I wanted to share the materials I have available thus far from our October 1 seminar, Benefits, Costs and Risks of Green Building that we put on for the American Institute of Architects Northern Virginia Chapter. A quick but very hearty thank you is due to Debbie Burns of the AIA who did a tremendous job organizing the seminar.

We were very fortunate to have great speakers. Hope Lane of Aronson spoke on federal green building initiatives and their interplay with government contracting. Maral Nakashian presented on federal energy tax credits available for high performing buildings and the related process to qualify for those credits. Aronson provided copies of their presentation for attendees and others who may be interested in that information.

I spoke on green building legal risks and practical tips to minimize those risks. I am happy to share my presentation as well, although be forewarned that I have been drinking the TED Talks Kool-Aid and thus the presentation is heavier on the visuals and lighter on the bullet points.

We were very pleased to have Bob Kobet share a truly dynamic presentation on green building risks, costs, and values that was extremely thought provoking as well. A big thanks for our good friend Chris Cheatham for not only attending the event, but more importantly for connecting us to Bob who is a tremendous resource on all things LEED and indeed non-LEED for sustainable building. We look forward eagerly to when Bob and Chris’ remarks hit the more public airwaves and we can share more regarding that information.

On a final quick update, attendees should check out my recent post regarding the changes to the LEED challenge process. It is good news that GBCI is paying attention to some of our concerns and responding accordingly.