Save the Date: A Midsummer Night Green and Awards of Excellence, July 19th 2012

by Stephanie Wither, Chapter Services Coordinator

The Annual 'A Midsummer Night's Dream and Awards of Excellence' will be held on July 19th, 2012 at the LEED-Silver certified Netherlands Embassy.

Click here for the full brochure

2012 marks our chapter's tenth anniversary, so this year's A Midsummer Night's Green is sure to be our best one yet! Expect a whimsical, enchanting evening, with twinkling lights and woodland greenery. Mark your calendars now for this highly anticipated celebration with food, drinks, awards, and 400 of your closest green building professional peers. You won't want to miss it!

Early-bird pricing is available for members!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Interested in sponsoring this event? Contact us to learn about our exciting and unique opportunities to showcase your company!

USGBC - NCR's 1st Annual Golf Tournament

Mix and mingle with the leading green building players in the National Capital Region on October 5, 2012 at the 1757 Golf Club in Dulles, VA. This tournament is a new addition to our annual calendar of events that supports the programs and activties of the USGBC-NCR Chapter.

Click here for the full brochure

11 Ways to Green Your School (Bring a Teacher for Free!)

Are you a teacher or school administrator looking for easy solutions to help 'green' your school? Are you a parent interested in engaging with your child's teachers about how to green the classroom? Attend this session and learn about the many opportunities for engagement from the top down and bottom up!

Parents & Building Professionals - Register to attend and bring a teacher FOR FREE!

Emily Knupp from the US Green Building Council's Center for Green Schools will be presenting 11 simple ways to green your school!

This course is approved for 1 GBCI CE Hour.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER

Next GreenScene - The Roof at Terrell Place: June 6th, 2012

Were you at the last GreenScene at Lutron? Come socialize and network at the second GreenScene event of 2012 on the roof at the LEED Platinum certified Terrell Place! Enjoy appetizers complimentary of CassidyTurley and a cash bar. Bring plenty of business cards! We'll see you on the rooftop!

Members: Your $10 registration fee includes 2 free drink tickets!

If rain is the in the forecast we will reschedule this event and notify attendees two days in advance.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER

May Member Spotlight Duo: USGBC-NCR Education Co-Chair, Jacob Goldsmith

Jacob Goldsmith, LEED AP, is an assistant project manager with HITT Contracting's government division. Jacob has more than seven years of construction experience; the last five working with major general contractors in the DC metro area. Jacob has worked on projects of all sizes, including large base building projects and interior work. Jacob graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a bachelor's of science in Construction Management. Go Terps!

HITT Contracting Inc. is among the top 100 largest general contractors in the United States and continually recognized by the Washington Business Journal as one of the area's top ten largest general contractors and largest interior construction firms. We currently have offices in Washington, DC, Atlanta, Baltimore, Charleston, Denver, Richmond, and South Florida. Our steady growth over the past 75 years can be attributed to the longstanding relationships we develop with our clients. Our client-driven organization focuses on market sectors including base building, corporate interiors, government, healthcare, hospitality, institutional, law firms, major projects, paint and service, and technology.

May Member Spotlight Duo: USGBC-NCR Education Co-Chair, Marcus Kenny

Marcus Kenny is an RFP Strategist and Sustainability Manager for WorkSpaces, LLC in Washington, DC. His passion is to advance sustainability through best business practices. Before moving to DC, Marcus graduated from Columbia University with an MPA in Environmental Science and Policy. While at Columbia, Marcus interned at CNBC to better understand how to frame environmental problems and solutions from business perspectives. In his free time, Marcus enjoys cycling, volunteering, and dancing.

WorkSpaces, LLC is a unique office furniture dealership. With offices in DC, Baltimore, and New York, WorkSpaces' mission is to deliver comprehensive and creative workplace solutions utilizing a diverse product portfolio that meets their clients' office personality and design needs. WorkSpaces offers design collaboration, project management, and space planning services for all areas of the office at price points to meet all budgets. Combating the standard trend of a one-size-fits-all approach to commercial office interiors, WorkSpaces provides their clients with a far more flexible approach to workplace design and management.

Terrell Place Awarded LEED Platinum Certification

Beacon Capital Partners and Cassidy Turley led the certification process for the first trophy building to achieve Platinum certification for LEED Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance in Washington, DC. Terrell Place is a multi-tenant building located across from the Verizon Center.

Evan Tyroler, Vice President of Sustainability Services with Cassidy Turley, commented, "In conjunction with the energy efficiency programs, our team engaged tenant participation to help achieve additional LEED points. In doing so, Terrell Place has become the first LEED EB Platinum building in DC that is not owner occupied, proving that LEED EB Platinum certification can be achieved in a multi-tenant, mixed use office building."

Click to read the full press release

The National Capital Region LEEDs the Nation

by Emily English, USGBC-NCR

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has released its 2011 list of top 10 states for LEED-certified commercial and institutional green buildings per capita, based on the U.S. 2010 Census information. The District of Columbia leads the nation, with more than 31 square feet of LEED-certified space per person in 2011. Virginia and Maryland are also in the top ten with 2.42 and 2.07 square feet per person of LEED-certified space respectively.

"I'm proud that the District is the national leader on green building design, which is integral to my goal to make us the most sustainable city in the world," said Mayor Vincent C. Gray. "LEED-certified buildings and green design in general will play a crucial long-term role in safeguarding our future by conserving precious resources, paying dividends not only for the Earth's health, but also for the District's livability."

USGBC-NCR Announces New Mission & Vision

by Mark Woodburn, AIA, LEED AP, Chair of Communications Committee

October 13, 2011 - As the USGBC-National Capital Region Chapter (USGBC-NCR) approaches its tenth year as a fully chartered chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and looks ahead to the next decade, the organization has decided that it is time to renew its definition of the future with new mission and vision statements.

'These new statements better reflect our higher purpose and the role that our members play in building and enriching our community,' said Emily Zimmerman, executive director.

New Mission: Engage, educate and encourage our community to live within and advance a sustainable, ecologically restorative and economically prosperous built environment.

New Vision: The National Capital Region will be a global model of a sustainable community and inspire all generations to create a healthy, vibrant, and prosperous built environment responsive to people and nature.