“We are committed to helping our clients create sustainable and energy efficient environments. We wanted to do the same for our own building and lower the total cost of ownership by reducing energy requirements and our environmental impact.”

Frank Harshaw
President and CEO, 
Harshaw Trane

 

 

 

See More Kentucky LEED Project Profiles HERE

 

Chapter News

 

Nancy ChurchKentucky U.S. Green Building Council Names Nancy Church Executive Director

Louisville, KY - May 6, 2013

The Kentucky U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has named Louisville native Nancy Church as Executive Director. The KY USGBC, a local chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for Kentucky through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. 

“Nancy's energy and passion in conjunction with her experience is a great asset for the chapter,” said KY USGBC Board Chair Chris Tyler. “And we're looking forward to working with Nancy to take the KY USGBC, and our Commonwealth, to the next level of sustainability - together.”

Read the press release HERE.

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Project Tour and Louisville Green Scene Combined! May 29

Join us for a tour of Liberty Green Community Center. Then step over to neighboring NuLu for a Louisville Green Scene. 

 

Wednesday, May 29

• 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. - Project Tour at Liberty Green 
• 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. - Green Scene in the East Market Street District (NuLu), currently LEED®-registered for Neighborhood Development  

RSVP here for one or both events 

Liberty Green is a mixed income community in the Phoenix Hill neighborhood that replaced the 1940's era public housing development known as Clarksdale. This project tour will feature the LEED Silver Community Center, which houses Louisville Metro Housing Authority (LMHA) offices, apartments, community meeting/training rooms, classrooms and a commercial kitchen. 

A Green Scene will follow in neighboring NuLu, which is part of the LEED-registered East Market Street District, home to several LEED-registered and certified buildings.

RSVP here for one or both events. 

 

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Green Scene with a Twist - LexingtonLexington Green Scene with a Twist - April 24

On Wednesday, April 24th, members and friends of Kentucky USGBC met at the Bread Box located at 501 West Sixth Street in Lexington, home of West Sixth Brewing Company and FoodChain. We gathered for a tour of FoodChain, the non-profit neighbor of West Sixth Brewing Company. Rebecca Self, Executive Director, gave our group a special tour of the facility, which is currently undergoing construction of an indoor aquaponics system.  See more HERE

 

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Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and Frank Harshaw, Harshaw TraneHarshaw Trane honored for LEED certification

Harshaw Trane, Kentucky’s leading provider of sustainable energy environments and HVAC systems, has been honored with the LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for its headquarters building in Louisville.

From left to right: Doug Peabody, Hollenbach-Oakley; Clifford Ashburner, Kentucky U.S. Green Building Council; Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer; Frank Harshaw, Harshaw Trane; and Greg Guess, KY Cabinet for Energy and EnvironmentThe award is the second national certification for Harshaw Trane and the sixth certification for Blankenbaker Station, a successful Louisville business park the company calls home. The concentration of LEED certified buildings is the largest in Kentucky, earning the park the distinction as a place “where green grows green” by Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer.  

On April 22, Fischer and leaders of the USGBC and Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet celebrated Earth Day by honoring Frank Harshaw, president and CEO of Harshaw Trane, and Hollenbach-Oakley, developers of Blankenbaker Crossing.  

 

• Read the News Release HERE   
• NEW  LEED Project Profile HERE

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RossTarrant Architects - Lexington, KentuckyRossTarrant Architects Project Tour - Insider Notes

The April 17th Lexington Project Tour featured the offices of RossTarrant Architects, the first architectural firm in Kentucky to earn LEED Gold for its own office building.  

The firm’s commitment to green design is apparent from the moment you set foot on the property. The parking lot is made of pervious pavement to mitigate stormwater runoff and reduce the heat island effect. Specially marked parking spaces encourage carpooling. Native and drought resistant plantings adorn the landscape, and a canopy over the side entrance is actually a solar thermal water heater.  See more HERE 

 

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Info Flow: A Networking EventInfo Flow: A Networking Event - April 23

Members and guests of the Associated General Contractors of Kentucky and the Kentucky U.S. Green Building Council got together at the Green Building in Louisville for an evening of great networking, eats and fun!  

See More HERE

  

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RossTarrant Architects Project TourRossTarrant Architects Project Tour - April 17

 

RossTarrant Architects had run out of room to expand. When the firm made a 1950s-era building its new home, the potential for applying sustainable design practices to the renovation was obvious. RossTarrant was proud to receive LEED Gold certification for the new space. Daylighting is a central element of the new design. See More HERE

 

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Green Schools Presentation - Cliff Ashburner

 

 

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Louisville Green Scene March 2013Louisville Green Scene Report - March 27

The Louisville Green Scene held at Ramsi's Café on the World. Green Scene is a great opportunity to meet and learn about other people and businesses involved in sustainability. Chris Tyler, Kentucky USGBC Board Chair, welcomed everyone and provided an update about future educational and networking events. Green Scenes are scheduled each month, alternating between Lexington and Louisville. See more HERE.

 

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Third Annual Green Schools National Conference

The Kentucky USGBC was well represented at the Third Annual Green Schools National Conference in the City of West Palm Beach Florida in February 2013. This three day event was organized by The Green Schools National Network. The GSNN mission is to advance the national green and healthy schools movement by connecting like-minded and passionate education, non-profit, corporate and public sector individuals and organizations. 

Chris TylerChris Tyler, our Board Chairman, provided a break-out session presentation on Green Schools & Common Ground: Accelerating our Movement. 

The presentation was on February 23 and the session description read:  Through increased participation from elected officials, community leaders, and school decision makers at all levels, the green schools movement has made significant strides garnering true bipartisan support. This session will highlight lessons learned over the past year and engage the audience in a discussion about this common ground.

Presenting along with Chris Tyler was Nathaniel Allen, USGBC Center for Green Schools.

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Lunch & Learn LexingtonLunch & Learn Report - March 13 

The Lunch & Learn program on March 13, 2013 educated us about how the ancient material of CONCRETE meets modern construction goals and code requirements. We reviewed in-place concrete structures as a testament to concrete’s durability and disaster resilience.  Energy efficiency construction methods using concrete, including net-zero buildings, were covered. Jill Lewis Smith, AIA, NCARB, President, Civic Consultants Inc. did an excellent job educating and engaging the participants. Brett Ruffing, Education Committee Elected Rep, introduced the speaker. Chris Tyler, Board of Directors Chair, welcomed us to his training room and gave a brief chapter update. Brett is the Education and Technology Specialist at Kentucky Ready Mixed Concrete Association and Chris is the Sustainability Engineer at Thermal Equipment Sales. Article and photographs by Communications Committee Event Reporter Tom Hailey of Bristol Group. See More HERE

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Lexington Green Scene February 2013Lexington Green Scene Report - February 27

A little snow and cold winds could not keep a couple dozen chapter members and guests from gathering at Glenn's Creek Brewery in Lexington on Wednesday evening, February 27, 2013 for a Green Scene networking event. Business cards were exchanged and conversations held about mutual interests in Greening Kentucky. Emily Ashburn, Director of Business Development & Account Services for Paladin gets the credit for the arrangements with the venue. Chris Tyler, Sustainability Engineer with Thermal Equipment Sales, and the KY USGBC Board Chairman, brought us up to date on chapter business. He announced upcoming events and the search for a new executive director. Central Kentucky members look forward to more Green Scenes in Lexington in 2013. See More HERE

Photography and article by Communications Committee Event Reporter Tom Hailey of Bristol Group. 

 

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Greg Parsons, Stites and Harbison"Green Law" A Collection of Case Studies and Lessons Learned - February 26

The Kentucky USGBC participated in the AIA/CSI Annual Trade Fair at the Galt House in Louisville on February 26 by hosting a two hour Green Law presentation. Greg Parsons of Stites and Harbison presented an in-depth legal perspective on Green Building, LEED Litigation, and Standard Green Building Contract Provisions and Practical Considerations. The presentation included a backdrop of several court cases and legal precedents from around the country. About seventeen A/E/C professionals attended.

Photography and article by Chapter Communications Committee Event Reporter Tom Hailey of Bristol Group. 

 

 

 

 

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Advocacy Day 2013 

The 2013 Kentucky USGBC Advocacy Day was a success. On Thursday, February 7, twenty-one chapter members gathered in Frankfort, Kentucky during the second day of the legislator’s session.Kentucky USGBC Advocacy Day - Frankfort, Kentucky

The group’s purpose was to:

• Introduce the Kentucky U.S. Green Building Council to Kentucky Legislators
• Educate them about the KY Green Schools Caucus and encourage participation in Caucus meetings
• Build awareness and support of green building
• Make them aware of the legislation we are supporting

The group gathered at 8:30 am in the Capitol Annex to review the objectives and agenda for the day.

Chris Tyler, Ryan Daugherty, and Brett Ruffing lead the orientation session. Then teams of three or four people were formed, each with a group leader. These teams met with about 30 legislators in individual meetings throughout the morning and after the legislative session concluded in the afternoon. 

See more HERE

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LEED UP Louisville January 2013LEED UP Report - January 16

On Wednesday, January 16th over 30 LEED professionals gathered at Wyatt Tarrant & Combs law offices in Louisville for a great informational program on LEED building certification tips and slips.  Though it was cold and wintery outside, the conversations and presentations were warming and well received.  

Brandon Martin, Chief of Mechanical Design at the Louisville District of USACE and the Technical Lead for the Regional Center of Expertise in Energy, Sustainability, and LCCA, and Steve Thibaudeau, civil engineer at the US Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, shared their experiences with LEED certification applications and government reviews of LEED credits to help you avoid their own and observed LEED Certification "slips”. See Presentation HERE.

Eric Senn presented on behalf of Land Design and Development about the Kosair Children's Medical Center at Old Brownsboro Crossing.  See Presentation HERE

Thank you to our gracious hosts Wyatt Tarrant & Combs for welcoming us to their conference center and providing lunch.

Chris Head
Executive Director
Kentucky U.S. Green Building Council