Seven months after Greensburg, Kan., was destroyed by a tornado in 2007, the city council passed a resolution requiring all city buildings be built to the Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Platinum standards. To help achieve that goal, Hydroswing Inc., Cottonwood, Minn., has donated a 37- by 9-foot (11- by 3-m) door for the 5.4.7 Art Center. A key attribute of the building is its ability to allow open access while controlling the amount of solar energy coming into the building. The door attaches to the south wall and acts as a second, moveable wall. For more information about Greensburg’s sustainability initiatives, visit www.greensburggreentown.org. More information about Hydroswing is available at www.hydroswing.com.
Oklahoma became the sixteenth state in the United States to formally recognize the Portland, Ore.-based Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes environmental assessment and rating system legislation. To promote energy-efficient building practices in Oklahoma, House Bill 3394 calls for state buildings to adopt a high-performance certification program for newly constructed buildings, specifically the Green Globes system or the LEED rating system from the U.S. Green Building Council, Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.thegbi.org.
Hanson, Mass.-based Litecontrol lighting systems has earned Cradle to Cradle Silver Certification from MBDC using an innovative approach to sustainability that addresses the human and environmental health impacts of products. It was assessed using five categories: human and ecological health impacts of the materials; material reutilization; energy characterizations; water stewardship; and corporate policies related to social responsibility. For more information, visit www.litecontrol.com/c2c.
Gunlocke, Wayland, N.Y., has certified products through the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association Sustainability Standard and environmental performance through the Emeryville, Calif.-based Scientific Certification Systems Sustainable Choice Program. Its product lines have met the qualifications for the Sustainable Choice Silver level. Developed in response to the increasing demand for proof that manufacturers are living up to their environmental claims, BIFMA’s Sustainability Standard provides measurable market-based definitions of more sustainable furniture using an open, consensus-based process. For more information, visit www.gunlocke.com.
The New York-based Local Initiative Support Corp. is sponsoring an innovative $250,000 two-year grant to help place more than 100 local Chicago residents in green-collar jobs. Through the Chicago-based Green Exchange Community Workforce Initiative, the funding will be used to place local community members in jobs created by tenants of Green Exchange. Low-income residents or workers laid off by the Chicago-based Frederick Cooper Lamp Co. likely will benefit most. The community plans to retain the former Cooper Lamp building as a place for jobs and economic benefit. For more information, visit www.greenexchange.com.
Denver greened its Auraria Parkway for the Democratic National Convention, which took place at the end of August. Working closely with the mayor’s office, the Denver-based EDAW | AECOM design team created a green landscape plan that promoted sustainable elements, including xeric plantings, irrigation technologies and the inscription of thought-provoking messages into the landscape elements. Ornamental grasses and native perennials create bold, dramatic bands that establish patterns along the parkway. For more information, visit www.edaw.com.
Who: Brighter Planet, Middlebury, Vt., www.brighterplanet.com, and 1Sky, Tacoma Park, Md., www.1sky.org
When: Sept. 22
How: Upload a 30- or 60-second video encouraging bold climate change action to the Climate Matters channel on vimeo.com/climatematters.
What: The video contest gives Americans the opportunity to inspire our next president to take bold climate action. Viewers log into Vimeo and choose their favorite video. The top 10 viewed videos will be featured at an event in Washington, D.C., for the media, Congress and both presidential campaigns, in addition to being broadcasted worldwide. The first, second and third place winners will win a $3,000, $1,000 and $500 Brighter Planet Visa Gift Card, respectively.
Who: Sustainable Buildings Industry Council, Washington, D.C., www.sbicouncil.org
When: Oct. 15
How: All application materials are available at SBIC’s Web site
What: The awards recognize the initiatives that shape, inform and catalyze the market for high-performance buildings, as well as real-world application of high-performance design and construction practices. Awards will be given in two categories: high-performance buildings and high-performance initiatives. Applicants are challenged to demonstrate the successful application of the whole building approach and show how they maintained the balance of eight design objectives: accessible, aesthetic, cost-effective, functional, historic, productive, safe/secure and sustainable. Entries may be commercial, government, institutional, residential and school buildings.
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