| Austin area sustainable building aficionados will soon have another
way to make their buildings greener. Austin Energy is launching its Green
Choice program, which will give customers the option of purchasing energy
produced by renewable sources – wind, solar and biogas. Seventeen photovoltaic
systems have already been installed, and plans are underway to construct
a wind farm and six landfill energy methane (biogas) stations.
Green building professionals and area homewners will be interested to hear what Mark Kapner, Manager for Renewable Energy and Conservation, has to say about the exciting new Green Choice program. Learn how Austin is actively working to move from fossil fuel sources of energy to sustainable renewable sources and how you can be a part of the greening of Austin’s energy |
Announcements
| Another Great Holiday Party - gb
In keeping with our tradition, the 1999 SBC / SBAT Holiday Party was a huge success. Lots of wonderful people, great food and drink, and excellent music. The first big thank you has to go to Amy and Frank Meyer for being the gracious hosts. Most of the partygoers spent half of their evening admiring Amy and Frank’s building and decorating handiwork in their straw bale addition and throughout the house. Special thanks to the musicians: Frank, Norm Ballinger, Paul McCutchen and Ric Sternberg. The party would not have happened without all of the organizing, set up and cleanup help. So a big thanks to organizers (and set up and cleanup staffers) Sue Murray, Massomeh Roberts, Frieda Rinehart, Shellie Reott, and Duncan Echelson. And great appreciation to Ben Obregon for getting the beer and to party night helpers Yvonne Hansen, Jo Wilhelm, Rice Spann, Jane Pulaski, Cat Brown, and Kay Mayfield. And thanks to ALL who attended…It’s the wonderful SBAT and SBC people that made the party special. We are fortunate to have such great folks in our organizations. Happy New Year to all! EcoFair Workdays
Sat. January 8 and Wednesday Jan 12 are workdays to finish the light clay walls of our Hornsby Bend birding shelter. We will be at the site from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm both days. Please join us at this serene location to learn an easy, practical and sustainable method of construction. Bring work gloves and basic carpentry tools if you have them. Many groups are working together on this project to create an excellent educational resource. The Sustainable Building Coalition, Travis CO. Audubon, the Texas Solar Energy Society, and the City Water Conservation Department are all contributing to show how each of these parts fits together to make a more sensible approach to living, growing and building in our area. If you or your group is interested in building a sustainable future for Austin, come add your part to the picture! Please contact Cathy Blackwood at cathyblackwood@hotmail.com for further info, or see http://www.angelfire.com/tx/hornsby/ for maps and directions. Adobe Dome Workshop
Simone Swan, student of the late Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy ( author of Architecture for the Poor), will conduct a seminar to build an adobe dome. The building will be a 10 foot x 10 foot square building. The walls will be constructed prior to the workshop. During the workshop, we will put the dome, constructed entirely of adobe bricks, and using no forms, on the building. A picture of the domed building can be viewed at my web site: twistedroad.com, or at Simone's: brooksdata.net/personal/adobesim. The workshop will be conducted near Terlingua, Texas, from 28-30 Jan, 2000. The fee is $100. Primitive camping is available for free, and meals available for a small extra charge. Contact: Patricia Kerns (915) 424-3208 pkerns@twistedroad.com Consensus Decision Making - The Basics
A workshop for organization interested in an egalitarian process for making decision. Consensus is based on knowing the principles of the group, creates cohesive and stability, and enhances mutual trust. March 4 & 5 10am-5pm at Park Place Holistic Center. $50 to $100 for weekend includes Casa’s lunches. Bring friends, committee members and save on the price. Contact: Mary Talbot 894-3605. |
C.O.A. Green Building Seminars
Open to Green Building members. Call ahead 505-3700 Jan 11 Stormwater Permitting Town Lake Center 12-2 pm Jan 13 Photovoltaics Town Lake Center 7:30-5 pm Permaculture Workshop
The Ethical Foundation & Guiding Principles March 10-17th. Steps to take in your local community to heal damaged cultural infrastructure. How to lead the landscape to determine suitability for your project, analysis of needs and goals to determine correct placement of the elements in your system, soil building & erosion control, economic strategies for sustainable lifestyles, strategies for living well in the city, gardening to feed your family and heal the land, and more taught by Patricia Allison. March 10-17th. Contact: Mary Talbot 894-3605. Book Sales
The Sustainable Building Coalition has taken on selling books. This is being done to help educate the public, provide a good source of sustainably oriented books for our members and help raise money for the SBC. Please support the SBC. 10% off the list price to current or new SBC members. Title List
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