Jersey City, NJ, September 2--Building owners and operators interested in applying proven sustainable practices to help meet financial, social and environmental goals will find the contacts and tools they need at the New York and Northern New Jersey Sustainable Built Environments Seminar.
The event will be held September 14, 2004 at the Liberty Science Center, 251 Phillip Street, Liberty State Park, Jersey City, N.J., from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm.
The seminar, aimed at building owners, facility managers, architects, designers and other industry professionals, is sponsored by the Alliance for Sustainable Built Environments in partnership with the New York and New Jersey chapters of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Information is available at: www.sustainablebuiltenvironments.org.
Businesses and organizations in New York and New Jersey are embracing the concept of sustainability, whether it’s driven by the marketplace in an effort to lower costs and provide a healthy workplace or by government mandates and incentives such as the New York State Green Building Tax Credit.
“This seminar will not only offer a compelling business case but also provide the innovative technologies, services and comprehensive approaches that will allow interested enterprises to take the first step,” says Paul von Paumgartten, founder of the Alliance and Director of Energy and Environmental Affairs for Johnson Controls Inc., one of the members of the Alliance. Other members include Forbo Flooring, JohnsonDiversey Inc., Milliken Carpet and Philips Lighting.
The seminar will feature speakers such as David Gottfried, USGBC Founder and New York real estate executive; and Russell Unger, counsel to Lower Manhattan Redevelopment Committee of the New York City Council. Dynamic business cases and innovative best practices that focus on practical applications of sustainable solutions also will be presented by representatives from Pfizer, Inc., Montclair State University, and JohnsonDiversey.
In addition, speakers will discuss the tremendous impact of the USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, which is currently used by some 1,500 building projects and is expected to have a significant impact on the nation’s 4.5 million buildings.
A recent study conducted for the State of California concluded that green buildings show an average ten times return on the investment in green building design. Numerous municipalities, including Austin, Boulder, Chicago Dallas, Los Angeles, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, San José, and Seattle, have adopted LEED or require that city-owned buildings be constructed using green building criteria. More than 4,500 member companies, firms, or organizations have joined the USGBC since its 1993 inception, and there are at least 30 USGBC chapters with dozens more in formation.
“Sustainability through LEED is about creating superior economic results by integrating environmental stewardship and social responsibility into the decision-making process,” said von Paumgartten. “Organizations and individuals are finding that sustainability reaps benefits in all three areas – economic, social and environmental – also known as the ‘triple bottom line.’”
Other seminar topics include the recently introduced federal legislation to promote the development and construction of environmentally friendly federal buildings and schools. The “High-Performance Green Buildings Act of 2004,” co-sponsored by New Jersey Sen. Frank Lautenberg, authorizes $35 million over five years to support federal buildings and schools that are designed and operated to boost environmental, economic, health and productivity performance above that of conventional buildings.
