We're going to share the journey of constructing the first two LEED -certified buildings in our region.
Carolyn and Jerry Holleran have graciously agreed to share their story as they build an energy efficient and environmentally friendly home, while we at Berks County Community Foundation build our area’s first green office building.
Why’d we do it?
Well, we needed a home for The Community Foundation. We’re growing rapidly and we’re running out of space in the building that has housed us for the past decade. But the choice to grow into a green space really preceded all other decisions. We felt it was important for several reasons.
First, we need to lead.
Berks County dramatically lags other regions in adopting green building technology. Someone needed to break the log-jam and take the plunge. We think the reason no one has ever built a green building here is that, well, no one has ever built a green building. In ten years, all buildings will be constructed this way, but the Community Foundation has a special obligation to provide leadership.
Since we stepped forward, several other organizations committed using green elements in their construction. More than 300 people attended our official groundbreaking ceremony in June, which tells us something about the excitement surrounding this project.
In other words, we’re already on our way to creating a green building revolution in Berks County.
Second, it’s a smart move financially.
Green Building no longer costs "more". Sure, you’ll still hear architects and builders who don’t want to change their old ways claim that it does, but the research just doesn’t bear that out. Our building will save us hundreds of thousands (perhaps millions) of dollars over its lifetime, making it a wise financial investment for an organization that manages permanent endowments.
Finally, climate change is a global problem with local solutions.
Communities cannot afford to sit back and wait for "Washington" or "Harrisburg" to address the problems of the energy crisis and climate change. People don’t live "on the globe"; they live in communities. Our building is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to educate our region about ways that all of us can work together to preserve the environment…..and our way of life.
So check back often, we’ll be updating this blog all the time as our two projects progress. And don’t forget to tune into BCTV every month for Building Green, a half-hour show featuring architects Bill Vitale of Designworks Architects and Alex Vondeling of Re:Vision Architects. Show archives are available online.
Kevin Murphy
President
Berks County Community Foundation
No comments:
Post a Comment