Why Renovating, Remodeling and Retrofitting are Key and Essential to Our Sustainable Future

We are finally coming to the realization that the ever-expanding way we use of land and resources is unsustainable. Municipalities have given tax breaks and incentives to build new factory and commercial buildings when nearby already developed facilities stood empty. Now we are faced with a glut of signs advertising the after effects of our overdevelopment. Time to rethink our strategy. It should not just be school children reciting the 3 R’s – Recycle, Re-use, Reduce – plus the very important 4th one -- Rethink. These four R’s along with Renovate and Remodel are key and essential to sustainable building and development.

According to Barret Ramey, LEED AP and head of the Green Building Denver Team of Thumbprint Endeavors, renovating or remodeling makes the most sense.

“Think of it this way. Reuse of existing space means that the building materials already in place and energy used to deconstruct a structure can be saved. Using the existing site and structure saves both resources and money. Then add in the savings from reduction or elimination of energy and other costs associated demolition and disposal. When calculated this way, we get at the true cost savings with renovating or retrofitting a structure for increased efficiency and habitability – it’s a win-win-win decision.”
- Barret Ramey, LEED AP

The LEED standards have certainly had their fair share of criticism, but most in the sustainable design and green building industry would agree that they are the best source we have presently for thinking about efficiently using land, materials, energy and resources. The new Version 3 of the Leadership Energy Efficient Design for New Construction (LEED – NC), the United States Green Building Council (USGBC, http://www.usgbc.org) also has major renovation standards. USGBC also has enacted standards for retrofitting and maintenance/operations of existing building space, LEED EB.


Whether a builder or designer or the building owner opts for LEED certification, careful consideration of the LEED EB criteria should be their guiding principles to increase energy efficient building practices and better utilize construction resources. And add yet another R – Return on Investment, increased ROI. And that is where Thumbprint Endeavors can help. Our team of Green Building Professionals will help you to Green your business with redesign and renovation of building space and streamline operations for increased energy efficiency and profitability. For more information and to contact us, visit our website www.thumbprintendeavors.com.

Needed: A Team Approach (Since We Are All in This High Stakes Game Together)

While it is easy to see “life as usual” going on in the U.S., there are many bright Green spots spread over the landscape of this beautiful country. Some of those green projects are concentrated in certain parts of the U.S. -- like the strides made in San Francisco moving toward the majority of municipal waste being recycled, reused or composted. Large scale efforts in Renewable Energy is moving ahead in some states like Colorado, Texas and California, in leaps and bounds. The not so good news is that in other areas like the Midwest are still primarily focused on mining and burning coal, spewing toxins into the air, soil and water.

How can we realistically move forward with a renewed economy when the head is turned backwards and the vision is on what worked in the past? One piece of this puzzle that I have heard repeatedly in discussions of the NAAEE Sustainability Task- force and The Institute of Green Professionals site, http://www.consilienceblog.org. It is the inability of scientists, architects, engineers and other professionals to effectively communicate their research findings or what they predict from sophisticate modeling to the generally scientifically illiterate and often unengaged public. Part of this maybe the “balanced reporting” by the media, putting results of scientific study on the same level of “accuracy” as some layperson’s opinion on the subject. Some of this may be the general public just not wanting to hear the difficult truth – because change is difficult and “we have always done it this way” ostrich syndrome, if we ignore it, it will go away. But another part of this is the need to also translate the information, to put the information into a format and into words that the general public can understand and digest, then act on responsibly.

This educational message is core to the mission of the Thumbprint Endeavors Team. We gather information, work with clients to Green their space by saving energy, using less resources, and save money – the triple bottom line plus. And the plus is that while we inform and educate to help them to develop more knowledge and awareness to make better sustainable lifestyle choices.

So, a shout-out to the Professionals (scientists, architects, engineers and environmental educators) on the “Green Team”, we need to work together on informing and EDUCATING those not yet on board.

Sometimes the Solutions are Simple

It is true. Sometimes the solutions are simple, but folks just have not thought about it or they were just have not locked into the small changes (and the big ones) that can significantly change their energy consumption, miles per gallon, water usage, well, you name it.

This idea was pointed out once again as Barret and I walked through a local church to give them some ideas about becoming more “Green”. Just in an hour or so of walking around the church facility, we identified several simple, easy to do measures, the so-called “low hanging fruit”, that will allow this church to save on their energy bills, recycle more, and set the best Green example for the educating the congregation. (For more information on “low hanging fruit” see http://greensource.construction.com/features/0804_currents.asp).

We found that they appreciated helpful suggestions about simple things like unplugging equipment and appliances that were not in use several days of the week or closing blinds in rooms that get direct sunlight and heat up in the summer. Maybe it is as simple as having an energy audit conducted then following the weatherization or other recommendations outlined in the report.

These and other easy-to-implement solutions are part of the goal in saving energy resources and about helping this nonprofit group save money. Money that can go for more children’s program and community outreach – the places and causes that a church wants to put their money into rather than paying utility bills. Sometimes it is very simple to pick and enjoy the low hanging fruit and to harvest the energy savings.

The Beauty of Synergy

When people and events come together to create a whole that is more than the individual parts, that outcome is the beauty of synergy. Lately, I have experienced several of synergies and marveled at the way that the puzzle pieces fall into place in the right way, at the right time.

One such example would be the chance conversation with Rick Posey of K4 Architects in Cincinnati. Rick attended the Diggs Building tour on Wright State University campus and that conversation has led to many more as similar Green thinking is shared. Both Rick and I have “connections” with others in the Dayton-Cincinnati area and plans are underway to develop internships and other educational opportunities for students to have hands-on learning experiences about Green Building and Design. Synergy.

Then following a couple of interesting conversations, Belinda Kelney with Waibel Energy introduced me to Gregery Smith. Greg is forging ahead with Energy Optimizers USA, to consult with organizations, particularly school districts on energy plans. So, the connections with Thumbprint Endeavors were obvious and another Green Team is being formed to better serve our clients. Again, synergy.

And finally, the first Green Drinks Dayton event was hosted by Dayton Regional Green 3 (DRG3) on June 10th to foster like-minded folks meeting and discussing informally what they are working on. Again, Belinda Kelney was one of the organizers (excellent job done) and there were 35 or more in attendance. TE Associate, Barret Ramey will be attending the monthly USGBC Green Drinks event in Denver at the end of each month so whether Ohio or Colorado, look for a TE representative to be present and creating, you guessed it, synergies.

On June 25, 2009, DRG3 will host the Dayton Green Expo, a symposium to discuss sustainability efforts in the cities of Columbus, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis. Check on the DRG3 website for details.

Also, look for TE at the Energy Roundtable and Exhibition, hosted by the Dayton Development Coalition, being held at the Mound Advanced Technology Center on June 26th. We will be hosting a table so come by and say hello. Who knows -- maybe a coming together of Green pieces for a sustainable result will occur -- another synergy is born!

A Busy Time for Thumbprint Endeavors Team Members

This has been a very busy time for Thumbprint Endeavors Team Members.

Thumbprint Endeavors Associate, Barret Ramey, LEED AP recently attended the USGBC Conference in Denver on May 7^th and 8^th. In addition to attending several sessions on Green Building topics, Barret volunteered to help out with the conference. He is always more than willing to lend a hand and to meet new people. And that he did – Barret met numerous Green Building professionals, networking and continuing to expand his circle of contacts in the industry. Barret’s interests include a broad spectrum of Green Building aspects including energy and water conservation measures, more efficient building practices and sustainable design.

Linda has been busy as well. She attended a Green Building Professional Forum in Columbus, hosted by the Ohio EPA on April 30^th. In addition to touring the Grange Columbus Audubon Center, currently under construction on a former brownfields site on the Whittier Peninsula. Other tour stops include the Lazarus Government Center (LEED Silver) Green Roof in a renovated 1930’s department store and office building, the new 4-H center on the Ohio State University campus, and a LEED home pilot project near downtown Columbus. There was also a Round Table Discussion on “Overcoming Barriers to Green Building”, facilitated by Carolyn Watkins, Chief, Office of Environmental Education, Ohio EPA. Much wisdom was presented by: Elaine Barnes, Ohio School Facilities Commission; Jeff Bates, Columbus State Community College;

David Brehm, DesignGroup and Columbus Mayor’s Green Team; Paul Freedman, City of Columbus, Building Services & Code Development; Gail Hesse, Ohio EPA Division of Surface Water; Heather Starck, Grange Columbus Audubon Center; Meera Parthasarathy, Columbus Green Building Forum, Columbus Mayor’s Green Team; and Craig Weise, AIA, CCM, PMP State Architect of Ohio

Linda received a very positive and encouraging reception to her presentation of her recent research on the importance of connecting adult’s outdoor childhood experiences with the need to get today’s children out in to the natural world at the Environmental Education Council of Ohio Conference May 1 – 3, 2009.

And to connect our Dayton and Denver TE locations, Linda attended the talk by Justin Wilson, Building Performance Solutions, Inc., Boulder, CO. Justin presented at the Dayton Home Builders Association meeting on “Building Energy Efficient Homes Through Integration and Implementation” on May 7^th, 2009. It was very interesting to hear about projects in or near downtown Denver that are great examples of re-use of sites with existing “footprints” including the sustainable design of the site of a former airport that will be tied to all of the transportation and utilities, etc. of Denver.

So, the Thumbprint Endeavors Environmental Consulting Team continues to be actively involved and learning as well as educating others on Green Building and Sustainability.

We look forward to seeing you out there as well.

Teach Your Children Well, or . . . Children, Teach Your Parents Well?

One of the really fun things I did for Earth Day 2009 was to talk with several hundred 4th graders at Fairborn Intermediate School. We had a focus on learning about their backyard and their neighborhood, particularly parks in the Greater Dayton area. I choose this approach for my presentation because research shows that while children know about distance places like the Amazon Rainforest and the effects of the destruction of the rainforest, they know very little about the impact of development on the area where they live. Another example is that children know about the dire consequences of the melting sea ice for polar bears but they do not understand the myriad of species being lost in the Midwest because of habitat fragmentation.

So, in my Earth Day conversation with these (very well behaved) 4th graders, I wanted to talk with them about where they lived and what they could do to help the Earth. I asked them questions and they knew a lot – they identified several examples of Ohio wildlife including the state bird, the Cardinal. We talked about places like Five Rivers Metro Parks locations where they could hike or camp and explore the outdoors nearby. We also talked about a place in Ohio where they could also see more exotic wildlife, The Wilds. About 90 minutes east of Columbus, on nearly 10,000 acres of land reclaimed from a coal mining operation, The Wilds provides opportunities to see bison, giraffes, rhinos, zebras and a much more.

I had also asked the teachers at Fairborn Intermediate School to collect questions from the 4th graders so I could see what questions they had about topics related to Earth Day. These were some very smart and savvy students. There questions were very informed and I told them that – and I told them that I wished some adults were asking such good questions. They asked me about recycling, energy production, resource conservation, and what they could do – like I said, very smart and insightful 4th graders. We discussed not using the drive through, turning off the car and walking and riding bikes more, thinking about what you need versus what you are feeling like you need because of some advertising and more. Like I said, these were some smart kids, and only in the 4th grade! I truly enjoyed my visit and I believe that the students enjoyed and learned from the Power Point presentation I shared with them this week for Earth Day.

So, whether Cosby, Still, Nash and Young had the title of the song right or not – I am hoping these children can teach their parents well about reducing, reusing, recycling and rethinking our consumption of resources to live in more sustainable ways – for the future of all children and for all living beings, young and not so young.

The Education Imperative

Once again this year, I was fortunate to attend the University Clean Energy Alliance of Ohio Conference in Columbus. This conference has grown over the last three years and has become more inclusive in that there now are larger numbers of attendees from more diverse organizations that reach well beyond the borders of Ohio. There were, of course, many at the conference representing the engineering side but there were also a fair number of us who were from equally important fields such as urban planning, economics, various science disciplines, and architecture. This shift is a positive move in the right direction, as Scott Johnston pointed out in discussing the interdisciplinary, collaborative design team approach used by The Energy and Sustainable Design Studio (E+SD) at Miami University. The resulting discussions were far reaching, covering topics related to the environment, alternative and renewable energy and green building, including research in these areas and the role of universities in the development of these resources.



The pivotal role of education in this arena was a very interesting thread of conversation I engaged in with several presenters and attendees. We need to have more conversations about using complex, real world interdisciplinary approaches to solving energy and environmental problems. As one economics professor, Allen Prindle, pointed out and some of us will recall, the overriding reason that the energy policies and environmental movement of the 1970's failed was that the economics of the situation did not work – energy remained cheap. One other shortfall was that the general public was not educated as to the global climate impacts of our increased energy consumption. Some of us heard the messages, "Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute", "Don't be a Litterbug", etc. but we were not informed, not educated as to why not, what were the long term consequences if we did pollute, if we did over consume -- so why not? And therein lays the mandate this time for informing and educating the public as to what to do and why. This requires the inclusion of the social sciences as well as engineers, scientists and others to help with the attitudinal and behavioral changes that must take place in our lives and our workplaces.



The problems that are confronting us are complex and multi-faceted. They involve more than the application of technical solutions. These energy and environmental challenges require all of the bright minds and innovative solutions we can engage. What I like to think of as education in the broadest sense, an inclusive approach is sorely needed to get feasible, real world solutions. Let us dispense with the silo-thinking approach. Let us tackle these problems using the best thinking of designers, economists, social scientists, urban planners, and more in implementing the necessary change. And let us invite those who understand the crucial role of education to then take shape this information so that the general public, policy makers, and the next generation understand the problems, the thinking and reasoning, the proposed solutions and the outcomes of research findings so that this time they are implemented.

Welcome

Greetings and Welcome to our Thumbprint Endeavors LLC Blog Posting!

In line with our mission, we hope to use this periodic blog to inform and educate about Green topics and to provide insights about whom we are and what we believe as Environmental Consultants. Thank You, in advance, for being part of our efforts to spread the word about how we all can best conduct our lives and our operations in more sustainable ways.

I’d like to spend a few paragraphs sharing the focus of my recent energies and thinking -- inspired, fresh and Green!

I have been fortunate to participate in several meetings lately that show the increasing level of commitment for Green Initiatives that is emerging in the U. S. On March 5th, 2009, the Office of the Governor and the Ohio Department of Development hosted a meeting to showcase Green Initiatives in the Dayton Region. This meeting of nearly 100, from all sectors of the community, discussed a very diverse cross-section of projects that were completed, under construction, being designed or in the conceptual stages. Everything from proposed a pilot Green Roof site for student research to business development projects were presented. Several long lists of Miami Valley Green Initiatives were generated for the organizers to take back to their offices. Many of us that left the meeting that day were encouraged and sincerely hope that this group could spin off Working Groups to move these ideas and Green Initiatives forward to reality.

The other interesting day last week was a very well organized event hosted by the Ohio Environmental Council. After being briefed on various environmental topics related to energy, water quality, food production and green building practices, 200 people from all walks of life met in scheduled 30 – 60 minute timeslots with State Legislators, Ohio EPA officials and other policy makers in Columbus. This was a rare opportunity for both professionals and everyday people to discuss their views on environmental issues to better inform Policy Makers as well as learn a great deal about the issues and the wheels our government.

I try not to get too bogged down by what I consider the often slow pace or the seeming disinterest for the environment that I may see day to day or what is in the news regarding greed and waste. Instead, I try to focus on what is being done. I read with gusto the articles about Dayton’s Tech Town – reclaiming an urban Brownfield site with the transportation and utilities infrastructure already in place. Efforts like this are using Innovation to lure High Tech industry and to spur growth in the downtown area rather than contributing to the destruction of urban sprawl.

I am also encouraged by the example set by the continuing strength and determination of the people of Greensburg Kansas to take the remains of their town to make it a Green, Sustainable Community. I have a soft spot in my heart for Kansas anyway, but to see the little town of Greensburg reinvent itself Green after a devastating EF5 tornado, is truly inspiring. The community and their leaders assessed what capital they had – wind energy, space and strong work ethic to rebuild and to do it right, to do things that made them self-sufficient and a model for other communities. In their planning, rethinking what Could be, not content with how it has been in recent memory but rather what could this small Kansas community do to revitalize itself? What would make them a leader in the region, a place where young people wanted to stay and families would want to come to raise their families? Green designers help them to rethink and rebuild Green. They have sought out businesses and industry that fit with their Green Vision. These folks had their entire town destroyed, but they soon envisioned an opportunity to rebuild in ways that would provide a Green community with a long range view, for not only recreating their town but for vastly improving it. This kind of sustainable vision for a community will attract and retain vital young people to the area and will also attract businesses that see the viability of going Green as well as the character of the people in Greensburg.

This type of thinking, inspired, fresh and Green is what I choose to focus on. As we think about the future, it is truly our mission at Thumbprint Endeavors to provide Green Solutions and to educate as well as learn with our Clients. We believe that we are all in this together and that the Green path we create, together, is important. We also believe that, just as the people of Greensburg showed, the strength of Building a Green Community -- school by school, business by business -- is powerful and sustaining.