Practical Eco

Free Materials Re-use Workshop Nov 17 at CCCC Pittsboro NC

Orange and Chatham Counties are sponsoring a free Building Material Re-Use Workshop on the evening of Tuesday November 17th at Central Carolina Community College. The event requires pre-registration which you can do here.

AGENDA

5:45 pm Exhibit hall opens featuring representatives from: Habitat for Humanity, The Green Door, Builders of Hope, Barnstar,The Reuse Alliance and others.
6:15 pm Builders of Hope: A unique nonprofit that rescues “homes from demolition, rehabilitates them using green building standards, and sells them at cost to working families and individuals.”
7:00 pm ReUse panel featuring area deconstruction, recycling and waste diversion professionals.
 
November 17 , 2009
5:30pm to 8 pm
Central Carolina Community College
Multipurpose Room
764 West Street
Pittsboro, NC

21 finalists announced for Sustainable NC awards

The Sustainable NC Awards recognize businesses, organizations, and individuals who have demonstrated leadership and long-term commitment to a sustainable economy and communities in the state. There were over 60 nominations and now 21 finalists have been selected across five award categories. See the website here for the full listing and for comments about each nominee.

Winners will be revealed and presented on November 11 at the Sustainable NC Awards ceremony to be held at the Marbles Museum in Raleigh. At the half-day event where finalists will share their sustainability stories Cree CEO Chuck Swoboda features as the keynote speaker.

Cape Fear Solar and Green Building Tour Sat 10/10

If you're on the NC Atlantic coast or near Wilimington, you can attend the Solar & Green Building tour tomorrow, Saturday Oct 10th. It's being put on by the Cape Fear Green Building Alliance - CFGBA.org. 

The Tour provides you an opportunity to check out the application of green building techniques, products, and technologies.  There is also a scavenger hunt for the kids & adults.

The 6 homes will feature:

• Energy Conservation & Onsite Energy Production
• Site Stewardship & Preservation
• Material Reuse & Recycling
• Natural & Rapidly Renewable Building Materials
• Enhanced Ventilation
• Water Use Reduction & Water Reuse
• Natural Landscape Design

The CFGBA is running a promotional ticket Price of just $15. 
Buy tickets online (CFGBA.org) or on the day at the City's Street Sweeper Facility (1110 S. 17th Street).

Upcoming CFGBA Events:

October 14 – General Meeting, Greening Our Cities with various Elected Officials
October 21 – Green Living EXPO at Hilton Riverside
November 11 – General Meeting, Overview of Green Certifications
Note: general meetings are open to the public and start at 7PM

NC Solar Homes Tours - Oct 3, 10, 17

The North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) will once again host its annual Green Building & Solar Tour. This tour of homes allows anyone to get a first-hand up-close view high performance solar homes around the state.

The tours are self-guided and feature over 80 sites across the state. Homeowners, builders and green experts are available to answer questions about the latest renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency solutions and green building techniques.

Tour dates are October 3, 10 and 17.

Visit the NCSEA website to find a tour and the dates in your local area.

"A Crude Awakening" Screening Friday 9/11 6:30pm at ERUUF

A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash, will be screened on Friday September 11th, 6:30 pm at ERUUF* in Durham.

This award winning film tells the story of how our civilization's addiction to oil puts it on a collision course with geology. Compelling, intelligent, and highly entertaining, the film visits with the world's top experts and comes to a startling, but logical conclusion - our industrial society, built on cheap and readily available oil, must be completely re-imagined and overhauled.

The 90 minute documentary is followed by a discussion of its message and what we can do.
Light refreshments are provided.

So come watch the film (again) and engage in some dialog.

see: www.oilcrashmovie.com

*ERUUF is
Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
4907 Garrett Road
Durham, NC 27707

*Photo: Henri Bureau/Sygma/Corbis

New Chapel Hill Botanical Garden to host free Environmental Summit - 9/12

The Commission for the Environment will hold its third Orange County Environmental Summit on Saturday, September 12 from 10 am to 12 noon at the Education Center for the North Carolina Botanical Garden. The event is free and open to the public.

The summit will feature keynote speaker Dr. Larry Band, who will discuss storm water sustainability in Orange County watersheds. Dr. Band is the Director of the UNC Institute for the Environment and a professor in the Geography Department. There will also be a panel of experts who will discuss issues pertaining to the quality and quantity of water resources in the County followed by questions from the audience.

Following the summit there will be an optional tour of the Botanical Garden’s brand new education center. This will be the first public event held at the center, which is intended to achieve LEED-Platinum certification.

From The Carrboro Citizen.

Southern Energy and Environment Expo this weekend in Fletcher NC

The Southern Energy and Environment Expo 2009 (www.SEEExpo.com) is this weekend, August 21-23rd, at The Western N.C. Agricultural Center.

This is the 9th Annual S.E.E. Expo and features information, speakers and exhibitors that focus on action.

It's all about the actions you can take now to be a part of the needed change for a more secure, stable future.  Investments in local agriculture, green building, energy and transportation are the basic elements that we, as individuals and a community, can directly and positively develop and support.

So if you're up in the Asheville area or want a short trek up to the mountains to get away from the heat down in the Piedmont, Sandhills and coastal regions, here's a good excuse to make a trip.

Fundraising Event for Clean Energy Durham - Aug 6th

Downtown Wine-Down is what they're calling it. On Thursday August 6th from 5-8pm at the West End Wine Bar at 601 West Main Street in downtown Durham, Clean Energy Durham will be holding a green party and fund raising event.

Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. All proceeds go to support the excellent work of CED as they promote energy efficiency and renewable energy use in the local area.

The event will feature:

• Free Wine, Coffee & Hors d’oeuvres
• Live Music
• Silent Auction plus Raffles throughout the evening

You can purchase tickets through their website at www.cleanenergydurham.org or at Regulator Bookshop 720 Ninth St. Or call 919-428-4321 for more information.

Show up to support local green efforts.

Fresh - the movie, screening on Friday 31st at 7pm at ERUUF

The members of the Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (ERUUF) invite you to a free screening of FRESH -- the movie.

FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system, including Michael Pollan, Joel Salatin, Will Allen, George Naylor, and Andrew Kimbrell. As the reviewer at Eco Salon said, "If Food Inc. was your wake up call, FRESH is your call to action."

Scott Marlow will lead a discussion following the film. Scott is the Director of the Farm Sustainability project at RAFI-USA (www.rafiusa.org). RAFI -- the Rural Advancement Foundation International -- cultivates markets, policies and communities that support thriving, socially just, and environmentally sound family farms.

Refreshments will be served from 6:30. The program will begin at 7pm sharp. The movie is just over an hour long and we expect the discussion afterwards to last about 30 minutes.

This screening is being sponsored by the sustainability committee at the Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (www.ERUUF.org) . We will show FRESH on the big screen in our Fellowship Hall at 4907 Garrett Road, Durham.

Finally, please consider supporting ERUUF's and RAFI's efforts to promote sustainable agriculture by inviting lots of friends. 

The event is free, but donations will be accepted to cover the film licensing fees and other costs. Any amount collected in excess of our costs will be shared with the Rural Advancement Foundation International to help promote environmentally sound and local farming.

2-day Green Building for Professionals course in Chapel Hill August 31

Michael Chandler, Owner of Chandler Design-Build, will be teaching a two-day class, "Green Building for Building Professionals," in Chapel Hill on August 31 and September 1.

Michael has been building solar and green homes in the region for over thirty years. His company's projects have drawn national recognition -– receiving first place in 2005 for "Aging in Place Design for a New Custom Home" at the NAHB International Building Show and second place in 2006 at the NAHB National Green Building Awards for "Custom Home of the Year." Michael also writes for Fine Homebuilding Magazine on structural, plumbing, and aging-in-place design topics, and he is one of the advisors on GreenBuildingAdvisor.com.

This course, which is one of two classes required for the Certified Green Professional designation from the National Association of Home Builders, discusses strategies for incorporating green building techniques into homes without driving up the cost of construction. Fees for the two-day Green Building for Building Professionals class are: $325 for members of the Green Home Bldrs of the Triangle; $350 for HBA members; and $425 for nonmembers. Pre-registration is required. Contact Leigh Scott (leigh (at) hbadoc.com; 919-493-8899) to get a registration form or click here for details.

We've written about Chandler more than once here on Practical Eco, as he's one of the original green heroes in the Triangle area. Our first posting here was 2 years ago.

Chapel Hill Subway Earns LEED Certification

North Carolina's first stand-alone LEED-certified restaurant is a Subway on Market Street in Southern Village, Chapel Hill. There will be a ceremony next Monday, June 29 at the store. It will be only the second LEED-certified store in the entire Subway system (which totals more than 30,000 stores) and the first of some 740 Subways in North Carolina.

Franchisee Mike Abdallat, who owns two other Subways, said, "I am sold on 'green' and will definitely do another eco-friendly store." Subway and Abdallat have been working with Cary-based Green Tech Consulting Inc. to earn a LEED certification for the Chapel Hill store.

The eco elements for the restaurant include recycled floor tile, high-efficiency Energy Star-rated HVAC systems, low flow and flush fixtures in public restrooms, less lighting power, and more natural light for seated customers. Overall, the new Subway store was renovated within its existing shell, thus avoiding a new building footprint.

Other eco-friendly elements include: building materials used from sustainable sources and extensive use of recycled products and furnishings; LED interior and exterior signage; remote condensing units for refrigeration and ice-making equipment; Energy Star-rated kitchen equipment; low VOC adhesives, sealants, paints and coatings; recycling collection of post-consumer recyclable waste generated in-store; and Forest Stewardship Certified (FSC) wood.

Deltec Homes’ Model built to “NC Healthy Built” Standards

Deltec Homes is a family run business that has been building energy efficient, hurricane resistant, circular homes for 40 years, based in Asheville NC.

Their new model home in Mars Hill, NC (near Asheville,NC) was completed as a North Carolina Healthy Built Home in October 2008. A Grand Opening Celebration is planned for Sunday June 28, 1-5PM and Monday June 29, 10am-4pm in Mars Hill, NC. It will feature:

    * Tours of the New Round, Energy Efficient, 3800 sq ft home
    * Visit Exhibitor Booths
    * Talk with Green Experts
    * Educational Seminars (Designing a Green Home (20-30 min), Introduction to Solar Energy (20-30 min),Understanding Financial Incentives for Building Green (20 min))

The new Deltec Homes’ model home promotes a comprehensive approach to sustainability by integrating the key components of green building design and construction
This includes site selection and development, energy and water efficiency, materials selection, resource efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and homeowner education.

The 3800 square foot model home is projected to use 50% less energy than homes of similar size.

It also focused on indoor environmental quality with continually circulating fresh air, a sealed crawlspace, low VOC finishes and formaldehyde free cabinets.

The home promotes exceptional durability through mold and termite resistant framing, fiber cement siding, and a structural shell that was built in a controlled factory environment to limit exposure to building materials during construction.

Deltec produces all of its homes with 100% renewable energy. The prefabricated, panelized structural shell is built with 78% less waste than a typical stick-built home through Deltec’s extensive recycling and reuse program.

Habitat of Durham Information Session on June 13th

The Triangle area has the highest per-capita income in North Carolina and the most expensive rental market in the state. But Durham has the region's lowest home ownership rate, so many hard-working families live in substandard and overcrowded rentals.

Habitat of Durham offers these families an alternative by building affordable homes with no-interest mortgages, for qualified working families who contribute time to the building of their homes. 

Habitat of Durham is hosting an information session for potential homeowners on Saturday, June 13, 2009 at the Habitat office in Trinity United Methodist Church (215 N. Church Street, Durham). 

Share this flyer with friends, fellow employees and church members or call 682-0516 ext. 104 for more information.

Growing Green Wood Markets: A forum on FSC certified forest product markets

A forum on expanding FSC certified wood products in the South, takes place on June 23rd in Greensboro at the Embassy Suites Hotel.  

Join forest products companies, TIMOs, landowners, green builders, FSC staff and others in discussion about current markets and opportunities to expand markets for FSC certified forest products in the South.

Event Schedule:
09:30 FSC Chain-of-Custody Certification Workshop
11:00 FSC Markets Overview
12:30 Market Opportunity Panel Discussions
4:30p Reception

Cost: $35 (includes lunch)

Sponsors include:
The Community Forestry Business Alliance, Southern Forests Network, Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers, Inc, NCSU Extension Forestry- Forestry & Environmental Outreach Program,  NCWoodlands, Rainforest Alliance, Sustainable Furnishings Council  and others

For more information, call 828-277-9008

ICF construction open site May 8th and 9th in Chapel Hill

Triangle Polyteel is hosting an open job site this Friday May 8th from 3-5 pm and Saturday May 9th from 9-11 am. Anyone will be welcome to view this Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) construction going up. During each day at the middle hour (3:30-4:30 or 9:30-10:30) there will be a formal introduction to the methods and materials of ICF construction. The half-hour either side allows for visitors to walk around the site and ask question of the builder or the Polysteel distributor.

Come see and feel for yourself the strength, security and performance that only ICF construction can offer. 
The address is:
1023 Russells Ford Rd.
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
map

A Triangle PolySteel job site sign marks the entrance to the private gravel drive.  The project is about a half a mile down the gravel drive.  You will see signs for the address.

Please rsvp to bradley@trianglepolysteel.com indicating which day you expect to come.

UNCG breaking ground on new green building May 18th

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro will break ground May 18 on a new  green building. The 120,000-square-foot, $47 million School of Education building will meet LEED standars and is expected to be completed by Fall 2011.

This will be the first green building on campus, and will stand on Spring Garden Street next to the Bryan School of Business and Economics.

The public is invited to attend the groundbreaking ceremony which begins at 11 a.m. on May 18th in the Bryan Building parking lot.

UNCG will seek LEED certification at the silver level for the building. The sustainable design is expected to save an estimated 35 percent on energy costs.

See full press release here on the UNCG site.

New Green Realtor Blog for NC

I've just come across a new blog started by green realtor Ford Craven. He's hit my radar with a post about an event in Charlotte from the regional Realtor Association:

"Welcome to the Green Revolution!”
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

The Mint Museum of Art
2730 Randolph Road
Charlotte, NC 28207

A worldwide trend is evolving to a new level.  Locally, Charlotte’s communities and neighborhoods are becoming greener.  What does it all mean?

Welcome to the Green Revolution! is brought to you by the Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association (CRRA) Diversity Council  –   At this free event, network with fellow Realtors®, and expand your knowledge and real estate vocabulary about green building and sustainable resources and materials.

Kathy Spence, chair of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Residential Committee (Charlotte Chapter), will provide insightful knowledge about the future of eco-friendly living and housing.

Topics include
• What makes a home green
• The true definition of eco-friendly and sustainable design
• Sustainable residential materials and resources
• Retrofitting an existing home
• Stimulus plan’s green initiative for buyers and sellers

Green Historic Preservation Workshop - Greensboro Feb 10th

Participants of a workshop sponsored by Preservation Greensboro will learn how to preserve our environment by going green.

The event will be chaired by Carl Elefante, Director of Sustainable Design with QUINN EVANS ARCHITECTS from Washington DC and lecturer on historic preservation.

The workshop will meet in the Carolina Cadillac Building at 304 East Market Street  downtown Greensboro. Participants of the workshop will review plans for the building; explore state and federal tax credits; learn of green building initiatives in Greensboro and examine the potential for LEED certification. The case study will familiarize architects, developers, and downtown property owners with the process for qualifying for both tax credits and “Green” initiatives.

Attendance for this event is FREE. The doors will open at the Carolina Cadillac Building at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 10th, followed by review of the following topics:

• Historic Preservation and Tax Credit Projects
• Sustainability / Green Building in Greensboro
• Cadillac Dealership Project
• Green building and LEED certification
• Cadillac Dealership Project Case Study

This workshop is for anyone interested in investing or improving downtown structures, citizens and businesses interested in sustainable architecture and design.

For more information about this workshop, please contact Judi at 272-5003, extension

American Clay workshops in Durham's Common Ground

Common Ground Green Building Center in Durham is hosting two American Clay workshops on Saturday Feb 7th. One workshop is designed for enthusiasts who want to learn the basics, the other is for professional to refine their skills.

Enthusiast course:
A hands-on approach for learning the basics of American Clay application. All you need to know from tool basics to mixing and trowel techniques. Participants will get to practice on actual walls, as well as go home with their own color samples.  Wear comfortable clothes that you don't mind getting muddy.

Professionals course:
This class is geared towards industry professionals with American Clay or plaster experience. Get further acquainted with this great eco-friendly material and learn tips and techniques to make your jobs go smoothly. Advanced application techniques, repairs, compression, and finishing techniques are some of the topics that will be covered.

Either course is priced at $175, includes lunch and materials, and provides the attendees with discounts to be applied to purchases.

For further info and to register call 919-688-1500

Sustainability Now event Jan 24

The Unity Church of the Triangle in downtown Raleigh is hosting an all day even Jan 24th titled "Sustainability Now!" This event which will run from 9am to 6pm offers lunch by Green Planet Caterers and a line up of great speakers from around the region.
Pam Beck - How To Change Your Garden
Lyle Estill - Living in a Local Economy
Andy Wood - Motivating to Action
Carolyn Toben - Thomas Berry's Sense of Sacred
Stephen Hren - Renovating Your Home to be Carbon Free
Wanda Urbanska - Simple Living

Cost: $20 in advance; $25 at the door; $10 student price

Click Here for the Program and Registration Info

Questions? Contact Karen at chickadeebirders@earthlink.net or call 844-9050

Introduction to Sustainable Building Design Course at CCCC

The new course at Central Carolina Community College in Pittsboro will offer an introduction to sustainable design.  Topics offered in this course will take the student beyond "net zero" sustainable concepts to new ideas about "net resource contribution", and "eco-restoration" concepts.

Relevant new topics include on-site water management design, panelized and prefabricated foundation design, permaculture concepts, aging in place design, and "green" modular building design.

The instructor, Tim Watson Architect, brings years of teaching experience along with his long-standing professional commitment to sustainable and eco-restorative design.

Classes will meet Thursdays from 6:00pm until 8:00pm at the campus main building in room 111, with the last scheduled class meeting on April 16, 2009.  The cost for this continuing education program course is only $61.25 for the entire spring semester!

Course book: "Ecological Design, 10th Edition "; author: Sim van der Ryn and Stuart Cowan

Registration services will be available at Central Carolina Community College beginning January 5, 2009. For further information you may go to www.cccc.edu, or call the registrar's office at (919) 542 6495 x 223, or contact Tim Watson Architect at (919) 644 2901, or visit his web site at www.tlwarchitect.com.

Habitat Building Materials Warehouse Sale: Sat Dec 13 8am-2pm

The Habitat Hand-Me-Up Store is having a building materials warehouse sale Sat., Dec. 13 at 1400 East Geer St. (½ mile east of Cheek Rd. intersection).  Support Habitat by purchasing gently used (and some new) merchandise including laminate flooring, windows, doors, sinks, commodes, cabinets, rugs, nails, and so much more. 

What will be on sale? Kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, laminate flooring, hardwood flooring, floor moulding, tile, countertops, windows, interior doors, exterior doors, fire doors, attic ladders, sinks, nails, toilets, rugs, bathtubs, light fixtures, recessed lights, lumber, trim, crown moulding, shutters, pipe hangers, clevis hangers, pipe clamps, square box, switch box, white wire shelving,  various brackets, and lots more.  Items are either gently used or brand new.

Also, save the date for a future warehouse sale on Jan. 10.  Please note that the warehouse is only open for business on the sale date. 

Visit the website or call 919-403-8668 for more information.  

The First Carrboro Urban Farm Tour Sat. Sep 13th, 3-8pm

Local sources of food is an important part of sustainability. Locally sourced means less transport. It also keeps money in the local economy and it helps keep people in touch with the real sources of food. It's great to know the chickens thay lay the eggs you eat, or to have some kind of relationship with the land where you vegetables were grown. Urban farming can be a key way to not only have healthier local food, but greatly reduce unnecessary carbon emissions and petroleum use.

Carrboro is showing off the dozens of great efforts within its town limits that practice sustainable farming.  People are keeping bees, raising chickens, and tending gardens that sustainably produce delicious healthy food.

WHEN : This Saturday Sep 13, 2008 from 3-8pm.
WHERE: The starting point is 200 E. Poplar Ave, Carrboro, NC. (on the corner of Ashe and Poplar. )

The tour consists of over 10 sites in town, and several skill-shares workshops including harvesting honey, buiding deer-proof fencing, water catchment, and much more!

Bring your bike, some walking shoes, a local food dish and we'll do the rest!-- the Urban Blue-Bike program will also be on hand with some bikes to loan.

Potluck begins sometime after 6.

For more info : carrborogreenspace.org;
email: carrborogreenways (at) riseup.org
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Sep 18th event: Geothermal in Wilmington

Sapona Green Building Center is hosting a free evening event about Geothermal energy from 5pm-6pm on Thursday September 18th. The event will be at their show room in Anderson Sq, 4113 oleander dr. Wilmington, NC.

Speaking will be Paul and Bryan Donaldson representing WaterFurnace, makers of some of the most efficient, energy-saving heat pumps available.

Wherever you live, whatever time of year the temperature below ground stays fairly consistent all year. Geothermal systems tap into the free energy of the differential between air and ground temperature using an earth loop (pictured).

Geothermal systems use the earth loop to extract heat from the ground. As the system pulls heat from the loop it distributes it through a conventional duct system as warm air or it can be used for a radiant floor system or domestic hot water heating.

In its cooling mode, a geothermal system reverses the process extracting heat from the building and back into the earth loop, or used to preheat water in your hot water tank.

Charlotte Clean & Green

I'm off to Charlotte to give a presentation on Green Remodeling. It's at the first annual Charlotte Clean and Green event being held at the Central Piedmont Community College campus.

For those who attend and those who can't I've drafted my own set of green remodeling priorities here.  It is broken down into small, medium and large projects plus a number of small but important behaviors which I think are important to maintaining a green home.

I know there's debate on certain issues like powered attic ventilation and several other issues. So go on and tell me what you think the most important remodeling issues are. Comment here or email me at pjnery (at) practicaleco.com.

Here's a more detailed summary of my presentation with links to documents I mentioned to help you seal and insulate more effectively.

Obama & Clinton Advisors in Environmental Forum April 25th at Duke

Top advisors to Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama on energy and environment will discuss the candidates' positions on environmental issues at a free public forum at 11 a.m. Friday, April 25, at Duke University.

Dan Utech, environmental advisor for Clinton, and Jason Grumet, environmental advisor for Obama, will take part in the moderated 90-minute forum at Love Auditorium in the Levine Science Research Center on Duke's West Campus.

Following their discussion, the advisors will field questions from the audience.

The event is hosted by Duke's Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions and Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences. It is being organized by Nicholas School students. Tim Profeta, director of the Nicholas Institute, will moderate.

A reception will follow.

For more information, contact Megan Dawson at megan.dawson@duke.edu.

Permaculture Workshop at Pacifica in Carrboro, April 26th

A Permaculture Homesteading Skills Workshop will be held on Saturday, April 26 from 10 am to 6 pm at the Pacifica Cohousing Community in Carrboro.

The workshop will highlight permaculture basics, including ethics and principles, chickens, and a mobile permaculture demonstration.

Everyone is welcome; there is no cost. Donations will be accepted to help defray costs of the tour. Participants are encouraged to bring a vegetarian dish to share for lunch. RSVP to tejisa@gmail.com or 919.724.5311.

The Earth Activist Training (EAT) PermiBus will be there. It is a 40-foot mobile permaculture demonstration project bus in progress; complete with solar power, greywater systems, composting toilet, three dogs and clutch of chickens. The goal is to teach practical skills that can be used to make communities more sustainable.

Pacifica Cohousing Community is located on Viburnum Way, which is at the end of Hanna Street off North Greensboro Street.

Branding For Good

Learn how branding can help grow your sustainable business and increase your bottom line.

BASE, the UNC Business Accelerator for Sustainable Entrepreneurship is holding its first event on April 16^th from 12:45 to 1:45 pm.  It's called: Branding for Good, and is hosted in partnership with The Change.

This is a panel discussion about successful branding strategies for sustainable entrepreneurs with the following:

• Moderator: Jerry Stifelman, Founder of The Change
• Scott Blackwell, Founder, Immaculate Baking Company
• Maria Kingery, Co-Founder, Southern Energy Management
• Daniel Whittaker, Owner/Manager, Green Planet Catering

For details, visit: www.cse.unc.edu/base/events

This event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP to Jessica Thomas

Dollars and Sense of Going Green - Urban Land Institute event

April 16th from 8am to 9:30 am, the local Urban Land Institute is and event on creating value through sustainability. The keynote speech is by Tom Darden, CEO of Cherokee Investment Partners, and will explore national and international trends. This is followed by three speakers,  Roger Perry, Diana Permar and Michael Lemanski talking about their experiences in developing some of the first LEED projects in the Triangle area.
See the flyer here for full details including costs. 
Or go to the Urban Land Institute site here for online registration.

Triangle Earth Day Celebrations

Earth Day is officially April 22. Here in the Triangle area there are several events. I already mentioned the Raleigh Event in a previous entry. But Durham and Chapel Hill are both doing events.

Durham's event is April 19th concurrent with the Raleigh event. It's being held at Durham Central Park all afternoon that day. There will be a sustainability expo, solar powered entertainment and a water expo.

Chapel Hill's Earth Action Festival is on April 26th from 11am to 4pm at the plaza atop the James C Wallace parking deck on Rosemary St. There will be demonstrations, rain barrels a bicycle parade and lots more.

There are also numerous events all month at Duke, UNC and at NC State universities.

GreenPros Training: April 5th passive solar case study

Designers, builders and homeowners looking to put theory into practice should attend the "Green & Passive Solar Case Study & Design Lab"

This full day course presented by Alicia Ravetto, AIA LEED, a Carrboro architect, and Paul Konove a local designer-builder will be April 5 from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM. at Central Carolina Community College.

The workshop will focus on greening plans and specifications to achieve your optimal green design goals.

Alicia and Paul will share with their experience from actual design projects. Highlights include an exercise to determine optimal lot siting for green building and an exercise to design /modify a conventional home plan to optimize renewable energy, green construction details, and specifications.

Central Carolina Community College, Pittsboro Campus Multipurpose Room, Building 2

COST: $90
PRE-REGISTRATION: call CCCC Continuing Education 919-542-6495 ext. 223
ON-SITE REGISTRATION: starts at 8:30 am

Lemons to Lemonade: How to Launch a Sustainable Business in 24-36 Months

CSE Distinguished Speaker, Rinaldo Brutoco will be presenting Thursday March 27, 6:00pm at the Koury Auditorium, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School,  Chapel Hill

The event is free and open to the public with free parking in the business deck. A book signing will follow.

The attend please RSVP to: cse@unc.edu

UNC Kenan-Flagler’s Center for Sustainable Enterprise is pleased to host Distinguished Speaker, Rinaldo Brutoco, on March 27. A highly successful entrepreneur and international business executive, Mr. Brutoco is a practical visionary, change agent and futurist. Mr. Brutoco was co-founder and COO of the nation's first pay cable television operation, Optical Systems Corporation, as well as CEO of one of the first companies to offer over-the-air television transmissions of major motion pictures, Universal Subscription Television.

For 13 years, Mr. Brutoco also served as the Chairman of Logical Data Management, which pioneered distributed data processing transfers. Most recently, he founded Seven Oaks Ranch, Inc., a sustainably designed, values-driven enterprise which manufactures and distributes organic food products. He also founded the World Business Academy, which advances global business leadership thinking on sustainable business strategies, global reconstruction, and values-driven leadership.

Mr. Brutoco is the co-author of the new book Freedom from Mid-East Oil, and has been the contributor to, or principal author resource for, several books including Winning the Innovation Game and New Paradigms in Business. 

Carolina Recycling Association annual conference March 25-28

The Carolina Recycling Association annual conference is fast-approaching, being held this year at the North Raleigh Hilton, March 25-28. 

The conference will feature many sessions on ways recycling is contributing of North Carolina’s sustainable economy. The keynote speaker on Wednesday morning, March 26^th will be John Wells, CEO and President of Interface America, who will describe the company’s successful drive toward environmental sustainability.  On Thursday of the conference, Jeff Barrie will show and discuss his award-winning film “Kilowatt Ours.”

Free passes to hear both John Wells and Jeff Barrie are available at the bottom of the CRA main conference Web page

Winmore Neighborhood Hosting a Talk by Dan McFarland

Dan McFarland, from Southern Energy Management, will be giving a talk tonight titled, "Green Building: How Will I Know When I Build One."

Dan is the Director of Builder Services at Southern Energy Management and a local source of great knowledge about high-performance building.

The event runs from 7pm to 8:30 pm at 112 Della Street in Winmore, which is just off of Homestead Road in Chapel Hill, to your right as you head West from MLK.  Builders and the public are invited to attend.

Piedmont Real Estate Council meeting to focus on green building

On March 14th from 11:30 to 1pm at the Piedmont Club in Winston-Salem, the regular monthly meeting of the Piedmont Real Estate Council will discuss Green commercial building practices and techniques.

Rence Callahan, vice president of Walter Robbs Callahan & Pierce architectural firm, and Greg Savage, director of sustainable construction for John S. Clark Co., will present an overview of the emerging environmental trends in commercial buildings.

The meeting is open to the public at a cost of $14 which includes lunch, tax and tips.  You can find the Piedmont Club at 200 W. Second St.

For further information, contact Judy Sutherin at 724-7077 or Judy.Sutherin (at) ourclub (dot) com.

Raleigh's Earth Day Celebrations

The City of Raleigh is collaborating with Burts Bees and the NC Museum of Natural Sciences on the biggest Earth Day celebration Raleigh's ever seen - April 19 on Fayetteville Street. The all-day celebration will feature bands, activities, a green bazaar, artists and other Earth-friendly exhibits.

The City of Raleigh will feature exhibits focusing on water conservation and the City of Raleigh’s Solid Waste Services composting, recycling, and mulching initiatives.

The participants in the Planet Earth Celebration have taken a pledge to make the day a zero-waste and zero-carbon footprint event, using only items that can be composted or recycled and leaving no trash behind.

NC State University will also be holding events the entire week, culminating with a fair on Friday April 25th in the Brickyard where  non-profits and vendors are invited to participate.

Renewable Energy award nominations sought

I mentioned the NC Sustainable Energy Conference in a post back on Feb 18th. It's on April 8 and 9 in Raleigh. What I failed to highlight then was that they are seeking nominations for The North Carolina Leadership in Sustainable Energy Awards.  The deadline to nominate is February 29th (a week away.)

I'm thinking of nominating my 2 year old. She just keep going and going and going ...

Conference details and nomination form can be found at their website: http://www.energync.net/conference/

And while we're on the subject of awards, there's also the Holcim awards for sustainable construction. The deadline is in 7 days.

 

Sarah Susanka speaking tonight in Raleigh

Sarah Susanka, who wrote the book, The Not So Big House, and several books that followed it in the series of Not So Big ...., will be speaking tonight in Raleigh at 7pm.

Sorry for the late notice, this event slipped right past me and came up just now on the NC Sustainability Network list and on the Emerging Green Builders list, thanks to Tracey Dixon.

Tonight's event is sponsored by Unity Church of the Triangle and is being held at:

The Longview Center - the 1880 Hall
118 S. Person Street
Raleigh NC
Telephone: (919) 832-8324

Open to Public: Limited Seating, first-come basis
For more information about the venue, see Long View Center

For further details of her other appearances across the country, see her Not So Big website  here.

5th Annual Sustainable Energy Conference

The State Energy Office is hosting a Sustainable Energy Conference on April 8-9. It will be held at the McKimmon Conference Center at NC State University, Raleigh.

Attending the event you will learn what local and national leaders are doing right now to strengthen our energy future.

This year's conference will focus on current forces driving energy efficiency and alternative energy, the role of infrastructure and carbon emissions and how new technology is making sustainable energy resources available and affordable.

An exhibit hall featuring businesses and agencies doing work in these fields and an alternative fuels "Car Corral" will be available, as well an awards luncheon and an evening reception.

Break-out sessions on April 8 will cover:

• Public buildings and energy
• Mass Transit and Infrastructure
• Residential efficiency update
• Using schools to advance sustainability
• RECs and Carbon Credits
• NEW for 2008! New Technology Showcase
• Plus- an REPS update from our utilities

The April 9 sessions will feature targeted technical sessions for public agencies, architects and industry.  For details see the State Energy Office here.

NC Green Business Fund - Grant Program for Small Businesses

For the second time this week Governor Mike Easley has hit our radar. Today he announced new North Carolina Green Business Fund grants that small business owners and entrepreneurs can apply for. These grants are intended to help small businesses develop green and alternative energy technologies and bring cutting-edge, environmentally-friendly products and services to the marketplace.

“The Green Business Fund helps encourage the growth of North Carolina’s clean energy economy,” Easley said. “These grants will tap our state’s entrepreneurial talent and help North Carolina’s small businesses develop innovative technologies that are critical to our future growth.”

The General Assembly approved creation of the Green Business Fund last year and directed $1 million for the first round of grants. North Carolina-based small businesses with 100 or fewer employees can apply for grants to pursue original, pioneering ideas that are both good for the environment and good for the economy.

Under this Program, grant awards may be made to North Carolina organizations in support of competitively assessed projects focused on the following three Priority Areas:

1. Development of the biofuels industry in the State.
2. Development of the green building industry in the State, and
3. Attraction and leverage of private sector investments and entrepreneurial growth in environmentally conscious clean technology and renewable energy products and businesses.

A company can receive a maximum of $100,000 per grant. Deadline for grant applications is April 30, 2008. See the solicitation and application details here.

Join Historic Green New Orleans March 8-23

For two weeks in the middle of March, hundreds of students and professionals will converge on New Orleans to help the people of the Lower 9th Ward revitalize their community.

New Orleans’ Holy Cross Neighborhood and the Lower Ninth Ward offer one path to “sustainable preservation”. Nowhere else could it happen on such a scale as here: an entire community brought to its knees in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Struggling to recover and rebuild. To restore in a way that makes it even better than before.

Whether you are an architect, engineer, planner, landscape architect, interior designer or contractor consider joining them for what ever length of time you can. You’ll work hand in hand with neighborhood residents on their historic houses, parks, playgrounds and community centers.

Historic Green is an unprecedented opportunity to integrate sustainable practices with preservation of a place; to increase energy efficiency; to enhance its quality of life, housing and transportation; and to protect the wetlands. Help create the nation’s first carbon-neutral community by joining the team. For more information contact info@historicgreen.org.

Carolina Collegiate Conference on Sustainability on Saturday, April 5th

UNC-Wilmington will be hosting the 2008 Carolina Collegiate Conference on Sustainability on Saturday, April 5th.   

The Student Government Association of UNCW is organizing the conference for students from across the state in an effort to encourage more discussion on the topic. The event will focus on ways for students to help their campuses and communities become more sustainable for future generations.

Debra Rowe, President of the US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development, will deliver the keynote presentation.

Early registration, by March 5th,  is only $25. 

3rd Annual Celebration of Earth and Sky in Carrboro

This Sunday Feb 10th from 2-6 in the Carrboro Century Center will be the 3rd annual Celebration of Earth and Sky. This event is sponsored by the Chapel Hill High School Students United for a Responsible Global Environment (SURGE).
The aim of this event is to connect high school students with the community for teaching, learning, networking and creative collaboration.
There should be among other things, student musical performances, displays of student projects, local and state environmental organizations and food and beverages available.
Suggested donation is $2.

Community leaders, residents, environmental organization members, teachers, parents and students - If you would like to become involved in this event, we welcome your participation. Contact Rob Greenberg. 

HBA Green Building Tour - May 3-4

The Home Builders Association (HBA) of Wake County has joined up with the HBA Durham,Orange,Chatham Green  Building Council for a joint tour of Green Homes this May 3rd and 4th.

The press conference on Monday this week got some coverage on NBC 17 news. It's a shame they didn't get any of the great speeches by Nick Tennyson and Tim Minton, or Bill Beasley's wisdom. Instead they've got home buyers looking at homes, construction work and a pan of the back of the room at the press conference that just happens to land on me for a second.

Climate Change Awareness Day in Chapel Hill

Jan 30th and 31st, Thursday and Friday of this week, are a series of events hosted by UNC in to raise awareness of Climate Change. Following are the events they are hosting which are open to the public.

January 30, Great Hall of the Student Union
6:00 pm: Environmental Social
Meet local governmental leaders, environmental faculty, and other leaders on and off campus. Beverages and finger food will be served.

7 pm: Governmental Panel
Hear local and state government leaders discuss solutions to climate change. Featuring: Robert Cox (Sierra Club President), Eleanor Kinnaird (NC Senate); Pricey Harrison and Ty Harrell (NC House of Representatives); Mark Chilton (Carrboro Mayor)

8 pm: The 2% Solution Webcast
Can we as a nation cut global warming pollution 2% a year for the next decade? If so, what would it take?

January 31
10 am, Cogeneration Tour
Meet at the front door of the Cogen building,

575 W. Cameron Avenue

to get an exclusive tour of our university's cogeneration plant, where UNC gets its power and one of the most efficient coal powered plants in the country!

11:00 - 5:00 pm, Focus the National Carnival
Student music and dance performances, faculty discussion panel, and various other environmental speakers, and educational displays.

4 pm, Fedex Global Education Center building tour
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the newest green building on campus. Meet in the front lobby , 301 Pittsboro Street

 10 pm, Save the Ales
Come by W.B. Yeats to celebrate our cause and learn how climate change will affect our brews while grooving to live music. (Sponsored by Epsilon Eta)

Water Saving Strategies for Builders

Wednesday, February 6 from 9 am to 10:30 am is a chance to learn all about rainwater harvesting systems, rain gardens and water conservation.

The event is aimed at Triangle area builders and is being presented by the Green Home Builders of the Triangle, a Home Builders Association program.

The event is being held at the offices of Rain Water Solutions, 2315 Atlantic Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27604

You'll learn:

• What are rainwater harvesting systems and their components (see them up close!)
• How can a rainwater harvesting system be incorporated into residential design
• How can harvested rainwater be used, and how should it be treated or disinfected
• How much rainwater can be collected from a home's roof in NC
• What are some innovative ways that builders can use to conserve water in new homes
• How can builders achieve water conservation goals in green building certification programs
• What are rain gardens, and how can they be used to handle stormwater runoff
• How does unchecked stormwater runoff affect areas downstream
• And more!

Presented by The Green Home Builders of the Triangle (a joint program of the HBA of Durham, Orange and Chatham Counties and the HBA of Raleigh/Wake County)
$20 for members of the Green Home Builders of the Triangle
$25 for nonmembers

Speakers: Michael Chandler, Chandler Design Build. Michael has been building solar and green homes for over 30 years. He is a General Contractor, licensed Master Plumber and also master tile setter and cabinetmaker. Michael also writes for Fine Homebuilding Magazine on structural, plumbing, and aging-in- place design topics.

Mike Ruck, Rain Water Solutions. As co-founders of Rain Water Solutions, Mike and his wife, Lynn, manufacture their own rain barrels from 100% recycled content. They also design and install complete rain water harvesting systems for residential and commercial clients.

Contact Leigh Scott at 919-493-8899 to register or click here for the flyer.

Strategic Water Technology Conference - Dec 14

The North Carolina State Energy Office and The Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance are organizing a Strategic Water Technology Conference to be held December 14th at NC State's McKimmon center.  The aim of the conference is to inform and educate participants on products, programs and practices to reduce water consumption on a long-term basis.

Presenters will address topics such as:
- drought tolerant planting strategies;
- infrastructure monitoring;
- new technologies;
- water efficient design for new buildings;
- retrofits of existing buildings;
- water reclamation and reuse, and
- training and certification of personnel for water efficiency.

Fees will be:
$30.00 for those registered before December 14, 2007 $60.00 on the day of the conference.

Register online here

The excellent line up of speakers includes:

• Mike Nicklas, President, Innovative Design
• Lloyd Hathcock, Chairman, National Water Conservation Committee
• Cindy Shea, Director, Sustainability Office, UNC Chapel Hill
• Ralph Daniels, President AWOIS LLC
• Gary Klein, GreenPlumbers, Sacramento, CA

Greenbuild 365

For those of us who don't make it to Chicago this year for the Greenbuild Expo Nov 7 through 9, the US Green Building Council has put together a new site www.Greenbuild365.org which will feature live streaming video of the key speakers and a running journal of conference events.