Big Green: RE:pioneers of green building--who are they?

[JOHN SALMEN]

This list that I have been reading is great. Feels like a small community
within N.A. and I've drawn steadily from either resources and contributions
these people have made or simply continued because there was some semblance
of community.

20 years ago I figured the only real significant contribution to
environmental building would result from policy changes at an affective
government or administrative level. Policies that would not only influence
but regulate. 

 Industry has that corporate bias and tends to need to be reactive to rules
and regulations. Its interesting to see what a key role many of the people
mentioned have played in developing the 'rules', and what a significant
change that has produced. So as to 'who are they' I think you could agree
that they are primarily people affective in policy change or in influencing
change at a personal working level.

It also causes me to reflect on the role the American economy has played in
the last 20 years. It was strong and there were 'excess' dollars that played
a role in the adoption of green developments. I say this from a Canadian
perspective where the economy dragged and institutional projects (schools,
etc.) simply did not compare. We continued some investment at a research and
development level but nothing consistent at the pragmatic level of
influencing built environments - that is starting to change...

What I would like to do is commend all the inspired 'suppliers' that
provided designs and technology without necessarily the benefit of a willing
market. It's a long list but having sourced products and technologies for a
long time it is one I am dependent on for actually building buildings.

So my contribution to this list is all the small companies that have
persevered in that generational struggle of pushing the envelope with good
design and good community practice - even without the return.



JOHN SALMEN ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN
4465 UPHILL RD,. DUNCAN, B.C.  CANADA, V9L 6M7
PH 250 748 7672 FAX 250 748 7612 CELL 250 246 8541
terrain at shaw.ca

-----Original Message-----
From: biggreen-bounces at lists.biggreen.org
[mailto:biggreen-bounces at lists.biggreen.org] On Behalf Of John E. Beeson
Sent: May 23, 2008 2:06 PM
To: biggreen at lists.biggreen.org
Subject: Big Green: RE:pioneers of green building--who are they?

Since I'm late in the listing, I'd like to add some more I haven't seen
yet:

Steven Winter:  Steven Winter Associates.   Critical in policy, USGBC,
energy modelling, etc.

Steve Badanes: his excitement and attitude especially

Center for Sustainable Systems, UofMich:  Greg Keolian, et al for the
ealry LCA research of homes and products.  http://css.snre.umich.edu/

Southface Energy Institute, Dennis Creech

Sustainable Buildings Industry Council, Helen English

Interface, Inc  Ray Anderson simply for forcing the issue within
manufacturing.

Majora Carter, spirit and attitude!

And without Alex Wilson, Nadav Malin, and Peter Yost I feel like I'd be
nowhere.

I'd second all those previously listed and some I hadn't heard of before
and took interest.  So thanks!


QUINN EVANS | ARCHITECTS

John E. Beeson, LEED AP

219 1/2 N. Main Street
Ann Arbor, MI  48104
jbeeson at quinnevans.com
www.quinnevans.com
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