Maryland Green Building Network August 3, 1999 - Meeting Minutes
Location: Maryland Department of Natural Resources, AnnapolisMinutes from the joint meeting of the Maryland Green Building Network (MdGBN) and the AIA Baltimore Committee on the Environment
Attendance:
Mark Bundy, MD DNR
Catherine Rappe, MD DNR
Jack Tawil, MD DNR
Chuck Kines, MD DNR
David Pirtle, PEPCO Energy Services
Liz Fox
Peter Yost, National Association of Home Builders Research Center
Bion Howard, Building Environmental Science and Technology
Richard Keller, MD Environmental Service
Janet Harrison, AIA
Julie Gabrielli, AIA
Melanie Hartwig-Davis, AIA
Polly Houck, Dupont Flooring Systems
Charlie Conklin, Upper Western Shore Tributary Strategies Team
Iris Amdur, The Community Forklift
Janie Nall, OCSB; John Lippert, Eco-Living, Inc.
Drew George, Bovis Construction/U.S. Green Building CouncilUpdate on Maryland Green Building program activities
Maryland State Fair, August 27 - September 6. The DNR Green Building exhibit will be on display. Green Development presentations – from recycled products to green services – will take place everyday from 12:45 p.m. to 1: 15 p.m. For a schedule of presenters, send a note to DNRSMARTGROWTH@dnr.state.md.us.Healthier Watersheds workshop. Green Building program staff are coordinating with Maryland's Tributary Strategies' Upper Eastern Shore team to host a workshop for local government officials and planners in Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne's and Talbot Counties. This workshop is designed to identify mechanisms for translating the visions identified in the comprehensive planning process into reality by analyzing local codes and ordinances and presenting alternative tools and techniques. The result of this effort will lead to more livable communities and healthier watersheds thereby contributing to the reduction of nutrient loads entering the Chesapeake Bay. This half-day workshop will take place on September 30th at a Chestertown location to be finalized. Similar workshops are planned by other Tributary Strategies Teams for late 1999/early 2000. Contact: Christy Mills, (410) 260-8988 or Catherine Rappe (410) 260-8979.
Website. A newly designed GB program website will be lauched in time for the Maryland State Fair. Comments on its content, and suggestions for improving the site, should be directed to Jack Tawil, (410) 260-8721; JTAWIL@dnr.state.md.us
Brochure. A newly designed GB program brochure will be printed in time for the Maryland State Fair. The printing of the brochure was generously funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Maryland Energy Administration. Contact: Chuck Kines, (410) 260-8722 or ckines@dnr.state.md.us.
Partnerships. A variety of organizations and agencies have recently expressed an interest in assisting Maryland's GB program -- by partnering on a specific project or providing technical materials for DNR's outreach activities – including Environmental Building News, Maryland Energy Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, U.S. Green Building Council, American Institute of Architects, NAHB Research Center, PEPCO Energy Services, and many more. Look for a complete list on the redesigned DNR Green Building program website later this month. Contact: Chuck Kines, (410) 260-8722 or ckines@dnr.state.md.us.
Update on Maryland Green Building Network activities
Maryland Green Building Survey. It was agreed that the purpose of the survey will be to learn what Maryland home owners know about green building. The structure and language should be kept simple and easy to understand. A two-tiered approach was favored by most of you, with a simple series of questions on one side and more detailed questions on the reverse side. Several people stressed their concern about bias in the survey, whether DNR could generalize information about attitudes of all Marylanders based on the sample of people at the State Fair. Peter Yost suggested that perhaps the State Fair survey could be used as a prototype for creating a more credible survey for the Maryland Home and Garden Show next year. He also suggested that DNR obtain copies of similar surveys conducted by the Central New Mexico Homebuilders Association and the Atlanta Homebuilders Association. It was suggested that DNR provide an incentive for completing surveys, i.e., sample products, or entering people who complete surveys into a drawing for a prize. Chuck Kines will circulate a draft of a survey this week.Template for "green" urban renovation/redevelopment. The Patterson Park Community Development Corporation in Baltimore City approached Maryland Green Building program staff in June, requesting assistance with renovating some rowhomes to incorporate "green" materials and techniques. At the July MdGBN meeting, it was suggested that a template for urban green redevelopment/renovation be developed with assistance from MdGBN participants. During this meeting, it was suggested that templates be created for other scenarios, i.e., existing suburban residential, new suburban residential, new urban commercial, etc. Julie Gabrielli suggested that perhaps the template could include specs, drawings, and a "laundry list" of green criteria relevant to each scenario. Bion Howard suggested looking at EPA Energy Star Homes program for ideas on what to do with existing structures. Mark Bundy, Julie Gabrielli, and Kim Shaefer will work as a sub-group of the MdGBN to develop draft sets of criterion for the different scenarios and will circulate them at the September meeting. Contact: Julie Gabrielli, (410) 542-0747.
Green Building Information Resource Center (GBIRC). The GBIRC will be a collection of green building/sustainable development books, CD-ROMs and videos housed within the DNR Information Resource Center and available to local and munipal government officials and planners, building professionals and Maryland citizens through the State's Inter-library loan system. Chuck Kines circulated a first-cut draft list of books, CD-ROMs and videos to MdGBN participants and asked everyone to review and comment on the list, and suggest resources that are missing. There was some concern expressed on how to make sure the materials in the library are current. The initial resolution to this problem was to make sure that at least the first resources put into the library support current technology. Further discussion will be needed on how to review future additions. DNR hopes to have the GBIRC funded and operating by the end of this year. Donations to the library will be accepted and recognized publicly. Chuck will identify possible funding sources for the Center, as well as begin drafting language for grant applications. He would appreciate some assistance. Contact: Chuck Kines, (410) 260-8722 or ckines@dnr.state.md.us.
Database of Green Building organizations in Maryland. At the first MdGBN meeting, Drew George expressed an interest in developing a database of known organizations working on green building/sustainable development in Maryland. Chuck Kines conducted research on this, developed a database, and circulated a draft list at the meeting. Comments/edits/suggestions should be sent to Chuck by e-mail (Ckines@dnr.state.md.us). This list will be posted on The Green Building program homepage.
Baltimore AIA COTE activities
Co-chair Jeff Sties accepted a job with McDonough and Associates in Charlottesville, VA. Co-chair Julie Gabrielli now serves Chair. Baltimore AIA is organizing and hosting a learning session on September 14th entitled "Green Design as a Team Process" examining the recently designed Chesapeake Bay Foundation headquarters. Also, the Young Architects committee has expressed interest in participating in the activities of the MdGBN. The Baltimore AIA offices are undergoing renovations. Julie is working with AIA staff to incorporate green materials and designs. Contact: Julie Gabrielli, (410) 542-0747.DC AIA COTE/U.S. Green Building Council activities
Lance Davis and Kim Shaefer now serve as co-chairs of the DC AIA COTE. Sandy Mendler will be serving on the national AIA COTE. Drew George indicated the U.S. Green Building Council has granted "tentative status" for a local chapter (Chesapeake Bay watershed, with emphasis on Baltimore and Washington D.C. metro areas). Local chapter meetings are held on the last Wednesday of the month from 5:30 to 7:30. The next organizational/membership meeting is scheduled for August 25th (location TBD) to discuss the next steps for formally establish the local chapter. The next evening learning session is scheduled for September 29th (Topic and location TBD). The July learning session was hosted by the D.C. AIA and featured a discussion on certified and sustainable wood products. Contact for D.C. AIA COTE activities: Kim Shaefer, (703) 521-8158. For USGBC activities, contact: Drew George: (703) 206-3404.Maryland Green Building Awards program. Although not an agenda item, this concept received considerable attention. Drew again expressed an interest in developing a Green Building/Green Development awards program in Maryland. Several existing awards programs were noted as places to look for ideas: Baltimore AIA's annual Design Awards (sustainable design is among the criteria), Maryland Recycler's Coalition awards program, and the NAHB award program, as well as the Baltimore Builder's Conference and the Association of Builders and Contractors. Consensus was reached on the idea that a Maryland Green Building Awards program should recognize whole buildings, as well as the achievements of architects, contractors, and planners.
Green Products
Polly Houck from Dupont Flooring System agreed to organize a series of "green" product demonstrations/learning sessions for future MdGBN meetings. The first will take place at the September MdGBN meeting. Topic TBD.Group Discussion: Defining "green." Due to time constraints, this discussion has been deferred to the September meeting. Think about how your organization defines and thinks about the word "green" and be prepared to share your thoughts. Contact: Mark Bundy (410) 260-8710.
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