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.