The East Tennessee Green Building Council Website

4/18  BD+C 252: LEED for New Construction Credit-by Credit Review: Sustainable Sites

This session explores the LEED Sustainable Sites category in a credit by credit format, reviewing the overall category intent and the individual intents of the prerequisites and credits within it. Learn the technical requirements of the credits and, through real-world case examples shared by USGBC LEED Faculty, strategies that work to achieve them.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (BD+C) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU/HSW/SD hours. 

5/16 BD+C 252: LEED for New Construction Credit-by Credit Review: Water Efficiency & Innovation in Design

This session explores two LEED credit categories – Water Efficiency and Innovation in Design – in a credit by credit format, reviewing the overall category intents and the individual intents of the prerequisites and credits within it. Learn the technical requirements of the credits and, through real-world case examples shared by USGBC LEED Faculty, strategies that work to achieve them.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (BD+C) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU/HSW/SD hours. 

6/20 BD+C 252: LEED for New Construction Credit-by Credit Review: Energy & Atmosphere

This session explores the LEED Energy and Atmosphere category in a credit by credit format, reviewing the overall category intent and the individual intents of the prerequisites and credits within it. Learn the technical requirements of the credits and, through real-world case examples shared by USGBC LEED Faculty, strategies that work to achieve them.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (BD+C) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU/HSW/SD hours. 

7/18 BD+C 252: LEED for New Construction Credit-by Credit Review: Materials & Resource

This session explores the LEED Materials and Resources category in a credit by credit format, reviewing the overall category intent and the individual intents of the prerequisites and credits within it. Learn the technical requirements of the credits and, through real-world case examples shared by USGBC LEED Faculty, strategies that work to achieve them.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (BD+C) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU/HSW/SD hours. 

8/15 BD+C 252: LEED for New Construction Credit-by Credit Review: Indoor Environmental Quality

This session will explore the LEED Indoor Environmental Quality category in a credit by credit format. We will look at the overall intent of this category, as well as the individual intent of the prerequisites and credits within it.  We will also discuss the requirements and verification steps necessary to achieve each credit and some real world examples of strategies used to fulfill each measure.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (BD+C) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU/HSW/SD hours.

Come celebrate Earth Day with USGBC East TN and join us for a screening of Carbon Nation

DATE:  April 20, 2012
SCREENING TIME:   11:30 prompt (film lasts 1 hr 24 min.)
LOCATIONS: Mill Room at Cherokee Mills,  2200 Sutherland Avenue, Knoxville, TN  37919

FOR MORE INFO & RSVP CONTACT: easttnusgbc@gmail.com – seating is limited to 50.  Reserve your seat early!  Please RSVP no later than 5:00 pm Wednesday, April 18

Parking:  Parking is available at any spot marked “visitor” or any unmarked spot on the north and west sides of the building.  Enter at the doors facing Sutherland on the west end of the building next to the Lunchbox.  Approaching the atrium area on your left, the Mill Room is accessible by going up the stairs or up one level in the elevator.

Admission:  With Lunch:  $12 for USGBC-ET chapter members and $18 for non-members No Lunch:  $7 for USGBC-ET chapter members and $12 for non-members. Payable by check or cash at the event check in desk.

Tired of the doom-and-gloom news about climate change? Carbon Nation is an inspirational, optimistic, solutions-based, non-partisan documentary by Director Peter Byck that illustrates why it’s incredibly smart to be a part of the new, low-carbon economy:  it’s good business, it emboldens national and energy security, and it improves health and the environment.

The film features a cast of engaging and endearing characters from across the country, in towns big and small, and introduces us to the new wave of American ingenuity. One-armed Texas cotton farmer Cliff Etheridge is banding together the land of small farmers to create one enormous wind farm.  Meanwhile, green jobs innovator Van Jones, is bringing clean technology and jobs to inner cities. Carbon Nation makes it clear that entrepreneurs, visionaries, scientists, and the everyday man are already creating the inventive ideas needed to combat climate change. By bringing their innovations to light, Carbon Nation is a film that celebrates solutions and inspires action.

Narrated by Bill Kurtis, the cast includes: Richard Branson (CEO, Virgin Group), Thomas L. Friedman (The New York Times), Former CIA Director James Woolsey, Van Jones (Founder, Green For All), Col. Dan Nolan, U.S. Army (Ret), Bernie Karl (Geothermal pioneer from Alaska), Denis Hayes (Founder of Earth Day), Cliff Etheredge (West Texas wind pioneer), and more climate change pioneers.

If you’d like to support the film, please visit their Facebook page www.facebook.com/carbonnationfilm  or website www.carbonnationmovie.com

This year the chapter webinars will take place Wednesdays from 11:30 to 1:00 at four different locations in Knoxville.

Time:          Webinars will be shown on Wednesdays from 11:30 until 1:00.
Lunches will not be served (brown bag).
Cost:         $5 – members, $10 – non-members
RSVP:         Email easttnusgbc@gmail.com at least one day before the webinar.

First Wednesday Webinars will be held at the offices of Brewer Ingram Fuller Architects

Location:  Brewer Ingram Fuller Architects
111 N Concord St  Knoxville, TN 37919
(Cherokee Mills building)
Parking:    Park in any space marked “Visitor” or unmarked spaces. Office entrance is on the east end of the lower level, on the back side of the building.
Size:           Limited to 10 attendees

April 4    LEED 209: The Evolution of LEED: Insights into Rating System Updates: Regionalization

Since 2009, LEED has awarded extra points to projects that achieve specific credits that address the unique environmental priorities of an area. These Regional Priority credits (RPCs) are existing LEED credits selected from the entire LEED rating system and given priority status. This webinar session will explore the process by which USGBC collaborates with its chapter volunteers to select RPCs, highlight opportunities for involvement and discuss key updates in the process from LEED 2009 to LEED 2012.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (BD+C, ID+C, O+M, HOMES, ND) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU/HSW/SD hours.

May 2    LEED 209: The Evolution of LEED: Insights into Rating System Updates: Weightings, Part 1: Process and Methods

Would you rather “do less harm”, or “do more good”? This fundamental question is the basis of LEED’s evolution. In LEED 2009, credit weightings were based on the EPA’s TRACI list to minimize negative environmental impacts. As LEED evolves, we flip the approach on its head by aligning credits directly with positive global outcomes. In the first of this two-part webinar, learn the process behind how key priorities drive current and future development of LEED. Impact categories, prioritization, credit weightings, and point allocation will all be discussed in depth. Upon completion of this webinar session, attendees will be able to summarize how LEED points are given different allocations and how those allocations evolve with LEED.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (BD+C, ID+C, O+M, ND, HOMES) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU hours.

June 6    LEED 209: The Evolution of LEED: Insights into Rating System Updates: Weightings, Part 2: Results of Point Allocations

What positive impacts do you want your LEED projects to accomplish? What is your strategy to gain more points? The good news is: these two desires are not mutually exclusive. In part two of “Evolution of LEED: Weightings”, the results of the weightings process on point allocation and the evolution of LEED is explained.

We explore the rationale behind key priorities driving rating system development and analyze the impact of weightings on global issues such as climate change, human health, economics and resource use and more. Top credits across each impact category and credit category will be explored to paint a clear picture of how the weightings process works and what the implications it will have on professional practice.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (BD+C, ID+C, O+M, ND, HOMES) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU hours.

Second Wednesday Webinars will be held at the offices of McCarty Holsaple McCarty

Location:  McCarty Holsaple McCarty
550 W. Main Street 3rd Floor| Knoxville, TN 37902
(Bank of America Building)
Parking:    Main St. parking garage behind Bank of America Building
Size:          Limited to 14 attendees

March 14   BD+C 25: Building & Material Reuse: Understanding the Challenges, Celebrating the Success

The LEED credits related to building reuse (Materials & Resources Credits 1.1 and 1.2) and material reuse (Materials & Resources Credits 3.1 and 3.2) are some of the least utilized credits within the rating system. In a time of increasingly limited resources and a growing awareness around sustainable stewardship, however, building and material reuse represents one of the ultimate forms of resource conservation. The reuse of existing built fabric can be economically pragmatic, nurture communities, and provide vision of how to live more sustainably.

Join USGBC for this exciting webinar session, addressing reuse and credit challenges and opportunities, innovative tools and resources available, and strategies to utilize reuse as a vehicle for creativity and sustainability. Upon completion of this webinar session, attendees will gain a greater understanding of how to integrate building and material reuse into their projects and useful strategies for navigating the related LEED credits.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (BD+C) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU/HSW/SD hours.

April 11    LEED 256: 405 Howard Street, A Case study in Cost Effective Strategies for Success

Multi-tenant building owners and managers are presented with unique challenges and opportunities when pursuing LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M certification. 405 Howard St, a multi-tenant office building in San Francisco achieved platinum certification by pursuing cost effective operational strategies with direct benefit to the bottom line. Join us as the professionals closest to this effort – the building owner, property manager, and LEED consultant – highlight the process, strategies, and decision making that contributed to this successful project.

Attendees will leave this training with a better understanding of LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M, through innovative operational strategies and key advice on overcoming challenges in the process.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of General (Not LEED Specific) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU/HSW/SD hours.

May 9    Daylighting & IEQ Credit 8.1: Understand the May Addendum & Achieving Success in Daylighting

Join USGBC for this engaging webinar session discussing the May addenda revisions to IEQ Credit 8.1: Daylight and Views—Daylight, and how these revisions are intended to help project teams earn the credit. Gain a deeper understanding of daylight best practices as our subject matter experts walk through examples and the available USGBC tools and resources. Upon completion of this webinar session, attendees will be able to articulate what changes were made to IEQc8.1, outline strategies for achieving the credit, and document credit achievement.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (BD+C, ID+C, O+M) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU/HSW/SD hours.

June 13   CERT 200: LEED Certification: Think Like a Reviewer

Can you imagine getting LEED Certification upon your projects preliminary review? It can be done! This module goes in-depth on how to write clear and concise narratives comments and provide the right documentation to ensure certification success. You will get a ‘behind the scene’ look into the mind of real LEED Certification Reviewers to learn the most common pit-falls in LEED Certification.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (BD+C, ID+C, O+M, ND) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU hours.

Third Wednesday Webinars will be held at the offices of Benefield|Richters

Location: Benefield Richters Office
516 Union Avenue | Knoxville, TN 37902
Parking: Market Square parking garage
Size: Limited to 10 attendees

March 21    ND 252: LEED for Neighborhood Development Credit-by Credit Review: The Prerequisites

The third session of a six-part series, this session will highlight all the prerequisite credits within the LEED for Neighborhood Development Rating System.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (ND) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU/HSW/SD hours.

April 18    ND 252: LEED for Neighborhood Development Credit-by Credit Review: Smart Location & Linkage

The fourth session of a six-part series, this session covers in-depth the credits in the Smart Location & Linkage category of the LEED for Neighborhood Development Rating System.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (ND) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU/HSW/SD hours.

May 16    ND 252: LEED for Neighborhood Development Credit-by Credit Review: Neighborhood Pattern & Design

The fifth session of a six-part series, this session highlights the credits within the Neighborhood Pattern & Design category of the LEED for Neighborhood Development Rating System.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (ND) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU/HSW/SD hours.

June 20   ND 252: LEED for Neighborhood Development Credit-by Credit Review: Green Infrastructure & Buildings

The sixth session of a six-part series, this session covers in detail the credits within the Green Infrastructure & Buildings credit category.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (ND) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU/HSW/SD hours.

Fourth Wednesday Webinars will be held at the offices of Strata-G

Location:   Strata-G
2027 Castaic Lane (Hardin Valley & Pellissippi)
Knoxville, TN 37932
Size:   Limited to 12

March 28   O+M 252:  LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance Credit-by-Credit Review: Materials & Resources

This session explores the LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance Materials and Resources category in a credit by credit format, reviewing the overall category intent and the individual intents of the prerequisites and credits within it. Learn the technical requirements of the credits and, through real-world case examples shared by USGBC LEED Faculty, strategies that work to achieve them.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (O+M) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU/HSW/SD hours.

April 25   O+M 252:  LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance Credit-by-Credit Review: Indoor Environmental Quality

This session will explore the LEED for Existing Buildings Operations & Maintenance Indoor Environmental Quality category in a credit by credit format. We will look at the overall intent of this category, as well as the individual intent of the prerequisites and credits within it. We will also discuss the requirements and verification steps necessary to achieve each credit and some real world examples of strategies used to fulfill each measure.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (O+M) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU/HSW/SD hours.

May 23   O+M 252:  LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance Credit-by-Credit Review: Sustainable Sites

This session explores the LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance Sustainable Sites category in a credit by credit format, reviewing the overall category intent and the individual intents of the prerequisites and credits within it. Learn the technical requirements of the credits and, through real-world case examples shared by USGBC LEED Faculty, strategies that work to achieve them.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (O+M) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU/HSW/SD hours.

 June 27  O+M 252:  LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance Credit-by-Credit Review: Water Efficiency & Innovation in Design

This session explores two LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance credit categories – Water Efficiency and Innovation in Operations – in a credit by credit format, reviewing the overall category intents and the individual intents of the prerequisites and credits within it. Learn the technical requirements of the credits and, through real-world case examples shared by USGBC LEED Faculty, strategies that work to achieve them.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (O+M) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU/HSW/SD hours.

July 25   O+M 252:  LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance Credit-by-Credit Review: Energy & Atmosphere

This session explores the LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance Energy and Atmosphere category in a credit by credit format, reviewing the overall category intent and the individual intents of the prerequisites and credits within it. Learn the technical requirements of the credits and, through real-world case examples shared by USGBC LEED Faculty, strategies that work to achieve them.

This session is approved for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (O+M) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU/HSW/SD hours.

On Thursday February 16^th, the East Tennessee Chapter of the USGBC hosted the High Performance + Healthy Schools Symposium. Select schools and companies received awards recognizing their exemplar work towards the goal of high performing and healthy schools. The recipients included the Knox County Schools in the Outstanding School District category; Oak Ridge High School and White Pine Elementary School for Outstanding School; E.L. Ross Elementary School for Outstanding School Group; and Johnson City Power Board for Community Outreach.

Zane Foraker accepting the Outstanding School District award for Knox County Schools

Outstanding School District Knox County Schools

Knox County Schools demonstrated excellence by researching and implementing newest energy-saving technologies, actively seeking to improve school maintenance efficiency and quality. The school system significantly reduced spending through education in energy efficiency and demand response programs.

Ken Greene accepting the Outstanding School award for Oak Ridge High School

Outstanding School Oak Ridge High School

Oak Ridge High School has the honor of being the first LEED certified school in East Tennessee. The building design is not only beautiful, but earned the LEED Silver certification for reduced energy consumption by 26%, and reduced water usage by 22%. The redesigned school also provided natural light to 85% of the study spaces, which studies show to significantly increase student performance.

Audrey Hughes accepting the award for Outstanding School for White Pine Elementary

Outstanding School White Pine Elementary School

White Pine Elementary School, located in Jefferson County, received their award for outstanding work in sustainability. Through grants teachers are able to further the school mission of promoting conservation, recycling, environmental education, and protection of endangered species.  Students learn about sustainability in various ways, from native plant gardens and composting with earthworms to home energy audits.

Sarah Hindmon accepting the Outstanding School Group award for E.L. Ross Elementary

Outstanding School Group E.L. Ross Elementary School

E.L. Ross Elementary School which is a part of Cleveland City Schools, has a team of 30 students completely engaged in energy efficiency. Students perform shut-down services for teachers, engage the whole school in energy-efficiency poster contests and energy competitions, work with the maintenance department to resolve issues in the school uncovered by student-led audits, and take the message home and into the community.

Josh Cole accepting the Community Outreach award for Johnson City Power Board

Community Outreach Johnson City Power Board

The power board actively promotes building and energy efficiency through education to all area schools; faculty, staff, students, and parents have attended seminars on everything from insulation to lighting both at schools and at home. Johnson City Power Board has actively encouraged student participation in energy efficiency measures.

The primary focus of High Performance Healthy Schools Symposium was improving student learning environments through innovations in building design and technology. Case Studies were presented to illustrate specific examples of schools and programs in use today. The symposium was geared towards energy and facilities managers, educators, administrators, school board members, and parents who are interested in increasing student learning potential by creating a comfortable, efficient, and healthy learning environment.

The Symposium was very well received with over 75 people in attendance including school board members, educators, architects, engineers, and students from Pellissippi State and the Knoxville STEM Academy.  The Symposium was sponsored by TVA Energy Right program, with support from Trane, Enernoc, and PlanET.

In this intensive session for existing homes, participants learn how the many complex changes in home design, building materials, mechanical systems, appliances, consumer lifestyles and expectations over the last 30 years make the building industry more complex and demanding. The session outlines the basic building science physics of air, heat and moisture flow that every builder should know so they can find new business opportunities and avoid the risks inherent in both new construction and remodel projects.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the fundamentals of air, heat and moisture flow and see how they can be applied to remodeling projects and new home construction to make them more efficient, safe, healthy, durable and comfortable
• Applying building science to common remodel projects such as roofing, re-siding, weatherization, kitchen & bath replacements, windows, foundation & home renewal initiatives
• Identify the best, most cost-effective technical details and process changes needed to achieve the new ENERGY STAR V3 requirements and the new IECC 2009 code changes
• Learn about the successes of other remodelers and builders who have benefited from implementing energy efficiency objectives into their projects

Where: Knoxville Area Association of Realtors Office  |  609 Weisgarber Road  |  Knoxville, TN 37919

When:  February 17^th, 2012  |  Registration: 8:00 am  |   Session: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Cost:    $125 | $140 After 2/10

For more information visit the event website.

A great opportunity to purge your materials library and make an artist or a teacher very happy! You may have little use for a 5×3 inch piece of linoleum or a stack of 2 inch laminate samples, but those very same materials present endless opportunities for a mixed media artist. I hope you will support this event through material donations or as a volunteer.

Last month the Knoxville branch of the East Tennessee USGBC chapter held its first annual Green Light Awards to honor volunteers and organizations that have made exemplary contributions to sustainability in the built environment.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory received the inaugural Green Light Community Leadership Award, accepted by Jimmy Stone, Director of the Facilities and Operations Directorate. USGBC-East Tennessee wished to recognize ORNL for its outstanding leadership in research, education, and implementation of sustainable building practices. ORNL showed an early commitment to sustainability by certifying some of the first LEED buildings in Tennessee, and has since completed an impressive 15 LEED Certified projects. Thank you, ORNL!

Some of the chapter’s committed volunteers were also recognized for their hard work. Here is a list of the chapter winners:

Outstanding chapter leadership:
Steve Weiand, outgoing chair of the Board of Directors

Outstanding committee leadership:
Education:  Paul Bielicki, Lisa Hoskins
Advocacy:  Jennifer Alldredge, Rick Held
Communications:  Monika Miller
Membership:  John McMillan

Next month the Chattanooga region of the chapter will host it’s first Green Light Awards. The event will be held on February 9 at green|spaces.