The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 Office of Pollution Prevention and Innovation has introduced the 2009 Southeastern Lifecycle Construction Conference to be held in
“Now more than ever we need to focus on sustainable design processes and construction to protect both our environment and our wallets,” said Stan Meiburg, Acting EPA regional administrator. “This conference will encourage building professionals throughout the Southeast to think of sustainability first when planning construction projects.”
Lifecycle construction examines the environmental and economic impacts and the overall sustainability of the construction process from planning to final use of the building, according to the press release. This will be the first conference of its kind with a specific focus on green construction practices and design in the Southeast, the EPA says.
Some of the issues that will be addressed at the conference include drought, congestion, diminished air quality, storm water, energy costs, greenhouse gas emissions and construction waste and recycling.
There will be discussions about the industry’s carbon footprint and the green market and the creation of “green jobs.” Regional and national experts will be in attendance to discuss the full construction lifecycle, and there will be many opportunities to network with federal, state and local government officials and regulators.
The conference will also consider the complete construction lifecycle - site preparation; building materials selection; debris management; air pollution control; storm water and sediment control; demolition; converting buildings for reuse; design for disassembly and creating buildings that facilitate and anticipate future changes.
More information is available at www.lifecycleconstruction.net/.