USGBC Berkshire Branch Announces Next Meeting

HOUSATONIC, MA (09/04/2009)(readMedia)-- The Berkshire Branch of the U.S. Green Building Council New York Upstate Chapter will hold its next meeting Wednesday, September 9 from 6-8:30 pm at Topia Art Center in Adams. The speaker will be James D'Aloisio, PE, LEED AP. He will give a 90 minute presentation titled "Structures, Building Envelopes, and the Planet." D'Aloisio, a Principal with the structural engineering, landscape architecture and building science firm Klepper, Hahn & Hyatt, will discuss sustainable solutions for building structures and how structural engineering choices affect a building's energy performance. The meeting will also feature guest speaker Dana Bixby, an architect who worked on the Topia Art Center renovation. Bixby will speak about the sustainable techniques she used on the Topia project for a modern efficient building envelope. Those in attendance can earn 1.5 PE or AIA Continuing Education Units. The presentation is free and open to the public.

The Berkshire Branch of the USGBC is a group of over 60 builders, architects, interior designers, and supporters of green building from the Berkshires and surrounding areas. The group's mission is to transform the way the buildings and our communities are designed, built and operated, enabling an environmental, socially responsible, healthy and prosperous environment, which improves the quality of life. The Berkshire Branch provides local green building resources and leadership opportunities to the area under the Council's Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design' (LEED®) Program. This Green Building Rating System will certify the green design and construction of buildings in Western Massachusetts to serve as models for future structures.

Monthly membership meetings are free and open to the public. They are on the second Wednesday of each month and feature educational speakers, group forums or discussions on various aspects of green building.

Topia Art Center is located at 27 Park Street, Adams, MA. For more information on this event, contact Toryl Hanna, torylhanna@gmail.com or visit http://www.greenupstateny.org/index.php?page=berkshire-county-ma-branch. If you have interest in becoming a member you can sign up on line at http://www.greenupstateny.org/index.php?page=how-to-join.