TOPIC: Washington, D.C. is the first major U.S. city to require private developers to meet U.S. Green Building Council standards, according to an article by The Associated Press. Both new commercial development projects and renovation projects that consist of 50,000 square feet or more are required to meet the building council's standards starting 2012. The building council's standards are met by obtaining a certain number of credits in areas such as site location, energy and water efficiency and materials. Green buildings may have features such as recycled carpeting, low-flow water fixtures, and a design that allows for natural light to cut down the need for artificial light. The new stadium for the Washington Nationals is expected to be the first one built to meet the building council's standards. EXPERTS: ExpertSource can offer several highly qualified experts to comment on this story: Michaella Wittmann, of HDR, provides consultation on sustainable building design. She is proficient in providing consultation regarding integrated sustainable design including site design, indoor environmental quality, energy efficiency, sustainable materials, waste reduction, and resource efficiency. Ms. Wittmann was instrumental in the creation and development of the LEED Green Building Rating System," a voluntary rating system that is a priority program of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC.) She is a LEED faculty member and member of the USGBC. She is a frequent speaker and widely published author, and contributed a chapter on sustainable design to the book "Creating Responsive Solutions to Healthcare Change," published by the Center Nursing Press. PR Contact: Jackie Fox 402-926-7058 jackie.fox@hdrinc.com Since founding Non-Profit Ventures in 1992, James Krause has worked with more than 50 educational entities, social service agencies and arts organizations. Clients represent network organizations, hierarchical structures, cooperative models and split governance models. Krause is a LEED-certified professional, leading the way in the movement to build sustainable, or "green," independent schools in California. He believes that independent schools can optimize their available financial resources by understanding the long-term advantages and implications of sustainable design. NPV is currently helping to create the 23-acre, permanent campus of Rolling Hills Preparatory (RHP) School in Los Angeles. The campus is being designed from infrastructure up as a LEED-certified and sustainable. Non-Profit Ventures has conducted more than twenty institutional assessments and strategic planning implementations and has managed campus construction projects from site selection through final certificate of occupancy. Management of entitlements, design, and construction of facility additions as well as entire campus plants has characterized these projects. Early in his career, Jim Krause staffed and managed a program for the Close Up Foundation of Washington, D.C., the nation's premier political education organization. He was promoted to national sales and marketing director where he guided the work of a national staff, worked with elected officials and community organizers and met with funding sources to promote the educational goals of the program. Subsequently, Jim co-founded both a community theatre organization, Children's Theatre Workshop, and a local foundation, Tri-Valley Community Fund. As founding board chair of these organizations, he guided their organizational growth, headed their fund raising activities and collaborated with fellow board members in overall strategic development. Krause's professional experience in both the real estate investment and finance fields complements his rich non-profit experience to the greater benefit of his clients. PR Contact: Barbara Lewis 925-600-1606 attentionbc@earthlink.net Bruce Maine, director of research, sustainable design services for HDR, has been involved in the architectural design process for more than 20 years. As a corporate specifier, he has been instrumental in advocating and generating information on sustainable materials and processes in HDR Architecture's master specifications. His experience with working with all disciplines in the design industry has given him a unique perspective for sustainable features in the building industry. PR Contact: Jackie Fox 402-926-7058 jackie.fox@hdrinc.com ExpertSource cannot guarantee the immediate availability of these experts or their familiarity with this specific issue.
