A daylong conference designed for commercial and home builders, Realtors, architects, engineers, code enforcement personnel and others in the construction industry is scheduled 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 27 at Midwest City's Reed Center. A social hour will follow.
Early-bird registration is $50 per person, with more than 400 expected to attend. For a schedule and registration, go to www.okgreenbuildingsummit.com
One important component of this year's summit is educational tracks offered to four distinct, industry-specific audiences: Commercial buildings/professionals; Residential builders, HVAC/code enforcement; and appraisers/Realtors. This is a more targeted approach than the conference has taken before, making the summit even more valuable to attendees.
Also, the lunchtime round-table discussion will showcase representatives from Devon Energy, who will talk to the group about the construction of the company's new, iconic tower. Attendees will be able to ask questions and learn what went into the building that has changed, and is now the dominant feature of downtown Oklahoma City's landscape.
Session leaders and speakers include: Oklahoma Secretary of Energy Mike Ming, who will open the session with "Oklahoma's First Energy Plan."
The more than a dozen session speakers includes Justin Wilson, founder and president of
the Colorado company Building Performance Solutions, who is a past recipient of the Built Green Colorado Builder of the Year award. Built Green is one of oldest and largest green home building programs in the nation.
Also, highlighting the speaker list is Realtor Bob Hart of Santa Barbara, a recognized expert in Green Real Estate who has served in advisory capacities on the national level.
Continuing education credits will be available for Certified Green Professionals, Certified Professional Builders and Realtors.
The track designed for appraisers and Realtors is based in part on the National Association of Realtors green certification. NAR's Green Designation provides advanced training in green building and sustainable business practices so a Realtor can seek out, understand, and market properties with green features. When done, the all-day session will provide a large portion of the certification credentials.
Hart has been a real estate broker for more than 20 years and has always had a passion for teaching. He is past president of the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors and is currently on the board of directors of the California and National Associations. He has become a recognized expert in Green Real Estate, and has chaired the Green Task Force for the California association, served on the Global Climate Change Policy Presidential Advisory Group for NAR and serves as executive branch advocate to the U.S. Dept. of Energy. Hart serves on the Board of Directors of the California Home Energy Efficiency Rating Services).
The track for builders will focus heavily on Oklahoma's statewide Unified Building Code. The creation of a statewide code by law a year ago has led to standardization of building practices but for many builders, learning the code may seem daunting. Parker and Wilson will lead the first three sessions of the day, fittingly entitled IRC 2009 Parts 1, 2 and 3. Following those will be Ballard's "High Performance Construction." Wilson will wrap the classes up with "Field Solutions to Problem Homes."
The Code is the end result of a thorough, inclusive process that began in 2006 when Oklahoma received stimulus funding earmarked to generate activity in the new home building sector. It was required states receiving the funds create and adopt an energy-efficient building code, and that moving forward, new construction should be more efficient.
Oklahoma had no statewide building code at all prior to its enactment in 2011.
For registration information, visit the Oklahoma Green Building Summit 2012 website at www.okgreenbuildingsummit.com or call the Oklahoma State Home Builders Association at (405) 843-5579 or toll-free at (800)256-9980. For a list of National Association of Home Builders Certified Green Professionals in the state, www.okhba.org.
