The green building movement has received boosts from many different sectors, with one prominent source being when a city government backs such efforts.
At a Greenbuild Expo 2007 session entitled “A Tale of Two Cities,” attendees heard how
James Senall of the Greater Rochester Enterprise, an economic development agency in that region, detailed
With a push from Senator Hillary Clinton, the agency convened a brainstorming charette that ultimately produced a 12-point plan for
Those initiatives range from adhering to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) guidelines for public construction projects to recycling construction and demolition materials to tapping into a central city waterfall for hydro-electric power.
Senall is optimistic that the process has helped “get the business community engaged in the business benefits” of green practices. More information on
Jennifer Sanguinetti of the
In the redevelopment of a large urban tract that used to be a shipbuilding complex, the city’s urban planners have set up small hot water pumping systems that provide radiant in-floor heating to newly-constructed buildings.
According to Sanguinetti, the benefits have included an appeal to building owners and tenants who want to market the green aspects of the system as well as the energy independence offered at a time when energy prices are rising.
“It has been quite successful,” said Sanguinetti, who noted that the system, operating as Lonsdale Energy Corp., is being spread to other neighborhoods beyond the original target district.
More information on the system can be found at www.cnv.org.
The 2007 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo was held at