Southern Sierran
The Green Building Committee

By Lore Pekrul
Chair, Green Building Committee

What’s the Green Building Committee been doing?

What GBC has been doing. The Green Building Committee first met in May, 2007. We’ve spent time learning about and supporting green building programs as they form in Los Angeles and Orange Counties (and currently focus as a group most closely on events in Los Angeles City, Los Angeles County and in Long Beach). Invited speakers such as Lance Williams, Ph.D., Exec. Director of USGBC-L.A. have helped us to understand the green building scenario in southern California. We look forward to additional speakers at meetings in 2008 — next scheduled is Brian Parker of Build It Green, who will talk with us about this Berkeley-based non-profit organization’s GreenPoint Rated point system.

Photo courtesy Lore Pekrul One of the nation’s most environmentally friendly buildings, the Audubon Center at Debs Park.

We have also learned how community backing and local political will resulted in the unique characteristics of programs in San Monica, West Hollywood and Pasadena. The City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County proposed green building programs are of great interest to the Committee (as well as to Angeles Chapter ) because of the promise they hold to make significant and quantifiable reductions in greenhouse gas( GHG) emissions over time.

Who joins the Committee?

Our Committee members are varied — one or two of each: architects, landscape architects, civil engineers, other types of engineers, MBAs, interior designers, writers, attorneys, IT technical, urban planners, teachers, and more, as well as people who are just interested in green building. Jim Stewart, Ph.D., Co-chair of the Chapter’s Global Warming, Energy, Air Quality Committee also attends our meetings and provides us with essential climate change and strategic perspectives.

Stop by one of our Committee meetings, which are held on fourth Wednesdays of each month at the Angeles Chapter Offices. Learn how to compare and contrast green building program elements, and take this knowledge back to your local Angeles Chapter group to support green building efforts in your own community.

Goals for 2008

Our Committee’s 2008 goals include reaching out to Chapter Groups and Task Forces. Please let us know if you like to join the GreenSupport listserv by emailing Jennifer Robinson at jennifer.robinson@sierraclub.org. We’ll provide you with information about the best ways to advocate for green buildings in your community. If you have web design experience, we need one or two more people to help with our web page setup. Part of our 2008 plan involves education and outreach via the web. We also need hike leaders for green (educational) hikes for Sierra Club members to locations such as Audubon Center at Debs Park in Pasadena as well as those in urban contexts.

Photo courtesy Lore Pekrul The Audubon Center has a LEED Platinum Rating.

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