It is a pleasure
to bring you this first edition of GREENLIGHT, Green Advantage’s electronic newsletter,
specially designed for our Certified Practitioners. We want this newsletter
to be responsive to your business, green building needs and interests. Contributions,
suggestions or ideas for improvement are always welcome and may be forwarded to info@greenadvantage.org.
Each issue will showcase green building projects, like the excellent work achieved by
The Bainey Group who realized the GA LEED Innovation Credit that you'll see featured
in this issue, as well as green building tips Certified Practitioners have found beneficial.
Any contributions selected for publication in the newsletter will note your name, business
and website.
Happy reading!
Grady O'Rear, LEED-AP President/CEO
Green Advantage, Inc. |
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:CEO Brad Bainey, Credits Green Advantage Training and Certification
Program with Ability to Earn LEED Innovation Credit for Smetana Business
Center Project
The Bainey Group, Inc., a full service general contractor
in Plymouth, Minnesota, earned and applied a LEED Innovation Credit to the
overall score for the Smetana Business Center, by using USGBC's prescribed
percentage of Green Advantage Certified personnel on the project. This 56,000
square foot office building located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota is now completed
and LEED certified.
“We could not have done this without the support of Green
Advantage, their instructors and staff,” explained Brad Bainey, CEO, The
Bainey Group. “The Green Advantage seminar and exam was an incredible way
to “mainline” an under-standing of sustainable buildings from concept, through
design and construction; what it means, how it works and how to get it done,”
he added. “Being the first project ever to obtain the LEED point for meeting
the required percentage of Green Advantage personnel, has been a highlight
in my 37 year career,” he concluded.
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Uncontrolled storm water runoff from construction sites significantly impacts rivers, lakes, wetlands and estuaries. Impervious surfaces such as pavement and roofing systems, not only increase the volume, but also the rate of runoff. With typical construction, roughly 30 tons of sediment is eroded PER ACRE into nearby waterways, according to Wisconsin’s Department of Resources.
Construction sediment runoff can cause:
- changes in hydrology and water quality
- modifications in marine habitats
- increased flooding and erosion
- decreased biodiversity
- introduction of pollutants to water systems and habitats
Sustainable site planning and management not only reduces the volume of runoff, but also the rate, and in doing so allows water to filtrate on site. Look into incorporating eco-sensitive practices such as:
- Bioretention Islands
- Naturalized Basins
- Wet Ponds
- Riparian Buffers
- Sediment Forebays
- Vegetated Swales
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Dallas, Texas… Philadelphia, Pennsylvania… Chantilly, Virginia…What do these cities have in common? Green Advantage Training and Certification events have sold out in each of these cities. In response to consumer requests, new green product development and legislative initiatives, the demand for quality green building instruction is rising dramatically from coast to coast. Dozens of towns and cities now require some level of high performance building and more are being added to the list each day. Contractors are finding that having green building certification credentials and green building experience is keeping them ahead of the curve of this expanding market.
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We want to hear from our Green Advantage Certified Practitioners about what is and isn’t working in the field. In future issues of The Green Advantage GreenLight, Green Tips & Best Practices selected for publication will include the contributor's name, company and website address. Your ideas and thoughts about how to be more successful with green building are appreciated!
You might consult The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) to get started. This group has recently released their choices for the Top Ten Technologies to Watch for in Home Building. And The Responsible Purchasing Network has recently released a report on Green Purchasing and Procurement Trends in which they indicate that “nine out of 10 purchasers (91%) say they consider green factors in buying decisions.” We’d love to hear back about your experiences in the use and marketing of these products and technologies as well as any other related experiences you'd like to share.
In addition, please contact us if you have a project that you would like considered for the Green Advantage Spotlight Feature. Selected spotlights will appear on our home page as well as in future issues of GreenLight. Send your Green Tips and Best Practices, ideas and exemplary project photos to info@greenadvantage.org. We look forward to hearing from you!
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As the world’s population increases ( view world population clock ) and prolonged drought conditions continue to strain water quality and supply, water conservation and preservation issues are understandably a top priority around the globe. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. population has grown 90 percent in the last 50 years, but public demand for water has risen 209 percent. A recent survey showed at least 36 states foresee local, regional or statewide water shortages by 2013.
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| Green Advantage certification training adheres to the integrated green design philosophy and to the collaborative approach to sustainable building. Understanding the interdependencies of a building’s various systems (structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and landscaping) is fundamental to creating a design and construction process that will produce a cost effective, environmentally responsible, durable and desirable building project.
If you are wondering where and how to get started, Green Advantage Certification is an excellent way to demonstrate your green building qualifications to the public. Training covers topics such as:
- financial considerations of building green
- environmental impact of traditional construction practices
- green building rating systems
- integrated and collaborative design
- site orientation
- sustainable foundation
- wall and roofing systems
- managing and reducing construction waste
- sustainable HVAC systems
- commissioning projects
- indoor air quality
- daylighting and artificial lighting
- green finishes… flooring, paint, non-toxic materials
- localization… landscaping and sustainable paving options
- heat island effect… and much more!
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| The training department at Green Advantage will gladly work with you to help your company meet your residential or commercial green building training and certification needs. For more information about sponsoring a training and certification workshop, or coordinating an in-house private corporate training seminar, please contact Green Advantage. Learn how you can get your workforce ready to meet the demands of high performance building. info@greenadvantage.org
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