Building a Better Tomorrow: Adapting Operations to COVID

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Building a Better Tomorrow: Adapting Operations to COVID

As we adapt to the evolving regulations of Covid-19, we must continue to prioritize health, safety and wellbeing. On 10/14, the Cross-Learning Alliance (a partnership composed of Urban Green, ASHRAE and AIA) hosted Adapting to COVID: Building Operations, the second installment of a three-part virtual speaker series to share building protocols and interventions to facilitate safe workplace re-openings.

This event was moderated by Tony Tsang, Chapter President of ASHRAE, who was joined by facilities team members from both the health and corporate worlds to discuss maintenance strategies that worked, preparations for the coming months, and long-term changes to building operations practices as a result of the pandemic.

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GPRO's Ten Year Anniversary

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GPRO's Ten Year Anniversary

Summer 2020 marks the ten-year anniversary of Urban Green’s flagship educational program, GPRO. Sustainability and high-performance building looked a lot different a decade ago than it does today. New York City had just implemented its own Energy Code, we were promoting CFLs as the most efficient lightbulbs and conventional projects were just starting to require plastic coverings on newly delivered ductwork.

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Biophilia: Building Back to Nature

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Biophilia: Building Back to Nature

The average American spends 90 percent of their life indoors. But according to biophilia principles, humans are happier when connected to nature. Is it possible to foster this feeling when we’re inside? At Urban Green’s Biophilia in Building Design and Operations event on March 4, panelists discussed how they use a biophilic mindset to reduce environmental harm and improve tenant experiences in their buildings.

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Partner Highlight: Powering NYC’s Green Workforce

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Partner Highlight: Powering NYC’s Green Workforce

Community and collaboration only begin to describe the work being done at the NYC-based non-profit Solar One. The organization uses education to promote the adoption of solar energy to foster sustainability and resiliency in the New York City area. Max Levitzke, Green Workforce Director at Solar One, spoke with us about how Solar One uses education, including Urban Green’s GPRO training, to teach their students about sustainability.

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Partner Highlight: How Plumbers See Water’s Place in The World

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Partner Highlight: How Plumbers See Water’s Place in The World

When Mellissa Brotherson, a highly accomplished Journeyman Plumber with UA Local Union 1, began her education, she was surprised by how prevalent water is in the built environment, but also how little people seem to notice it.

Beginning her career in construction as a non-union member, Brotherson decided to enter the plumbing industry through UA Local Union 1 because of the challenging work involved. She explored welding and became the fastest Local 1 apprentice on record to attain a UA welding qualification. Brotherson’s talent was obvious; she was chosen as the first Local 1 welder to be sent to the UA Apprentice Competition, and became an instructor prior to graduation.

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Partner Highlight: Continued Sustainability Success at CTGBC

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Partner Highlight: Continued Sustainability Success at CTGBC

The Connecticut Green Building Council (CTGBC) has been making its mark in the high-performance building industry. As a dedicated GPRO Delivery Partner, CTGBC has trained nearly 300 students in Fundamentals of Building Green and Operations & Maintenance Essentials. “GPRO has served as a catalyst for enhanced professional development offerings, enabling us to educate trade groups and trade ally networks that we have never reached before,” said Nicholas Jones, Board Member and Chair of the Professional Development Committee.

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