Save the Date: 1st Wednesday of each month is our monthly program

Monterey Bay Branch Steering Committee

(click name to email steering committee members)

Stewart Wadsworth, Consultant
Jordan Daniels, BuildingWise

(* indicates committee chair)

Advocacy:

Sharon Sarris*, Greenfuse
Libby Barnes, Carver and Schicketanz
Schools Advocate:
Elizabeth Cordero*, Consultant
Publicity:
Yvonne Ross*, Designwise
Mardee McGraw
Julie Ziemelis
Membership:
Debbie Picard*, Platinum Development
Bill Wagner
Newsletter:
Jenny Shelton*, Shelton Design
Finance:
Saren Pierson* (treasurer), CSUMB
Alan Forrest, Sustainable Solutions
Registration:
Jeanne Bulger*, Power Solutions
Scott Grover, ART-F/X Environments
Sarah McCandliss, Landscape Design
Secretary:
Jenny Shelton, Shelton Design
Catering:
Erica Fox*
Labris Willendorf
USGBC Liaison:
Barry Giles, BuildingWise
Outreach/Volunteers:
Rick Williams*, Pacific Inland Mortgage
Labris Willendorf
Members at Large:
Phoebe Larson, Flesher & Foster Architects
Marli Melton
Jay Tulley, Otto Construction
Lydia Corser, greenspace
Ana Maria Rebelo, County of Santa Cruz
Joe Fullerton, City of Santa Cruz

Co-Chairs Emeritus:
Sharon Sarris (03-06, founding co-chair)
Lili Wright (03-05, founding co-chair)
Jay Tulley (06-07)
Jenny Shelton (07-08)

Events

Once again the County of Santa Cruz, the City of Santa Cruz, local non-profits, and concerned citizens are working together to make Earth Day 2009 the premier environmental event for the greater Santa Cruz community, with educational information, activities for kids, live music and a focus on green businesses. Go to www.ecocruz.org for more information. Vendors still have time to apply.

10 a.m. , 2111 Mission, Santa Cruz. The tour will start in the new Employee Parking Lot located off of Almar Road (follow the signs).

3 - 8pm Monterey Conference Center and Portola Hotel, DeAnza Ballroom. Featuring the Monterey Chamber of Commerce Sustainable Business Showcase in the Sierra Ballroom.

San Francisco, CA.  Click here for info.

PG&E Auditorium, 77 Beale St. (between Market and Mission) San Francisco, CA

8:30 am Registration/Breakfast
9:00 am-5:00 pm Program

Register!
Or call 415.421.8707

May 6-8 - Living Future 09: The Unconference for Deep Green Professionals

Portland, OR

USGBC-NCC Chapter members are eligible for the discounted Cascadia member rate! Click here for information.

May 7th - Sustainable Industries Economic Forums: Featuring Ray Anderson

San Francisco. Register.

Tickets on sale April 24th at Bookshop Santa Cruz, Bookworks of Aptos, Palace Arts on 41st Ave, Pro-Build (Lumbermens) Santa Cruz, and Alladin Nursery in Watsonville.

$30 ticket admits two people to all sites. Tour info 831.460.2999 or www.aascc.org

Monterey Bay Branch Monthly Program

Toward a New Design Paradigm:
Leadership in Ecological Applications
and Functions (LEAF)

At a special location, day, and time!

Saturday, May 2, 2009
10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Rana Creek Nursery and facilities
35351 E. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley CA
10:30-12:30 Tour of nursery and presentation by staff
12:30 - Light picnic lunch

Rana Creek's Living Architecture Department specializes in the design of sustainable sites and vegetated structures.  Their unique approach addresses the growing ecological imperative in the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, civil engineer¬ing and building technology.  Their team of ecologists and designers connects nature with design-organic life with inanimate structure and innovation with preservation.  Paul Kephart, President of Rana Creek, and fellow team members will guide a tour of their nursery and provide an overview of their pioneering LEAF program, highlighting their holistic focus on ecological applications and functions.  Case studies will include the LEED Platinum California Academy of Science, San Jose's Casa Feliz, and the Northern Arizona Museum of Natural History. Speakers at this special event include:

Paul Kephart, President
Renowned biologist, ecologist, and expert in land-use planning and resource management, Paul Kephart is best known for his pioneering efforts in Living Architecture, with more than twenty years of diverse ecological consulting with watershed management, botanical surveying, biological assessment, project mitigation, land stewardship and management planning.

Gabrielle Fladd, Project Manager
Gabrielle Fladd is an ecological designer for Rana Creek's Living Architecture Department.  She leads a team of designers, environmental engineers, and ecologists reintroducing vegetated systems into highly urbanized areas, a 5-acre living roof at the Transbay Terminal and an integrated building water system for a corporate headquarters in Monterrey, Mexico.

Raphael Garcia, Project Manager
Raphael applies his proficiency in wildland restoration, habitat design and stormwater management to his position as landscape designer in Rana Creek's Living Architecture Department. Before joining Rana Creek, Raphael worked as a biologist for over 10 years on habitat restoration projects, wildlife management, water policy writing, and mitigation projects.

Please read the green print: Environmental and logistical considerations lead us to implement formal carpooling to this event.  Space is limited to 75 registrants.

You must pre-register before Thursday, April 30th to select a carpool and RSVP for lunch. Parking is at the Rana Creek Nursery, 35351 E. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley CA. 

The registration fee for this special event is $15 for NCC members and $20 for non-NCC members.  Please register early, this special event may sell out.

Thank you to our generous sponsors:

Join the Monterey Bay Branch Team!

Now is a great time to volunteer with the US Green Building Council! In fact, its people just like you that help make the US Green Building Council's Northern California Chapter the premiere source for green building education, advocacy, and networking in our region. A great way to make a difference during this explosion of growth in green building is to contribute your passion and energy to the USGBC's Monterey Bay Branch, which serves Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties. We invite you to join our steering committee, join a subcommittee and help out with easy tasks before and at our events, or bring your creative ideas for 2009 education and networking events, and a willingness to help make them happen. Tell us your strengths and we'll find a role that's right for you.

Sponsor the Monterey Bay Branch in 2009

Supporting the Monterey Bay Branch is a great way to increase your company's visibility with our members and attendees. Sponsorship levels start as low as $250. Contact Jordan Daniels, 831-359-2584 or Stewart Wadsworth 831-332-0612 to find out more.

Branch Advocacy Committee Update

Our Branch Advocacy Committee continues to support local government in developing, adopting, and improving green building ordinances and programs. In Carmel, Jordan Daniels and Safwat Malek are part of an Ad Hoc Committee to help the city develop its ordinance and program.  On April 8 they presented at a Planning Commission public hearing about the current draft proposal.  The Commissioners and the public asked good questions and seemed quite positive about the program development.  

Our Committee is working with AMBAG to present information to local government bodies as well.  The next presentation is to the San Benito County Board of Supervisors later in April.  For more information about the status of programs in other jurisdictions and/or to participate in the committee, contact Sharon Sarris, coordinator.

World-Class Lineup of Speakers at Earth Day
Sustainable Cities Symposium

WHAT:  Sustainable Cities Symposium and Business Showcase Speakers, Activities, and Panels and local sustainable businesses (see schedule attached)
WHEN:  Wednesday, April 22, 2009, Earth Day, 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Monterey Conference Center and Portola Hotel & Spa, DeAnza Ballrooms, One Portola Plaza, Monterey, CA 93940
WHO:  Agency staff, elected officials, business community, students, and everyone interested in a better community.  Admission FREE.

MONTEREY, CA - Sustainable Cities Symposium:  Linking community and government, the Sustainability Academy is pleased to present the 2009 Sustainable Cities Symposium.  This Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, 2009, attendees will be treated to 8 educational sessions, covering topics from carbon trading to sustainable cities scoring to galvanizing departments within an organization.  The keynote address will be presented by Jason K. Burnett, most recently the Associate Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency where he coordinated energy and climate change policy. Sessions are relevant for a wide audience, including agency staff, elected officials, business community, students, and everyone interested in "greening" their local community. Educational sessions take place from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Keynote Address at 5 p.m., and a special panel at 6 p.m. that includes leading authors Bill McKibben (Death of Nature) and Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation).  This event is free and open to the public, sponsored by the Monterey Institute of International Studies.  

In DeAnza Room III in partnership with the Symposium, please join us for the Sustainable Business Showcase presented by the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce. Learn more about the showcase.

LEED v3 to Launch April 27

The next version of LEED, known as LEED v3, will launch on April 27, 2009. The new version of LEED recognizes new technologies and advancements in building science and prioritizes energy efficiency and CO2 emissions reductions.

The three main components of LEED v3 are: LEED 2009, the new version of the technical rating system; a more user-friendly, reliable and faster LEED Online; and an expanded building certification infrastructure based on ISO standards, administered by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).

USGBC is committed to supporting the transition to LEED v3 and is here to help every step of the way with expanded customer service hours, tutorials and new help features incorporated into LEED Online, and extensive webinars and other educational offerings. Visit www.usgbc.org/LEEDv3 for the latest information and support tools.

USGBC is the first stop for LEED and green building education. The LEED core curriculum is expanding and adapting to address changes to the LEED green building rating system and to help prepare professionals for the changes to GBCI's LEED professional credential.
Learn how USGBC's education programs are responding to LEED v3 and GBCI's changes to professional accreditation. »

New LEED reference guides will be available for purchase beginning March 27, 2009.

» Learn about the new reference guides and how they support LEED 2009 rating systems.

» Learn what project teams currently using LEED should do.

» Visit GBCI.org for more information on the changing credentialing program for professionals.

A new green building certification for home improvement projects was recently introduced by a local group of building and real estate professionals. Called Step Up 2 Green, its mission is to provide homeowners the information, guidance and incentive to implement upgrades to home and property that will save energy and water while enhancing indoor air quality. For information and to download the checklist, go to www.stepup2green.org.