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Living Buildings and the Precautionary Principle

Presenters:

Sandy Wiggins, LEED AP, Principal, Consilience LLC, Immediate Past Chair, U.S. Green Building Council, Philadelphia, PA

Tracy Bowen, Executive Director, Ferguson Foundation

Click Here to download the presentation from the session!

 

Part 1: Living Buildings and Transformation: A Story and Case Study

Part 2: Values and the Precautionary Principle: A Framework for Decisions

This two part session will begin with the presentation of a project being developed by the Alice Ferguson Foundation in Accokeek, Maryland, which won a Leadership Award in the national Living Building Challenge competition at Greenbuild last November .  The story of their journey will be told to illustrate the powerful catalyzing effect of making the commitment to Living Buildings – how this objective is changing the culture of their organization and their community, changing the practices of their seasoned green design team, and leading everyone involved to new insights and awareness.  
 
The second part of the session examines the emerging value system driving Living Buildings and focuses specifically on the Precautionary Principle as a tool for making sound and defensible decisions that improve the conditions for life in the face of scientific uncertainty.  Application of the Precautionary Principle engages a broader sampling of available science than decision tools like LCA and a leads to a greater appreciation of external costs.   The precautionary principle requires decision-makers to become aware of potential hazards, to look for safer alternatives, to include affected parties in the conversation early in the decision-making process, and to select the alternative that minimizes harm and maximizes sustainability.


Presenter Bios

Sandy Wiggins
sandy_wiggins.jpgSandy is principal of Consilience, LLC a national consultancy with a mission to build environmentally, socially and economically sustainable communities.  During his 32 year career, he has been responsible for the development of projects totaling over one billion dollars, including dozens of LEED commercial projects and the nation’s first LEED Gold certified homes, which are also net zero energy consumers.  His skillful facilitation has also helped birth sustainable master plans and regional public policy initiatives. Sandy is also a Director and Immediate Past Chair of USGBC.  He is a Director of the Middle East Centre for Sustainable Development and serves on the Delaware Valley Smart Growth Alliance.  He is a founding member of the Pennsylvania Green Building Forum, and was co-founder and founding Chair of the Delaware Valley Green Building Council.  He was also a member of the LEED for Neighborhood Development Core Committee throughout the development of the LEED-ND Pilot Rating System, and previously served as a Director of the Energy Coordinating Agency, Earth Force, and the Pennsylvania Resources Council.

Click here to listen to part 1 of Sandy Wiggin's presentation podcast.
Click here to listen to part 2 of Sandy Wiggin's presentation podcast.

Tracy Bowen

tracy_bowen.jpgExecutive Director of the Alice Ferguson Foundation  -- Tracy has served with the Foundation since 1995, where she began as the Director of Development.  In 1999 she became the Executive Director and is responsible for overall management of the organization including: programs, facility, fundraising, planning, human resources, and financial management.   Under Tracy’s leadership the organization has expanded its regional environmental education mission; grown programmatic outreach, partnerships, staffing, financial support; and has accomplished major capital improvements, board development and strategic and master land use planning.  Tracy has a diverse professional background in the non-profit sector (environment and health) and the political arena.  Since moving to Washington, D.C. from Detroit metropolitan area in 1988, she has had many exciting professional opportunities working with U.S. Senator Carl Levin, Podesta Associates, and Georgetown University’s Lombardi Cancer Research Center.  In addition, Tracy has served since 1995 with the National Sustainable Water Resources Roundtable and the Sustainable Development Indicators Interagency Working Group.

Click here to listen to Tracy Bowen's presentation podcast.

To listen to the Q&A period for this educational session click here.

Audio edited by http://h2opodcast.com.