Greenbuild 2012 Best Bike Challenge

The Bay Area boasts progression and passion for sustainability and beyond. The local companies featured within the 500 mile Pavilion are proud to celebrate accomplishments in their varied industries, from general contracting to high performance building system designers; from technology and building materials to engineering and LEED consulting.

Naturally ensuing with this sense of pride is a commitment to community and giving back.  Inspired by California’s Best Buildings Challenge, and in an effort to raise funds for the Project Haiti Orphanage & Children’s Center, the 500 Mile companies are developing a philanthropic challenge you won’t want to miss.

The 500 Mile Pavilion’s “Best BIKE Challenge,” will draw Greenbuild attendees to generate pedal power on stationery booth bikes – the more power generated throughout the conference, the more money donated to the Project Haiti fund. Hosted by Environmental Building Strategies and Integral Group in booths 5516W and 5518W, the bikes will be available every day of the conference for attendees to challenge their colleagues and friends to see who can generate the most power for Haiti.

In addition, on Wednesday night the 500 Mile companies will host an expo hall happy hour (4:30 - 7 pm) with scheduled “bikeathons” between big names in green building. Come grab a drink, cheer on your favorite green building leaders and even jump on the bike yourself to pedal for a cause!

USGBC California Ballot Measure Recommendations

USGBC California takes positions on ballot measures based on current program positions and/or alignment with overall USGBC mission and vision. Positions are developed through member study, discussion and consensus with Leadership Reps of all California Chapters. As a guide to statewide membership, USGBC California makes the following recommendations:

• Become an informed citizen
• Cast an informed vote November 6th
• YES on Prop 30 In supporting the Governor’s tax proposal, we feel that the nightmare prospect of funding devastation to California community colleges and K-12 schools is not something that should be borne, and would be unnecessarily disruptive to an emerging and sustainable California economy. Let’s begin getting our house in order and moving forward.
• NO on Prop 32 Prop 32 is an initiative that purports to be a good government measure but actually is a transparent effort to eliminate the primary union funding mechanism and therefore silence labor’s voices. And if you haven’t spent time lately on where the labor movement (who has greatly impacted such taken-for-granted middle class pillars of our civil society as forty-hour weeks, heath care and social security) is headed in the future take a look through the BlueGreen Alliance/Apollo site.
• YES on Prop 39 USGBC California has been a founding supporter of Prop 39, which closes a tax loophole that every other state (except Missouri) has already dealt with, putting both out-of-state and in-state companies on the same footing: basing their taxes on their sales within California. Proceeds from Prop 39, projected to be over $1B annually, will benefit building energy efficiency projects, education and the general fund in that order. It is telling that how no one admits to knowing how this loophole initially came about; closing it provides direct benefit and needed investment capital to California.

For more information on all propositions, including great non-partisan facts(!) on who is supporting and opposing and funding them, check out Next 10’s California Choices site.” For the Legislative Analyst’s reports on all the Propositions, visit here.

Become a Chapter Member & Get a Discounted Greenbuild Pass!

Greenbuild will be in San Francisco in just a few short weeks! 35,000 professionals and leaders from over 120 countries will be right in our backyard. Here’s your opportunity to save up to $450 to attend the conference. Become a Premium Chapter Member today and receive a discounted pass to Greenbuild 2012 as an added benefit to your membership.

Premium Chapter Membership Packages:

Limited availability until November 5, 2012, or while supplies last

• For $100, you will receive a one-year Chapter Membership and a one-day Expo Hall Only Pass to the 2012 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo ($150-$175 total value, depending on national member status).

• For $650, you will receive a one-year Chapter Membership and a three-day Full Conference & Expo Pass to the 2012 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo ($775-$1100 total value, depending on national member status).

Take advantage of this limited-time offer now!
Interested in our standard membership packages? Click here.

Become a member today to:

• Strengthen our voice on the most critical sustainability issues in our area
• Build meaningful relationships with passionate, forward-thinking leaders, and share and exchange knowledge of the green building industry
• Receive special discounts on events, workshops, products, and LEED education that will further professional development
• Volunteer with your local Branch to provide engagement and educational opportunities in your area
• Participate in sustainability advocacy efforts
• Get a discount on your registration to Greenbuild 2012, the world’s largest conference and expo on green building (Premium Membership Only)

Our success relies on the annual, paid membership of exceptional individuals like you. Take advantage of our Premium Chapter Membership offer and sign up today. If you have any questions about membership, please do not hesitate to contact us.

USGBC Issues Statement in Response to USA Today Piece

Related articles:

• USGBC's Oct. 24 Statement in Response to USA Today Article
• Fact Check with USGBC's Brendan Owens
• Myths vs. Facts on LEED

Statement from Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair

“By embracing free enterprise and using market-based approaches we have proven that a healthy environment and a strong economy can go hand and hand. The U.S. Green Building Council is moving the green building industry forward in a way that has never been seen before. Yes, green growth is fueling an entire industry and we are proud of that progress.

Through LEED and USGBC’s other programs, our members are driving the construction industry’s green transformation. LEED buildings save energy, water and precious resources, reduce waste and carbon emissions, create jobs, save money, drive innovation and provide healthier, more comfortable spaces to live, work and learn.

The building products, materials, systems and services that are developed in the marketplace and utilized in LEED buildings are successful because they are created with environmental stewardship goals in mind. We are encouraged when companies develop products and services that support better buildings and communities. If they succeed, we all succeed because the construction is greener and more sustainable.
“The adage ‘doing well by doing good’ is the foundation on which USGBC was built.

Members join USGBC to be part of the process, share what they know and collaborate with others to help us raise the bar and broaden our positive impact. We are proud that LEED reflects the collective expertise and design intelligence of the tens of thousands of environmental advocates and building industry professionals who have helped to create it.”

USGBC Statement in Response to USA Today News Article

Washington, DC – (Oct. 24, 2012) – The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) issued a statement in response to the USA Today piece that ran today about the organization and its LEED green building program.

USGBC is a 501c3 non-profit organization that is dedicated to sustainable building design and construction. Its mission is to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life.

“The LEED program has been built from the ground up by hundreds of thousands of volunteers and is the catalyst for fundamentally changing the way we think about designing, constructing and operating buildings in the United States and across the globe,” said Rick Fedrizzi, founding chair of the U.S. Green Building Council and the organization's current President and CEO. “Green buildings save energy, water and precious resources, reduce waste and carbon emissions, create jobs, save money, drive innovation and provide healthier, more comfortable spaces to live, work and learn.”

The LEED green building program has spurred explosive growth in energy-efficient buildings, which has supported almost eight million jobs across all 50 states and contributes $554 billion to the U.S. economy annually. Today, more than 9 billion square feet of building space is participating in LEED. While LEED has propelled transformation in the building market, it cannot be stagnant and must be constantly updated. The LEED program was built in a way that ensures it undergoes a rigorous cycle of continuous improvement and evolution. USGBC is currently in this process now and taking the next big step forward with the next version of LEED.

"SMART” Office Leasing Strategies are Inherently “GREEN”

By Benjamin Osgood, The Tenant Advocate

A good commercial real estate broker approaches each transaction with the goal of getting the best deal and terms possible for their client, while identifying a space that will maximize employee comfort and productivity. The broker also plays a key role in influencing how the new office is built out and constructed, as well as where the office is located.

Sustainable business practices just happen to exist within the intersection of all of these goals; and if they do not, they should.

There are many opportunities throughout a commercial lease transaction to save the client money, and many of them also have the added benefit of being more responsible decisions, environmentally. Here are a few examples of leasing strategies that easily align to accomplish both smart business and environmental goals:

THE LOCATION OF THE OFFICE

Having an office located within a high-density area makes a lot of business sense; it makes a company more accessible to a wider and deeper labor and customer pool, and associated car parking costs can be reduced by simply being connected to multiple mass transit options. The positive environmental impact of removing single-passenger cars from the road are many, and employees who bike or walk to the office are not only happier and healthier, but more productive while at work.

Giving preference to LEED Certified buildings is a great start to any office search, as the ownership has already taken the necessary steps to reduce energy, waste and water consumption, and increase indoor air quality.

FIRED Up for Greenbuild!

Special Announcement at Executive Road to Greenbuild Event, Remarks by Rick Fedrizzi and Dan Geiger 

By Ashleigh Talberth, Director, Special Projects, USGBC-NCC

On September 20th, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and USGBC- Northern California Chapter (USGBC-NCC) hosted a Road to Greenbuild Executive Lunch to fire up the region for the largest industry conference worldwide - Greenbuild International Conference and Expo - coming to San Francisco this Nov. 14 to 16.

The event kicked off with inspiring remarks by Dan Geiger, Executive Director, USGBC-NCC, followed by an especially creative presentation by Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO and Founding Chairman. Over 150 regional executives and politicians attended the event including Ruth Cox, Regional Administrator, U.S. General Services Administration, Assemblymember Roger Dickinson, Elizabeth Echols, Regional Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration, and Assemblymember Nancy Skinner.

Dan concluded his speech with a special milestone announcement – USGBC-NCC’s California Best Buildings Challenge(CBBC) more than doubled to 13 companies! The announcement brings in seven new partners since the launch, and puts the Challenge at over six million square feet of collective building space.

Executives from Bayer, Integral Group, Lockheed Martin, Method, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Webcor Builders, and XL Construction joining existing Challenge participants Adobe, Genentech, Google, Prudential Real Estate Investors, SAP, and Zynga on stage for the announcement.

Inspired by the White House’s Better Buildings Challenge that seeks 20 percent energy reductions by 2020, participating companies of the CBBC commit to pursue 20 percent reductions in energy, water, and waste in their existing commercial buildings in just two years.

Top 10 @ Greenbuild 2012

By Monica Renner, Marketing & Communications Manager, USGBC-NCC

The world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building will be right in our backyard in just a few short weeks! There is so much happening at this year’s event, and you won’t want to miss out on any of the excitement. Here are the Top 10 events at Greenbuild 2012:

1. Greenbuild Celebration

Thursday, November 15
7:00-11:00pm

City Hall and the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, two of San Francisco’s most beautiful and renowned buildings, will serve as the backdrop for a spectacular evening filled with an unforgettable energy! In bringing together colleagues, friends and the Grammy Award winning band, Train, this year’s Greenbuild Celebration will spark excitement and invigorate the green building community.

2. Opening Plenary

Wednesday, November 14
8:00-10:00am

The opening plenary will be anchored by "Morning Joe" co-hosts, Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough. Mika and Joe will dissect what the November elections will mean for the environment, for green jobs and for innovation — there is no better time or place to take the pulse of the green economy. Mika and Joe will be joined by Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Urban Revitalization Strategist Majora Carter, Environmentalist, Entrepreneur and Author Paul Hawken, Kohler Co. President and Chief Operating Officer David Kohler, former Governor of New York George Pataki, and Lieutenant Governor of California Gavin Newsom.

3. Happy Hour in the Hall: A Bay Area Bash

Wednesday, November 14
4:30-7:00 pm

Packed with 1,000 exhibitors showcasing the latest green building products and technologies, the Expo is one of Greenbuild’s biggest attractions year after year.  Happy Hour in the Hall will feature live local entertainment and all the great food and local beverages the Bay Area has to offer, right on the Expo floor.

4. 500 Mile Pavilion

Wednesday, November 14 – Friday, November 16
Booths still available!

Each year Greenbuild features a pavilion dedicated to the organizations that are located within 500 miles of Greenbuild. This year the 500 Mile Pavilion will feature companies and organizations that are located within 500 miles of San Francisco.

Greenbuild 2012 is bringing technology and sustainability together in the global green movement and the 500 Mile Pavilion is the ideal location to feature local innovation. The Pavilion will be located on the expo floor, providing an opportunity for local organizations to connect with leaders in and around the Silicon Valley and Bay Area and showcase their sustainability efforts. Be sure to stop by our Host Committee booth while you’re there!

Interested in exhibiting in the 500 Mile Pavilion? Learn more!

McKenzie Solar 30MW Power Plant

In August, the Capital Branch partnered with the Northern California Solar Energy Association to host a presentation and tour of the McKenzie Solar 30MW Power Plant near Galt. Representatives from the Contractor: Swinerton Renewable Energy, Civil Engineer: RBF Consulting, and Electrical Engineer: Rex Moore were on hand to lead event attendees through the design and construction of the array, highlighting critical decisions made by the team. When the panel installation is finished, a custom hydroseed blend will be spread to develop ground-cover to control erosion; sheep will be used to control the height of the grass. The solar array will be in operation for several decades and will be decommissioned, and the land returned to agricultural use at the end of the lease term.

Construction on the solar array began in early 2012 and is scheduled to be completed this fall. The array consists of 134,400 PV modules by Yingli mounted on 26,235 steel H-piles ranging from 4 foot to six foot in height. It is estimated that the project will product enough electricity to provide power for any one of the following: 15,000 average homes with central air, 750 fast food restaurants, 115 large retail stores, 95 grocery stores, 75 large home improvement stores, or 4 Sears Towers. It will reduce CO2 emissions by more than 3.9 million metric tons, equal to 160 million trees planted or 5 billion miles traveled by a SUV.

USGBC’s California Best Buildings Challenge More than Doubles to 13 Companies

Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO and Founding Chairman of the U.S. Green Building Council unveils new participants on-stage at the W Hotel, San Francisco, during executive lead-up event to Greenbuild International Conference and Expo

Representatives from 13 companies committing to the California Best Buildings Challenge

San Francisco, Calif. – (Sept. 20, 2012) – The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and USGBC’s Northern California Chapter (USGBC-NCC) announced that 13 companies in California have committed to the California Best Buildings Challenge, totaling more than six million square feet of collective building space. Bayer, Integral Group, Lockheed Martin, Method, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Webcor Builders, and XL Construction join existing Challenge participants Adobe, Genentech, Google, Prudential Real Estate Investors, SAP, and Zynga.

Inspired by the White House’s Better Buildings Challenge that seeks 20 percent energy reductions by 2020, participating companies of the California Best Buildings Challenge commit to pursue 20 percent reductions in energy, water, and waste in their existing commercial buildings in just two years.
“California companies have always been trail blazers,” said Dan Geiger, Executive Director, USGBC-NCC. “When President Obama initiated the Better Buildings Challenge, we thought California firms could go further with the California Best Buildings Challenge. In the lead up to Greenbuild coming to its birthplace San Francisco, these firms are stepping up to pursue aggressive environmental goals in a landmark accelerated time frame - and most importantly, to inspire others to do the same.”

USGBC-NCC initiated and developed the Challenge, which was launched by USGBC and USGBC-NCC with President Clinton at the closing plenary event of the 2012 Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America), a meeting focused on finding solutions for economic recovery in the United States. The California Best Buildings Challenge was selected by CGI America as an exemplary approach to addressing challenges in the clean electricity and efficiency space. Watch the launch; watch Rick Fedrizzi’s pre-launch announcement.

UC System Hits Major Green Building Milestone

By Harry Mok, Principal Editor, UC Office of the President

A new lab on the UCLA campus is more than just a place for cutting-edge research into paraplegia and cancer: It is the 100th green-certified facility in the UC system, a milestone in sustainability that puts it far ahead of other universities around the nation.

UCLA's new Clinical and Translational Research Center — a former hospital emergency room that was transformed with environmental concerns in mind — was ranked LEED Gold in August by the U.S. Green Building Council.

LEED is a ranking system that rates facilities for their environmental impact in areas like water savings, energy efficiency, waste reduction, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

The UC system is the first American university to have 100 LEED-certified facilities, followed by Harvard, which had 75 as of May 2012.

Greenbuild 2012 Tours: A Taste of Bay Area Green

By Kira Gould, Director of Communications, William McDonough + Partners

From redwood trees to adaptive reuse, San Francisco is chock full of incredible sights – green buildings and beyond. At USGBC’s annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, located in San Francisco this year, you can sample from two dozen tours of buildings (and much more), specially curated by San Fran insiders.

Every year, the Greenbuild “host committee,” made of volunteers from USGBC’s regional chapters, organizes a series of tours to help visitors learn more about the community and the buildings and the culture of the host locale. This year’s lineup is really impressive. The tour committee, led by Lindsay Baker (Green Team Consultant at Mary Davidge Associates) and Mark Palmer (Green Building Coordinator at City and County of San Francisco), has hand-picked 12 half-day tours on Friday and Saturday, plus 12 full-day tours on Saturday.

How did they do it? The criteria for setting up the tours included a focus on educational content, the operational issues, showcasing the Bay Area, showing off unique approaches to green building issues, and making sure that the tours would be fun and interactive. The 25-person committee received a whopping 170 submissions and then scored and grouped them.

Clinton/USGBC-NCC Initiative Gears Up for Milestone Announcement

Initial participants include Adobe, Genentech, Google, Prudential Real Estate Investors, SAP and Zynga.

By Ashleigh Talberth, Director, Special Projects, USGBC-NCC

“This [Challenge] is a huge deal. It’s a lay down economically. It’s a lay down in the fight against climate change. And in our fight to become both more energy efficient and energy independent,” said President Bill Clinton as he unveiled the nation’s most cutting-edge challenge yet, the California Best Buildings Challenge.

Inspired by the White House’s Better Buildings Challenge (BBC), the California Best Buildings Challenge sets more stringent goals than the BBC in a landmark, short time-frame.

Green Apple Day of Service

By Maggie Hartley, Director of Marketing, Gen7

On one day, our vast network of champions will demonstrate the strength and breadth of our movement, leaving a meaningful and lasting local impact.

On September 29, 2012, the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council will host the first ever Green Apple Day of Service. For one day, advocates from across the country and around the world will come together in support of healthy, sustainable schools by taking real action in their communities.

Hundreds of events

Events are planned throughout the USGBC-Northern California Chapter.  In Sacramento, students and community will be re-landscaping at Mark Twain Elementary. In Monterey, LEED EBOM is inspiring collaboration between the elementary school and community college students to audit energy and water use.  In between, there are many more opportunities to join. You can even create your own event.

With more than 700 million children in a school building each day, there is no questioning the enormity and urgency of the task before us. This event will bring together individuals and communities to make changes in their schools and surrounding areas, and there are plenty of ways for you to get involved with this effort.

Join us!

How will you take part in Green Apple Day of Service? Visit mygreenapple.org to pledge your support, share your commitment, and connect with USGBC about news and upcoming resources. If you’d like to get involved or for more information contact John Diffenderfer.

Chemical Industry Announces New Coalition

Last week, the American Chemistry Council announced the formation of the American High Performance Buildings Coalition (AHPBC). This organization is made up of 27 trade associations, including the Vinyl Institute, the Vinyl Siding Institute, and the Flexible Vinyl Alliance. The coalition has spoken out against the General Services Administration (GSA) using the LEED rating system, claiming that it is not a consensus-based system. From the AHPBC website, “American Manufacturers and Building Experts Speak Out Against GSA Green Building Review”.

For USGBC’s response, see “LEED Is Private, Voluntary, Transparent and Democratic”. Brendan Owens, VP for LEED Technical Development, commented, “LEED is developed in accordance with a rigorously inclusive process.  We have received more than 22,000 public comments and have responded to each individually. We work cooperatively with industries, and LEED standards are set in a consensus-driven, transparent manner led by technical experts in their fields.”

Green Enhances Value in California Homes

Contributed by Barry Hooper, San Francisco Department of the Environment

In the first rigorous independent economic analysis of the value of green home labels in California, University of California researchers have demonstrated green certified homes have 9% (+/-4%) greater value. The study by UC Berkeley economist Nils Kok and UCLA professor Matthew Kahn analyzed all single-family homes sales in California between 2007 and 2012.

Using a method called hedonic pricing, they examined the sales prices of all 1.6 million homes sold in the state over the past five years, of which approximately 4,300 were certified via ENERGY STAR, LEED for Homes, and GreenPoint Rated. Armed with the size, age, location, and amenities of each home, they were able to hold the factors that greatly influence home prices constant. Where the need for comparative sales data can make it a challenge for appraisers to systematically recognize the value of a green certification within a neighborhood, hedonic pricing essentially evaluated all “comps” statewide over the past 5 years.

Opportunities on the Road to Greenbuild

The 2012 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in San Francisco is expected to attract more than 35,000 attendees, making this year’s event the largest Greenbuild in history. Attendees from more than 120 countries will witness California's long-standing commitment to green building and ahead-of-the-curve thinking. You won't want to miss the following opportunities to highlight your business at the event:

Gain exposure:

    Sponsor a Greenbuild Tour
    Exhibit in the 500 Mile Pavilion at Greenbuild
    Join the California Best Buildings Challenge

Volunteer:

    Host Committee (All positions are currently filled)
    Volunteer at Greenbuild (Students or professionals 25 and under)

Scholarship Opportunities:

    Higher Education Scholarship
    Emerging Professionals Scholarship (Application Coming Soon)
    Social Equity Scholarship (Application Coming Soon)

Learn more about the Road to Greenbuild >>

USGBC-NCC Silicon Valley Visits NASA Sustainability Base

Contributed by Ron Fong, P.E., LEED A.P.

USGBC-NCC's Silicon Valley Branch recently got the insider view of the LEED Platinum NASA Sustainability Base at the Ames Research Center in Mountain View. The N232 building has been deemed the greenest Federal building in the world, and recently opened as a 50,000 square foot, two-story office building designed to not only house staff, but also demonstrate and test the application of NASA space science to earth-based problems and test new marketplace energy efficiency technologies.

NASA Sustainability base has architectural features reminiscent of NASA Space Heritage. These are faux solar panels like those used at Tranquility Base on the moon.  The building is curved in an arc like a crescent moon.

“In space, all systems are closed-loop and self-sustaining. Why can’t they be on earth too?” asked Dr. Steve Zornetzer, Associate Center Director for NASA Ames.

USGBC-NCC's Super Heroes Awards Gala

By Sonya Ringer, Marketing & Membership Intern, USGBC-NCC

On Wednesday, May 23, green building super heroes and their fans gathered together at San Francisco’s InterContinental Hotel (LEED Gold Certified!) for USGBC-NCC’s annual Super Heroes Awards Gala. The Gala, which drew 400 attendees this year, served as an opportunity to celebrate the contributions made by leaders in green building and sustainable practices. The Gala was also the official kick-off event for the Road to Greenbuild, an initiative to drum up excitement and momentum for Greenbuild 2012, the conference and expo which San Francisco will be hosting this November.

The evening began with a lively VIP reception, followed by dinner. The award ceremony got underway as dessert was served.

The ceremony began with the award for Outstanding Community Organization. This award recognizes non-profit organizations that demonstrate a profound impact on their communities through commitment to sustainability and social equity. This award was given to First Community Housing, an organization that focuses on creating and remodeling housing, so that it is both affordable and sustainable. Jeff Oberdorfer, Executive Director of First Community Housing, accepted this award.

USGBC-Northern California and President Clinton Launch New Initiative!

Six initial participants – Adobe, Genentech, Google, Prudential Real Estate Investors, SAP and Zynga – commit to a 20 percent reduction in energy, water and waste in just two years

By Ashleigh Talberth, Director, Special Projects, USGBC - Northern California Chapter

For more information on how your firm can get exposure in the lead-up to Greenbuild through this initiative, please contact ashleigh@usgbc-ncc.org

USGBC- Northern California Chapter (USGBC-NCC) and the USGBC launched the California Best Buildings Challenge on Friday, June 8th, at the 2012 Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America), a meeting focused on finding solutions that promote economic recovery in the United States.

President Clinton and USGBC President, CEO and Founding Chair, Rick Fedrizzi, joined vice presidents from three of the six inaugural commitment participants, Genentech, Google and Prudential Real Estate Investors (PREI®), on stage to announce the Challenge during a plenary of the popular event that draws more than 900 business, non-profit and media participants.

"This is a huge deal. It's a lay down economically. It's a lay down in the fight against climate change. And in our fight to become both more energy efficient and energy independent," said President Bill Clinton.

Inspired by the White House’s Better Buildings Challenge and President Clinton’s pioneering work to promote sustainable building, the California Best Buildings Challenge is going further faster to advance green, resource efficient buildings that help businesses save money and stimulate job creation.

The California Best Buildings Challenge consists of industry-leading firms with a strong California presence that have committed to reduce their building energy, water and waste by 20 percent in just two years. Adobe, Genentech, Google, PREI, SAP and Zynga have stepped up to kick off the Challenge, collectively committing five million square feet of building space from their portfolios.

President Clinton Announces the Launch of California’s Best Buildings Challenge at 2012 Clinton Global Initiative America

Contributed by Jason Hartke
Vice President, National Policy
U.S. Green Building Council

Add six companies…five million square feet of collective real estate…and one challenge. Stir.

What do you get?

A recipe for something remarkable – not just better buildings, but best buildings. In other words, California’s Best Buildings Challenge.

Yesterday, six major leading companies – Adobe, Genentech, Google, Prudential Real Estate Investors, SAP and Zynga – stepped up to the Challenge, a commitment to achieve not just a 20 percent reduction in energy but also in water and waste.

The kicker? They’re doing it in 2 years.

President Clinton announced the Challenge at yesterday's CGI America conference

USGBC and its Northern California Chapter launch the California Best Buildings Challenge at CGI America Meeting

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and USGBC’s Northern California Chapter (USGBC-NCC) will launch the California Best Buildings Challenge at the closing plenary event of the 2012 Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America), a meeting focused on finding solutions that promote economic recovery in the United States. President Clinton and USGBC President, CEO and Founding Chair, Rick Fedrizzi, will join three of the six inaugural commitment participants, Genentech, Google and Prudential Real Estate Investors (PREI®), on stage to announce the Challenge during the closing plenary of the popular event that draws more than 900 business, non-profit and media participants.

Inspired by the White House’s Better Buildings Challenge (BBC) and President Clinton’s pioneering work to promote sustainable buildings, the California Best Buildings Challenge consists of industry-leading firms with a strong California presence that have committed to reduce their building energy, water and waste by 20 percent in two years. Adobe, Genentech, Google, PREI, SAP and Zynga have stepped up to kick off the challenge, collectively committing five million square feet of building space from their portfolios. 

Learn More >>

VISIONARY: Lecture Series continues with Professor Roger Boulton

The Visionary Lecture series, a joint effort between the USGBC-NCC Capital Branch and the AIA Central Valley Chapter, continues this June with a presentation by Professor Roger Boulton, the Stephen Sinclair Scott Professor of Enology and Chemical Engineering at the Department of Viticulture and Enology, University of California at Davis.

Professor Boulton started dreaming of a self-sustaining winery more than ten years before the Mondavi Institute built its LEED Platinum Winery and Brewery. His passion for rainwater harvesting, an ideal source for pure reverse osmosis water for scientific experiments, and his need to prevent deposits on valuable equipment, fueled his study for systems for the new facility. As a result, the new winery, brewery, and food-processing complex now serves as a test bed for production processes and techniques that conserve water, energy, and other vital resources.

There is an auxiliary building that houses equipment adjacent to the winery that will make it possible to capture, store, and recycle rainwater. The proposed system reuses 90 percent of the captured cleaning water volume each cycle—requiring only a fifth of the normal water volume for cleaning. Eventually, the facility plans to be “water positive” and completely independent of the main campus water line.

Advocacy Day 2012

Special report from USGBC California

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)

When the history of USGBC California is written, Wednesday, April 25, 2012 will prove to be a very significant day.

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.

We're Looking for an Operations Manager!

We're in search of a key team member who will oversee the Chapter’s financial, administrative, and technology operations, as well as support a variety of programs, events and other chapter activities.

Interested in joining the team? Learn more about the opening here.

Top 10: How the Golden State Became the Green Building Leader

Contributed by Matt Pearce, Campaign Specialist, U.S. Green Building Council

"If you would understand anything, observe its beginning and its development." – Aristotle

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson at the Top 10 Event

Yesterday marked a pivotal moment for state and local green building policy wins. In the state capitol of California, USGBC, in partnership with the eight chapters that make up USGBC California, announced the Top 10 list of California state and local green building policies. The list celebrates decades of leadership by state and local governments to advance green buildings through effective policies and codes.

But it was a stop-the-presses moment when we learned that Gov. Brown issued a sweeping executive order yesterday - addressing LEED certification, emissions reduction and more - ensuring that California continues to be a national leader in green building. At our reception at the CalEPA LEED Platinum building, we applauded Gov. Brown for his dedication to green building and his lifetime achievement working to protect the environment.

Governor Brown Announces Ambitious Green Building Goals

Contributed by Dan Geiger, Executive Director, USGBC-NCC

On April 25th, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced an important new executive order that calls for new or renovated state buildings larger than 10,000 square feet to achieve the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED “Silver” certification or higher and to incorporate clean, on-site power generation, such as solar photovoltaic, solar thermal and wind power generation and clean back-up power supplies.

The order also sets a target of zero net energy consumption for 50% of the square footage of existing state-owned buildings by 2025 and zero net energy consumption from all new or renovated state buildings beginning design after 2025.

“Doing something real about the growing threat of global warming requires more than just new laws. We must lead by example,” said Governor Brown. “Greening the state’s buildings will shrink our environmental footprint and save taxpayers millions of dollars.”

2012 Super Heroes Awards Gala

Setting the Stage for Greenbuild 2012

Presenters and finalists this year include USGBC CEO Rick Fedrizzi, Google, Inc., Hines, the City and County of San Francisco, First Community Housing, and Urban Solutions, among others.

On May 23rd, the Super Heroes Awards Gala will bring together the brightest minds in green building to set the stage for Greenbuild 2012, which is taking place in November and will be held in San Francisco for the first time in its ten year history. Gala attendees will build connections with fellow leaders, enjoy dinner and drinks, and get inspired by presentations from special guests and awardees.

The Super Heroes Awards program honors innovators that are pushing green building towards a sustainable future. This year’s awards will be given for Outstanding Green Portfolio, Outstanding Community Organization, David Gottfried Special Achievement, and an additional award to be announced.

Saint-Gobain and USGBC-NCC Announce NOVA Innovation Competition 2012 at Cleantech Forum

Entrepreneurs are invited to submit proposals by June 30 for chance to win $85,000 in capital

Saint-Gobain, the world’s largest building materials company, has announced a partnership with us to co-present the company’s NOVA Innovation Competition. Organized by Saint-Gobain’s NOVA External Venturing team, the competition rewards start-up businesses around the world offering innovations in sustainable products, advanced materials, high-efficiency building solutions, clean technology and renewable energy sources with cash prizes and access to partnership opportunities with Saint-Gobain.

The deadline to submit an entry is June 30; finalists will win the chance to pitch their innovative business to the senior leadership team of Saint-Gobain in a live speed-dating format at the 2012 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in San Francisco on November 15.

Water Conservation Showcase Recap

We teamed up with Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) and East Bay Municipal Utilities District (EBMUD) on March 20th to host the 9th Annual Water Conservation Showcase at the Pacific Energy Center in San Francisco. The all-day event proved itself a success, attracting 650 attendees and participants who came together to address one of the largest concerns of Californians: water.


This year’s showcase featured eight lectures by water resource experts. Audiences packed into each of these lectures, leaving standing room only in many cases. The presentations covered a range of water conservation topics and perspectives. Lectures included information directed at both the private and public sectors, as well as information for private citizens seeking to reduce residential water consumption. This year’s presentation topics included: Corporate Water Management, National Trends in the Water-Energy Connection, Case Studies in Water Conservation, New Strategies for Achieving Sustainable Water Use in the Business Sector, Systematic Solutions for Big Water Savings, Launching a Residential Greywater Program for Outdoor Irrigation, and California Water Management.

Branch Leadership Retreat

Contributed by Scott Watkins, Emerging Green Professionals Committee, Diablo East Bay Branch

Warm muffins and zesty coffee welcomed us-- 40+ USGBC-NCC members-- when we arrived at XL Construction’s incredible facility in Milpitas. Included among us were representative leadership of the five NCC Branches, Chapter board members, and Branch committee members. After spending a few minutes touring the LEED Silver certified XL Construction, I was impressed, but not surprised, that XL was honored by the San Francisco Business Times “as one of the Best Places to Work in the Bay Area.”

The retreat kicked-off with a group exercise: building a model skyscraper out of newspaper and tape that could support a kiwi. As our smaller workgroup, which represented all five regions of NCC, began rolling newspaper into piers for our model, we began discussing our roles within our respective branches, as well as each branch’s successes, challenges, and operational practices. We identified a great deal of symmetry between our collective branches, but also identified opportunities to replicate the procedures and successes of other branches.

Building a Green Future for the Golden State: Green California Summit

Contributed by Maggie Hartley, Director of Marketing, Gen7

Join local and state government leaders, school officials, businesses, architects, builders and green technology innovators at the 2012 Green California Summit and Exposition. The state’s largest annual conference addressing California’s environmental policies and the technologies that support them will take place April 26-27 at the Sacramento Convention Center. 5,000 attendees are expected from the public and private sectors.

Now in its sixth year, the Expo will offer hands-on exposure to 150 companies offering green products and services, including a Green Schools Pavilion and a Green Auto Mall. The Summit will also include keynote presentations, educational sessions addressing policy, funding and implementation issues, expanded offerings for school administrators, educators, and networking opportunities. The Green California Leadership Awards, acknowledging accomplishments by state and local government, will be presented at a special awards ceremony on April 26.

USGBC California

Contributed by Dennis Murphy, Secretary, USGBC-NCC Board of Directors

USGBC California is a multi-chapter advocacy organization representing eight California chapters and over 20,000 green building professionals statewide. Their mission is to advocate for regenerative buildings and communities by providing thought leadership and a unified voice to guide the epic transformation to a sustainable built environment and economy. Dennis Murphy has chaired the organization from its inception. He is aided by Dan Geiger, who advises the Executive Committee, Paul Wermer, who heads the Council of Experts effort, and Panama Bartholomy, who was instrumental in building support from the other seven California Chapters.

USGBC California, initially named USGBC California Advocacy Committee (CAC), has been focused on building out an evergreen organization that has a consistent presence in Sacramento policy discussions. USGBC California’s pooled-resource coalition has been singled out as a model for both multiple-chapter states and individual chapter-branch relationships. The California multi-chapter operational environment was featured in an August 2011 national advocacy webinar.

January 2012 Member Spotlight: Donny Gallagher

Name: Donny Gallagher

Member Since: 2010

What's your occupation?

After graduating from UC Davis with my BS in Civil Engineering, I joined RBF Consulting’s Sacramento office. Today I am a project engineer at RBF focusing on entitlements and civil design for a diverse range of multidisciplinary projects including utility scale renewable energy projects, military base rehabilitations, hospital expansions, commercial developments, residential developments, utility infrastructure, roadway design, and highway realignments. My day to day work includes preparation of preliminary and final plans for grading, utilities, drainage, surface parking facilities, roadways, Low Impact Development (LID)/stormwater quality, American with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, and erosion control/Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP).

Over the past few years I served as lead designer for several projects including the Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System Seismic Upgrade and Modernization Project, the new $43 million Calaveras County Detention Center and Sherriff’s Administration Office (the single largest public works project in Calaveras County history), and numerous large scale solar projects throughout Sacramento County.

Capital Branch January Update

Every December, the Sacramento Branch of the USGBC-NCC takes time to celebrate the success of the past year and the continuing development of the Branch and green building in our region. December 2011 was no exception, and this year’s celebration held special meaning as we introduced our membership to our new name - Capital Branch. The Leadership Team believes this name better represents our position in the green movement locally, solidifying our involvement and impact on greenbuilding in Northern California and throughout the state.

This year for our Holiday Social, we returned to Hot Italian, Sacramento’s first LEED Certified (Silver level) restaurant, joined by our first time event sponsor, Sundt Construction, who helped make it a success. While we grazed on deliciousItalian pizza California style & tasty spinach salad graced by a lovely glass of Chianti, we recognized Sophia Hartkopf for her leadership over the past two years as Branch Chair. No gift exchange this year, but ideas and conversation were free flowing and friendships solidified. 2012 portends to be a very exciting year, with Greenbuild in San Francisco and the 2012 Capital Branch Holiday Social.

USGBC-NCC Kicks Off 2012 Advocacy Efforts!

Contributed by Ashleigh Talberth, Senior Manager, USGBC-NCC

USGBC-NCC kicked-off its 2012 regional advocacy efforts with a high-energy retreat in December attended by 70 volunteer experts – both new and returning - who came together to present and refine their plans for the year. Newly organized committees attracted top industry leaders who now have action plans in four policy areas: sustainable neighborhoods, green schools, green homes, and sustainable healthcare.

The retreat was the culmination of a several month process to re-organize the Chapter’s public policy committees and define a focus on four priorities for the year. The re-organization and planning process evolved from an assessment of the Chapter’s previous work and structures, and involved developing new guidelines, procedures, and planning processes.

 

In September, the Chapter invited all its members to apply for sub-committee chair positions. The Public Policy Committee of the Board and staff worked together to interview and appoint Chairs who subsequently developed plans in their respective areas.

In October, USGBC-NCC held a kick-off celebration to honor our past advocacy leaders, recognize and welcome new leaders and to begin the most important task: a two-month planning process that built towards the December advocacy retreat. During this time, the newly appointed expert chairs worked with key Chapter leaders, members, and advocates – as well as USGBC-NCC/USGBC staff – to develop ambitious and well-thought out, step- by-step advocacy campaign plans to serve as a foundation for 2012 USGBC-NCC regional advocacy efforts.

We then put a call out for volunteer committee members, and received 90 very impressive applications. Applicants were selected to participate on the committees, and everyone came together for an inspiring retreat where committee members got an overview of the overall Chapter plans, met the whole team, and broke out into their sub-committees to refine plans, tasks, and assignments.

With record attendance – a majority of which were executive level professionals and CEOs - the retreat played a key role in recruiting a larger advocacy volunteer base. Having core 2012 advocacy plans already in place, this retreat allowed members an opportunity to plug in to USGBC-NCC's advocacy efforts in specific concrete and meaningful ways.

We received some great feedback about this planning approach and the role of the retreat. While it took some time – the process began in September – it really paid off in allowing the Chapter to recruit new leaders, produce great campaign plans, and celebrate an advocacy New Year while expanding our base of advocates. We believe this process will help make 2012 the most effective, action-oriented advocacy year in USGBC-NCC history that can be built upon in 2013.

These efforts complement USGBC-NCC’s other important advocacy program: our role in working with the coalition of all 8 California Chapters, USGBC California Advocacy, which focuses on state-wide issues. USGBC-NCC Board member Dennis Murphy serves as the Chair of the California coalition. With the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo coming to San Francisco in November, great talent supporting our efforts, and solid planning, we’re looking forward to having a big impact in 2012!

Interested in getting involved? Interested in sponsoring USGBC-NCC’s advocacy efforts? Contact Ashleigh@usgbc-ncc.org for more information.

Connecting the Dots of Water and Energy

Contributed by Mary Ann Dickinson, President and CEO, Alliance for Water Efficiency

We have all heard that water and energy are connected. But what exactly does that mean? And in California -- the epicenter of the water-energy nexus --what do you need to know about this issue as a green building professional?

The good news is that there is a conference on March 20 that will explain all of this to you. The Northern California Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC-NCC), East Bay Municipal Utilities District (EBMUD) and PG&E are teaming up to present their annual Water Conservation Showcase, a day filled with presentations and information on the close connection between water and energy. Learn how 49% of the nation’s water withdrawals go toward providing cooling water to generate electricity, and how so much energy is needed to pump and treat drinking water and wastewater that it forms nearly 15% of the country’s carbon emissions. Learn how 19% of California’s electric energy load is related to the pumping, treatment, and end use of water and wastewater, and how 32% of California’s gas load is related to the heating of hot water by consumers. Conference presentations will explore various ways in which saving water saves energy – often more cost effectively then through direct energy efficiency programs.

The Alliance for Water Efficiency is extremely interested in this issue, and will be speaking at the Showcase on March 20. Last year, the Alliance partnered with the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy on a project to explore the needed actions related to the water-energy connection. Over 75 stakeholders gathered in Washington DC to brainstorm about how to combine efforts on water and energy. Called the Blueprint for Action, the final report from that workshop documents eight needed areas of research, coordination, and policy -- and the tasks that are required to make forward progress in these important key areas. The Blueprint for Action was distributed to Congress and is viewed as an important milestone in the national discussions on water and energy. Prominent in the Report’s recommendations are developing better methods of integrated water and energy into LEED, green codes, stretch codes, and whole building rating systems.

Don’t miss the Water Conservation Showcase on March 20 to hear all about these important water issues!

2011 Year in Review & Welcome to 2012

Contributed by Dan Geiger, Executive Director, USGBC-NCC 

As we look forward to what promises to be an incredible 2012 - with USGBC’s Greenbuild International Conference and Expo coming to San Francisco November 14-16 – I’d like to report on the Chapter’s achievements during 2011, and provide a preview of the exciting Road to Greenbuild.

2011 Year in Review

2011 was another great year for USGBC-Northern California Chapter (NCC). The Chapter’s growing leadership role in California and the United States reflects the region’s innovative culture and global green leadership.

NCC and our members have a lot to be proud of:

• NCC is home to approximately 70 million LEED Certified square feet, nearly 6% of the total LEED square footage in the United States.
• The Chapter’s region has 12,000 LEED AP’s, or ~8% of all AP’s in the country
• San Francisco is rated Northern America’s Greenest City.
• The World Green Building Council awarded San Francisco its prestigious Government Leadership Award for Excellence in City Policy for Green Building.
• California’s wide range of breakthrough green public policies lead the nation. Other states look to California for the latest trends – as they say – “as California goes, so goes the country”. From upholding the landmark climate change bill AB32, setting ambitious goals for renewable energy and energy efficiency, greening of the building codes and so much more, California continues its green leadership, even in the face of a challenging economic and budget situation.