ADVOCACY
The Advocacy component of the Board of Operations seeks to promote green building policies with governmental, public, and private organizations throughout the North Texas Region. As such, the Chapter Advocacy teams, through the passion, expertise and commitment of our volunteer membership, work at all levels of government and relevant professional organizations throughout North Texas, actively seeking to transform our built environment. Chapter Advocates provide information to enable policy setters, architects, developers, planners, engineers, general contractors, building owners and operators to make better environmental and sustainable decisions.
The team is managed by the Commissioner of Advocacy and is comprised of two primary collaborative teams focused on specific types of advocacy- Governance and LEED. The Governance Advocacy Committees (State, Region, and City) seek to elevate and advance the alignment of Municipal and State building codes in support of the established LEED practices. The LEED Advocacy Committees endeavor to expand the reach of the various USGBC LEED Rating Systems and serve as a resource of sustainable building practices throughout the surrounding region.
The following descriptions provide additional information regarding the various Advocacy Committees, preferred skills for participation, and opportunities to communicate sustainable green building practices to others.
- Member of the USGBC North Texas Chapter and employee of a member organization
- Experience with federal, state or local government policy-making
- Experience with green building operations and advocacy
- Exceptional organizational skills
- Good oral and written communication skills
Commissioners of Advocacy: Ken Sidebottom (LEED) & Robert Smouse (Governance)
STATE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
The State Governance Committee, working in concert with other USGBC Texas Chapters, campaigns green building practices at State of Texas Legislative sessions promoting the adoption of sustainable construction public policies.
Committee Chair:
CITY GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
The City Advocacy Committee seeks to advance the alignment of municipal building codes in support of established sutainable practices through working with surrounding North Texas Municipalities, City Management, City Councils, North Central Texas Council of Governments and the Vision North Texas program. The Team offers educational presentations to assist helping North Texas Municipalities with implementing LEED standards into all existing and future buildings and facilities’, elevating staff members awareness and knowledge of sustainability design practices and encouraging adopting greener code requirements for all private development.
Committee Chairs: John Forest & William Weinberg
LEED FOR HOMES COMMITTEE
The LEED for Homes Committee endeavors to provide key sustainable resources to the residential green building industry and homeowners through educational events, collaboration with other residential green building association groups, and community outreach programs. The LEED Homes Committee advanced their partnership with a formal Memorandum of Understanding with the Home Builders Association of Greater Dallas and their Green Built Texas Initiative. Focused on working together to promote both programs has lead to huge advancements and support toward increasing the number of green built residential homes in the North Texas Region. The partnership sponsors an annual Green Building Summit specifically designed to promote residential green building practices in the North Texas Region.
Committee Chair: Steve Saunders
LEED FOR RETAIL COMMITTEE
The LEED for Retail Committee works to promote the adoption of green building practices in the overall retail construction market.
Committee Chair: Brad Terry
LEED OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE COMMITTEE
The LEED for Operations and Maintenance Committee was convened to discover how the North Texas Chapter might more effectively meet the educational and informational needs of those building owners/managers seeking LEED-EB Certification and those individuals seeking to use more sustainable practices and products in management of existing buildings.
Committee Chairs: Andrew Clendenen
LEED FOR NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
The LEED for Neighborhood Development Committee strives to advance how our surrounding municipalities, counties and property developers utilize existing infrastructure, while minimizing additional environmental impacts with developing the future sustainable residential and retail neighborhoods. With the North Texas Region facing continued population growth forecasted to be over 9 million in 2030, stepping beyond individual buildings toward the entire “neighborhoods” will be critical to plan for today. The new 2009 LEED for Neighborhood Development Rating System has passed USGBC’s ballot and received approval from the partner organizations of the Congress for the New Urbanism and the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Committee Chairs: Charles Lee
LEED FOR SCHOOLS COMMITTEE
The LEED for Schools works with School Districts throughout the North Texas Regions to promote healthy green building practices and improve building energy conservation, indoor environmental quality, and operational efficiencies in school buildings.
Committee Chairs: Karen Benson
Committees
Find out more about each of The North Texas Green Council committees.