Clarifications, Deconstruct Dayton and EcoRahabarama

Clarification: 

Our newest associate, Paul C. Ramey's degree is a M.Arch. (Master of Architecture).  He was a Visiting Student at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO http://www.aho.no/en/).  You can still contact him at info@thumbprintendeavors.com

Other exciting news: 

The city of Dayton and surrounding communities have many uninhabitable houses that need to be removed.  To answer this need, a local architect and friend, turned very green deconstructor, James Kent, created the Architectural Reuse Company http://architecturalreuse.com/ also known as Dayton Works Plus. 

James Kent uses his workforce crews to dismantle, savage and resell the materials from these old houses.  This is about as Green as building can get! Not only are the materials high quality, but they are often wood and brick that just are not available anymore.  Dense hardwood from trees that decades ago were harvested from 100 year old trees. Talk about lowering the carbon foot print and true lifecycle cost analysis, implementing "cradle to cradle" thinking, wow!  

The another key point here is that Dayton Works Plus is training and paying wages to underemployed or unemployed, often ex-offenders who need job and life skills to become part of the workforce.  Through a training program partnership with Sinclair Community College and East End Community Services, Dayton Works Plus employees earn OSHA 30 certificates and asbestos and lead abatement certificates.  This training, workplace skills and on the job training allows these workers to be hired by other contractors.  Now, these workers are gainfully employed and paying taxes rather than being a drain on the system.

In addition, the number of abandoned/blighted houses is reduced so there is more green space in urban areas and the priceless old building materials are available for new purposes. It is truly a Win-Win- Win for society, our community and the planet.  

Check out the outdoor table we built from $5 of wood from the Deconstruction Depot.  The grain of this old wood is something a couple of wood-nuts can appreciate, rich and beautiful. Before we go to one of the big box stores, believe me, we will go looking there first.  The selection is amazing and some of the materials there are much better quality than you will find new. Wrought iron, old wood doors, mantels, stairs, stone, bricks and lots of all sizes of wood, some sizes they can't even produce anymore (20"X12"X1" - one board!). I already have my next projects lined up - a pair of outdoor chairs, a gardening work bench and a deck storage box.

If you are in Dayton, be sure to check out examples of upcycled products at Jimmy;s Ladder #11 and at the Modern Reclaimer house at the Eco-Rehabarama May 10 -12 and 18-20, more info at 2012 EcoRehabarama Showcase in Huber Heights.

See you there!

News! Updated Website and New Associate at Thumbprint Endeavors LLC

We've got New News -

As you can see we’ve redone our TE website!  Cruise around, checkout what’s new, give us feedback. Russ Anderson with Bokeh Design has been a great help with keeping our website looking good.

Speaking of new — we have a new TE associate.  Paul C. Ramey just graduated with his M.A. in Architecture from the University of Washington.  From August 2010 to July 2011, Paul studied architecture in Norway as part of a student exchange program between the university in Oslo and UW. Before heading to Seattle in 2008, Paul interned for two years as a researcher on Henry Chao’s team that focused on science educational and laboratory facilities at NBBJ in Columbus OH.  

Contact Paul at: Info@ThumbprintEndeavors.com.

 

Barret, who is now a LEED AP BD+C, volunteered and attended several informative sessions at the USGBC Colorado Rocky Mountain Green 2012 conference in April. 

Once again this year, he thoroughly enjoyed working the dedicated people associated with the conference and came away with some great ideas and new knowledge. 

Exactly the reasons we all attend conferences —to learn and to network with others in Green Building!

More to come soon and updates on what Linda's been doing . . . like launching Ecothumbprint blog.

Just In . . . Now there are Two LEED Associates with TE!

Newsflash! Yes, it is true.  Linda is now officially a LEED Green Associate.

EcoBuild 2011 and Happy Holidays!

Once again early December brought me to Washington DC for the EcoBuild Conference.  This year I teamed up with Nadja Turek, PE and LEED AP, to present what might have been the session with the longest title (Leveraging Geospatial Information for Sustainable Solutions at the Ecosystem, Campus and Community Scales).  We also covered a lot of ground from very big picture to the very detailed stressing the importance of gathering quantitative data and qualitative testimonials in order to influence people’s decisions and actions to live sustainably and responsibly.  Our closing slide was: 

Live like it matters. Live like what you do has an impact – it does matter to all of the other living organisms on this planet, Earth.

There were many good discussions and presentations but one in particular has had me thinking about “what’s possible”.  It was about the Net Zero Energy building at NREL.  Take a look —http://www.bdcnetwork.com/2011-zero-and-net-zero-energy-buildings-homes.  Very Interesting!

With that, Best Wishes to You and Yours for a Happy Holiday Season and let us make 2012 a Prosperous, Green, Sustainable Year! 

~ The Thumbprint Endeavors Team

GreenBuild 2011

GreenBuild 2011!

At Thumbprint Endeavors LLC, we continue to learn about and educate others about the economics in efficient green buildings and sustainability.  We also develop plans for building occupants to incorporate Green Living Strategies into their daily lives.   I’ve just returned (no thanks to the debacle at Toronto Airport) from 2011 GreenBuild Conference.  Attendance was up, exhibits and presentations were top notch and the conference was very well organized.  I especially enjoyed the sessions on building sustainable communities and Kudos to the Green Schools group for a relaxing and informative space, well done. 

Thomas Friedman’s remarks, in his keynote speech, were to the point and well worth a listen if you could not heard him in the arena or if you just want to know how 1979 was such an incredible turning point in U.S. history and how those decisions and others are still impacting us today. 

While waiting for hours at the airport, I had many conversations but the one summed up much of the overall take away that captured the mood of the conference.  While the Green Building community is trying to keep our footing, it is easy to become discouraged as we look at all of the economic indicators.  Instead Ian McKee with EcoArenas commented that we should not get down or give in, rather we need to envision what is possible.  Our focus needs to be the best outcome for the future of the planet and her inhabitants.  While much has been accomplished, there is still so much to be done building-wise and people-wise.  So, for me and for Thumbprint Endeavors, it is this continuing collective wave of sustainability and Green Building, gathering strength and washing over the Earth as we engage and build community.  Seriously, what other alternative do we have if we believe in a future for our children, our country, our planet?

I am really looking to attending the AASHE (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education conference in Pittsburgh PA next week. Here’s hoping traveling will be smoother and that the conference will be informative and a good networking opportunity.

Summer 2011 is So Busy!

Summer 2011 is so busy for us at Thumbprint Endeavors! 

Linda attended the regional USGBC conference, Greening The Heartland in Cincinnati in mid-June.  The Cincinnati Zoo, Cincinnati Public Schools and more organizations presented about their Green Building efforts.  The City of Cincinnati and the University of Cincinnati outlined their programs to implement sustainability programs. What a great opportunity to hear some informative sessions and to meet great folks who are all about Green and Sustainability in the Cincinnati area!

Barret has continued working with Rebuild Together Metro Denver as a Skills Captain, which means mentoring and helping supervise and coordinate volunteer green building efforts.  The Denver USGBC Emerging Professionals group, that Barret is an active member of, supports Habitat for Humanity and projects like The Grow Haus.  Thumbprint Endeavors LLC does too!

In July, Linda attended the International ESRI conference in San Diego.  This conference brings over 15,000 people from all over the world and all kinds of businesses and conservation organizations to display the most recent GIS data that has been collected and the latest innovations out there.  The Map Gallery is just incredible so be sure to look at that online. It was a terrific learning opportunity and a chance to talk with so many of us who are using GIS tools to make informed, intelligent decisions about our built and natural environment. 

These were all great networking opportunity for us at Thumbprint Endeavors!

A very busy Summer for Thumbprint Endeavors!

Here's what's going on with TE . . . 

Barret has working with Rebuild Together Metro Denver as a Skills Captain, which means mentoring and helping supervise and coordinate volunteer green building efforts.  The Denver USGBC Emerging Professionals group that Barret is an active member of supports Habitat for Humanity and projects like The Grow Haus.  Thumbprint Endeavors LLC does too!

This week is the Greening The Heartland in Cincinnati and Linda will be attending this regional USGBC conference.  This is a great opportunity to learn what is being done, what is possible and who is doing the Green in our communities, schools, healthcare facilities and in our built environment.  Just look for the Thumbprint Endeavors logo on our shirts and let's talk.

Speaking of GTH, One presentation that I want to hear is about the Architectural Reuse Company.  James Kent II, a partner in the group, said that this Dayton company was recently recognized as a national leader in Deconstruction and Reclaiming materials from buildings that are slated for demolition.  Deconstruction of these sometimes decade-old structures, creates jobs and the recycled building materials are then resold by St. Vincent de Paul Deconstruction Depot.  That is a great illustration of a smart, common sense Green (un)building projects!  Paving the way economically and legislatively for reuse of existing materials makes complete “cradle to cradle” sense.

Here’s another example of what Thumbprint Endeavors can do to save energy and cut costs.  On a recent trip to Norway, Germany and Poland, of course, we were taking in everything Green and sustainable — like energy conservation measures and thinking how to help companies and organizations be more sustainable.

Seeing how other countries and cultures regard the environment and how they regard resources in their daily living is eye-opening.  What you see certainly makes you more aware of what is feasible and what is possible.  Smart room keys that serve as the master switch for the lighting and hvac in the room.  Key in, energy in the room is on, occupant takes key out, leaves the room, energy shuts down.  Many hotel chains are working toward being more green but some solutions seem obvious— perhaps fewer big screen tv’s could pay for this smarter technology? Even this one simple example raises the question – why are we not incorporating more of and these common sense cost-saving innovations in the U.S.? Contact us by phone or email so TE can assist with a workspace audit then work with your organization or hotel to implement the needed energy-saving measures and train your staff to enact sustainable behaviors. 

In July, Barret will be continuing his work with Rebuilding Together Metro Denver and Linda will be attending the International ESRI conference in San Diego.  What a great way to learn even more about how GIS and informed, intelligent data can give us a visual decision-making tool.  More great service and networking opportunities for us at Thumbprint Endeavors!