sign in sign up
<<
Home , Sustainable architecture

1 CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL

SPONSORED CONTENT A New Mindset: Developing More Sustainable Practices

SPONSORS 2 CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL

hen a tree falls in the city, the cords of wood SHANNON BINNS I Executive Director I Sustain Charlotte W are likely headed to Shannon is the founder and Executive Director of Sustain Charlotte. Prior to moving to Charlotte a private dumping ground to in 2007, Shannon worked at The Conservancy in Washington, DC where he was part of their be burned. It’s an unpromising climate change science and policy team. Shannon has also served as an agroforestry volunteer ending to a natural resource that with the Peace Corps in Senegal, helped found a tsunami relief organization in Thailand, and served could have provided so much communities across the country as a member of AmeriCorps’ National Civilian Community Corps. more value. In the private sector, Shannon has worked as an industrial engineer for Motorola, General Motors, and Trane. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Iowa State University and Damon Barron, founder of a Master of Public Administration in and Policy from . He Carolina Urban Lumber, works has served as a Supervisor on the Mecklenburg County Soil and Board and as to find those fallen assets and an adjunct professor in the Sustainable Technologies program at Central Piedmont Community College. He currently connect them with businesses serves on the North Carolina Advisory Board for Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). In 2015, he was named one of so they may live on as custom Seven to Watch by the Charlotte Observer and one of the Charlotte Business Journal’s 40 Under 40. In 2018, Charlotte’s NPR affiliate, WFAE, named him one of The Most Powerful Voices in Charlotte. Contact Shannon at shannon.binns@ furniture or even dimensional sustaincharlotte.org. lumber for a building project. “I want to create small business operations that turn I Co-Owner I Insight waste into commodities within KRISTINA HELD the city,” says Barron. “I feel like Born and raised bilingually, (German and Serbian) in a historic house on the Adriatic Sea in we have changed the narrative Montenegro, Kristina developed a love for life and nature that would guide her career. Kristina studied at the University of Belgrade and received her professional degree in in this city in the last 10 years to architectural engineering from The University of Kaiserslautern in Germany in 2000. The same where the norm is that we don’t year she moved to Charlotte, NC where she completed her MA in Architecture focused on Organic throw trees away.” Architecture in 2004.Kristina has a passion for design and an expertise in sustainable architecture. Developing more sustainable She has been involved in designing many unique buildings in the Charlotte area and has acted as a practices requires a change in sustainability consultant and designer on LEED and certified projects. She excels in designing buildings that organically integrate with the site and the environment. Kristina believes narrative within the community in the power that the has on the quality of life for current and future generations, and sees great about how buildings are value in providing unique design solutions for projects of any size and type.Kristina Held is a member of the USGBC designed, how communities and PHIUS (Passive House Institute of US), and has served as an advisory board member for the development of the are conceived, and how a Charlotte Mecklenburg Unified Development Ordinance. Kristina Held is also a member of the Charlotte CREW chapter and the South Chapter of the German American Chamber of Commerce.Kristina is the co-owner of Insight Architects, profit model for business can PC and lives in Charlotte NC with her husband Bojan, her two daughters Zeta and Mila, dog Bella and Olivier the cat. fit within the scope of making communities sustainable and equitable for all residents. Barron made his comments DAMON BARRON I Founder I Carolina Urban Lumber as part of a panel discussion I had a career in the supply chain to the Furniture and Cabinet Manufacturing industry that spanned on sustainability presented 20 years. After a diverse career in the industry for two decades, I left to start Treecycle America by the Charlotte Business which later spawned Carolina Urban Lumber. Before all that I grew up in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and I was not particularly connected to trees. Moving to NC in 1995 after school changed the way he Journal. Joining Barron on the saw the common tree and how it plays a part in the Urban area. After learning more about what panel were Kristina Held, co- happens to Urban Trees in a city, I started a company that spoke to the common interest of mankind owner of Insight Architects, and to my personal passion that grew from those years in my career. Urban Forest and Re-Defining Sol Haroon, director of what that means became my focus. I now have a vision, plan and goals backed up by conscious capitalism in action to change the way we interact with our Urban Canopy. renewables with McKim & Creed, and Erin Stanforth, sustainability and resiliency manager for Mecklenburg SOL HAROON I Director of Renewables I McKim & Creed County government. Shannon Mr. Sol Haroon serves as the Technical Director – Electrical Systems at McKim & Creed where he Binns, executive director of the collaborates with a diverse team to bring full scope engineering services to create client-centered nonprofit, Sustain Charlotte, solutions. His experience in renewables and the energy sector spans over 20 years. In 2018, Sol moderated the discussion. was responsible for an energy model for the Georgia Tech KBISD Living Building and for its PV+ESS design allowing the building to be 30%+ net positive. In addition, he serves as an adjunct/consulting instructor at the Georgia Institute of Technology. As a graduate of both the University of Waterloo ON A DEFINITION (Electrical and Computer Engineering) and the Georgia Institute of Technology (Masters in High OF SUSTAINABILITY Performance in Architecture), Sol is frequently engaged in speaking engagements Someone finding new uses and panel discussions on energy, on of vehicles, and on the built environment. for what was once considered waste is one definition of a sustainability. Panelists ERIN STANFORTH I Sustainability and Resiliency Manager I Mecklenburg County Government from design, engineering and Erin Stanforth serves as the Sustainability and Resiliency Manager for Mecklenburg County. In government described how the this role, she is responsible for leading, guiding and coordinating the implementation of actions concept of sustainability directs and projects that support the County’s commitment to Environmental Leadership. Erin has over their work. 12 years of progressive environmental sustainability experience to include serving as the Director Held, the first Passive of Sustainability at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA as well as serving as the Sustainability Manager for Portland Community College in Portland, Ore. She holds a BA in House-certified in from Appalachian State University and an MBA in Charlotte, says sustainability in with a concentration in Government, Policy and Law from Marylhurst University. A Gastonia native, architecture is about creating Erin enjoys gardening, kayaking, and spending time with her family. spaces where people live AUGUST 6, 2021 3

such as clean water and air, and Stanforth pointed to a WHAT YOU DO TODAY WILL HAVE safe places to live, work, play federally sanctioned task force “ and go to school. focused on environmental IMPLICATIONS TOMORROW AND FOR “Personally, I agree with a justice and how GENERATIONS TO COME.” definition that takes it a step affects different communities. further to include mental health A national example, she says, and individual wellbeing.” is the water crisis in Flint, SOL HAROON Michigan. Contaminated ON CHALLENGES CITIES FACE water in Flint has resulted in “Sustainability does entail the third largest outbreak of better lives. creating a robust and conserving resources and Legionnaires Disease in US “It shouldn’t feel harsh or sustainable triangle of people, protecting the planet. In history and elevated blood-lead forced, and it’s not something planet, and profit.” addition, the definition has levels have doubled in children, that you have to sacrifice for,” For Carolina Urban Lumber, evolved to include social city-wide. Held says. “It’s voluntary and it Barron says his business equity, and to ensure that Charlotte and Mecklenburg makes life better.” model is sustainable by only underserved communities do County have teamed up to Haroon, who also teaches on using waste trees for second- not bear the brunt of pollution bring a consultant on board to the subject at Georgia Institute generation products. and injustice,” says Haroon. A develop shared and prioritized of Technology, says he views “When we have a developer 2018 study by the Environmental sustainability as meeting that has a stand of trees that Protection Agency showed that recommendations rooted current needs for resources doesn’t need to come down facilities emitting air pollution in data and feedback from without compromising future but they want to take them disproportionately affected the community. generations to meet their down for the money, we won’t low-income communities and Held, a native of Germany, own needs. participate,” Barron says. communities of color. says creating cities with “What you do today will “We will only upcycle trees “Sustainability is not equally access to parks, education, have implications tomorrow that come down out of our distributed or accessible to public transit and jobs is not an and for generations to come,” control. That’s how we manifest everybody,” Haroon says. “One impossible formula. It happens Haroon says. “Everything we sustainability in our day-to-day.” of the things cities are working in most European cities. do is in consideration of the In government, Stanforth says on is making sure what is done “It’s actually very simple. If environment that sustains sustainability means citizens doesn’t just benefit the few or you go to any European city, you us, but also in consideration having current and future privileged but allows access to a don’t need a car. You can go to of people and the economy, access to quality resources, broader group of people.” university and work and you can

Insight designs residential and commercial buildings What can Passive House do for you? to Passive House standards. Our energy efficient Provide big savings with low monthly energy use designs adapt to the site, climate and support the overall (75% energy saving compared to code minimum) Create a hypoallergenic, healthier health and comfort of users. indoor environment, including a constant supply of fresh, clean air, Passive House is an internationally operated performance- leading to fewer sick days. based energy certification program with the goal of minimal Hold constant, comfortable indoor and rigorous comfort standards. temperatures, even during extreme weather. Contact: Kristina Held [email protected] Provide a quiet indoor environment. Passive House is versatile and will work in any climate, (704) 344-0445 any site, and with any type of building. “Future-proof” your building investment. www.insightarch.com 4 CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL

find apartments where you don’t “You’d actually have a tree “We are committed to Because utility bills are have to be a billionaire to live with a usable product when they ensure that the greater lower, such passive homes are in them. It’s about connectivity are dead than some species Charlotte area and all of North a concept that work well in and offering a variety of housing that look pretty until they are Carolina is working with affordable housing. options close to parks, jobs, and removed,” Barron says. “In the initiatives for more renewable “When you spend less on public transportation. Once that future, if we don’t do this we will and sustainability projects,” utilities, there’s more money happens, you can achieve a lot not have trees in the city. We Haroon says. In line with to put toward education and of equity.” just have to relearn this a bit.” integrating energy efficiency healthcare,” Held says. “The with energy generation, He emphasis is on the robustness SUSTAINABLE ON MECKLENBURG’S worked on the Georgia Tech’s of the building that doesn’t have DEVELOPMENTS COMMITMENT Kendeda Building for Innovative to be replaced and repaired in Large-scale land Mecklenburg County (KBISD) five to 10 years.” developments have an commissioners recently which represents the first opportunity to create more updated their 2004 regenerative net-positive ON HABITS THAT ADVANCE successful communities when environmental leadership Living Future’s Living Building SUSTAINABILITY sustainable architecture is policy. The original plan focused Challenge-Certified building Panelists shared their part of the early planning, Held on land acquisition and park in the Southeast. “The building thoughts for how readers says. Instead, developers often development, Stanforth says. is part of an entire sustainable can make changes in their approach new projects by It now includes facilities, ecosystem”, says Haroon, who daily habits to increase working with a civil engineer operations and planning. worked on the design of its 330 sustainability. to create a master plan to “Our intent is to fully kW PV array. Buying local products is gain an early sense of the implement the plan by 2035,” a sustainable practice that overall project cost. “It comes Stanforth says. “We are also ON PASSIVE DESIGN supports local business and from a highly profit-driven committed to net-zero carbon Held is the first Passive decreases the impact of perspective,” Held says. emissions for county operations House-certified architect transporting goods, Held says. Engaging with an architect by 2035.” in Charlotte. The program is Ride your bike to get those early on a master plan attractive, Held says, because local goods. allows developers to achieve ON KEY SUCCESSES IN the focus is on reducing the Stanforth recommended more sensitivity to how a SUSTAINABILITY amount of energy a home needs being an informed voter to development could increase the Haroon says he has seen to consume, even renewable support candidates who are quality of the neighborhood. North Carolina lead the charge energy. invested in the health of the “If they would involve for renewables over the last The house does this community. architects or urban planners decade. Located in Charlotte, with insulation and high- Haroon agrees that earlier and bring that McKim & Creed’s Center of performance doors and windows awareness and education about perspective to the team, you get Excellence in Renewables to create a tight envelope sustainability are the best way well planned places and a better has worked on over 120 solar that keeps energy inside. The to affect behaviors. Behavioral quality of development.” projects spanning a capacity orientation of the home is changes driven by awareness of 850 MW. Centrally based important as well as how trees represent some of our most ON SUSTAINABLE in Atlanta, Haroon helps the and shade can keep the home powerful tools especially when URBAN FORESTRY engineering firm’s clients cool in warmer months. coupled with technology, Most trees planted in the city establish Held says passive homes are standards, policy, and financial don’t live long because they are projects consisting of solar comfortable and much quieter sensitivity. On a practical level, hit by cars, are placed too close PV, energy storage, and than other less insulated smart thermostats and data to utility work, or are removed microgrids throughout the homes. driven dashboards providing for progress of some kind, southeast’s rapidly growing “A passive house will feedback can help us drive Barron says. market encompassing NC, FL, perform 90% better than a energy efficiency. Barron says he has become GA, TN, AL, and VA. In addition, conventional house,” Held Finally, Barron says he tries an advocate for planting and the firm’s Raleigh office says. “We like it because to find higher quality products nurturing trees – including fruit provides energy efficiency it affects the architecture that he can use longer, which trees that might support people measures and modeling for tremendously. It can last reduces waste. – and hardwoods that provide the built environment – a many years. The home is not a “This mindset that cheap is wood for future uses once the vital complement to energy throwaway commodity but is good is something we need to tree has come down. generation initiatives. here to stay.” grow out of,” he says. AUGUST 6, 2021 5

WE ARE ENGINEERS ENGINEERED DIFFERENTLY Our team engineers and designs a brighter tomorrow... TODAY

RENEWABLE ENERGY TURNKEY DESIGN, ENGINEERING SERVICES, AND COLLABORATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY LEADERS

Engage with us for a collaborative experience from feasibility analysis to full design and engineering. Visit our website at www.mckimcreed.com