21 Mar

NYSBC Brings Toxic Chemicals Workshop to NYC

Reduce Harmful Chemicals and Grow Your Business!

ISSP-NYCJoin us in midtown Manhattan for our next in-person workshop, co-sponsored by the International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP-Greater NYC chapter). 

Savvy business owners everywhere are designing their products, workplaces, and retail environments to respond to consumer demand for safe standards and to differentiate their businesses in a changing market. This cross-sector introductory workshop will ​point​ ​you​ ​in​ ​the​ ​right​ ​direction​ ​toward​ ​safer​ ​materials​ and practices ​for​ ​your business. Experts will provide guidelines, case studies, certification program information, and opportunities to support the movement toward safer environments. You’ll learn how to assess your current chemical use, reduce your toxic chemical footprint, and impact your company’s profile.

  • Hilary Baum, Program and Policy Director, NYSBC, will discuss green procurement as a business strategy and the role of business leadership in the movement toward safer materials procurement.
  • Rich Schiafo, Campaign Coordinator, Clean and Healthy New York, will provide guidelines for identifying toxic chemicals in your workplace and finding safer alternatives that support your bottom line.
  • Robin Guenther, Principal of Perkins+Will and Senior Advisor to Health Care Without Harm, will discuss her company’s role as an innovator in the construction industry around both material transparency and material health, the tools and resources they have developed to further this work, and the associated culture change that has taken place within the company itself.

DATE, TIME, & VENUE 

      Wednesday, April 11th, 5:30pm-7:45pm
      The Suite Project, 8th Floor
      417 Fifth Avenue (between 37th and 38th Streets)
      New York City

TICKETS

      NYSBC and ASBC Members – $25
      ISSP Members – $25
      ISSP Student Members – $15
      Non-members – $35
      At door – $45

Join us for an insightful discussion and networking reception with sustainability professionals!

REGISTER

AGENDA

      5:30 – 6:00pm – Reception
      6:00 – 7:15pm – Program and Q&A
      7:15 – 7:45pm – Networking Cocktail Reception
      Wines, soft drinks and refreshments will be offered.

SPEAKERS

Hilary Baum is the program and policy director of the New York Sustainable Business Council.  She is a producer of coalition-building educational programs and public awareness campaigns focusing on food, farming, and sustainability. A pioneer in the regional food movement, she co-founded Chefs for the Marcellus, a coalition of food professionals and business owners concerned about fracking in New York, and directed Food Systems Network NYC and The Public Market Collaborative. Her background includes artisan food production, marketing, restaurant procurement, farmers’ market operations, and community supported agriculture. She is an author of the American Sustainable Business Council’s report, Re-thinking Fracking, and a contributor to the New York City Council’s FoodWorks, and co-author of Public Markets and Community Revitalization and The Lifespice Cookbook.

Rich Schiafo has three decades of experience as an environmental professional, having held various positions with nonprofit environmental organizations and local, regional and state government agencies. Rich works with Clean and Healthy New York’s leadership to advance the Reducing Chemicals of Concern in Products in NY State policy campaign and the Getting Ready for Baby market campaign. Rich’s recent work encompassed watershed protection outreach and education and regional materials management with a focus on organics, chairing the Hudson Valley Regional Materials Management Working Group. With a passion for food justice, Rich has been a leader of the ‘Feeding the Hudson Valley’ events, and he has done significant food recovery work for Dutchess and Ulster County charitable organizations. For the City of Kingston, Rich prepared a greenhouse gas inventory and authored their Climate Action Plan. He is the recipient of a U.S. EPA Region 2 Environmental Quality Award and Hudson River Watershed Alliance Stewardship Award.

Robin Guenther is a Principal of Perkins+Will and Senior Advisor to Health Care Without Harm. An expert in sustainable healthcare design, Robin is a long-time advocate for healthier healing environments and recently spoke on the topic at TEDMED 2014. Notable projects include leading the major expansion of the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford, and ongoing work with preeminent institutions such as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Robin also led one of the two winning teams in the Kaiser Permanente “Small Hospital, Big Idea” Competition. Healthcare Design magazine named her the “#1 Most Influential Designer in Healthcare” and she co-coordinated the “Green Guide for Health Care,” the most commonly used method of tracking sustainability in healthcare spaces today. She released the second edition of Sustainable Healthcare Architecture in 2013 and Fast Company named her as one of the “100 Most Creative People in Business.” 

21 Mar

NYSSBC Speaks at Javits Center, NYC

NYSSBC coordinated a panel for BuildingsNY, the largest gathering of property owners, managers, designers, architects, and others building trade professionals. Thousands attend this two-day event at the Javits Center: 655 W 34th St, New York, New York 10001.

Our panel covered current and pending policies at the City and State level that impact businesses in the building trade. We discussed the role of independent businesses in New York State policy advocacy and took a deep look at Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency policies relevant to New York City buildings.

Speakers from RIGHT to LEFT (in presenting order) listed below:

John Ciovacco (moderator) is the President of Aztech Geothermal, LLC, an engineering-driven, design-build contractor of innovative renewable heating & cooling systems. He serves as a resource to building owners, construction companies, engineers, architects and investors regarding the latest renewable and energy efficiency technologies, government incentives, and financing options. John is an IGSHPA Accredited Geothermal Installer, a Building Performance Institute (BPI) Certified Contractor, and Certified Green Professional with the NAHB.

Bob Rossi is the Executive Director of the New York State Sustainable Business Council (NYSSBC), an alliance of business organizations and businesses committed to advancing a vibrant, just, and sustainable economy in the state. Bob draws from his experience in academia, small business, and the nonprofit sector. He has been involved in several business startups in software, manufacturing, and green building and helped launch nonprofits including the Green Resource Hub, which promotes sustainable lifestyle and supports green business.  Most Recently, Bob founded the CommonSpot, a coworking space and social enterprise incubator in Ithaca, NY.

Bob Wyman is a renewable energy consultant and geothermal heat pump (GHP) advocate. He is currently engaged with clients who seek to dramatically increase the adoption of GHP. He also advocates for clean energy solutions in New York City such the elimination of No 6 and No 4 heating oil and the recently passed requirement that GHPs be considered for all new and retrofitted municipal buildings. Prior to engaging full time with the GHP industry, Bob spent 40+ years in the software industry making significant contributions in the areas of electronic mail, office automation, hypertext, digital rights management, multimedia publishing, and both retrospective and prospective search technologies.

Samara Swanston, J.D., has been practicing Environmental Law for more than twenty five years. She is currently the legislative counsel to the Environmental Protection Committee of the New York City Council and an Adjunct Professor at the Pratt Institute Graduate School for Urban Planning and the Environment. She was the environmental counsel to the Town of Babylon and the County of Suffolk where she litigated Long Island Pine Barrens v. Town of Brookhaven et al., the largest environmental lawsuit in state history, and was the first drafter of the legislation creating the Long Island Pine Barrens Maritime Reserve Act. Samara also was a Superfund attorney for the Environmental Protection Agency and then a manager for the Superfund program of the Department of Environmental Conservation. Samara has written numerous, extensively cited law review articles. She was also the first drafter of the local law to require coordination between the state and city for construction projects that require state wetlands or coastal erosion hazard area permits. Among other legislation, she recently wrote two local laws to promote the use of geothermal energy.

Cecil Scheib, PE, CEM, LEED AP is Chief Program Officer at Urban Green Council. With 25 years experience spearheading sustainability projects in the built environment, he leads Urban Green’s policy, research, and education initiatives. As Managing Director of the Building Resiliency Task Force for the City of New York, he led an effort to consider how to best rebuild after Hurricane Sandy in order to prepare New York City for future extreme weather events. Previously, he was Director of Energy and Sustainability at New York University, cutting energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by 30% in five years. He was the lead author on NYU’s Climate Action Plan and Energy and Water Design Standards for new construction. NYU received AASHE STARS Gold and the highest rating of any institution in the Operations category. He holds a BS in Civil Engineering from Stanford University and a Professional Engineer’s license from New York State, and is a Certified Energy Manager and LEED Accredited Professional.