Posts Tagged ‘Green and Sustainable Design’

Want to know more about the Galleria?

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

I have been watching the Galleria with much anticipation.  They decided to remake the Galleria as a sort of urban greenhouse farm.  Let’s face it, the traditional mall concept is not doing well across the country.  Add to that the urban flight to the suburbs that Cleveland has experienced for the last several decades, and you have a bleak outlook for a downtown mall.  Fortunately, you have visionaries like Vicky Poole.  Vicky started  planting vegetables and other plants in hanging baskets around the mall.  The Galleria is basically just one big greenhouse anyhow, with its large atrium with giant open spaces and glass ceiling.  Of course, there ares still shops and shop spaces, but now when you go there you get a more green and lush experience.  Furthermore, I hear they are taking the idea of a “Eco Mart” and green business incubator idea and adding it to the mix.  How it all turns out is both exciting and innovative.  When you marry that to the Euclid corridor make over and the Avenue project, downtown could once again be the hot neighborhood to be!  I can’t wait to see the results.  I am planning on attending a meeting there this weekend and will find out more.  But to launch this new initiative and their Resource center, there will be a “happy hour” there as the Sustainability Summit is going on.  Please join me there to find out more!  www.gardensunderglass.net

Gardens Under Glass is an economic development project located in the Galleria; supporting the growth of urban agriculture, and sustainability education.  Gardens Under Glass ReSource Center will be opening September 22, in hopes to support an opportunity to network after the first day of the Sustainability Conference, the Glocal Engine.  The Center plans to support City sustainable initiatives, groups, and organizations with a green message.  We will also be focusing on healthy lifestyle education.  If you are receiving this e-mail, it is because I have talked with you, and feel you would be a good fit, and would like your product or service to be a part of the Center.  Interested businesses and groups, please contact me at your earliest convenience so that I can coordinate your space requirements. It is my hope to have everyone included.  I look forward to hearing from you.  Feel free to call me on my cell..440 225.0723

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You could own a Green Built Home.

Saturday, August 21st, 2010
Are you shopping for a new home?  I don’t normally just blog someone’s sales flyer, but when this came in my inbox, I thought it a good chance to show readers what you get for your money when you buy a newer home built to green standards:
Listing Agent: Roger Scheve, Contact Info: Cell: 440-477-1188 Fax: 440-793-0258 email: rogers@remax.net
GreenBuilt House in heart of Detroit-Shoreway Free-standing single family 3 bd/2.5 bath Green Built home, new in 2003. Part of
the Building America program and featured in Fine Homebuilding magazine. An awesome example of a green city on a blue lake! Constructed with all the best materials and standards, this home is part of the EcoVillage neighborhood and sure to be a home you’ll be proud to own. Design/build includes extra thick walls, upgraded insulation, controlled ventilation, incredibly energy efficient systems and lighting. There is a semi-finished, conditioned full basement, adding 1056sq ft of potential, and a huge 2-car detached garage. Lush landscape surrounds the property. Nearby is a community garden and all the amenities that make Detroit-Shoreway the place to be. Very short walk to the Rapid and RTA. First floor master and laundry. All appliances remain. Seller may assist with
some closing costs. Tax abated until 2018, property taxes are for a vacant lot until abatement ends.
1974 W 54TH ST
CLEVELAND, OH 44102-3205
MLS #3157974
Property characteristics
• 3 bedrooms/2.5 baths
• First floor master with en suite bath
• Cathedral ceiling family room
• First floor laundry
• Designed by Betsy Pettit/Building
Science Corporation
• Hardwood and laminate floors
throughout
• Featured in Fine Homebuilding June
2005
• Featured on the 2009 Ohio City Garden
Tour
• 2-car detached garage
• Zodiaq countertops
• Proximity to local community garden
• Fenced in yard
• Forced air heat/Central Air

$228,500

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Local boys make good!

Sunday, August 1st, 2010

My friends over at MOD {all} Studio, Jim Fish and his design partner Rob Donaldson have been working hard to get Cleveland noticed for something other than politics and the economy.  Their new design firm has been going like gangbusters trying to win competitions and get noticed for their innovative ideas.  To this end, they have, in just a single year managed to become a finalist in the Dwell/Inhabitat.com ‘Reburbia’ competition, noted as one of the top ten popular entries for Freegreen.com’s Chain of Eco-Homes, and participated in a design exhibition in Piraeus, Greece.

So I was thrilled to find out last week that Mr. Fish was announced as one of the winners in an international competition to renovate and restore a series of existing cottages in Red Hook, NY.  Red Hook is the southern most portion of the Brooklyn borough of New York City and overlooks the Statue of Liberty and Lower Manhatten.  By 2011, residents of the Conover Street will be able to enjoy these views from their newly renovated sustainable residences.

MOD{all}Studio’s proposal – entitled “ECo-ttage” – draws inspiration from the Red Hook neighborhood  with meticulous use of materials, careful articulation of the residential program, and the integration of several sustainable initiatives (a “UtilitySpine” that stacks mechanical items, and potential solar photo voltaic, rainwater harvesting, and greywater recycling system). The competition organizers, Realty Collective, cited the design’s simplicity of program, integration into the existing urban context, and inspiring progressive design as reasons for “ECo-ttage” being selected. ECo-ttage is one of four winning proposals for existing residences.

You can read the official Press Release of the winners here.

The windows allow dark floors to absorb heat during colder months to help warm the residences.  Rainwater is diverted and could be collected for use in grey water systems.  A central “spine” for all the systems of the home make upgrades and repairs easy to access-thus reducing labor costs and material use.  You can read more about the green aspects of the project at: MOD {all} Studios.  They are not new to innovative design ideas.  They have designed many residences which have an interesting design aesthetic and which make efforts to provide designs that make the best use of space.  One of my favorites is a simple garage designed with a solar panel roof to charge electric cars while not in use.  Even the simplest of their designs are interesting and different.  Watch the video below to see a simple shelter designed for overlooking the shores of Lake Erie:

Visit their website to see more of their work and be sure to send Jim a little note of congratulations on his winning design!

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Do you know the future leaders of the Green Movement?

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010

I have seen the future and it is green.  When Cleveland State University built their LEED certified recreation center, the plans for the green roof was dropped out.  Whether is was cost, lack of interest,  logistics, or a little bit of all, the plan to include a green roof was dropped.  It seemed the dream for a lovely outdoor space on the roof of this new building was gone.  Enter Erin Huber and LeeAnn Westfall.  Two Environmental Science students who shared a common love of the planet, they teamed up to revive this lost idea of a green roof in the city.

I don’t want to talk too much about the garden, as I am hoping to get one or both of them to write a guest blog post for me.  What I will talk about is that the future of our city and our planet rests with future leaders like these two strong dynamic women.  When told that this was just not going to happen, they didn’t give up.  They started with a small spaghetti dinner to try and raise funds for the project.  I think this was the eye opener to how hard this was going to be to make happen.  Still, with a lot of time, effort and hard work, they persevered.  Their efforts were rewarded with an opening party and dedication ceremony last week.  They were recognized by proud family members, friends, university staff and students, and even members of city council.  These two lovely ladies posses strength and determination that is little seen in individuals twice their age.  LeeAnn mentioned that there are few CEOs who wear Birkenstocks, but that she planned to be one of the first.  I have no doubt that she will achieve this aim.  She also stated that Erin would change the world, and I believe she is right.

I first met these two charming and dynamic women at the sustainability summit last year.  Their love of the environment and their passion for making things better was evident when we spoke.  I thought to myself, “these ladies will have an impact.”  I am pleased to say that I was right.  Less than a year later, they proudly showed off their newly dedicated Huber-Westfall Garden.  But things haven’t stopped there for these two.  Erin has joined forces with other determined folks to bring a farmer’s market to the downtown area of Cleveland.  Healthy fresh alternatives are now available to students and the general public every week, thanks to this great market.  LeeAnn has started her own consulting company, bringing green roof consulting to NE Ohio.  With the rise of the sustainability movement and increased interest in green roofs, I am sure that she will be a huge success.

Many people look at the state of the world today and become disenchanted or disheartened.  It is easy to see how.  Some thirty or more years ago, environmentalists were determined to change the world for the better.  They were going to stop war, promote peace, use less energy, make the planet greener.  Fast forward to today and we are in a worse state than we were then.  It can sometimes feel like we are mice shouting at lions, when we face the world of big business and progress.  When I look at the passion and the determination of the rising stars of tomorrow, like Erin and LeeAnn, however, I see hope for the planet.  These are the business people of the future.  They understand how we need to marry the business of repairing the environment with the business of making a profit and being successful.  If you have a chance, next time you are near the CSU campus, go up and see the rooftop garden.  And if you ever get the chance to meet these lovely ladies, shake their hand and you can say, “I knew them when…”

The garden overlooks the CSU water tower wind turbine.

 

A lovely place to relax on campus

Proud family of a future leader

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Nature does it best: Biomimicry

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

Webster’s online dictionary defines biomimicry as “the conscious copying of examples and mechanisms from natural organisms and ecologies. It is a form of applied case-based reasoning, treating nature itself as a database of solutions that already work.” That means that nature has already provided us with the best ways to do things. But looking to nature we can find answers to some of today’s most challenging problems. That is why I was so excited to hear that Chris Allen of the Ask Nature project at the Biomimicry Institute was going to be in Cleveland.  Brought to us by E4S , this evening at the Cleveland Institute of Art is going to be a blast!

From the event listing at E4S:

Join E4S and the BiomimiryNEO Network on March 16th to learn more about how biomimicry inspires innovation from Chris Allen. Doug Paige, the Associate Professor of Industrial Design at CIA and several CIA industrial design students will share how they are putting biomimicry to work to solve challenges in the Cuyahoga Valley. Lisa Schmidtke, a recent graduate from the Biomimicry Professional Certification Program and Victoria Avi, E4S Network Entrepreneur for BiomimicryNEO, will be on hand after the main program to answer your questions about how you can learn more about the biomimicry design models and tools.

First off, let me say that any event put together by E4S is a blast.  These guys truly know what they are doing.  They find speakers who have a wealth of knowledge to share.  I know that Chris Allen will be no exception.  If you do not really know what biomimicry is, it basically is the concept of looking to nature to inspire us in design and creation.  The hottest tickets at Greenbuild the last few years have been the biomimicry seminars.  At greenbuild, you might spend over a $100 to hear a talk like this.  Not only do you not have to travel, but the cost is exceptional at only $30.  If you are an E4S member, then you can get in for a mere $25 and students are only $10!  This is your chance to hear a world class speaker who will be a leading force in this new area of study and design.

Chris is director of the AskNature project at the Biomimicry Institute and serves on the management team for the expanded operations of the Biomimicry Guild and Institute.  He is among the fifteen graduates of the first cohort of the Biomimicry Institute`s two-year professional program.  Trained in International Business at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas (1985),  Chris has over twenty years experience providing strategy and management consulting services related to sustainable development for a variety of private sector clients as well as the US Department of Energy, the National Center for Appropriate Technology, the Northwest Area Foundation, and the United Nations Man and Biosphere Program.

You can register for this event here. I am sure that space will be limited, so do not hesitate!  Register now for your seat to this incredible evening.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010  5:30 pm – 8:30 pm

The Cleveland Institute of Art

Ticket Prices: $30.00 for non-members, $25.00 E4S members, $10.00 for students w/ a valid student ID.

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Real change takes bold measures, and ODOT has no balls!

Friday, February 5th, 2010

Let’s just say it.  ODOT has no balls.   Cleveland is working hard to establish itself as a green city.  Mayor Jackson has made a committment to being a Green City on a Blue Lake.  While I think we should be moving a little faster on some things like curbside recycling and expanding the light rail system, it all takes money and we have a budget problem.  We are not alone in this.  I just read where Colorado Springs is laying off fire fighters and police, slashed all the parks budgets (asking residents to voluntarily mow green spaces), removing garbage cans from all city parks (replacing them with signs asking users to take their trash with them), turning off street lights, eliminating buses at night and on weekend, and eliminating watering programs for public spaces.  While we could be in this dire situation, we are not.  We have had to make some hard budgetary decisions, but doors won’t be closing on any museums or pools this year and the the parks will be open.  So given the economic situation in town, I can accept some programs moving slower than I would want.

What I cannot accept is ODOT.  We need a new bridge, that much is clear.  It is obvious when they had to reroute all truck traffic last year that it is really only a matter of time before the whole damn thing falls down.  When the bridge in Minneapolis had to be replaced, the city took a good look at its options and made choices that were crazy to some, genius to others.  They added things that people hadn’t thought of to make the bridge lase longer and benefit the city in ways that were not even thought of. Crazy ideas like built in bridge monitors, self cleaning concrete, and solar powered street lights that are sculptural in design.  They acted fast, built smart, and constructed this bridge to last a long time, while completing the structure  months early to finish in only  months.

ODOT, on the other hand held a public forum years ago right here in our own neighborhood.  It was one of many asking residents what they wanted to see in the overall plan of a redesigned I-90 corridor, and they they didn’t listen.  They didn’t listen to residents and citizens who wanted pedestrian and bike access.  They didn’t listen when activist groups sent them petitions.  They didn’t listen when rallies were held and marches organized.  They didn’t listen to experts who built similar bridges in other states.  They didn’t listen to the logic of increasing access of locals would encourage dense urban growth and cut down on congestion.  They didn’t listen to the planning commission, to industrialists, or to Kent State’s Urban Design Collaborative.  In short, they did not listen to the people who pay their salaries.  Keep in mind that this is the same group that designed a freeway with a near 90 degree bend in it, aptly named DEAD MAN”S CURVE.

Bridges are made to last a long time.  You only get one shot at it.  It isn’t like we can remove the bridge in ten years and do it again.  At this rate, we may still be working on this one.  To really make change, you have to be bold and take some risks.  You have to build for a future that is not here.   ODOT is obviously not a progressive group that is thinking of the future.  Rather than consider things like beauty, accessibility of the downtown, reduced long term congestion by encouraging dense urban growth, and what citizens want, they cite increased safety and maintenance concerns.  It’s not like this is the first bridge of its kind.  It has been done with success in other cities.  Yet ODOT has refused to even entertain the idea.  I am reminded of an architect working at a downtown firm who was designing a failed Lakewood project.  His plan was to built the parking garage to overlook the Rocky River garage and put the bike lane running through that.  His thought was that no one really rides bikes anyway.  I would think that the new bike garage downtown would change the minds of people like this who are so out of touch with the people of this town.  So I say, make some REAL change, be bold and build a great bridge that will serve everyone.  But I don’t hold my breath, because I think ODOT has no balls.  They are being led by a group of people who would drive 25 miles in the middle of summer to go to a gym to get on a stationery bike rather than get out in the sunshine in their own neighborhood, which is likely in the burbs.  Or is there a little something under the table?  Their concerns for maintenance and safety are valid if there is any evidence to cite.  But I haven’t seen any.

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Walking the Walk, more than just a media campaign

Sunday, December 20th, 2009

On July 14, 2009, one of the nation’s largest grocery store chains opened its first LEED certified store.  The Food Lion store is located in Columbia, South Carolina.  Now grocery stores like Safeway & Whole Foods, have been going green for some time now, so this is not necessarily a news event.  With natural food stores like Whole Foods and Wild Oats, we would EXPECT them to be as green as possible and are not surprised when we see the plaque or information wall explaining just how they are helping the environment.

So here is what makes Food Lion’s foray in to the world of green so news-worthy:  They let the public in on the ground floor!  Food Lion decided to post information on their website that would allow customers to watch the building construction process from the ground up.  As each decision was made, they explained how the green process worked, giving the public full access to information that is usually printed up on some board in the store and typically disregarded.

Let’s face it, the average customer likes to know a store is helping the environment, but won’t know anything about how efficient LED lighting is, or how a low-flow water fixture works.  An in-store plaque can say “we save water by utilizing low-flow fixtures in our—-” and the customer has already tuned out.  Food Lion decided early on to include customers in their efforts, explaining each detail in near real-time as it was installed or built.

Their website not only extolls the virtues of the company (as all marketing is self-serving), it also informs and educates.  There are videos showing how things work, and even a quiz for you to take! 

Check it out at:  www.foodlion.com/greenstore

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Oh Boy, Oberlin!

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

We in Cleveland, like to think that we are leading the charge for sustainability in the region. However, on a recent trip to Oberlin, I was treated to a little green tour of some of the cool things that are going on in that town. For a smaller municipality, there are a lot of cool things happening!

First off, I had the chance to meet and chat with Joseph Waltzer. he is a local business owner and green advocate. He was fascinating to talk with, as he believes strongly in the sustainability movement. He was college friends with Sadhu Johnston, (local green leader who was wooed away to Chicago) so it is no wander why feels so strongly about the movement. Joseph owns two restaurants in Oberlin: Agave and the Black River Cafe. Buying local products and supporting local farmers is a passion for him. He is even willing to make less profit and use smaller margins to make great food more accessible to a broader range of people. His newest project is a grocery and distribution center. He plans to renovate a now defunct grocery store into a wholesale green products store. Think Sam’s Club or Costco for sustainable products and local foods. In addition to being a cash and carry, he will also make deliveries to businesses. This will allow businesses to be able to purchase greener products without the huge mark up that mainstream distributors are charging. He has a vision to make green goods as accessible as conventional products. Good news for restaurateurs and retailers who could begin offering compost able “to go” containers, paper products with recycled content, even local farm products at costs that fall in line with other products. This could have a HUGE impact on the local market for green goods. While there is plenty of distributorship in other regions of the country, there is little available locally.

While talking about his plans, Joe saw how much I appreciated his plans. He decided to show me the space and then followed up with a tour of some of the other green sites in town. Among them was the college’s Environmental Studies Building. Much like the plans for the Cleveland Greenhouse Project, the building is like a living being. One system feeds into another to make the project sustainable. Among the features of the project are solar panels that cover the parking. There is a bioswale out front that helps to manage the storm water. The entire project is monitored, so you can learn about the facts and figures of the building in the lobby.

Here is a great video about the project that I found on You Tube:
This talk was part of the Oberlin Entrepreneurship Symposium 2008. Check out the college’s site for the complete videos and more information on the Symposium.

We rounded out our tour with a visit to a professor’s home. He is adding an addition to the house using straw bale construction. It was interesting to see it in its build state, and I snapped off a couple of photos. The straw bale construction offers a great insulative value. It also features a great double roof system, allowing for the wood ceiling to be exposed. The wood is from the contractors own land and is a beautiful combination of cherry, oak, and others. I am hoping to be invited back for a final peek when the construction is done.

It just goes to show you that Cleveland isn’t alone in its efforts to become green. When you add in the efforts of Oberlin, Akron, and even Youngstown, you get the impression that NE Ohio may be the greenest region in the country!

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Green is not black and white…

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

You want to be green, right? You want a checklist of all the things to do and buy and then you can sit back and finally relax. Sorry, kids, it is simply not that easy. Being green means work. It means being on the lookout. It means making meaningful choices and doing it over and over again. The answers are simply not black and white. Green is a gray area.

First off, I have read articles of people who live off the grid. Some raise sheep and make their own cloth, compost their own feces and never drive a car. Good for them. Deep in my heart, a part of me wants to be them. Part of me wants to throw off the shackles of modern life and spend the remainder of my days meditating in an ashram until I die and my body is left out to be pecked apart by the birds of the mountains. It ain’t gonna happen. Since you are reading this, it means that you are living here in the modern world as well. Unless you are generating your own electricity by stationary bicycle, you may be able to get something our of this.

What does being sustainable really mean? Ask 10 people and you are likely to get ten different answers. I have developed my own working definition that fits me and my life. Sustainability, to me, means making the best possible choices for both me and the rest of the planet, based on the information that I have available at the time. This means that I try to do the right things.

wwiip44I try to drive less and walk more. We could sell the car. Many people live without them. We live in Cleveland, though and I have to get around. I cannot run our business or even really get as much done in life without one. However, we drive a fuel efficient car. We try to walk more and shop locally. We combine trips and try to carpool when we can. I also bought us bikes, and hope to bike more. Being aware of the amount of gas we use is important and allows us to make decisions about when and where we will go. While not driving at all is the greenest thing, that is not going to happen. Buying a hybrid would be green, but using an old car that is still functioning and getting over 30 mpg and not having to build a new car just for us is even greener, in my opinion. When the car no longer gets decent gas mileage, or starts to fall apart, then we can make that decision.

I eat a lot less meat. I buy cage free eggs that are not fed hormones. Everybody eats. Everybody poops. Everybody. So when I buy my food, I try to buy items that are locally grown. I try to support stores that have local produce. I spend the extra buck on cage free, hormone free eggs, because it is something that I believe in and I stand by that no matter where I shop. I eat less meat and look for grass fed beef, because grass fed cows give off less methane and contribute less to global warming. I always buy TP with recycled content, and 100% unless it is not available.

I choose the most eco friendly products that I can. I try to buy products with the least packaging. Organic cotton items are often out of my price range, but I get them when I can. Vinyl has issues, so I try to avoid it. Plastics are a necessary evil in life today, but I look for the recycle symbol on things and given the choice, I buy the better option. Or sometimes I do not buy at all…

I shop less and I weigh my options when I spend my dollars. When we put in a new floor, I wanted an eco friendly product like bamboo. But is bamboo really that eco friendly when it has to come all the way from China? I shop at Wal Mart because of the things they are doing to green their stores and their supply chains, but I am always aware of past labor violations. I also am aware that so much of their product selection is cheap and will fall apart in a week. Instead, I would rather buy from a less eco friendly retailer and buy something that will not need to be replaced soon. I also think about the things that I buy and ask myself if I can get it used. The greenest items are the ones that are never produced at all.

So there are no easy answers, no one size fits all. You have your life and have to make the choices that you need to to live it. But there are always options and you have to make the best ones for you. Is it better to buy a greener product made by a company with human rights abuses? Or a product that is bad for the environment that that has no animal testing? Do you support local farmers who use pesticides, or a corporate farm that grows organic, in Mexico? Dig deep and spend your money wisely, and as you do, you will find that there are good and bad in most of the choices that you make. Choose the greenest answer and it won;t always be black and white, but sorta gray.

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The Cavs game was great, but the meeting was even better!

Friday, May 29th, 2009

I live in Cleveland. Although I am not a big sports fan, you have to be living under a rock not to know that the Cavaliers are a big deal. A REALLY big deal. I get it. I even watched last night’s game. I am rooting for them to win. Cleveland can use this boost to the local economy. Last night a few of us kicked back at the Tremont Tap House for beers and to watch the game. Thursday night, and the place was packed. The more it looked like we would win, the more beers people were ordering. It was great seeing people enjoy themselves and spend a little of the cash that they have been hording away in case of complete economic meltdown. I am holding out that they will make it to the championships. The civic pride we will see will be eclipsed by the economic benefit to our city. So last night, we led, we fell behind, we made mistakes, we triumphed. It was thrilling. What was even better was the event we attended before the game.

We had a local affiliate here called the Cleveland Green Building Coalition. It was an affiliate of the United States Green Building Council. A few short months ago, Michelle Kilroy took over the reins of the operation. The changes have been astounding. It became a full chapter member of the USGBC. The name changed. The newly relaunched NEO Chapter of the USGBC has updated their website. It is clean and easy to read. The programming has gotten much better, too. Last night was a networking and panel discussion at CSU’s historic Parker Hannifin Hall. The updating and restoration of this historic mansion is a sustainable project and nothing short of amazing. Considering our love of historic preservation blending with green design, it was a thrill for me to see it.

The topic of the evening was Residential Initiatives in Green Building. If you have read my posts about the Green Cottages, then you know how exciting I find the future of green residential building to be. There were three speakers for the evening. Jim Ptacek of Larsen Architects and Marge Misak of Cuyahoga Community Land Trust got down to the nitty-gritty of building the first green cottage home. Since their bent was making not just a green home, but a green affordable home, we got to hear more about the financial challenges. We were also treated to more specific information as to the homes construction. Learning how some things were cut due to budgetary constraints, while others were left in due to importance was fascinating. I have always said that “green” is not black and white, it is a matter of scale. Bamboo is a renewable resource, but if it comes from China, then how green can it be? If a house is carbon neutral and free to heat, but costs so much that only Donald Trump can afford it, is it really a viable product? It was a great discussion.

The evening was lead off by Kevin Dreyfuss-Wells of City Architecture. This was a more personal discussion, as Mr Dreyfuss-Wells built a sustainable home for himself. He let us know about some of the green features of his home, like the bioswale and cistern for capturing rainwater on site. The engineering of the home is pretty damn cool, as there is little heating or cooling involved. The home was built to take advantage of the position of the sun to heat the home passively in winter. They made use of the natural beauty of the building materials to reduce finishes in the home. It sits near the border of Cleveland and Shaker Heights, and fits seamlessly into the neighborhood. In fact, both projects went to great lengths to look like they belonged, while retaining their own personality.

One thing that both remarked on was the tight use of the footprint. Over the years, we as Americans have grown to love our idea of taking up as much space as possible and using whatever resources we want. These homes are fine examples of tight floor plans that make great use of space, while providing exceptional living environments. The crowd was small enough to allow for great interaction both during and after the presentations. The attendees were thoughtful and asked excellent questions. Besides the great information, the food was excellent and there was ample time to meet and network. So while the game was good, this part of the evening was better. If this is any indication of the quality of speakers and events that the NEO Chapter is going to host, then it is shaping up to be a great year! Be sure to look at their calendar for upcoming events. I am looking forward to hearing Bill Doty talk about the Big Met Clubhouse. He is so interesting and a true leader for the green building movement in NE Ohio. I found him fascinating when he gave us a tour of his offices. Afterward, I will head down to Pickwick and Frolic for a networking event-come join me!

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