Conference Proceedings

Tuesday, February 19, 2013, 10:00 AM–11:00 AM
(CN001) Panel: How Does Your Campus Approach Sustainability?
Presented by: Richard Johnson, Director Of Energy And Sustainability, Rice University; Andy Kim, Director of Environmental Stewardship, Austin Community College District; Michele Van Hyfte, Manager Environmental Stewardship, Seton Healthcare Family; Jim Walker, Director of Sustainability, The University of Texas at Austin
Many universities and colleges are exploring and making a commitment to sustainable buildings and operations.  Each institution will present their current “sustainable” policy and will discuss their preference to register and certify their buildings with the United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. Tools and programs are being developed internally by each institution for both internal learning and for external standards for use by designers and contractors.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013, 11:15 AM–12:15 PM
(CN002) Panel: Building Energy Model, is my Building Performing per the Energy Model?
Presented by: Mohit Mehta, Director, Sustainable Design, M-E Engineers, Inc; John Mouritsen, Architect/Senior Resident Construction Manager, The University of Texas System Office; Ryan Reid, Co-founder, Internal Energy Solutions, LLC
The USGBC’s LEED rating system requires energy modeling to assess the energy use of a building and to quantify the savings attributable to the proposed design.  In many case, architects and building owners are inexperienced with energy modeling and don’t know how to harness this tool to inform the design and decision-making process.  Properly used, energy modeling can help optimize the building design and allow the design team to prioritize investment in the strategies that will have the greatest effect on the building’s energy use. The session will explain the modeling process and evaluate the validity of the output presented. 

Tuesday, February 19, 2013, 12:15 PM–1:15 PM
(CN003) Lunch Presentation: Strategies for “Greening” Design & Construction Contracts
Presented by: John R. Hawkins, Litigation Partner, Porter Hedges, LLC
Successful green projects present unique issues and require that the parties involved in the project address certain issues in their contracts. Doing so will increase the likelihood of projects success and decrease the risk of disputes and lawsuits. What does your green building contact address in the areas of design, construction and consulting?  Learn how to construct a framework to ensure success of the entire green building team.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013, 1:15 PM–2:15 PM
(CN004) Now Operate Your Green Building
Presented by: John Gillum, Facilities Planning Manager, Austin Public Library; Richard Johnson, Director Of Energy And Sustainability, Rice University; Keith Reihl, Regional Vice Chair for Chapter Technology Transfer, Mitsubishi Cooling & Heating; John H. Russell, Director of Project Administration, Texas Tech University System Administration
Green building measures cannot achieve their goals unless they work as intended. Building commissioning includes testing and adjusting the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems to ensure that all equipment meets design criteria. It also includes instructing the staff on the operation and maintenance of equipment. Over time, building performance can be assured through measurement, adjustment, and upgrading. Proper maintenance ensures that a building continues to perform as designed and commissioned. University and colleges are making changes to accommodate the new green buildings on campus, including maintenance processes and/or procedures.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013, 2:30 PM–3:30 PM
(CN005) Explore Real Life Examples of Green Buildings
Presented by: Adam Bush, Project Manager, Overland Partners | Architects; Andy Kim, Director of Environmental Stewardship, Austin Community College District; Butch Kuecks, Associate Director for Campus Planning, The University of Texas at Austin; Christy Ten Eyck, President, Ten Eyck Landscape Architecture
Learn from the real-life experiences of the project team. The UT Austin Student Activity Center has achieved LEED Gold certification and the team will discuss lessons learned regarding the green roofs for the project. Another project team will discuss the opportunities and challenges of rainwater harvesting and water-efficient landscape. Learn what it took to design and build and also what was necessary for the university to operate and maintain the new green features. Austin Community College has made a commitment to achieve carbon neutrality and has added photovoltaic arrays to several campuses to reduce reliance on purchased electricity, one of the largest components of their carbon footprint.