Hawai’i Build and Buy Green Conference May 16-17

EPA research found that tenants could save up to 50 cents per square foot per year through green building strategies that cut energy use. In five years, this could result in a total savings of up to $50,000 on a 20,000 square foot property. So what is green building? The State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism would like everyone to know, so it is holding a Build and Buy Green Conference and Expo to encourage and promote green building in Hawaii. The goal behind it is to encourage the production of energy-efficient, cost-efficient, environmentally friendly buildings. The conference will feature workshops on how to build green and how to qualify your house for LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a voluntary rating system developed by the US Green Building Council created to promote the development of green building practices. Studies have shown that green building strategies provide a variety of benefits to home and business owners. The California Board of Energy Efficiency found that sales of stores with skylights were up to 40 percent higher than that of stores without skylights. No wonder it’s so easy to buy that five-gallon bucket of mayonnaise at Costco.

Hawaii Prince Hotel

University of Hawai’i-Manoa Earth Day Sustainability Forum April 21

Though the courtyard outside of Kuykendall Hall may be the only place on campus that earth-friendly tree-lovers can catch a veggie power-lunch, the University of Hawai’i-Ma-noa’s Office of Sustainability is encouraging planet-promoters to unite on the lawn of Hawai’i Hall for their annual Earth Day celebration. As part of Ma-noa’s ongoing ‘Year of the Student’ theme, the festivities this year are aimed at empowering students to take part in the sustainability of their university. A student forum will be held with the goal of discussing how specific areas of UH could run more earth-consciously. Organizers want students to come ready to share questions and ideas on how to make energy, recycling and materials use, and food operations more environment-friendly. Their findings will then be presented to Ma-noa Chancellor Denise Konan, who will work them into the campus’ strategic planning process in the future. An Eco-fair featuring green info, food, crafts and live music will go on all day. Volunteer work projects are also planned to spruce up the area around Hawai’i Hall. What better way to connect to the Earth on Earth day than yard work?

Hawai’i Hall Lawn

Big Island Talking Trash May 1

Though the island may seem like light years away from the hustle and bustle of Honolulu, the folks on the Big Island seem like they have some foresight when it comes to backfill. The Hawaii Island Economic Development Board will host a ‘Talking Trash’ conference to discuss the future of waste management on the Big Island, probably hoping to avoid the need for Mayor Harry Kim to offer a ‘community benefits package’ to the town near their landfill. A variety of topics will be discussed at the conference including the profitability of recycling, the benefits of organic diversion and an O’ahu favorite, curbside recycling. Attendants will also talk about green building, and how they can work to incorporate environmentally responsible building principals into future island projects. With residential subdivisions popping up all over the island, and serious infrastructure questions being raised throughout, the writing on the wall may be pretty legible. At least we city folk won’t have to worry about FBI–From Big Island–being pasted to a truck bound for Waimanalo gulch. The conference is $35 before April 28, and registration can be done by phone or online.

Maunalani Bay Hotel and Bungalows,