The Midlands Branch May meeting began at 1316 Washington Street - offices of Watson Tate Savory Liollio – known for Columbia’s first LEED historic retrofit.  While there we viewed slides of other historic retrofits and heard from Dennis Knight, an expert in how to include energy efficiency in the retrofit of historic buildings.  Mr. John Sherrer from the Historic Columbia Foundation started the tour at the Barringer Building and ended at the Brennen Building on Main Street.  The event wrapped at another great historic renovation, The Sheraton Vault.

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USGBC South Carolina Chapter is now eligible to receive donations from 1% member companies, placing them among a diverse, global network of environmental organizations. 1% member businesses fuel this non-profit network through their annual contributions, which totaled over $22 million in 2010. Partnership with 1% greatly expands the potential pool of funding to which USGBC South Carolina Chapter can look to for support.

Over 2,300 non-profits worldwide are included in the 1% network, and over $70 million has been funneled to its nonprofit partners to date. “The intent of 1% for the Planet is to help fund these diverse environmental organizations so that collectively they can be a more powerful force in solving the world’s problems,” Yvon Chouinard, founder of 1% for the Planet.

About 1% for the Planet

Started in 2002 by Yvon Chouinard, founder and owner of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, owner of Blue Ribbon Flies, 1% for the Planet is a growing global movement of over 1,350 member companies in 43 countries that donate one percent of their sales to environmental organizations worldwide. Each day, more than one new business joins the 1% for the Planet movement. As a network, the 1% community has become a frontrunner in funding the work of environmental groups around the world. To learn more about 1% go to: www.onepercentfortheplanet.org

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Dates:    Tuesday May 1st, noon – 1 pm
Thursday May 3rd, noon – 1 pm
Tuesday May 8th, noon – 1 pm
Thursday May 10th, noon – 1 pm

Webinar information will be provided to all registered attendees 24 hours prior to the start of the course.

Study for the LEED Green Associate Exam from the comfort of your own computer. Join us as we present a pre-recorded study session put together by Joel McKellar, formely of LS3P now with Green Building Services at Harvard University. The 4 hour session will be divided into one hour sessions and presented over two weeks – Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:00 – 1:00 pm. This online pre-recorded webinar has been developed in order to help prepare listeners for the USGBC LEED Green Associate Exam.  The course will review all major aspects of the LEED rating system that test takers will be required to know in order to pass the exam.

Prep course attendees should understand that additional independent study may be necessary prior to sitting for the exam.

In order to verify attendance during the webinar, attendees will be asked polling questions after each of the four sessions to assure attendance.  A “non-answered” polling question will be seen as failure to complete the course so please make sure that you sit for the entire session and respond to each of the four brief polling emails.

Upon completion all successful attendees will receive a course completion certificate which may be used as a record to sit for the LEED GA course.

All questions concerning the course should be emailed to lowcountry@usgbcsc.org

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This event is FREE

When:     Tuesday, April 24, 2012, 6pm-7pm

Where:    Ashley Hall (Library and Science Center)

172 Rutledge Avenue, Charleston, SC

Click Here To Register!

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The Individual Award recognizes outstanding vision, leadership, and commitment to advancing green building in South Carolina. This year’s award went to Bryan Cordell. Bryan is Executive Director of the Sustainability Institute in Charleston, which has been instrumental in making green building and sustainability efforts more visible across the state. The Sustainability Institute has grown from a team of two in 2006 to 16 today with a budget of over $1.7 million. The organization’s green’ workforce development program, has educated more than 8,000 people and certified over 235 in Building Performance Institute (BPI) standards for residential energy efficiency retrofit work. Their weatherization projects have documented energy savings of over $2 million. In addition to the USGBC-SC Board, Bryan has also served on a variety of other environmental boards and advisory committees. Bryan joined the USGBC‐SC Board in 2009, served on its membership committee, and Southeast Regional Committee (SERC). In 2010, the chapter elected Bryan President. During that year, USGBC national awarded the SC Chapter a grant helping it hire its first Executive Director. Bryan continues to serve as an elected representative to SERC, chairing its Community Engagement Committee in 2011 and 2012. In 2011, Bryan organized the first regional weatherization effort that coordinated USGBC Chapter volunteer‐led projects to weatherize the homes of low‐income families across the southeast.

The Exemplary Project Award recognizes outstanding projects with the ability to inspire others to pursue Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. The Exemplary Project award went to the Goodall Environmental Studies Center – Wofford College, Glendale Shoals. Receiving the award for Wofford College were Betty Montgomery, Trustee; Jason Burr, Associate VP of Facilities; and BG Stephens, retired faculty. Glendale Mill began operations in 1832, but closed in 1961. The property, suffered due to neglect and fire damage. In 2005, several local organizations and Wofford College alumni began a campaign to revitalize Glendale and to preserve the history and natural resources of Lawson’s Fork Creek. The mill office became the home for Wofford’s new Environmental Studies program, providing a clear example of sustainable design and creative historic preservation. The Center reestablished an identity for the community of Glendale and opened the beauty of Lawson’s Fork Creek—hidden for 100 years. In November 2010, the project achieved LEED Platinum Certification. Building highlights include:
• Uses 32% less energy than average buildings of the same size and type
• Uses 45% less potable (tap) water than average buildings of the same size and type
• Uses non‐potable water for toilet flushing and stored rainwater for irrigation
• A highly reflective “cool” roof reduces its heat island effect
• 78% of the Construction Waste was recycled (not sent to the landfill)
John Lane, Director of the Center and Wofford Professor of English said, “The LEED Platinum designation serves as an indication of Wofford’s leading role in sustainability. The LEED process is complex, but in the end, gratifying. The project is a great teaching tool; students can see the results in this efficient and beautiful building.”

This year’s Keith Sanders Service Award winner, named after one of the founding members who did about everything to keep the chapter moving, is Dan Gerst, the Chapter’s Communication Chair. Dan is a technology marketing professional, responsible for business intelligence, customer satisfaction, and market research at QS/1. Dan started serving the SC Chapter on the Upstate Steering Committee and as the Upstate Communications Chair in 2009. In 2010, the SC board elected Dan Communications Chair. He also took on the Communications Chair role for the Sustain SC 2010 Conference. Dan is now serving his third year as the SC Chapter Communications Chair. Denise said, “Using his professional expertise and unique motivational skills, Dan has formed a high functioning committee to serve the Chapter that would rival any Chapter in the country. Under his guidance, the Communications Committee has moved the Chapter forward with our website, emails, newsletters, public relations, social media, and research. We are very grateful to have Dan working for the greater good of the Chapter.”

Duke Energy sponsored the USGBC SC Leadership Awards program and Shawn Heath, VP of Sustainability for Duke Energy Carolinas said, “Duke has recently adopted an operating strategy that is good for people, the planet, and profits.” Duke Energy, of Charlotte, NC operates a diverse set of power generation assets in North America and Latin America, including a growing renewable energy portfolio.

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