Chronogram - Brighter Green

Brighter Green

By Susan Piperato | Photo by Lauren Thomas

Detail of a scale model of Ashokan Architecture & Planning’s Robbins Dormitory project for Bard College which will incorporate an energy-efficient geothermal heating and cooling system and low-environmental-impact building materials.
Sustainability is alive and well and growing up in Ulster County. That's the message that came through loud and clear at the green building and renewable energy expo, "Let the Sun Shine," hosted by the Town of Rosendale on April 16. A how-to seminar designed to introduce green building practices, energy-efficient design, and renewable-energy resources to homeowners and building professionals, the expo was held at the Town of Rosendale Recreation Center which features several green building features, including a geothermal heating and cooling system.

"We were delighted and really sense the maturing of these industries and consumer markets, judging by the savvy of the audience," says Melissa Everett, executive director of Sustainable Hudson Valley, one of 50 exhibitors at the expo.

According to Manna Jo Greene, chairperson of the Town of Rosendale Environmental Commission, environmental director for Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, and expo moderator and coordinator, the daylong event drew approximately 150 registered attendees to hear 12 speakers. "With the public [attending] during lunch breaks and at end of the day, I estimate 250 to 300 people were there that day," she says.

"To be honest, we can't keep up with what's happening in this area regarding sustainable building and energy," NYSERDA representative Adele Ferranti told the audience in her welcoming statement. "Three years ago, there were 20 certified PV installers—now there are 48 of them installing solar-energy systems on local residences and businesses."

The expo began with presentations on green building practices and procurement which were equally practical and inspiring. "Passive solar design is very easy in this climate and environment," green architect Rick Alfandre (845-255-4774; www.alfandre.com) noted. "It virtually takes no money [with NYSERDA grants currently available]; it just takes thinking. Not designing for passive solar is silly to say the least." That's all very well, one audience member commented, but what if you've got an old house that was built in less sustainable times? "There are various shades of green," Alfandre acknowledged. "Your pocketbook or situation may not allow you to do everything, but you can at least make informed decisions about what you can do." E-house architect Michael McDonough (212-431-3723; www.e-house.us) agreed. "Green buildings can look like anything; they can have any style," he said. "The materials used in green building can also be a source for aesthetic innovation."

So, whether you live in a house that wasn't built to be sustainable and you want to decrease your energy consumption, or you've got the wherewithal to construct a brand new zero-net energy home, brighten your shade of green, and reap the benefits of the information shared at the expo by contacting the presenters. As Sun Mountain solar contractor Larry Brown (845-657-8096; sunmountain@netstep.net) remarked, "The sun is a gift we get every day, and we're never going to deplete this world of possibilities it presents. Sustainability really is about relearning common sense."

To obtain a home energy audit, technical assistance, or PV installation loans and incentives, contact Jessica Barry at NYSERDA's Mid-Hudson Energy $mart Communities (845-331-2238; jessicabarry@planet-save.com). Find out how to pay an additional $15 a month on your Central Hudson bill to help fund wind energy development in New York State through Keith Christensen, wind energy consultant for Community Energy (845-454-2113; keith.christensen@newwindenergy.com). Learn "how tight is tight" in the "energy envelope" that holds your new or old home through Cornacchini Construction, builders of NYSERDA Energy Star homes (www.ccihomes.com). Learn about geothermal technology—using the ground's natural 50-degree temperature to heat and cool your home—with Charles Lazin of Altren Consulting and Contracting, Inc. (www.altren.net). Learn about alternative energy for your business with Richard Lewandowski of Direct Global Power, Inc. (845-687-2406; www.directglobalpower.com) and find out about PV installation for your home or small business with John Wright of Hudson Valley Clean Energy (845-876-8204; www.hvce.com). Discover the beauty and efficiency of DIY straw-bale and cord-wood construction through Growing Places (845-658-7022; growingplaces@hvi.net). And last but not least, join the region's latest alternative energy movement toward biodiesel for diesel-engine cars and home heating systems by contacting Sustainable Hudson Valley biodiesel station developer Richard Pilkington (www.biodieselstation.org).

Always wanted to know how to install a solar energy system, but never had the chance? Learn on the job with master trainer Dr. Gay Canough as she sites, designs and installs PV panels at Rosendale Recreation Center. Over five days, May 23-27, Dr. Canough will conduct a hands-on class onsite at the center, including: grid-connected and off-grid systems; orientation, tilt, and shading issues; sizing and design of systems to serve a given electrical load; roof mounting systems and trouble-shooting; safety practices; and electrical code and interconnection. Tuition is $600, and only a high school diploma is necessary to enroll. For more information and to register: www.etmsolar.com/Rosendalepv.pdf; (607) 785-6499; gay@etmsolar.com.

Earth & Religion Conference

June 9-12 at Bard

Choosing the title for this year's Resurgence magazine conference, which takes place at Bard College June 9-12, was a tough call, according to organizer Judith Asphar. "Rather than choosing the more obvious title Ecology and Spirituality, in calling this conference Earth and Religion, our goal is to reach beyond the current green choir and further motivate faith-based, as well as spiritual, organizations to use their influence and increase their levels of proactive participation and engagement in environmental issues—local, regional, national, and global," she explains.

With an impressive roster of renowned environmentalists and spiritual leaders, the conference's purposes are diverse: To reflect upon the origins of world religions; encourage a reframing of the way traditional religions relate to the earth and stewardship; inspire faith-based, secular and spiritual groups to increase their influence and work to promulgate sustainability; counter the political repercussions of the Bush administration's collusion with extreme Christian fundamentalists and the resulting rollback of environmental protection laws and practices; create a meeting place for people who define themselves as liberal or progressive and religious, but feel disenfranchised by the current swing to the political right; remind us that the environment should be considered the unifying principle for humanity; welcome and celebrate the opportunity inherent in the environmental crisis as a reason to resolve divisions and create convergence.

Registration for the conference is $395 before May 9; and $425 afterward.

To register, call Judith Asphar at (845) 679-8761; visit www.earthandreligion.com.

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