11th Hour Movie Screening & March Green Drinks

Wednesday, March 30th
Triangle USGBC EP is teaming up with NC State University’s Sustainability Office for a free movie screening / Green Drinks event, as part of their Empower Movie Series. The 11th Hour is a 2007 documentary film, created, produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, on the state of the natural environment, with contributions from over 50 politicians, scientists, and environmental activists, including former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, physicist Stephen Hawking, Nobel Prize; Wangari Maathai,and journalist Paul Hawken. After the screening and brief presentation, everyone is welcome over to nearby Players Retreat for the Triangle USGBC’s monthly Green Drinks networking event.  
>>  Find out more...

Triangle USGBC: Spring Members Luncheon & Meeting

Thursday, April 14th
It's time for the Triangle USGBC Spring Members Luncheon and Meeting. This event is a great networking opportunity with a terrific program planned. Early registration ends on April 7th. The program will focus on Green Business Initiatives. We all support the green building movement, but does your firm, company, or institution have a Green Business Plan? Our panelists will explore the why, how, and what of green initiatives being implemented in their organizations and what they see on the horizon. Our panelists are Tavey Capps, Environmental Sustainabiliy Director at Duke University (Sustainable Duke), Shelley McPhatter, Sustainability Consultant/Owner's Agent with BridgePoint Construction Services, Don Ingerson, VP of Sales and Marketing at Roanoke Cement, Lance Clark, Environmental Manger at Roanoke Cement, and Thomas Crowder, Raleigh City Councilor.
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ASES National Solar Conference

Tuesday, May 17th - Saturday, May 21st
Raleigh Convention Center - Downtown Raleigh
ASES National Solar Conference is the longest-running educational event for solar energy professionals in the U.S. Now in its 40th year, the SOLAR 2011 program will be developed by solar energy experts in all topical areas - technology, buildings, policy, professional education, workforce development, and consumer education. Many sessions will offer continuing education credits for architects, installers, engineers, and more. There is no better way to begin or continue your professional education in solar energy than the National Solar Conference!
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Talk-n-Walk Recap: Highland Terrace

Over 45 people attended the Triangle USGBC Talk-n-Walk on March 10th at Highland Terrace, which is on track to become the first LEED certified multi-family housing complex in Wake County. Highland Terrace is a project of DHIC, Inc., the Triangle area's oldest and largest non-profit housing organization. The Talk-n-Walk featured members of the Highland Terrace project team and covered the unique challenges and opportunities created with LEED certification. Among the issues presented were the installation of optimum mechanical systems, specific plumbing and water conservation features, and building features that insure healthy indoor air quality for residents. The talk also touched on the interface between LEED certification and the current Fire Code and other challenges related to following LEED Homes guidelines in a multi-story, corridor building with interior apartment entrances.
>> Check out photos from this event on the Triangle USGBC Flickr page.

Promote Your LEED Projects on the Triangle USGBC Website

After Students Protest, Solar Decathlon Back on the Mall

[From Green Source: A Blog of Sustainable Building - By Alanna Malone] The Department of Energy and the Department of the Interior recently revealed that the 2011 Solar Decathlon will be held on the National Mall after all. The past four events have taken place between the Washington Monument and the Capitol, but the new site, which Energy Secretary Steven Chu calls “a world-class location,” is just south of the new Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial, between the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and the Potomac River. An earlier announcement in mid-January that the event would be relocated due to property damage (see Solar Decathlon Booted from Natioinal Mall) sparked outrage from participants.
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Top Green Business Initiatives

[From GreenBiz - March 2011] The top ten includes iess waste and more recycled packaging, new green technologies and efforts to acheive zero-waste goals. One encouraging statistic on packaging: the per thousand tons of packaging material per billion dollars of GDP has dropped from 5.10 in 2005 to 4.34 in 2009. Hopefully that includes lots less plastic clamshells and non-biodegradeable packing peanuts.
1. Consumer giants awaken to green — big push by consumer package good companies to make bold sustainability commitments.
2. Companies aim for “zero” — growth of zero-waste goals and achievements by big companies.
3. The developing world yanks the supply chain — key issues like “conflict minerals” and sustainable palm oil rattling supply chains.
>> Read more...
>> Find out more about how local organizations are implementing Green Business Initiatives at the Triangle USGBC Spring Members Luncheon & Meeting

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