Welcome to the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter Site
GREETINGS!
If you wish to be added to the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter's mailing list or to be notified of upcoming events and programs, please send an e-mail to our membership coordinators Josh Bomstein at jbomstein@creativecontractors.com or Scott Gerhardt at Scott.Gerhardt@Milliken.com.
MEETINGS:
Meetings are usually held on the 1st Wednesday of each month (unless noted otherwise). Please click the "EVENTS" link above for more information.
Next Meeting: To be Determined.
CURRENT EVENTS:
Turning Green Into Gold has been rescheduled: The March 21 event has been rescheduled for September 26. People who already registered for the March date will be given the option of attending the new event or obtaining a refund. The location will still be at the Tampa Club. To Register: Go to www.squarefootage.net , or call 503-274-7162.
April 29: Get EmPOWERed at the Sarasota energy educational festival. Learn about sustainable energy sources at thisfree festival. Just bring energy, enthusiasm and the entire family for fun activities, food, educational workshops, and music by local bands. The event is at G.WIZ / The Hands-On Science Museum.
May 2-4: GreenTrends 2006 is Florida's Third Annual Green Building Conference & Trade Show at the J. Wayne Reitz Union at the University of Florida. The conference serves as a forum for bringing together those businesses, government agencies, organizations, and individuals involved in greening the design, construction, and operation of Florida's built environment. http://www.greentrends.org. Click here for a brochure.
May 13: Efest, A Free Community Festival, Fun for the Entire Family. 10AM to 5PM at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, bayside, Sarasota, Florida. The Efest Mission is to educate individuals about the benefits of sustainable living by raising the consciousness of our community, initiate lifestyle choices and changes regarding resource conservation, encourage personal responsibility towards protecting our local environment, and celebrate the art of sustainable living by showcasing supportive businesses at an annual festival. More Information at http://efest.us/
May 26: LEED NC all-day Workshop in Sarasota at the LEED registered Girl Scouts of the Gulf Coast project. The workshop is at Lorraine G. Gunn Council Headquarters, 4780 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota, FL 34233 and the early registration fees are $325 for USGBC members and $425 for non-members. This is a Technical Review Workshop covering the Certification Requirements and Process with limited attendance available, register today online at http://www.usgbc.org. Click here for more a broshure.
June 8-9: Sustainable Communities: Join us at this Florida-focused, interactive two-day workshop facilitated by Steven Winter, FAIA where leaders from state university programs and private industry as well as federal, state and local government agencies will show you how to: Community strategies that support a more sustainable future the way into tomorrow with energy-efficient; Low impact development - a better place for future generations; Promote the use of renewable energy; Support economic development; and Give your organization a market advantage. The workshop address is Gulfcoast Florida Girl Scout Council Headquarters, 4780 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota, FL 34233. Registration for the two-day workshop is $50. Register by clicking here www.sustainablecommunities.scgov.net or call at (941) 861.5000 and ask for the Sustainable Communities Workshop. Click here for the Broshure.
July 24 - 26: 15th Symposium on Improving Building Systems in Hot and Humid Climates. Orlando, FL. http://www.sebcshow.com
September 19-22: Rethinking Sustainable Construction 2006: Next Generation Green Buildings. Sarasota , FL. http://www.treeo.ufl.edu/rsc06
IN THE NEWS:
April 18, 2006: The U.S. Army has announced that it will transition from its own Sustainable Project Rating Tool (SPiRiT) in use since 2002, to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System for the design and construction of its buildings beginning in 2008. Read more about it here.
Pasco County adopted Sustainable Design in their new Comprehensive Plan for 2025. Future Land Use Policy. FLU 1.2.22 - Green Building Principles: Pasco County shall consider the establishment of incentives for developments that incorporate Green Building Principles into the design and implementation of the projects
April 13, 2006: Waterford Companies Announces Green Communities: VENICE, FL, Waterford Companies has announced that they will build green communities beginning with Mariners Landing in Englewood. This new community will offer energy efficient homes and will use nationally recognized green landscaping principles for yards and common areas.
April 10, 2006: St. Pete Times news Article: "Meeting will have Tampa seeing green: With such widespread support, city, county and state governments - including St. Petersburg, Sarasota County and Gainesville - are creating policies to promote environmentally friendly buildings. Now, Tampa may join the movement." Read the rest of the article by clicking here. or go directly to the site here at http://www.sptimes.com/2006/04/10/news_pf/Hillsborough/Meeting_will_have_Tam.shtml
April 7, 2006: TALLAHASSEE: Florida Green Building Partnership Announced - The Florida Home Builders Association (FHBA) and the Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) today announced a newly created partnership designed to promote affordable green building. "The mission of the partnership is to provide a statewide green building program that creates both environmental and economic benefits," says Roy O. Bonnell, Jr., FGBC Executive Director. "We have accomplished this by creating a broad-based coalition of members including all sectors of the building industry, and individuals interested in the environment, academics, and government."
The Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the USGBC is now a Tax Exempt, Charitable Organization with 501(c)(3) status. So now not only are we the first USGBC Chapter in Florida, we are the first to be tax-exempt, and join the elite group of thirteen (13) others with such recognition from the IRS.
2006 Florida Energy Act, this $30 million four-year comprehensive plan provides rebates, grants and tax incentives to promote a more balanced energy portfolio by increasing Florida's investment in renewable energy sources such as solar, biofuels and hydrogen.
Architects Call for 50% Reduction in Fossil Fuel Burned to Construct and Operate Buildings by 2010. WASHINGTON, DC -- The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has adopted a position statement calling for a fifty percent reduction in fossil fuels used to build and operate buildings by the year 2010. "Buildings account for forty-eight percent of U.S. energy consumption and generate far more greenhouse gas emissions than any other sector," said R.K. Stewart, FAIA, facilitator of the AIA Sustainability Summit Task Force. "As architects, we must accept responsibility for our role in creating the built environment. We feel it is incumbent upon the architecture profession to alter our actions and encourage both our clients and the entire design and construction industry to join us in plotting a course of measurable changes that will improve the quality of life for everyone." According to the AIA, an undertaking of this magnitude will require a concentrated effort over the next ten to fifteen years, especially in educating clients about their role in the success of this effort. For the complete AIA new position statements, click here: http://www.aia.org/SiteObjects/files/HPB_position_statements.pdf.
PAST EVENTS:
April 19: ASHRAE presented a live, satellite broadcast entitled "Sustainability and the Built Environment." Tampa Bay Trane was the local host site for the live broadcast. Click here for the broshure.
April 22: Earth Day Tampa Bay: Eco-friendly organizations, entertainers, artists, food and plant vendors, and other groups will be at Lowry Park in Tampa. This year's theme is "Save Energy - You Have the Power."
March 21: Turning Green Into Gold has been postponed due to illness : Once a new date and location has been established we will post it here. To Register: Go to www.squarefootage.net , or call 503-274-7162.
March 23-24: 2006 GreenPrints in Atlanta, GA. http://www.southface.org/web/greenprints_conference/g2k6/whatisGP.htm
March 12-14: 2006 National Green Building Conference. Albuquerque, NM. http://www.nahb.org/meeting_details.aspx?meetingID=3249§ionID=121
March 2 and 3: Funding Green Buildings. Orlando, FL. http://www.fundinggreenbuildings.com/jan06.html
February 24: USGBC North Florida Construction Tour of the New UNF Social Sciences Building in Jacksonville. http://floridagreenbuilding.org/news/news2006/USGBC%20UNF%20Tour%20notice%20FEB2006.pdf
February 27: USGBC Central Florida Chapter Program "Head in the Sky-Feet on the Ground" - The Evolution and Implementation of the City of Portland's Green Building Program, Orlando, FL. http://floridagreenbuilding.org/news/news2006/CFusgbc_event_feb27.pdf
February 9th and 10th: Smart Sustainable Tampa Bay
: This was a Sold Out
two day event to discover the triple bottom line benefits of high
performance buildings and brought together community leaders, elected
officials, owners, developers and all members of the building community.
Richard A. Cox from Cook + Fox Architects, Rob Bennett, Project Manager City
of Vancover, B.C, Bahar Armaghani from the University of Florida, Karen
Childress with WCI Communities, Commissioner Shannon Staub from Sarasota
County, Dr. Charles J. Kilbert Professor from University of Florida, and
John Toppe founding president of Florida's first chapter of the US Green
Building Council were the keynote speakers. Thanks to our sponsors: Silver
level - Biltmore Construction, HDR Engineering, Inc., Knoll Inc. through the
Beaux-Arts Group, & SMPS. Bronze level - Bessolo, Cuhacci & Peterson &
Progress Energy.
January 11, 18, & February 1: LEED Accredited Professional Exam Study Group and Review Course at the Tampa Bay TRANE Learning Center. The sessions taught by local LEED AP's and coordinated by Stephen Koontz was a great success, good luck to everyone taking the exam.
January 19th: We had a fantastic turnout for the USGBC's LEED CI-
Commercial Interiors program with guest speaker Paul Shahriari who outlined
the principles of Sustainable Design for the Interior Environment. As
Co-Founder of "Greenlight Strategies", a Sustainability Consulting Firm,
member of the National USGBC Marketing Committee, and Co-Chair of the
GreenBuild Steering Committee, Paul shared his insight on the growing
"Green" market.
January 4th: Case Study Tour of the North Sarasota Library presented by Architect Karl Brown LEED AP, this facility is the first County project to obtain LEED GOLD. The building utilizes state-of-the-art energy-saving technologies and natural day lighting.
December 7th: USGBCFloridaGulf Coast"Our Tree is always Green" Winter Social at the St. Petersburg YachtClub. We were delighted to have Rick Fedrizzi as our esteemed guest andkeynote speaker. Rick is president and CEO, as well as a foundingchairman of the U.S. Green Building Council and gave a fantastic report thatthe sustainable movement is finally starting to be understood by the financialand banking institutions that are now starting to develop and use incentivesfor sustainable design and living.
October 21st: LEED-NC Technical Review Workshop, Certification Requirements and Process. This workshop was led by National USGBC trainers at The Poynter Institute for Media Studies
October 5th: The election and program was a success. Mike Hess & Wendy Landry of GreenTime, LLC presented an AIA CEU Course entitled: USGBC LEED-NC and FGBC Green Commercial Designations - Which to use When. The program outlined the primary differences between the USGBC and Florida Green Building Standards for construction.
September 26: The Associated General Contractors of Greater Florida monthly membership meeting at Landry's seafood House in Tampa. Topics covered were: How do you define a "green building"?; Are green buildings really more expensive than "non-green" buildings?; Do green buildings save the owner on building operations costs?; Are green buildings healthier for people working in them?; What are the economic, social and quality of life benefits of building green?; What are specific issues and opportunities relative to Tampa Bay?
September 7th: The September USGBC Florida Gulf Coast Networking Event went great with a fantastic presentation by our latest Sustaining Member, Agriboard Industries who helped inform the group about the use of Sustainable Structural Insulated Panels.
August 23rd: At the Tampa Convention Center there was a discussion between developers currently progressing projects in the downtown / Channelside district. This was a follow-up panel discussion from the sold-out August 16th debriefing on sustainable neighborhoods; sustainable development and construction methods; and attainable / affordable housing. The speakers were Brooks Byrd, Vice-President of the Byrd Corporation; Greg Minder, President of the Intown Group; and Peter Kageyama, President of Creative Tampa Bay. The event was put on by BESTampa@tampabay.rr.com.
August 16th: The sold-out event of the Tampa Downtown Partnership's 2005/2006 Downtown Debriefing Series took place on and focused on Green Buildings. Speakers included John Toppe, president of the USGBC Florida Gulf Coast Chapter; Paul Radauskas, Building Official for Sarasota County Government, Planning & Development Services; and Greg Minder, Novare-In Town Tampa Development Company, LLC. The local radio station WMNF covered the event and had the following report:
http://www.wmnf.org/programming/news.php?ReportId=2226
July 27th: Founding Member Breakfast. The Board of Directors hosted a Founding Member-only breakfast to thank Founders for their support, to present upcoming programs and to invite their advice and feedback on future Chapter Events.
June 24 th: Florida Concrete and Products Association: John Toppe spoke at the FC&PA’s annual convention in Naples on the topic of Sustainabilityand the Concrete Industry. His remarks included an introduction to theUSGBC and its Florida Chapters and specific information about the applicationof concrete recycling and concrete products to the LEEDGreenBuilding rating System.
June 8: John Toppe gave a PowerPoint presentation to the local Suncoast Chapter of IFMA. To view a copy of the presentation, please go to the following link and scroll to the bottom of the page:
http://www.suncoastifma.org/IFMA%20Docs/Programs/2005/June_05_%20Program_Summary.htm
| John Toppe | President | Toppe Consultants, Inc. | john@toppearchitects.com |
| Advait Mantri | Vice President | Mantri Consulting, LLC | info@mantriconsulting.com |
| Christopher Davis | Treasurer | Gresham, Smith & Partners | c_davis@gspnet.com |
| Joe Souza | Secretary | Filtrine Manufacturing Company | jsouza@filtrine.com |
| Jennifer Kunz | Chapter Liaison | Interface | jennifer.kunz@us.interfaceinc.com |
| Nora Dublino | Program and Events Chair | Knoll | nora_dublino@knoll.com |
| Dr. Charles Kibert | Technical and Education Committee | University of Florida | ckibert@ufl.edu |
| Michael Carlson | Technical and Education Committee | Carlson Studio Architecture | michael@carlsonstudio.org |
| Scott Gerhardt | Membership Committee | Milliken | scott.gerhardt@milliken.com |
| Josh Bomstein | Membership Committee | Creative Contractors Inc. | jbomstein@creativecontractors.com |
| Jodi John | Membership Committee | Sarasota County Government | jjohn@scgov.net |
| Joanna Switzer | Communications Committee | Collman-Karsky | jswitzer@collman-karsky.com |
| Cyndee Dornblaster | Professional Society Liaison | SMPS Tampa Bay | cadornblaser@aol.com |
| Stephen Koontz | Building Controls Mfgs. liaison | Trane | smkoontz@trane.com |
| Stephen Breslow | Programs and Events | spbreslow@yahoo.com |
|
Acousti Engineering Armstrong Ceilings & Flooring BECK Bessolo Design Group, Inc. Bicoastal Investments Biltmore Construction Carlson Studio Architecture Carlton Fields - Attorneys at Law Collman & Karsky Architects Clark Construction Creative Contractors, Inc. Cutler & Associates Freedman's Furniture Harvard Jolly, Inc. Haworth HOK, Inc. IDS-Interior Design Services Interface, Inc. Johnson Controls Knoll, Inc. Lakewood Ranch Mantri Consulting, LLC Michael Carlson Millicare Milliken PBS&J Tampa Sarasota County Govenment Shawtek Skanska, USA Solarsa Florida Ltd. Spire Solar Tampa Bay Trane Tate Flooring Toppe Consultants, Inc. University of Tampa Urban Studios URS WCI Communities The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company York |
| SUSTAINING MEMBERS |
|
Agriboard Industries, LLC. |
{last update: 2006.04.10 @ 09:53pm}
Mission