One more week to register!
The Living Future unconference is just one week away, and is shaping up to be our best yet.  Keynote speaker, Paul Hawken, kicks it off on Wednesday night with a discussion of how the largest social movement in history is restoring grace, justice and beauty to the world.  Thursday and Friday will be packed with highly interactive sessions discussing carbon neutrality, financing living buildings, designing for zero waste, advanced green materials selection, and much more.  Sim Van der Ryn then keynotes on Friday, discussing the 15 features that consistently appear in architecture which demonstrate wholeness and life.  We hope you will make the time to be a part of the leading edge of the green building movement. 
Learn more and register today!

Green Broker's impressive program and speaker lineup is now posted!
From assessing the value of green buildings to the art of crafting green leases, Green Broker's educational content is sure to prepare attending real estate and finance professionals to actively participate in the flourishing green building movement. Take a look at the speakers and sessions in store for the conference and register today! Continuing Education Credits will be made available. Register by May 8th to take advantage of Early Bird pricing!  Presented in partnership with the Commercial Brokers Association.
More information and registration

Mark your calendars: Living Building Leader to start in June!
As mentioned last month, 2008 marks the inaugural year of the Living Building Leader Program—a series of interactive courses for advanced green building professionals. For 2008, we will offer the seven required courses in the Energy Petal, and in June and July we'll offer select courses in the Beauty + Inspiration and Materials Petals to offer a taste of what's to come. More courses will be offered throughout the rest of the year, and starting in 2009 we'll offer the entire complement of courses. Look for more information, and link to our new website devoted to the program, soon at www.livingbuildingleader.org.

Welcome Katie Spataro!
Katie Spataro joins Cascadia as a part-time research director helping to identify and address code barriers to green buildings. Katie brings over nine years experience working in the building industry as a construction project manager and engineer, program manager, and green building consultant. For 5 years she worked with King County’s GreenTools program providing technical assistance to permit applicants and developing programs, policies, and incentives to support more sustainable development practices in the county. Katie holds a degree in Construction Engineering and Management from Purdue University and is excited to be a part of Cascadia’s leadership to transform the way we design, build, and interact with our built environment.

Portland Branch Website!
Cascadia's Portland branch has been very busy updating their webpage with information about Portland branch activities. Click Here to view their page!

Lights Out for Glumac!
Last month, Cascadia challenged you - our loyal readership - to hit the lights on March 29 in recognition of Earth Hour. Glumac, a Cascadia Friend, responded with the most employees - 81 - committing to the hour (or longer!) of carbon-free darkness. Cascadia encourages everyone to implement measures to reduce your carbon impact caused by electricity use. Simple steps such as turning off your computers when you leave work and switching to CFLs are easy ways to get started.

New and Renewed Friends of Cascadia

Platinum

Silver
City of Portland Office of Sustainable Development
Colliers International

Certified
BOMA Portland
Brightworks
Sustainability Solutions Group

New LEED Certified Projects

Cascadia LEED Statistics (As of 4/3/08)

Green Building Playing Cards!
These cards are organized by green building strategy including:
Energy (hearts)
Site / water (clubs)
Materials / air quality (spades)
Innovation / community (diamonds)

High cards in the deck represent those strategies with the highest environmental benefit, allowing for myriad games related to integrated design (five of a kind), operational savings strategies (flush hand), and many more!
Order Now!

2008 Edition of the Build it LEED Toolkit!
The Build it LEED Toolkit for LEED NC v2.2 provides all of the necessary tools for contractors to implement the LEED process. Authored by O’Brien & Company and Cascadia, the Toolkit contains an overview of LEED, project management tools, tips and tricks, details on specific contractor responsibilities, and electronic plan templates and tracking tools for the contractor to get up to speed on LEED quickly and easily. The enclosed CD-ROM, oversize flow charts and LEED credit responsibilities checklist demystifies the process, and provides a documentation binder to document LEED compliance. Order the Build it LEED Toolkit for Contractors today!

Green Building 101 Workshop for Stratas and Co-ops (British Columbia)
An affordable two-hour workshop for your strata or co-op council that will identify key green building concepts and provide you with the tools to get started in greening your building.
Cost: $225 + GST
Click Here for more information and to register!

NW Natural Smart Energy Program
NW Natural, a 148-year old natural gas distribution company headquartered in Portland, Oregon, now offers Smart Energy – a new carbon offset option to help consumers and businesses neutralize their gas-related carbon footprint. A first-of-its-kind program in the nation, Smart Energy aims to create a renewable methane gas resource by bringing a biodigester to the region. To effectively reduce your footprint, NW Natural encourages you to first lower your gas consumption – through energy efficient appliances and behavior changes – and then offset the rest with Smart Energy.
More Info

New green building blog seeks bloggers
The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce has launched a Green Building Blog and is looking for a few good bloggers! The site is mainly focused on green building issues in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest, but posts can also stray further afield both geographically and topically. It's here to explore problems, new technologies, post events and discuss events that touch upon green building issues, or related fields. Katie Zemtseff, the DJC's environmental reporter, is blog moderator and is looking for members of the green building or environmental community who want to contribute to this source of information.
For more information contact Katie at katiez@djc.com or (206) 622-8272.

The Human Footprint, a National Geographic Channel Special Presentation
Don't miss this special presentation of the Human Footprint, Sunday April 18th at 9PM. And visit the interactive website so calculate your own footprint and for more information about the lifecycle costs of everyday foods and activities.
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Request for Applications: Smart Growth Implementation Assistance
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting applications for free technical assistance under the Smart Growth Implementation Assistance Program. This program provides contractor support to communities, regions, or states that want help with either policy analysis or public participatory processes. Selected communities will receive assistance in the form of a multi-day visit from a team of experts organized by EPA and other national partners to work with local leaders. The application deadline is May 8, 2008.
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AIA 50to50
The AIA has developed a how-to resource intended to assist architects and the construction industry in moving toward the AIA’s public goal of a minimum 50 percent reduction of fossil fuel consumption in buildings by 2010 and carbon neutrality by 2030.
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LEED for Homes Reference Guide Now Available For Pre-Order Online
The LEED for Homes Reference Guide, a comprehensive tool for residential builders using the LEED for Homes Green Building Rating System, is now available for purchase online at www.usgbc.org/store. The Reference Guide offers over 350 pages of information, resources and standards for the LEED credits covered within the residential green home certification program.
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Sustainable Architecture & Buildings Magazine Sustainable Design Awards
Sustainable Architecture & Building magazine [SABMag] has launched the SAB Awards to recognize excellence in the design and execution of new and renovated Canadian buildings and interiors of all types based on criteria of sustainable design, architectural excellence and technical innovation. Entries due April 11.
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Vancouver steps towards building green
by Derrick Penner, Vancouver Sun (B.C.)
Read the Article

Building the future
by Matthew Knight, CNN
Read the Article

Not Just for Tree Huggers
by Daniel McGinn, Newsweek
Read the Article

Green Building Best Weapon Against Global Warming
by Brian Clark Howards, thedailygreen.com
Read the Article

Tour of Anchorage explores ways of building green
by Lisa Demer
Read the Article

Benchmark community is a green cut above
by Thomasina Barnes, Canada Globe and Mail
Read the Article

EWEB urged to make new complex "greener"
by Jeff Wright, The Register Guard
Read the Article

Looking to Become a Green Professional?
Attend the 2008 Northwest Green Professionals Conference on June 2 at the Benson Hotel in Portland, OR. This conference is for students and professionals and will provide learning, networking and employment opportunities within the sustainability industry.
Click Here for more information and to register.

The Oregon Economic Community Development Department is hiring a Sustainable Development Liason
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SERA Architects is hiring a LEED Coordinator
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The City of Seattle is hiring a Green Building Coordinator
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The City of Eugene is hiring a Green Building Management Analyst
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Egis Real Estate is hiring a LEED AP Project Manager
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Paladino and Company is hiring several Green Building related positions
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Portland Energy Conservation Inc (PECI) is hiring a Residential Lighting Coordinator
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Coast Opportunity Funds is hiring Program Directors
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Climate Solutions is hiring a Field Director and Field Organizer
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Bonneville Environmental Foundation is hiring a Marketing/PR Manager
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Please visit the Cascadia job board to view Green Building jobs throughout the month.
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