News from USGBC NY Upstate Chapter

LEED AP's with Specialty take notice! The New York Upstate Chapter is now a full-fledged Education Provider in the LEED Credentialing Maintenance Program. We are conducting seminars and webinars, and providing our own home-grown educational opportunities that offer approved GBCI continuing education credits to LEED AP's with specialty.

So far we have presented two programs, one by our own Jim D'Aloisio, P.E., SECB, LEED AP BD+C, Principal with Klepper, Hahn & Hyatt and the other by Michael Stiller, IESNA, LEED AP, Principal of Michael Stiller Design. Jim's two-hour presentation on Structures, Building Envelopes, and The Planet has been given four times via online webinar, and numerous times in person: here in New York and also out of state. Michael has represented the Chapter with his one-hour program, LED Lighting: Half Baked or ready for Prime Time which has also been delivered online, as a webinar, as well as in person in New York and Toronto. Coming up, be on the lookout for our next offering on Concrete Masonry's Contribution to Sustainable Building Projects, presented by Nicholas Carparelli, LEED GA, Executive Director of the NYS Masonry Association.

Attention LEED APs: Deadline for Free Enrollment into Specialty Credential Ending Soon

Now is the time to add a specialty to your LEED AP credential. Establishing your specialty credential highlights not only specialization in your area of practice but also your commitment to staying current with green building practices and the LEED Rating System.

Enrollment enables LEED APs to transition to a LEED AP with specialty credential for Building Design + Construction, Interior Design + Construction, or Operations + Maintenance at no cost. To earn a LEED AP with specialty credential after your enrollment window closes, you will need to meet the eligibility requirements, pay all applicable fees, and take the full exam.

Oh, and Make My Recovery Green

Dan D. Irizarry

In the shadow of the Queensboro Bridge, in a light-industrial section of Long Island City, the hum of commerce is constant and pervasive. A steady flow of commercial traffic rattles windows and shakes the ground continually, letting you know that you are in a different part of the city. There is serious business taking place here, but nowhere are the stakes higher than on what is taking place in and around the headquarters of the Community Environmental Center (CEC) - New York State's largest provider of weatherization services.

Inside this non descript structure some of the brightest minds in green building technology and energy efficiency are hard at work, infusing life and meaning into a government acronym unlike any other - ARRA. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is, these days, a much-maligned and generally misunderstood Presidential initiative that doesn't lend itself to facile description - unless, of course, you are a cable news pundit. The stakes are high, no doubt.

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Member Highlight

Rick

Rick Alfandre - Chapter Treasurer

Rick's journey to becoming a member of the NY Upstate Chapter is a funny one. His company had been a member of USGBC National since 2001, but he wanted to be part of a more local community of green builders.

Rick and several peers began their own ad hoc green buildings working group. For years they met irregularly, to discuss developments in the green building field unaware that regional chapters existed. Finally, they decided that they should affiliate with an established organization - it was then they found the NY Upstate Chapter. That was over three years ago now.

He says that his favorite part of being with the NY Upstate Chapter is seeing other people get involved and excited, develop leadership skills, and take responsibility for the success of the chapter.

His company, Alfandre Architecture, is committed to the design of durable buildings and sites that integrate, to the maximum extent possible, sustainable design principles. Rick has two children and thinks of his work with sustainability as an investment in their future.Work with folks like Rick by joining a committee.

Upcoming Events

On September 28th, The Hudson Valley Branch, in conjunction with the IESNYC, will be the host at a sustainable lighting event and expo in Kingston, NY. Michael Stiller, IESNA, LEED AP, Principal with Michael Stiller Design and Meg Smith, LC, IESNA, LEED AP, Senior Project Manager, Philips LightLabs will lead a presentation on sustainable lighting, including high efficacy sources and simple-to-implement, energy-saving controls. Join them and about ten lighting and controls manufacturers who will be there with their wares, giving table-top demos of some great, energy-efficient products. If you thought metal halide was just for parking lots and highways, this will be an event not to miss.

Mission Statement

The mission of the New York Upstate Chapter of the USGBC is to provide an unparalleled opportunity to accelerate change and help shape the future of green building practices throughout our Chapter regions and branches. The Chapter encompasses 53 counties within NYS (excluding Rockland and Westchester, NYC and Long Island).

The U.S. Green Building Council New York Upstate Chapter promotes environmentally responsible, healthy and profitable places to live and work. Through a variety of activities, the Chapter helps initiate, develop and implement green building concepts and technologies. We strive to provide education, advocacy, and outreach to individual members and those interested in designing, constructing, operating and maintaining buildings in a more sustainable, environmentally friendly manner.

Local Chapter Membership for individuals and USGBC National Membership for corporations and organizations will provide a wealth of green building resources, educational opportunities, and leadership roles designed to enhance your business, inspire your practice and improve your bottom line.