Nov/Dec 2006_FGBC

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Pinellas Receives First Green County Designation from FGBC

FGBC President Mike Houston presents the first Green Local Government Designation Certificate to Kenneth T. Welch, 2006 Chairman of the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners. Photo credit: Joan Panabaker, Pinellas County Communications Department.

Pinellas County received the designation as being the first green county and the first green local government in the state of Florida. A ceremony was held celebrating this significant achievement on December 12. The local government designation is the most comprehensive certification offered by the Coalition and signifies major environmental stewardship on the part of a local government in terms of in-house practices, local incentives and regulations, and education. Standout areas for Pinellas include water conservation; progressive solid waste collection; LED traffic signals; wildlife habitat preservation; the use of Energy Star appliances in affordable housing units; biodiesel use in the county's fleet, green land management policies and the Pinellas Living Green Expo.

Green Local Government Designation

Pinellas County Sustainability Web site

Comment on Proposed Changes to Green Home Standard

The green home standard is being updated with many proposed changes. The changes have been posted since November 14 -please send comments by December 21.
Changes proposed for Version 5:

Checklist

Process

Reference Guide

Top Ten Products for 2006 Announced

BuildingGreen, Inc., publisher of the GreenSpec Directory and Environmental Building News announced the 2006 Top-10 Green Building Products at GreenBuild in Denver. "The range of product types showing exemplary innovation is amazing," noted GreenSpec coeditor Alex Wilson. Three of BuildingGreen's winning products this year have the primary environmental attribute of saving energy. Two products save water. Three products are green in part because they are made from recycled waste; one is a system of salvaging material. Rounding out the list are an innovative way of turning an ordinary material, concrete, into one of the best flooring options for commercial buildings, and a provider of renewable energy credits, an excellent way for any building owner to support renewable energy. "Most of the Top-10 products this year have multiple environmental attributes," said Wilson. "New products seem to be appearing at an ever-faster pace," said Wilson. The GreenSpec database his company maintains now includes more than 2,100 product listings. Not all GreenSpec product listings or Top-10 selections are new to the market. "While many of the products we add to GreenSpec are brand new and innovative, others have been around for a while." said Wilson. "In some cases, we like to see evidence of success in the real world before recognizing green products." More info on 2006 top ten
	Retro-Plates process of creating beautiful floors of polished concrete earned a top-ten award.

	Sage Glass is is a multi-layer, thin-film tungsten-oxide coating that can change solar shading characteristics.

Florida Green Building Magazine
Deadline for sponsorship and promotional activities approaches

Builder Publications, Inc., is working in association with the Florida Green Building
Coalition (FGBC)/Florida Home Builders Association (FHBA) to develop a magazine
that will promote their Green Building Program and raise awareness on the different ways to conserve energy now and in the future. This publication will highlight builders currently participating in the program and educate future participants on how they can take part. In addition, this magazine will work as a resource guide for Florida builders seeking leading-edge manufacturers' environmental, energy-efficient products that will
help them. Two-page flyer

The deadline is approaching to be featured in this new publication. For information on Sponsorship and/or Advertising opportunities for this new green building, Florida specific publication, please contact Lynn Hudson, Builder Publications, Inc.- call toll-free 877-370-5100 or E-mail lynn@builderpublications.com

FGBC Executive Director

The Florida Green Building Coalition is soliciting to hire a qualified person to serve as an Executive Director for the organization on an independent contractor basis. FGBC is asking for a self-motivated person who has one or more of the following experiences:

Fundraising
Working with the building and development industry
Working in a leadership position with a non-profit organization
Creating, specifying, assessing or complying with green building standards.

This person should have good organization and communication skills as well as being able to make presentations to large and small groups. The candidate must be a Florida resident. The past executive director worked out of a home office. The organization is seeking other facilities. Location within Florida is flexible. A part-time clerical staff person will be hired to support the executive director. Full job description and application instructions.