List Your Green Business with Sierra Club

Sierra Club is putting together a website called Sierra Club Green Home to help Americans make their homes more energy efficient and environmentally sustainable. They do not want to get into selling products, but want to connect people with the businesses in their area who can help them. Applicable green businesses can sign up to have a listing for at least 6 months for free, if they sign up by December 31. The website will launch in January.

There is a place for businesses to write what makes their business green, as well as what organizations they belong to. It would be great if Guild members wanted to join, and list their EcoBuilding Guild membership.

The link to sign up is Sierra Club Green Home.

Ecological Light Industrial Zoning Controversy

Here in Ellensburg, we have a controversy over how to fit "regional retail" into an area near an interchange. Lined up on one side is the company who wants to create commercial area. On the other side are quite a few members of the local planning committees AND most anyone with a background in ecologically-concerned land-use planning.

A sustained citizen effort has been made to support the ecological side, and a sympathetic city council was swept into office recently.

But, on the other side are the gears of large corporate interests and a local newspaper which, so far, isn't very concerned with ecobuilding, although they do have good relations with some eco-builders.

How's it an ECOBUILDING issue?

A major issue is the corporation's desire to rezone a "light industrial" area to "general commercial." But, of course, we need to invent some ecological light industry, and right beside the highway in that location is a very good place. Several reasons support keeping "light industrial" in that zone, but what we do not have yet is light industry that wants to relocate there.

We're doing great, but are we moving a little slowly to invent ecobuilding light industry!! We could sure use some investors who want to do ecological light industry!
We could sure use some moral support here!

Sincerely,
Mike Pearson
Central Washington Chapter
earthinspace@hotmail.com

BuildingGreen Resources

In case you weren't aware, one of the many benefits of being a Guild member is the $30 discount BuildingGreen offers us on its Building Green Suite membership. BuildingGreen's committment "to providing accurate, unbiased, and timely information designed to help building-industry professionals and policy makers improve the environmental performance, and reduce the adverse impacts, of buildings" means the information they provide, in print and online, is very relevant to what Guild members are doing every day.

Most of us are already familiar with BuildingGreen's newsletter, Environmental Building News, the GreenSpec® Directory (over 2,000 green building product descriptions) and GreenSource Magazine.

But, BuildingGreen also has a LIVE blog! "The place for real-time event coverage, reviews, and our editors' unvarnished opinion on the latest news from all over the green building world!". With posts like Homebuilding: Not so much a system as a bad habit, Exploding Low-Flow Toilets and Jute Ceiling Tiles, Soon, its definitely hard to resist this quick & informative read.

Membership in BuildingGreen Suite membership gives you access to all of the product descriptions, articles, project case studies, and other content on BuildingGreen.com. Regular individual membership costs $199.00 per year, however many membership options are available. So, check it out!

2009 Green Pages Media Kit Now Available!

The Green Pages, the Pacific Northwest’s only free-to-the-public directory for green building professionals, services, and products, stays on people’s shelves and are used to find you.

It appears that Green is the new black. It’s all over the media. New venues are popping up all the time.

The Green Pages has tradition, experience, and a qualified past to build on that continues to set us apart from the new-comers. People are looking for reliable sources and the Green Pages provides that and much more.

We are adapting to the changing times, our new offerings will make us more competitive and more focused, giving you the best value for your advertising dollar. Check out the 2009 Green Pages Advertising Kit.

The Kit is filled with all the information you need to:

~ Confirm your Green Pages listing information for print

~ Upgrade your membership to get more benefits

~ Purchase Display Ads to accentuate your listing

~ Select Additional Listing Options to make sure you get in front of your customers!


Deadline is January 15, 2009 for Display Ads and December 31, 2008 for membership.

Enjoy your holidays and start the New Year with the best value in advertising in this new green economy. “Yes We Can,” because we are the change everyone is seeking.

Your Green Pages Team

Cate and Sheldon O’dahl
greenpages@ecobuilding.org

Big Things to Be Thankful For

Hello Guild Members,

We as EcoBuilders have some big things to be thankful for this year:

- Our nation is turning to an integrated sustainable energy grid as part of the new leadership's strategic plan for the future.

- Green knowledge is going deeper and wider, so both early adopters and those just learning can make a bigger difference.

- The Guild is almost finished with its 5 year strategic plan, which will facilitate funding for more programs and paid staff.

As we gather with family and friends this season, let's be sure to share our pride and joy for being part of the solution.

Thankful for all you do ~

Your Regional Board Co-Chairs - Terry, Fiona, & Ben

Seattle's First Permitted Straw Bale Project

Take a truck load of straw wrap it in wire and Stucco add a roof, solar heat, windows and doors and voila! Seattle has it's first permitted straw bale project.

STRAW BALE PHASE II
STUCCO WORK PARTY
Nov 29th & 30th
6819 37th Ave. NE

Saturday Work Party 9-6
Stucco and Wire Mesh
Sunday Work Party 10-6
Lots More Stucco

INTERESTED?
stop by and help / take photos / just take a look at what we're up to
no rsvp req'd but if you know you're going to show up
please email blajbour@comcast.net AND sage@sagedesignsnw.biz
you'll be well fed and have fun knowing that we are working on
Seattle's First Permitted Straw Bale Project!

What better way to work off all those mashed potatoes and gravy?

Who's building this project anyway?

check out RA's Construction for more details.

Or, check out S.A.G.E. Designs NW's website for a direct link to
a slideshow.

Changes to LEED Accreditation in 2009

With the new version of the the LEED Rating System (LEED 2009) being launched in March 2009, the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) has announced the changes it will be implementing for LEED AP accreditation. Here's a summary of what those changes will be and how they will affect current LEED Accredited Professionals.

New LEED APs:

• The new LEED exams (yes, there will be multiple) will begin beta testing in February 2009.
• At the same time, the GBCI's new multiple tier accreditation system will take effect.
• These tiers will include LEED Green Associate, LEED Accredited Professional, LEED AP Fellow and the Legacy LEED AP, each with their own requirements & fees.
• Visit the GBCI's LEED Credentialing Facts for more information.
  

Current LEED APs:

• The current LEED AP exam will be phased out. The final opportunity to take this exam under the current rules will be May 2009.
• After that all current LEED APs will become known as Legacy LEED APs.
  
• Starting in June 2009, Legacy LEED APs have two years to opt in to the new system. Once you decide to opt in, you have another two years to complete the requirements. If you haven't updated your credential by then (a maximum of four years if you're deadline-driven), you can no longer use it and must start from square one.
• Legacy LEED APs must sign on to a disciplinary policy, which is basically a code of ethics for LEED APs. There will also be credentialing maintenance (continuing education) requirements, which haven't been outlined yet, and a biannual "maintenance fee" of $50.

BuildingGreen.com's recent article Major changes announced for LEED AP credential program
also provides a great overview of these upcoming changes.

Welcome!

You are now reading the very first post on the Guild’s new Ecobuilding Times blog. The decision to take our newsletter online is a sign of the times of course, but we are also interested in exploring new ways to engage our members. This blog does away with sporadic calls for newsletter submissions and their associated deadlines, and instead allows for the constant flow of information relevant to all our members. We believe communication at this level will be critical to the ongoing success of the Guild as we maneuver our way through changes to the website, Green Pages and formulate our strategic plan.

We expect this blog to evolve over the coming months, but the idea is to keep it simple in design and rich in content. This blog will be written by members, for members, so there’s no professional journalism required. If you are interested in contributing to the Ecobuilding Times on a regular basis, let us know and we’ll sign you up today. Otherwise email ideas and stories to ecobuildingtimes@ecobuilding.org. And please, no marketing or self-proclamations of greenness, that’s what the Green Pages are for.