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USGBC-NJ Committees

Advocacy Committee

The Advocacy Committee works to advance the positions of USGBC NJ within the Legislature, before regulatory agencies, other trade associations and organizations and the public. We work to insure that the principles of green building and LEED are accurately and effectively represented before each of these stakeholder groups.

Our members reflect a broad cross section of USGBC’s membership. We review legislation in conjunction with our professional staff to determine its consistency with our core principles. We then develop key positions and strategies to insure that our position is properly and effectively advanced among all parties.

LEADERSHIP

AJ Sabbath (Consultant)
Bill Amann
Florence Block
Jason Kliwinski
Harry McLellan
Rey Montalvo
Bill Lashbrook

Communication & Newsletter Committee

Information on this committee to come!

EGB-NJ committee

The EGB-NJ is a committee within the USGBC-NJ. We consist of a coalition of students and young professionals intent on promoting the integration of future leaders into the green building movement. We educate and promote under the guidelines of the LEED rating system. The EGB has over fourteen events planned for this year. We host periodic educational seminars on green building, promote social events to build our community and arrange green building tours in New Jersey. The EGB-NJ aims to provide networking, support and knowledge transfer opportunities to its members who are working to integrate green building into their jobs and studies. The committee meets in person every second Tuesday of each month, while having a conference call on the last Tuesday of each month.
If you are interested in joining this committee or would like more information, please contact Rob Schmitz, Committee Chair, at egbnj@usgbcnj.org.

LEADERSHIP

Committee Chair - Robert Schmitz
Marketing Chair - Kate Meade
Membership Chair - Christine Van Dyk
Events Chair - Sharon Day
University Outreach Chair  - Todd Menadier
Sponsorship Chair - Randy Tano
General Committee Chair - Daniel Friedman
General Committee Chair - Christopher Ackerman
Webmaster - John Reiser
Chapter Coordinator - Marianne Leone

Visit www.egbnj.org for complete details about this group

Green Schools committee

The Green Schools Committee consists of individuals representing business professionals and educational leaders. Our purpose is to promote the health and the environment of all of New Jersey?s people by fostering a higher level of sustainability awareness, understanding, and practices. Our vision is that all places of learning in New Jersey will be environmentally healthy places to learn, work, and play within a generation. The Green Schools Committee will seek to accomplish the following:

  • being New Jersey?s foremost advocate of LEED for Schools and encouraging sustainable planning, design, construction, use, operation and maintenance, for public and private places of learning
  • promoting systems thinking, life cycle analysis, and the value of good design
  • promoting the integration of the site, buildings, and interiors of each school into its curriculum as teaching tools, and ?living examples?
  • informing and providing resources to learners of all ages
  • inspiring the next generation of learners to pursue (?green collar?) careers and practices that enhance the environment, society, and economy, to benefit all present and future community members.

Currently the committee is divided into four areas of activity:

1. New construction (NC) as it relates to schools
2. Existing Buildings (EB) as it relates to schools
3. Communications/Outreach providing information to the general public
4. Education/Curriculum development for existing school districts.

The committee meets once a month where committee members have the opportunity to work in areas of their interest.

If you are interested in joining this committee or would like more information, please contact John Henry, Green School Advocate at jhenry@eirc.org.

Residential Green Building Committee

“The Mission of the Residential Green Building Committee is to promote green homes, healthy communities, and sustainable building practices through education, outreach and collaboration. Our goal is to drive market transformation by delivering a consistent message about green building practices addressing environmental, economic and social benefits while streamlining the process of making greener homes.”

The Committee is presently working on the following items of interest:

 

  • Developing a “Strategic Plan” for 2010 for the Residential Green Building Committee consistent with other successful chapters throughout the US.
  • Preparing a Market Snapshot of Residential Green Building Data to share with local, regional and national stakeholders.
  • Providing information on the USGBC-NJ web page to link interested parties to the committee as a resource and provide additional valuable links related to Residential Green Building in New Jersey.
  • Fostering a joint relationship with groups, such as NAHB, AIA and Rutgers Center for Green Building to define and      promote green sustainable building practices within New Jersey.
  • Developing and fostering a Coalition of like minded organizations to promote, advocate and support green building legislation to public and government officials.
  • Provide educational opportunities to our committee members at our monthly meetings.
  • Provide educational programs to the general public and municipalities who are interested in learning about residential green building.

The Residential Green Building Committee meets on the 3rd Thursday of every month at 4:00 PM in Morristown.

If you are interested in joining the Residential Green Building Committee, or would like more information please contact the USGBC-NJ Residential Green Building Advocate.

Residential Green Building Committee Chairperson
Gary Rosard, AIA, LEED AP
33 Oakdale Ave.
Millburn, NJ 07041
973 762-5656 Office
973 762-9558 Fax
grosard@gmail.com

Residential Green Building Committee Liaison:
USGBC-NJ Vice Chair
Joseph Porrovecchio, LEED AP
Facilities Management Ramapo College
505 Ramapo Valley Road
Mahwah, NJ 07430-1680
(201) 684-7348
PRV@Ramapo.edu

LEED for Homes Provider Representative in the NJ area:
Michael Brown
Region Served: NJ & Eastern PA
MaGrann Associates
240 West Route 38
Moorestown, NJ 08057
(856) 813-8780 (office)
greenbuilding@magrann.com

Residential Green Building Links

Membership Committee

The Membership Committee consists of members interested in growing the chapter by providing them with valuable opportunities for networking and expanding opportunities for sustainable design throughout NJ. Currently, committee members are working on the development of online membership and resource directories that will enable members and companies to promote their skills, products and services. We meet monthly at the Tech Center in North Brunswick (typically the first Wednesday of the month) and welcome new committee members. If you would like to join the committee or if you simply have a request or inquiry for this committee, please contact Brent Morehart, Membership Committee Co-Chair at brent@tekoneast.com and he will respond. If you have a question about your chapter membership (status, how to join, etc), please contact membership@usgbcnj.org or visit the membership page. 

Green Building & Sustainability Valuation and Consultation Committee

The Green Building & Sustainability Valuation And Consultation Committee is a committee within USGBC-NJ. We currently consist exclusively of real estate valuation professionals. However, we strongly encourage, welcome and will actively recruit diverse membership across a variety of disciplines, including but not limited to, architects, attorneys, consultants, engineers, planners, and real estate assessors, brokers, owners, investors and managers.

Membership is open to students, educators, business and government professionals who seek to understand and measure how green/sustainable improvements impact real estate values and the environment.

We will use the vast professional resources of the USGBC-NJ to advance the understanding and development of Green/Sustainable Building Valuation & Consultation techniques and methodologies.

The major goals of the committee are as follows:

    A) To create a workable database of comparable data (sales, rentals, capitalization rates, etc.)
    B) To create a “Knowledge Library” (articles, case studies, etc.)
    C) Education (create courses and seminars with strong use of the USGBC-NJ Speakers Bureau)
    D) Public Relations (provide for continuous coverage of committee activities, etc.)
    E) Expert Articles (on green/sustainable projects, related appraisal issues, etc.)
    F) Committee/USGBC-NJ member development and retention
    G) Fundraising (create programs to generate funds to advance the goals of the committee/chapter)

The committee will help market participants identify relevant components of a sustainable property and available green building resources from which to obtain market supported value drivers and environmental impacts on corporate, educational, public-sector, and investment real estate. Environmental impacts measured will include worker health, productivity and energy efficiency.

Our work will help provide the knowledge base and competence to assist appraisers and valuation professionals in their valuation efforts under the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).

We will help develop the business case for green from the valuation standpoint, including presentations, tools, and case studies. We will help to quantify and organize market data to provide market supported documentation of green/sustainable improvements that influence real estate values and the environment.

The committee will survey appraisers, buildings owners and managers, and investors to document cost-effectiveness, improve occupant health and productivity and ultimately influence real estate values. Our work will focus on both financial analysis and building performance and the triple bottom line: economic, environmental, and social.

We will help the private real estate sector, corporations, investors, lenders, and developers appropriately recognize the value and risk associated with investment in Green Buildings.


We will track underwriting standards, existing and pending government regulations and incentives

We encourage networking and full participation at USGBC-NJ events and progams. The committee has a conference call on the last Thursday of each month and meets periodically as necessary.

If you are interested in joining this committee or would like more information, please contact Mario Silvestri, Committee Chair, at mario.silvestri@wachovia.com.

Gala 2009 committee

The USGBC-NJ 3rd Annual Building a Greener New Jersey Gala has a core planning committee of board members , staff and an event planning company. Assistance is needed to spread the word: promote registration, advertising journal and sponsorships. If you would like to help us make this gala more successful than ever, pls contact Michelle Cottrell (michelle@designmanagementservices.com ) , Gala 2009 Committee Chair for details on how to get involved.