I am in Austin, Texas this week attending the ABA Forum on the Construction Industry’s annual meeting. One of the ways that I got more involved in the Forum was participating in the activities of one of the twelve divisions. I am a member of Division 10: Legislation and Environment, which helps assemble information regarding case law and legislation affecting the construction industry, including environmental trends.
On Thursday morning, our division will host a breakfast with a presentation by LaVerne Williams, who designed Tonalacalli, Austin’s very first LEED Platinum home in Austin. You can check out the project at: www.firstaustinleedhome.com. Some of the features of the home include:
- Official First Certified LEED® Platinum Project in Austin;
- Official First Certified LEED® Home in Austin;
- Five-Star level rating (Austin Green Building Program’s highest possible rating)
- Intentionally designed for Passive Sustainability… i.e., to have the ability to naturally maintain relatively comfortable livable conditions for the occupants during times when there may not be power or water or food available from off-site sources;
- Green building features include rainwater harvesting; solar water-heating; high-efficiency HVAC system; sustainable site development; and environmentally preferred product use.
In addition, the project was awarded 3 additional Innovation Design credits beyond the maximum of 8 credits available in the program. If you are in Austin this week, then stop by the Division 10 breakfast on Friday morning at 8:00-9:30 a.m. Hope to see you there.