent years of steady progress, which are culminating in the debut of California's carbon marketplace. Assemblymember Skinner recounted her UC Berkeley days as an Art Rosenfeld student, how she came to become a leader in energy efficiency financing through AB758 and how she is updating her "knob and tube, lathe and plaster" Berkeley bungalow mechanical system by repurposing a water heater tank and a heat recovery ventilator. Lastly, Liz Salmi of Greenwise Joint Venture thanked USGBC California on behalf of Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and described the goals of the “Emerald Valley’s” Greenwise Regional Action Plan.
With a closing exhortation to celebrate, eat, drink and, merrily schmooze, the Top10 Reception continued into the freakishly stormy Sacramento night, with USGBC Advocates thinking of next steps and wondering how to top the event for next year.
Special thanks to all the NCC advocates who made it such a great day, including Kevin Hydes, Anthony Bernheim, Wes Sullens, Paul Wermer, Ronnie Fong, Steve Murphy, Mark Palmer, Marsha and Eric Golango, Michele Skupic, Peter Saucerman, Susan Rainer and newcomers Devra Hirshfeld, Darrell Someralatt, Sarah Appleman, Scott Watkins, Dwight Williams, Hafsa Burt, Erik Neer and Christina Resasco. Very special thanks to Matt Pearce of USGBC Advocacy, who worked tirelessly with Dennis Murphy on the Top10 project, as well as esteemed guests Kimberly Lewis and Justin Hartke. Kudos, too, to Justin, Rachael and Kiowa at Ecoconsult in Sacramento for their Advocacy Day organization.
Very, very special thanks to USGBC-NCC’s Capital Branch for their work making the reception work so flawlessly. Brian Senhert and David Campbell headed a great team consisting of Sophia Hartkopf, Shelly Dildey, beer expert Regina Souchek, packet maker Patti Heath, Antonia Tsobanoudis and others at Davis Energy Group, Mark Huck, Jessica Morrow, and Anna Heckenlively.
USGBC California’s web site also debuted to the world on Advocacy Day. The expanding USGBC California media empire also consists of a blog and Twitter and Facebook outlets. Many more pictures of our 2012 “Top10” Advocacy Day are available at www.usgbc-california.org/library/gallery/top10-2012.
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USGBC’s Jason Hartke, Kimberly
Lewis, Dan Geiger, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and Dennis Murphy |
Dan Geiger and the Governor | Assemblymember Nancy Skinner accepting her Green Hard Hat Award |
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