Thumbprint Endeavors

Just In . . . Now there are Two LEED Associates with TE!

noreply@blogger.com (Thumbprint Endeavors) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:38:00 +0000

Newsflash! Yes, it is true. Linda is now officially a LEED Green Associate.

EcoBuild 2011 and Happy Holidays!

noreply@blogger.com (Thumbprint Endeavors) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:22:00 +0000

Once again early December brought me to Washington DC for the EcoBuild Conference. This year I teamed up with Nadja Turek, PE and LEED AP, to present what might have been the session with the longest title (Leveraging Geospatial Information for Sustainable Solutions at the Ecosystem, Campus and Community Scales). We also covered a lot of ground from very big picture to the very detailed stressing the importance of gathering quantitative data and qualitative testimonials in order to influence people’s decisions and actions to live sustainably and responsibly. Our closing slide was:

Live like it matters. Live like what you do has an impact – it does matter to all of the other living organisms on this planet, Earth.

There were many good discussions and presentations but one in particular has had me thinking about “what’s possible”. It was about the Net Zero Energy building at NREL. Take a look —http://www.bdcnetwork.com/2011-zero-and-net-zero-energy-buildings-homes. Very Interesting!

With that, Best Wishes to You and Yours for a Happy Holiday Season and let us make 2012 a Prosperous, Green, Sustainable Year!

~ The Thumbprint Endeavors Team

GreenBuild 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Thumbprint Endeavors) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 15:03:00 +0000

GreenBuild 2011!

At Thumbprint Endeavors LLC, we continue to learn about and educate others about the economics in efficient green buildings and sustainability. We also develop plans for building occupants to incorporate Green Living Strategies into their daily lives. I’ve just returned (no thanks to the debacle at Toronto Airport) from 2011 GreenBuild Conference. Attendance was up, exhibits and presentations were top notch and the conference was very well organized. I especially enjoyed the sessions on building sustainable communities and Kudos to the Green Schools group for a relaxing and informative space, well done.

Thomas Friedman’s remarks, in his keynote speech, were to the point and well worth a listen if you could not heard him in the arena or if you just want to know how 1979 was such an incredible turning point in U.S. history and how those decisions and others are still impacting us today.

While waiting for hours at the airport, I had many conversations but the one summed up much of the overall take away that captured the mood of the conference. While the Green Building community is trying to keep our footing, it is easy to become discouraged as we look at all of the economic indicators. Instead Ian McKee with EcoArenas commented that we should not get down or give in, rather we need to envision what is possible. Our focus needs to be the best outcome for the future of the planet and her inhabitants. While much has been accomplished, there is still so much to be done building-wise and people-wise. So, for me and for Thumbprint Endeavors, it is this continuing collective wave of sustainability and Green Building, gathering strength and washing over the Earth as we engage and build community. Seriously, what other alternative do we have if we believe in a future for our children, our country, our planet?

I am really looking to attending the AASHE (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education conference in Pittsburgh PA next week. Here’s hoping traveling will be smoother and that the conference will be informative and a good networking opportunity.

Summer 2011 is So Busy!

noreply@blogger.com (Thumbprint Endeavors) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 00:22:00 +0000

Summer 2011 is so busy for us at Thumbprint Endeavors!

Linda attended the regional USGBC conference, Greening The Heartland in Cincinnati in mid-June. The Cincinnati Zoo, Cincinnati Public Schools and more organizations presented about their Green Building efforts. The City of Cincinnati and the University of Cincinnati outlined their programs to implement sustainability programs. What a great opportunity to hear some informative sessions and to meet great folks who are all about Green and Sustainability in the Cincinnati area!

Barret has continued working with Rebuild Together Metro Denver as a Skills Captain, which means mentoring and helping supervise and coordinate volunteer green building efforts. The Denver USGBC Emerging Professionals group, that Barret is an active member of, supports Habitat for Humanity and projects like The Grow Haus. Thumbprint Endeavors LLC does too!

In July, Linda attended the International ESRI conference in San Diego. This conference brings over 15,000 people from all over the world and all kinds of businesses and conservation organizations to display the most recent GIS data that has been collected and the latest innovations out there. The Map Gallery is just incredible so be sure to look at that online. It was a terrific learning opportunity and a chance to talk with so many of us who are using GIS tools to make informed, intelligent decisions about our built and natural environment.

These were all great networking opportunity for us at Thumbprint Endeavors!

A very busy Summer for Thumbprint Endeavors!

noreply@blogger.com (Thumbprint Endeavors) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:01:00 +0000

Here's what's going on with TE . . .

Barret has working with Rebuild Together Metro Denver as a Skills Captain, which means mentoring and helping supervise and coordinate volunteer green building efforts. The Denver USGBC Emerging Professionals group that Barret is an active member of supports Habitat for Humanity and projects like The Grow Haus. Thumbprint Endeavors LLC does too!

This week is the Greening The Heartland in Cincinnati and Linda will be attending this regional USGBC conference. This is a great opportunity to learn what is being done, what is possible and who is doing the Green in our communities, schools, healthcare facilities and in our built environment. Just look for the Thumbprint Endeavors logo on our shirts and let's talk.

Speaking of GTH, One presentation that I want to hear is about the Architectural Reuse Company. James Kent II, a partner in the group, said that this Dayton company was recently recognized as a national leader in Deconstruction and Reclaiming materials from buildings that are slated for demolition. Deconstruction of these sometimes decade-old structures, creates jobs and the recycled building materials are then resold by St. Vincent de Paul Deconstruction Depot. That is a great illustration of a smart, common sense Green (un)building projects! Paving the way economically and legislatively for reuse of existing materials makes complete “cradle to cradle” sense.

Here’s another example of what Thumbprint Endeavors can do to save energy and cut costs. On a recent trip to Norway, Germany and Poland, of course, we were taking in everything Green and sustainable — like energy conservation measures and thinking how to help companies and organizations be more sustainable.

Seeing how other countries and cultures regard the environment and how they regard resources in their daily living is eye-opening. What you see certainly makes you more aware of what is feasible and what is possible. Smart room keys that serve as the master switch for the lighting and hvac in the room. Key in, energy in the room is on, occupant takes key out, leaves the room, energy shuts down. Many hotel chains are working toward being more green but some solutions seem obvious— perhaps fewer big screen tv’s could pay for this smarter technology? Even this one simple example raises the question – why are we not incorporating more of and these common sense cost-saving innovations in the U.S.? Contact us by phone or email so TE can assist with a workspace audit then work with your organization or hotel to implement the needed energy-saving measures and train your staff to enact sustainable behaviors.

In July, Barret will be continuing his work with Rebuilding Together Metro Denver and Linda will be attending the International ESRI conference in San Diego. What a great way to learn even more about how GIS and informed, intelligent data can give us a visual decision-making tool. More great service and networking opportunities for us at Thumbprint Endeavors!

Earth Day must be Every Day

noreply@blogger.com (Thumbprint Endeavors) — Mon, 02 May 2011 12:19:00 +0000

This idea can’t be stated too strongly. All one has to do is see some of the videos like the ones I showed for Earth Day events to see that we absolutely need to get serious about taking more responsibility for conserving the Earth and its resources. All we need to do is take a look at Tapped or Trashed, Gasland (PBS on the topic) or Greening the Federal Government to see the challenges and some solutions for the water, resource and energy issues that face us now. We just cannot leave this for some future time to start reducing our consumption and wastefulness.

This is not a radical idea. Just look back a couple of generations and you will see that until the end of WWII, Americans had a very conservative ethic that served us well. We were certainly not perfect, but we understood how to support local communities and reuse until something was worn out. Then consumerism, fashion, planned obsolescence and shopping took over as advertising overtook our clearer-thinking minds. Take a look at the story of stuff to get a good look and rethink where we are and where we are going vs. what we need to be about.

There are some very bright spots on the horizon like corporate leaders who are truly embracing sustainability and Green. Ray Anderson with Interface carpet is one of those businessmen. Marketing strategies tell us that peer pressure is the key here be that “they’re recycling, so it must be ok” or “he’s not going to be more Green than I am” and so on. We just need to be sure we are getting the word out there and equally important, influence others to join us in Greening our buildings and workplace, including our behaviors. That’s where Thumbprint Endeavors can help!

Speaking of Thumbprint Endeavors —where we have been and what we have been about . . .

For Barret, last week focused on the CO USGBC Rocky Mountain Green 2011 April 20-21 at the Marriott Denver Tech Center. On Wednesday, he participated in the Indoor Air Quality track and on Thursday, he was the Innovations Track Manager. This conference and the many Denver Metro USGBC group’s events are informative and help Barret to stay current on Green Building practices and products as well as providing great networking opportunities.

The last couple of weeks have been very busy for Linda. She presented a session on LEED at the TMA Users Conference in mid-April in Tulsa OK, with good reviews and follow-up discussions. She was also been busy planning and delivering Earth Day 2011 events. April 21st was the Symposium on Sustainability in Health Care hosted by Wright State University and Heapy Engineering. This was a great opportunity to hear speakers, like Gail Vittori, Co-Director, Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, James Moler, PE with Turner Construction and Erik Andersen, AIA with HOK, Inc., share their experiences and ideas on green building in Healthcare. This was follow-on event to Robin Guenther's talk in October 2010.

Be sure to say Hello and talk awhile when you see Barret in Denver or Linda at the Dayton Green Drinks. Green Drinks is now an international happening with events in just about every city. These are great casual networking events for those of us in Green-related organizations and the informal presentations where Green Ideas are informative and springboards for great discussions. Check it out, stop by and say Hi!

Perhaps it is Earth Day Approaching in April

noreply@blogger.com (Thumbprint Endeavors) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:22:00 +0000

Perhaps it is Spring arriving in a few days after a long winter but our ringing phones and full email inboxes are as welcome as daffodils at Thumbprint Endeavors!

Upcoming Places You’ll See Us!

Barret has become a regular at the First Monday events hosted by the Denver Metro USGBC at the downtown REI store. These presentations are informative and help him stay current on Green Building. They are great networking opportunities. He will also be attending and helping out with the CO USGBC Rocky Mountain Green 2011 April 20-21 at the Marriott Denver Tech Center.

Linda will be very busy for the next few weeks with planning for Earth Day 2011 events and the Symposium on Sustainability in Health Care April 21st hosted by Wright State University, SOCHE and Heapy Engineering. She will also be presenting on LEED at the TMA Users Conference in mid-April in Tulsa OK. And on April 16th, Linda will be presenting on the Ohio Leave No Child Inside Collaboratives at the Environmental Education Council of Ohio (EECO) conference at Maumee Bay State Park on the shores of Lake Erie.

Some Food for Green Thought as Another Spring Arrives

As we hear the devastating natural disasters and the violent weather in the news and we look at the economic and political landscape surrounding us, perhaps it is time to reflect on where we are now.

There is much truth in the expression, “Think Globally, Act Locally”. Whether we are discussing food or building materials, the overall costs of transportation really point to the need to realize the global impacts of our purchases and the need to support our local economy and creating the kinds of sustainable communities that make us all feel we are a part of something worthwhile, that sense of belonging that makes us human. Well-known, rational, smart authors like Bill McKibben, Paul Hawken and Thomas Friedman have spent their literary careers explaining why it is time to really put our shoulder into it and make the needed changes happen.

Recently, another voice brought the message on another level, literally because she lends a female voice and perspective to the discussion, Helena Norberg-Hodge. She and her collaborators have produced two powerful works, “Happiness of Economics” and “Ancient Futures”.

“You are what you eat”, another expression that has been around for a while. Think about it – which would you rather picture yourself as a mass-produced super-sized pattie-melt consumer or a locally-produced healthy, fresh and you-know-where-it-came-from-and-how-it –was-grown consumer? If you haven’t already done so, check out “King Corn” and “Fresh”. They are eye-opening. City Bountiful shares a wealth of information about the ebb and flow of community gardening as well as the more tenacious and stable food production projects in urban environments.

We hope that everyone has can share the joy of gardening and consuming fresh produce from farmer’s markets this summer while supporting local communities.

It is critical that we begin thinking about these things and Acting on them — given that it is all about Green and Sustainable Life Choices!

The Most Recent News and Events with the Thumbprint Endeavors Team

noreply@blogger.com (Thumbprint Endeavors) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:56:00 +0000

The Most Recent News and Events with the Thumbprint Endeavors Team . . .

By way of an update, both Barret and Linda participated in the ASES National Solar Tour (http://www.ases.org/ ) the first weekend in October 2010. Of course, he was in Denver CO and she was hosting the event at Wright State University to showcase the Solar Thermal Array on that partial heats the water in the Student Union Pool. In both Dayton OH and Denver, the events were well attended and the goal of informing the public about renewable energy sources continues.

Linda attended and presented at two conferences in the October − the Research Symposium at the annual conference of the North American Association for Environmental Education (Buffalo NY) and the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (http://www.aashe.org/). Her AASHE session detailing her Spring 2010 community service learning class that involved WSU students in community gardening projects and helped 6th graders in an urban school to learn about tree species and GIS was very well attended and great discussion followed her presentation − always a good sign.

In December 2010, Linda attended the 2010 EcoBuild Conference in D. C. She commented, “I always feel that I benefit from the various presentations and discussions related to sustainability and green building. This year I primarily attended sessions on sustainable community planning and one very informative session about the USGBC Green Schools initiative. The follow up discussions and side conversations were very interesting.”

The Leadership Team Retreat for the Ohio Leave No Child Inside Collaboratives met December 3rd and 4th at The Wilds. Linda is proud to be a part of this small but very dedicated group of individuals from around the state of Ohio who volunteer their expertise, time and energy to spearhead initiatives for the Ohio Leave No Child Inside and in their regions. Ohio LNCI has made tremendous strides forward including dozens of governmental Proclamations pledging to combat sedentary lifestyles by promoting “unplugged” healthier outdoor active play for children. The American Academy of Pediatrics and USGBC’s LEED-Neighborhood Development (which includes elements like parks/green space/play areas within walking distances in safe communities) and the Green Schools Initiatives are working closely with national parent group of LNCI, the Children and Nature Network (http://www.childrenandnature.org).

In her role as Assoc. Dir. Sustainability at Wright State University, Linda has been very active recently in the Campus Master Plan process that is looking forward 50 years to anticipate and envision future needs and land use for campus. Preservation of the WSU Woods and planning smart, sustainable development or reallocation of existing space is of course of great interest to Linda. October 23, 2010, the Office of Sustainability also hosted a reception and very informative presentation by Robin Guenther, FAIA, “Sustainable Health Care Architecture: How health care is responding to ideas about building and health, both nationally and globally”.

One place you will also find Barret is the Denver area USGBC Emerging Green Builders meetings. Be sure to look for us “out there”, like monthly Green Drinks events in Dayton or Denver or contact us − Barret (720-320-2184) or Linda (937-477-8662) ¬− for help with Greening Your Organization.

From the Greening Building to Creation and Implementation of a Green Building User’s Plan – we are here for you!

The Latest News!

noreply@blogger.com (Thumbprint Endeavors) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:06:00 +0000

So Many Things Happening at Thumbprint Endeavors . . . And Many More To Come!

Barret has a new phone number: 720-320-2184. As we said last time, we now offer even more services since he is a Solar Sales Consultant with Conundrum Energy. See his comments in the previous blog entry for the details.

We both are busy getting ready for the National Solar Tour Event on October 2nd and 3rd. Check it out American Solar Energy Society (ASES) http://www.ases.org/ for information. Barret will be in Denver and Linda will be hosting a tour of the Solar Thermal array at Wright State. To locate sites to visit in your area or better yet to volunteer with the National Solar Tour check out http://nationalsolartour.org/!

Barret was also invited to participated in a charette conducted by the University of Colorado, Denver on August 10 and 11, 2010, to brainstorm feasible ideas for a low income housing development in the Denver area -- the S. Lincoln Redevelopment Project Energy.

Linda has taken on a new role. She is now Associate Director, Office of Sustainability at Wright State University. Her new role will allow her to do even more in terms of “greening”, renewable energy and public awareness of why we need to think and act sustainably.

The Ohio No Child Left Inside Collaboratives (http://www.ohiolnci.org/) continues to move ahead and gain momentum. Gov. Strickland will sign the Ohio Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights (OCOBR), that Linda was the lead author for, into the record with a Proclamation later this month. A Call to Action Rally is scheduled on September 24th in Columbus to share the signing and to also highlight other cities and municipalities that are proclaiming the importance of children playing outdoors.

Linda is also attending an Alternative Fuels Workshop at the Mound Energy complex (Dayton OH) on September 16th, 2010. She will be presenting the findings of her recent study at the Research Symposium at the annual conference of the North American Association for Environmental Education (Buffalo NY). In October she will be presenting about her community service learning class last spring that involved students in community gardening projects and helping 6th grader in an urban school to learn about tree species and GIS at the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (http://www.aashe.org/).

Look for us “out there” and contact either of us Barret (720-320-2184) or Linda (937-477-8662) for help with Greening Your Organization -- from the Greening Building to Creation and Implementation of a Green Building User’s Plan – we are here for you!

Many Things Happening at Thumbprint Endeavors These Days!

noreply@blogger.com (Thumbprint Endeavors) — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:51:00 +0000

Many Things are Happening at Thumbprint Endeavors Lately.

We can now offer even more services. Barret has recently become a sales consultant with Conundrum Energy. His contact information is listed below and has not changed, just more ways to reach him for assistance. Here are the details:

I have started a new venture as a Renewable Energy Systems Sales Consultant with Conundrum Energy. In addition to renewable energy sales (PV, Solar Thermal and other applications), we also have the capabilities of integrated smart home systems with lighting controls, security and home entertainment. All on a touch screen control panel. Please contact me for further information renewable energy or smart home integration systems.
Barret Ramey LEED AP || Renewable Energy Systems Consultant
Corporate HQ || 2860 Blake St. || Suite 5 || Denver, CO 80205
 email: BRamey@conundrumenergy.com
 mobile: 937.572.8665

• Earlier this month, Barret completed eight hours of training in the Thames Photovoltaic Basics Seminar. This training covered layout and design, optimal orientation and applications, problem-solving and troubleshooting for installation of PV Systems.
• He also participated in the Colorado USGBC Green Build Conference in April and continues to attend professional meetings of the CO USGBC Emerging Green Builders chapter.
• Barret has attained his BD & C (Building, Design & Construction Designation) for his LEED AP.

Linda has also been very busy!

- Linda lead author for the Ohio Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights for the No Child Left Inside Collaboratives of Ohio. She also serves as the representative to the state NCLI leadership group from the Miami Valley NCLI.
- She recently attended the Green Energy Ohio meeting at the Dull Renewable Energy Center. Ralph Dull has received many awards lately for being an innovator on the renewable energy front lines.
- Linda is headed to the Environmental Sciences Research Institute (ESRI GIS) Conference in San Diego in July.

She also has a new publication in the Journal of Sustainability Education related to environmental education. Here is the link:
Article taken from Journal of Sustainability Education - http://www.journalofsustainabilityeducation.org/wordpress
URL to article: http://www.journalofsustainabilityeducation.org/wordpress/content/rekindling-memories-of-yesterday%e2%80%99s-children-making-the-case-for-nature-based-unstructured-play-for-today%e2%80%99s-children_2010_05/

Where Have We Been? What Have We Been Doing?

noreply@blogger.com (Thumbprint Endeavors) — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:49:00 +0000

What We Have Been Doing . . .

Barret has been networking and becoming an active member with the Denver Chapter USGBC Emerging Green Builders. He will be attending and volunteering at their upcoming conference April 21 and 22, 2010 at the Convention Center in Denver CO.

He also spent several days recently volunteering in Taos NM with the Earthships Project. This is a green building project that seeks to incorporate as many sustainable features as possible into residential construction with some very unique architectural outcomes.

Barret also participated in a Charette for Rocky Mountain National Park. This group was organized by Colorado State University to come up with various projects to move the Park forward in terms of sustainability.

The first week of December, Linda attended the Ecobuild conference in Washington D.C. She has also been attending the Southwest Ohio Chapter meetings of Green Energy Ohio (GEO) and Green Drinks with the Dayton Regional Green 3 (DRG3) group.

Last month, she participated in the Miami Valley Solar Energy Forum and last week she attended the National Facility Management and Technology annual conference in Baltimore MD.

Be sure to check out Linda’s recent commentary (Consilienceblog.org) on the Institute of Green Professionals site.

Linda’s work with the Miami Valley No Child Left Inside initiative continues to move forward and she will be participating in the April 9th statewide meeting of the Leave No Child Inside group.

Why Renovating, Remodeling and Retrofitting are Key and Essential to Our Sustainable Future

noreply@blogger.com (Thumbprint Endeavors) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:14:00 +0000

We are finally coming to the realization that the ever-expanding way we use of land and resources is unsustainable. Municipalities have given tax breaks and incentives to build new factory and commercial buildings when nearby already developed facilities stood empty. Now we are faced with a glut of signs advertising the after effects of our overdevelopment. Time to rethink our strategy. It should not just be school children reciting the 3 R’s – Recycle, Re-use, Reduce – plus the very important 4th one -- Rethink. These four R’s along with Renovate and Remodel are key and essential to sustainable building and development.

According to Barret Ramey, LEED AP and head of the Green Building Denver Team of Thumbprint Endeavors, renovating or remodeling makes the most sense.

“Think of it this way. Reuse of existing space means that the building materials already in place and energy used to deconstruct a structure can be saved. Using the existing site and structure saves both resources and money. Then add in the savings from reduction or elimination of energy and other costs associated demolition and disposal. When calculated this way, we get at the true cost savings with renovating or retrofitting a structure for increased efficiency and habitability – it’s a win-win-win decision.”
- Barret Ramey, LEED AP

The LEED standards have certainly had their fair share of criticism, but most in the sustainable design and green building industry would agree that they are the best source we have presently for thinking about efficiently using land, materials, energy and resources. The new Version 3 of the Leadership Energy Efficient Design for New Construction (LEED – NC), the United States Green Building Council (USGBC, http://www.usgbc.org) also has major renovation standards. USGBC also has enacted standards for retrofitting and maintenance/operations of existing building space, LEED EB.

Whether a builder or designer or the building owner opts for LEED certification, careful consideration of the LEED EB criteria should be their guiding principles to increase energy efficient building practices and better utilize construction resources. And add yet another R – Return on Investment, increased ROI. And that is where Thumbprint Endeavors can help. Our team of Green Building Professionals will help you to Green your business with redesign and renovation of building space and streamline operations for increased energy efficiency and profitability. For more information and to contact us, visit our website www.thumbprintendeavors.com.

Needed: A Team Approach (Since We Are All in This High Stakes Game Together)

noreply@blogger.com (Thumbprint Endeavors) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:50:00 +0000

While it is easy to see “life as usual” going on in the U.S., there are many bright Green spots spread over the landscape of this beautiful country. Some of those green projects are concentrated in certain parts of the U.S. -- like the strides made in San Francisco moving toward the majority of municipal waste being recycled, reused or composted. Large scale efforts in Renewable Energy is moving ahead in some states like Colorado, Texas and California, in leaps and bounds. The not so good news is that in other areas like the Midwest are still primarily focused on mining and burning coal, spewing toxins into the air, soil and water.

How can we realistically move forward with a renewed economy when the head is turned backwards and the vision is on what worked in the past? One piece of this puzzle that I have heard repeatedly in discussions of the NAAEE Sustainability Task- force and The Institute of Green Professionals site, http://www.consilienceblog.org. It is the inability of scientists, architects, engineers and other professionals to effectively communicate their research findings or what they predict from sophisticate modeling to the generally scientifically illiterate and often unengaged public. Part of this maybe the “balanced reporting” by the media, putting results of scientific study on the same level of “accuracy” as some layperson’s opinion on the subject. Some of this may be the general public just not wanting to hear the difficult truth – because change is difficult and “we have always done it this way” ostrich syndrome, if we ignore it, it will go away. But another part of this is the need to also translate the information, to put the information into a format and into words that the general public can understand and digest, then act on responsibly.

This educational message is core to the mission of the Thumbprint Endeavors Team. We gather information, work with clients to Green their space by saving energy, using less resources, and save money – the triple bottom line plus. And the plus is that while we inform and educate to help them to develop more knowledge and awareness to make better sustainable lifestyle choices.

So, a shout-out to the Professionals (scientists, architects, engineers and environmental educators) on the “Green Team”, we need to work together on informing and EDUCATING those not yet on board.

Sometimes the Solutions are Simple

noreply@blogger.com (Thumbprint Endeavors) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:49:00 +0000

It is true. Sometimes the solutions are simple, but folks just have not thought about it or they were just have not locked into the small changes (and the big ones) that can significantly change their energy consumption, miles per gallon, water usage, well, you name it.

This idea was pointed out once again as Barret and I walked through a local church to give them some ideas about becoming more “Green”. Just in an hour or so of walking around the church facility, we identified several simple, easy to do measures, the so-called “low hanging fruit”, that will allow this church to save on their energy bills, recycle more, and set the best Green example for the educating the congregation. (For more information on “low hanging fruit” see http://greensource.construction.com/features/0804_currents.asp).

We found that they appreciated helpful suggestions about simple things like unplugging equipment and appliances that were not in use several days of the week or closing blinds in rooms that get direct sunlight and heat up in the summer. Maybe it is as simple as having an energy audit conducted then following the weatherization or other recommendations outlined in the report.

These and other easy-to-implement solutions are part of the goal in saving energy resources and about helping this nonprofit group save money. Money that can go for more children’s program and community outreach – the places and causes that a church wants to put their money into rather than paying utility bills. Sometimes it is very simple to pick and enjoy the low hanging fruit and to harvest the energy savings.

The Beauty of Synergy

noreply@blogger.com (Thumbprint Endeavors) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:09:00 +0000

When people and events come together to create a whole that is more than the individual parts, that outcome is the beauty of synergy. Lately, I have experienced several of synergies and marveled at the way that the puzzle pieces fall into place in the right way, at the right time.

One such example would be the chance conversation with Rick Posey of K4 Architects in Cincinnati. Rick attended the Diggs Building tour on Wright State University campus and that conversation has led to many more as similar Green thinking is shared. Both Rick and I have “connections” with others in the Dayton-Cincinnati area and plans are underway to develop internships and other educational opportunities for students to have hands-on learning experiences about Green Building and Design. Synergy.

Then following a couple of interesting conversations, Belinda Kelney with Waibel Energy introduced me to Gregery Smith. Greg is forging ahead with Energy Optimizers USA, to consult with organizations, particularly school districts on energy plans. So, the connections with Thumbprint Endeavors were obvious and another Green Team is being formed to better serve our clients. Again, synergy.

And finally, the first Green Drinks Dayton event was hosted by Dayton Regional Green 3 (DRG3) on June 10th to foster like-minded folks meeting and discussing informally what they are working on. Again, Belinda Kelney was one of the organizers (excellent job done) and there were 35 or more in attendance. TE Associate, Barret Ramey will be attending the monthly USGBC Green Drinks event in Denver at the end of each month so whether Ohio or Colorado, look for a TE representative to be present and creating, you guessed it, synergies.

On June 25, 2009, DRG3 will host the Dayton Green Expo, a symposium to discuss sustainability efforts in the cities of Columbus, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis. Check on the DRG3 website for details.

Also, look for TE at the Energy Roundtable and Exhibition, hosted by the Dayton Development Coalition, being held at the Mound Advanced Technology Center on June 26th. We will be hosting a table so come by and say hello. Who knows -- maybe a coming together of Green pieces for a sustainable result will occur -- another synergy is born!

A Busy Time for Thumbprint Endeavors Team Members

noreply@blogger.com (Thumbprint Endeavors) — Thu, 14 May 2009 12:54:00 +0000

This has been a very busy time for Thumbprint Endeavors Team Members.

Thumbprint Endeavors Associate, Barret Ramey, LEED AP recently attended the USGBC Conference in Denver on May 7^th and 8^th. In addition to attending several sessions on Green Building topics, Barret volunteered to help out with the conference. He is always more than willing to lend a hand and to meet new people. And that he did – Barret met numerous Green Building professionals, networking and continuing to expand his circle of contacts in the industry. Barret’s interests include a broad spectrum of Green Building aspects including energy and water conservation measures, more efficient building practices and sustainable design.

Linda has been busy as well. She attended a Green Building Professional Forum in Columbus, hosted by the Ohio EPA on April 30^th. In addition to touring the Grange Columbus Audubon Center, currently under construction on a former brownfields site on the Whittier Peninsula. Other tour stops include the Lazarus Government Center (LEED Silver) Green Roof in a renovated 1930’s department store and office building, the new 4-H center on the Ohio State University campus, and a LEED home pilot project near downtown Columbus. There was also a Round Table Discussion on “Overcoming Barriers to Green Building”, facilitated by Carolyn Watkins, Chief, Office of Environmental Education, Ohio EPA. Much wisdom was presented by: Elaine Barnes, Ohio School Facilities Commission; Jeff Bates, Columbus State Community College;

David Brehm, DesignGroup and Columbus Mayor’s Green Team; Paul Freedman, City of Columbus, Building Services & Code Development; Gail Hesse, Ohio EPA Division of Surface Water; Heather Starck, Grange Columbus Audubon Center; Meera Parthasarathy, Columbus Green Building Forum, Columbus Mayor’s Green Team; and Craig Weise, AIA, CCM, PMP State Architect of Ohio

Linda received a very positive and encouraging reception to her presentation of her recent research on the importance of connecting adult’s outdoor childhood experiences with the need to get today’s children out in to the natural world at the Environmental Education Council of Ohio Conference May 1 – 3, 2009.

And to connect our Dayton and Denver TE locations, Linda attended the talk by Justin Wilson, Building Performance Solutions, Inc., Boulder, CO. Justin presented at the Dayton Home Builders Association meeting on “Building Energy Efficient Homes Through Integration and Implementation” on May 7^th, 2009. It was very interesting to hear about projects in or near downtown Denver that are great examples of re-use of sites with existing “footprints” including the sustainable design of the site of a former airport that will be tied to all of the transportation and utilities, etc. of Denver.

So, the Thumbprint Endeavors Environmental Consulting Team continues to be actively involved and learning as well as educating others on Green Building and Sustainability.

We look forward to seeing you out there as well.

Teach Your Children Well, or . . . Children, Teach Your Parents Well?

noreply@blogger.com (Thumbprint Endeavors) — Mon, 04 May 2009 01:40:00 +0000

One of the really fun things I did for Earth Day 2009 was to talk with several hundred 4th graders at Fairborn Intermediate School. We had a focus on learning about their backyard and their neighborhood, particularly parks in the Greater Dayton area. I choose this approach for my presentation because research shows that while children know about distance places like the Amazon Rainforest and the effects of the destruction of the rainforest, they know very little about the impact of development on the area where they live. Another example is that children know about the dire consequences of the melting sea ice for polar bears but they do not understand the myriad of species being lost in the Midwest because of habitat fragmentation.

So, in my Earth Day conversation with these (very well behaved) 4th graders, I wanted to talk with them about where they lived and what they could do to help the Earth. I asked them questions and they knew a lot – they identified several examples of Ohio wildlife including the state bird, the Cardinal. We talked about places like Five Rivers Metro Parks locations where they could hike or camp and explore the outdoors nearby. We also talked about a place in Ohio where they could also see more exotic wildlife, The Wilds. About 90 minutes east of Columbus, on nearly 10,000 acres of land reclaimed from a coal mining operation, The Wilds provides opportunities to see bison, giraffes, rhinos, zebras and a much more.

I had also asked the teachers at Fairborn Intermediate School to collect questions from the 4th graders so I could see what questions they had about topics related to Earth Day. These were some very smart and savvy students. There questions were very informed and I told them that – and I told them that I wished some adults were asking such good questions. They asked me about recycling, energy production, resource conservation, and what they could do – like I said, very smart and insightful 4th graders. We discussed not using the drive through, turning off the car and walking and riding bikes more, thinking about what you need versus what you are feeling like you need because of some advertising and more. Like I said, these were some smart kids, and only in the 4th grade! I truly enjoyed my visit and I believe that the students enjoyed and learned from the Power Point presentation I shared with them this week for Earth Day.

So, whether Cosby, Still, Nash and Young had the title of the song right or not – I am hoping these children can teach their parents well about reducing, reusing, recycling and rethinking our consumption of resources to live in more sustainable ways – for the future of all children and for all living beings, young and not so young.

The Education Imperative

noreply@blogger.com (Thumbprint Endeavors) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 19:18:00 +0000

Once again this year, I was fortunate to attend the University Clean Energy Alliance of Ohio Conference in Columbus. This conference has grown over the last three years and has become more inclusive in that there now are larger numbers of attendees from more diverse organizations that reach well beyond the borders of Ohio. There were, of course, many at the conference representing the engineering side but there were also a fair number of us who were from equally important fields such as urban planning, economics, various science disciplines, and architecture. This shift is a positive move in the right direction, as Scott Johnston pointed out in discussing the interdisciplinary, collaborative design team approach used by The Energy and Sustainable Design Studio (E+SD) at Miami University. The resulting discussions were far reaching, covering topics related to the environment, alternative and renewable energy and green building, including research in these areas and the role of universities in the development of these resources.

The pivotal role of education in this arena was a very interesting thread of conversation I engaged in with several presenters and attendees. We need to have more conversations about using complex, real world interdisciplinary approaches to solving energy and environmental problems. As one economics professor, Allen Prindle, pointed out and some of us will recall, the overriding reason that the energy policies and environmental movement of the 1970's failed was that the economics of the situation did not work – energy remained cheap. One other shortfall was that the general public was not educated as to the global climate impacts of our increased energy consumption. Some of us heard the messages, "Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute", "Don't be a Litterbug", etc. but we were not informed, not educated as to why not, what were the long term consequences if we did pollute, if we did over consume -- so why not? And therein lays the mandate this time for informing and educating the public as to what to do and why. This requires the inclusion of the social sciences as well as engineers, scientists and others to help with the attitudinal and behavioral changes that must take place in our lives and our workplaces.

The problems that are confronting us are complex and multi-faceted. They involve more than the application of technical solutions. These energy and environmental challenges require all of the bright minds and innovative solutions we can engage. What I like to think of as education in the broadest sense, an inclusive approach is sorely needed to get feasible, real world solutions. Let us dispense with the silo-thinking approach. Let us tackle these problems using the best thinking of designers, economists, social scientists, urban planners, and more in implementing the necessary change. And let us invite those who understand the crucial role of education to then take shape this information so that the general public, policy makers, and the next generation understand the problems, the thinking and reasoning, the proposed solutions and the outcomes of research findings so that this time they are implemented.

Welcome

noreply@blogger.com (Thumbprint Endeavors) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:45:00 +0000

Greetings and Welcome to our Thumbprint Endeavors LLC Blog Posting!

In line with our mission, we hope to use this periodic blog to inform and educate about Green topics and to provide insights about whom we are and what we believe as Environmental Consultants. Thank You, in advance, for being part of our efforts to spread the word about how we all can best conduct our lives and our operations in more sustainable ways.

I’d like to spend a few paragraphs sharing the focus of my recent energies and thinking -- inspired, fresh and Green!

I have been fortunate to participate in several meetings lately that show the increasing level of commitment for Green Initiatives that is emerging in the U. S. On March 5th, 2009, the Office of the Governor and the Ohio Department of Development hosted a meeting to showcase Green Initiatives in the Dayton Region. This meeting of nearly 100, from all sectors of the community, discussed a very diverse cross-section of projects that were completed, under construction, being designed or in the conceptual stages. Everything from proposed a pilot Green Roof site for student research to business development projects were presented. Several long lists of Miami Valley Green Initiatives were generated for the organizers to take back to their offices. Many of us that left the meeting that day were encouraged and sincerely hope that this group could spin off Working Groups to move these ideas and Green Initiatives forward to reality.

The other interesting day last week was a very well organized event hosted by the Ohio Environmental Council. After being briefed on various environmental topics related to energy, water quality, food production and green building practices, 200 people from all walks of life met in scheduled 30 – 60 minute timeslots with State Legislators, Ohio EPA officials and other policy makers in Columbus. This was a rare opportunity for both professionals and everyday people to discuss their views on environmental issues to better inform Policy Makers as well as learn a great deal about the issues and the wheels our government.

I try not to get too bogged down by what I consider the often slow pace or the seeming disinterest for the environment that I may see day to day or what is in the news regarding greed and waste. Instead, I try to focus on what is being done. I read with gusto the articles about Dayton’s Tech Town – reclaiming an urban Brownfield site with the transportation and utilities infrastructure already in place. Efforts like this are using Innovation to lure High Tech industry and to spur growth in the downtown area rather than contributing to the destruction of urban sprawl.

I am also encouraged by the example set by the continuing strength and determination of the people of Greensburg Kansas to take the remains of their town to make it a Green, Sustainable Community. I have a soft spot in my heart for Kansas anyway, but to see the little town of Greensburg reinvent itself Green after a devastating EF5 tornado, is truly inspiring. The community and their leaders assessed what capital they had – wind energy, space and strong work ethic to rebuild and to do it right, to do things that made them self-sufficient and a model for other communities. In their planning, rethinking what Could be, not content with how it has been in recent memory but rather what could this small Kansas community do to revitalize itself? What would make them a leader in the region, a place where young people wanted to stay and families would want to come to raise their families? Green designers help them to rethink and rebuild Green. They have sought out businesses and industry that fit with their Green Vision. These folks had their entire town destroyed, but they soon envisioned an opportunity to rebuild in ways that would provide a Green community with a long range view, for not only recreating their town but for vastly improving it. This kind of sustainable vision for a community will attract and retain vital young people to the area and will also attract businesses that see the viability of going Green as well as the character of the people in Greensburg.

This type of thinking, inspired, fresh and Green is what I choose to focus on. As we think about the future, it is truly our mission at Thumbprint Endeavors to provide Green Solutions and to educate as well as learn with our Clients. We believe that we are all in this together and that the Green path we create, together, is important. We also believe that, just as the people of Greensburg showed, the strength of Building a Green Community -- school by school, business by business -- is powerful and sustaining.