Spring 2008

A Newsletter for Vermont’s Green Building Community

In This Issue

BSR News

VBG News

BSR Events

Dear BSR Members,

As many of you know, BSR has been working for over a decade now to advance the green building industry in Vermont. Our members and Board of Directors have devoted substantial time and energy over the years to various projects and events – most notably the creation of the Vermont Builds Greener Rating System.

As is often the case with a small non-profit, our organization's efforts have been subject to the ebb and flow of the public's interest in the issue's we're working on, as well as to the competing demands of our own personal and professional lives as a volunteer-based organization.

Over the past year, however, we've been reconnecting with our members, holding regular meetings, developing a new logo and website, reviving the Vermont Builds Greener program, and building our presence as a resource for the green building industry in Vermont. Our membership has reached 300, our Board is active and committed, and we have the dedicated energy of volunteers and part-time staff.

In addition to our Green Building Workshop Series and other events, our energy is now turned towards developing the capacity of our organization to serve our members and sustain our momentum.

With your continued support we are committed to building our organizational capacity and presence, so that together we may build a more sustainable future for Vermont, for generations to come.

Sincerely,

Lee Wood
Executive Director

BSR Board

Tom Perry

Richard Faesy

Jim Vann

Brian Hurley

Ben Gordesky

Chuck Reiss

BSR Staff

Lee Wood

Executive Director

BSR Members

BSR Professional Member List

BSR News

Topical Meetings

BSR Recognizes that our most valuable resource in bringing about positive social and environmental change in Vermont is our people. We have revived our Topical Meetings as a way for members to connect and learn about various topics of interest. Our current series is held in conjunction with the Vermont Green Building Network's "Green Calendar Series," drawing on a wealth of local knowledge for presentations and discussions on the latest developments in green building technology and practice. We welcome your ideas for presentation topics. Meetings will be held regularly on the last Monday of the month at On the Rise Bakery in Richmond from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. We hope to see you there!

Business Directory and Website
If you are a BSR Business member (small or large) you receive a listing in our Directory as part of your membership. We are expanding this directory to include searchable forms and business descriptions. If you are a Business Member, please send us a short description of your business for the web. If you would like to upgrade your membership, visit our website or contact Lee Wood.

BSR Listserv

We would like to offer a voluntary forum for our members to share ideas related to building practices or local services, and to field questions and referrals from homeowners. If you would like to sign up for this listserv, please contact Lee Wood.

Event Volunteering

With the multitude of green events happening around the state, our volunteer board and part-time staff can barely keep up! We would like to continue having a presence at these events with our table top display and brochures, so we would like to recruit your help to staff the BSR booth. On a case-by-case basis, BSR will pay your registration to these events in exchange for your help staffing the booth. This offers you a chance to attend conferences and events, promote your business at the BSR table, and build support for our organization’s mission. Contact Lee Wood if you’re interested in being considered for future volunteer opportunities.

BSR to Revive VBG!

After two years of co-branding the Vermont Builds Greener (VBG) Program with LEED for Homes (LEED-H) during its pilot phase, BSR is moving to re-establish the VBG program with updated criteria in pursuit of a more user friendly, interactive and cost effective program that is Vermont grown and administered.

Over the past few years working with LEED-H, we have found that LEED-H, being a larger national program, has not been able to respond to the regional issues and to specific changes that BSR would like to make to the VBG/LEED-H checklist.

We believe that VBG is better designed to serve the builders and designers of Vermont by offering a cost-effective, user-friendly, Vermont-based program for developing a solid local reputation as a careful, knowledgeable and thoughtful green builder. For the homeowner, a VBG certification offers the satisfaction of living in a truly well-built, progressively designed, environmentally sustainable home.

BSR is moving quickly to re-establish the VBG program, which we feel will be better suited to the needs of building professionals and homeowners in Vermont. We will keep you informed of the details as the program takes shape.

Meetings & Events

Residential Green Building Workshop. April 17. Burlington, VT. 9:00 - 5:00. A comprehensive introduction to green building and the VBG and LEED-H Rating Systems.

Community Wind Systems. April 28. 7:00 - 9:00 pm. On the Rise Bakery, Richmond, VT. Presenter: Chuck Reiss. More details to come.

Residential Green Building Workshop. May 22. Middlebury, VT. 9:00 - 5:00. A comprehensive introduction to green building and the VBG and LEED-H Rating Systems.

Rebuilding Together Greater Burlington. June 7. Service projects working to ease the lives of elderly, disabled, and very deserving homeowners in Chittenden County and making a lasting, sustainable impact in our community.

Alternative Business Structures in Green Building. July 28. 7:00 - 9:00 pm. On the Rise Bakery, Richmond, VT. More details to come.

Residential Green Building Workshop. July 24. Warren, VT. 9:00 - 5:00. A comprehensive introduction to green building and the VBG and LEED-H Rating Systems.

Join the BSR Board of Directors

Promote green building in Vermont while networking with a diverse group of professionals who are pushing the green envelope.

You can become more involved in advancing organizational objectives by joining the Board of Directors. 

To learn more contact Lee Wood at lwood@bsr-vt.org