Posts Tagged ‘chicago’

Upcoming Presentation – Water Efficient Landscaping: From Airports to Your Own Backyard (2.0 GBCI CE hours)

  • 16 June 2011USGBC Illinois Logo
  • 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM
  • Ball Horticulture,
    622 Town Road
    West Chicago, IL 60185

Registration

  • This discounted price is for full-time students only.

    Register Here


Please note that registration is non-refundable. If you experience any registration difficulties or have questions please contact Karin Barden at 312-245-8300 x2.

 

Join the USGBC – Illinois Chapter’s West Suburban Branch for an educational program about stormwater management and water efficient landscaping.

This event has been submitted for 2.0 GBCI CE hours.

This event will cover issues and solutions related to water – efficiency and management.  The panel will identify typical considerations for plant selection, challenges in rural environments, and principals of water efficient landscaping.  Issues related to stormwater and how the landscape can remedy related environmental issues will be presented, as well as an overview of the US EPA’s WaterSense program will be explained as an example of possible solutions to efficiently use and protect water supplies.

Case studies of gardens planted at Northwind Perennial Farm, Gurnee Park District, Olbrich Botanic Gardens, and University of Chicago will showcase projects that have reduced maintenance costs with the usage of native plantings.  A case study of the O’Hare Modernization Project and the sustainable plantings incorporated there will also be showcased.

Speakers:

  • John Antonoglu, Associate Vice President, Primera Engineers, Ltd.
  • Tom Barrett, President, Green Water Infrastructure, Inc.
  • Roy Diblik, Co-Owner, Northwind Perennial Farm
  • Cary McElhinney, WaterSense Coordinator, US EPA Region 5, Water Division

Moderator:

  • Sharon Waller, Environmental Engineer, Sustainable Systems LLC Consulting

Agenda:

  • 5:30 – 5:50  Ball Horticulture Garden Tour, Networking, Registration & Light Appetizers
  • 5:50 – 6:00  Introductions
  • 6:00 – 6:25  Plant Selection & Landscape Design
  • 6:25 – 6:50  Stormwater Management
  • 6:50 – 7:15  O’Hare Case Study
  • 7:15 – 7:30  US EPA’s Water Sense Program
  • 7:30 – 7:40  Recap & Formative Assessment
  • 7:40 – 8:00  Questions & Answers

Oak Sponsor

For directions to Ball Horticulture in West Chicago, click the following link –Directions to Ball in West Chicago.pdf.

For parking instructions, click the following link –Ball Campus Parking Map.pdf.

 

Sustainable Site Development – Rain Water Harvesting Presentation In Chicago October 28, 2010

New Tools for Sustainable Site Development

Rain Water Harvesting and Condensate Recovery

Presentation by Tom Barrett

WHEN:

Thursday, October 28, 2010 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

WHERE:

The Chicago Center for Green Technology

445 N. Sacramento Blvd
(between Chicago Ave. and Lake St.)

Chicago, Illinois

COST: FREE

AIS Continuing Eduction Units: 2

“Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink.” wrote Samuel Taylor Coleridge in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. In its Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, the American Society of Civil Engineers rated our nation’s wastewater, stormwater, and drinking water systems a “D” minus. This is the lowest grade in any infrastructure category. The most alarming conclusion is the next lowest grade is “F” – FAILURE. Over the last fifty years America has not invested in new practices and technologies which can enhance our infrastructure and our environment. Rainwater harvesting and condensate recovery are transformative approaches to sustainable site development.

“The over-borrowing, over-consuming, and under-innovation (is) now in the US. . .,” Antonio van Aqtmael said in an October 2007 issue of Newsweek. As engineering solutions to water management that protects, restores, and mimics the natural water cycle. Rainwater harvesting and condensate recovery incorporates both the natural environment and engineered systems to provide clean water, conserve ecosystems, and provide a wide variety of benefits for people and wildlife. Additionally, all this can be accomplished at a significantly lower cost than conventional concrete and mortar infrastructure.

Join Tom Barrett as he explains how the use of locally produced water helps develop a “natural approach” to efficient use of water and relieves stormwater management issues.

WHAT OTHER SAID ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION

“. . . best class at CCGT so far, rainwater data, new ideas, charts and stats, all the different ways I can use the rainwater for my home.”
” . . . great speaker, the positive outlook, no blame game, examples (drip system), knowledgeable, class got to participate.

Speaker’s Biography – Tom Barrett

Tom Barrett is an accomplished corporate growth and change agent with over thirty years of industry experience. Tom’s leadership experience, holding executive level positions, drives corporate revenue growth through change and innovation for business start-ups, corporate expansions, and divisional turnarounds.

Tom Barrett has been delivering energetic, dynamic presentations and training for over twenty years. These presentations empower people to become masters of change rather than victims of circumstance by developing tools for transformational thinking.

“Tom’s been a leader with smart water technologies, green roofs, rainwater harvesting and other emerging technologies well before they became buzzwords at water conferences. It’s impressive to work with Tom because he knows his stuff from the ground up.”

Jeff Carowitz, Strategic Force Marketing