Government and Utilities
California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) (2002-present) The CPUC and PG&E have granted repeated funding to our partnership with Frontier Associates, Austin Energy, Build It Green, Sonoma State University and What's Working to conduct a regional green building market transformation project. Our strategy has been to organize the supply side to understand the value of green building to their business, to train them on how to apply green building principles in their business, and then to market green products, services, and their benefits to the demand side. The program creates market demand by educating buyers on the benefits of green building and on how to implement it in their homes by use of web sites, brochures, advertising, workshops/presentations, home tours, point of purchase displays, home show booths, and co-marketing through large non-profits. At this time, our work is delivered through a non-profit organization we designed, called Build It Green (BIG). BIG has come to be the central clearinghouse and marketplace transformation organization promoting residential green building in northern California and throughout the state. Our services include:- Principal designers of and strategists for Build It Green (BIG);
- Designing and guiding the development of various BIG stakeholder councils such as the Green Remodelers Guilds, Public Agency Council, Non-Profit Network, Real Estate Council, Builder Council, Suppliers Council, and the Green Affordable Housing Coalition;
- Providing technical support for the Ask An Expert program, staff training, green materials database, new home and remodeling guidelines, green rating program, and green home tours;
- Providing organizational and strategic consulting to the Executive Director and Board of Directors;
- Providing organizational and technical consulting to local government agencies associated with the BIG Public Agency Council;
- Developing and conducting presentations, consultations and training programs for builders, remodelers, building officials, elected officials, municipal staff, and the general public
- Developing and teaching the BIG Certified Green Building Professional 16-hour training course (2300 graduates as of 2008) and the 8-hour Advanced Training Module (over 400 graduates as of 2008);
- Developing and teaching the BIG GreenPoint Rater New Home 26-hour training course (over 900 graduates as of 2008) and the BIG GreenPoint Rater Existing Home 16-hour course (over 100 graduates as of 2008)
- Developing web site content for the Green Affordable Housing Coalition
- Guiding the development of the local green building programs in the City of Santa Rosa and the County of Contra Costa.
City and County of San Francisco and the Department of the Environment, San Francisco CA (2008-present) San Francisco is integrating green building efforts into much of their municipal, affordable housing and private building sectors via training, voluntary resources and incentives, as well as mandatory policies. We are consultants to the City and County for a multiude of efforts in residential green building: Our services included:
- Provide research to help the Department of Building Inspection finalize their green building ordinance
- Write portions of the green building ordinance user's handbook
- Develop and conduct a green building "train the trainer" seminar for providers of job training services
Alameda County Waste Management Authority (ACWMA) Stopwaste.org and the Green Building in Alameda County Program, San Leandro CA, Green Building in Alameda County Program (2004-present) ACWMA is the leading agency promoting green building in Alameda County, as well as developing model resources and setting the standard for the entire San Francisco Bay area. Our services include:
- Providing technical consultation for the development of Bay Area-wide green building checklists, guidelines, technical manuals and rating programs for new homes, remodeling and multifamily.
- Providing green building technical and policy training seminars and consulting for County staff
- Organizing staff and local stakeholder groups to guide program development and implementation
- Training stakeholders and local trainers on all aspects of green building
- Guiding the development of the program conceptual and implementation plans.
- Analyzing cost and implementation options of various levels of performance on the GreenPoint Rated checklists
- Advising the department, the green building advisory committee, and city council on policy direction implications
- Organizing staff and local stakeholder groups to guide program development and implementation
- Training stakeholders and local trainers on all aspects of green building
- Guiding the development of the program conceptual and implementation plans.
City of Austin TX, Austin Energy, Green Building Program (1997 - 2004) As Program Manager and Project Manager, Marc Richmond staffed, managed and grew the oldest and largest green building program in the country to a staff of fourteen seasoned professionals. His duties included:
- Training building professionals, elected officials and the public;
- Managing a 1.2 million dollar budget staff of fourteen, and program operations;
- Developing resource materials such as brochures, checklists, reference manuals, fact sheets, case studies, CD-ROMs, and training programs;
- Overseeing outreach to professionals and the public through aggressive marketing and public relations.
Builders/Developers/Architects
Mahoney Architects, Mill Valley, CA (2009-2010) Mahoney Architects is a professional architecture firm specializing in green architecture and interiors. Our services include:
- Providing green specifications consulting
- Providing green building technical and marketing training seminars for building professionals
- Consulting on corporate green building program integration;
- Analyzing product, practice and systems specifications;
- Consulting on green marketing strategy and implementation;
- Consulting on rating system applications
- Consulting on corporate green building program integration
- Analyzing product, practice and systems specifications for construction and renovation projects
- Consulting on corporate green building program integration
- Analyzing product, practice and systems specifications
- Conducting GreenPoint Ratings
Harrell Remodeling, Mountain View, CA (2004-present) This national award-winning, Top-100 remodeling design-build firm has embraced green building as an integral part of their long-standing quality delivery system and corporate philosophy. Our services included:
- Conducting an annual 16-hour training for the firm's entire staff.
- Conducting trainings on specific green implementation issues in their projects
- Consulting on green materials specifications and marketing.
- Consulting on corporate green building program integration;
- Specifying green materials and systems;
- Consulting on green marketing strategy and implementation;
- Training staff on green building.
- Specifying green materials and sources;
- Representing client's green goals in construction process;
- Consulting on green marketing and public relations efforts.
- Consulting on green materials specifications and marketing.
- Consulting on the greening of practices and material specifications;
- Inspecting homes and reporting to company vice-president;
- Consulting on green marketing and trained sales associates.
Non-Profits
Build It Green (BIG), Berkeley, CA (2004 - present) BIG is the central clearinghouse and marketplace transformation organization promoting residential green building in northern California and throughout the state. As consultants to the California Public Utilities Commission and the Alameda County Waste Management Authority, our services include:
- Principal designers of and strategists for the organization and many of its programs;
- Designing and guiding development of various BIG stakeholder councils such as the Green Remodelers Guilds, Public Agency Council, Non-Profit Network, Real Estate Council, Builder Council, Suppliers Council, and the Green Affordable Housing Coalition;
- Providing technical support for the Ask An Expert program, staff training, green materials database, new home and remodeling guidelines, green rating program, and green home tours;
- Providing organizational and strategic consulting to the Executive Director;
- Providing organizational and technical consulting to local government agencies associated with the BIG Public Agency Council;
- Developing and conducting presentations, consultations and training programs for builders, remodelers, building officials, elected officials, municipal staff, and the general public;
- Developing and teaching the BIG Certified Green Building Professional 16-hour training course (2300 graduates as of 2008) and the 8-hour Advanced Training Module (over 400 graduates as of 2008)
- Developing and teaching the BIG GreenPoint Rater New Home 26-hour training course (over 900 graduates as of 2008) and the BIG GreenPoint Rater Existing Home 16-hour course (over 100 graduates as of 2008)
- Developing content for the Green Affordable Housing Coalition web site.
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), San Francisco, CA (2007-present). This organization supports neighborhood-building work from behind the scenes by providing nonprofit community developers with the skills, information, and financial support they need to be effective agents of change. Our services include:
- Contributor to and trainer for Green Rehabilitation of Multifamily Properties: A Resource Guide
- Designer of and Project Auditor for a Green Building Physical Needs Assessment tool
United States Green Building Council (USGBC), Washington, DC provides professional information and manages the LEED green building rating system. Our services include:
- Member of the Host Organizing Committee for the 1st GreenBuild Conference (2002)
- Member of the LEED-NC Design Process & Innovation Technical Advisory Group (2001)
- Chair of the LEED-Residential Development Committee (2000-2001)
Center on Sustainable Communities, Des Moines, IA (2005-present) This new organization is developing its green building program to promote residential green building in Des Moines and throughout Iowa. Our services include:
- Consulting on green building program design and strategy;
- Conducting presentation and training sessions for local building professionals.
Green Homes Northeast (GHNE), (2005 - 2006) GHNE is a new organization seeking to become the central clearinghouse and marketplace transformation organization promoting residential green building in the greater Boston Area and throughout the state. This project is being developed in partnership with the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, Green Roundtable, Hickory Consortium, Vermont Energy Investment Corporation, and Integrative Design Collaborative. Our services include:
- Designing and initiating program development.
- Organizing local stakeholders;
- Developing a residential green building checklist incorporating key elements of other major checklists in the marketplace.
- Instructor for Green Building Guidelines national seminar series.
Recycle Utah, Park City, UT (2004 - present) This well established local organization is expanding its community services by developing green building resources and training programs to promote residential and commercial green building in the region. Our services include:
- Consulting on green building program design and strategy;
- Conducting two annual all-day training sessions for local building professionals and stakeholders.
Suppliers/Manufacturers
Truitt & White Lumber Co., Berkeley, CA (2008-2009) Truitt & White is a building professional's lumberyard and supply house that has been very active as a green building supplier throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Our services include:
- Providing green building technical and marketing training seminars for building professionals and consumers
- Providing green building technical and marketing training seminars for building professionals and consumers
- Providing green building technical and marketing training seminars for building professionals and consumers
- Co-Editing "Healthy Construction Guidelines; A step-by-step guide to building or remodeling a safe, healthy and non-toxic home," a green building specifications guide organized in CSI-format;
- Consulting on programming and marketing issues for the West Coast Green conference.
- Developing a green building market positioning strategy for the Loctite line of construction adhesives;
- Consulting on a green marketing brochure and trade show booth.
Consultants
What's Working, Boulder, CO (2006-present) Whats Working is a nationally-recognized green building consulting firm. Our services include:
- Providing green building technical and organizational consulting services for various clients
- Editing books, guidelines, and manuals for technical accuracy
Polaris, Inc., Portland and Oakridge, OR (2006-present) Polaris is an experienced strategic marketing firm specializing in brand development. The firm has many clients in the building industry who are also active in or interested in green building. Our services include:
- Providing green building marketing strategy and languaging, and technical and organizational consulting services for various clients.
Resource Performance Partners, Petaluma, CA (2005-2007) Resource Performance Partners is an interdisciplinary team of experts who work closely with clients to identify, design, implement, and fund high performance, innovative resource productivity solutions. They consult to electricity, gas and water utilities, as well as manufacturers and suppliers. Our services include:
- Providing green building technical and organizational consulting services for the development of the City of Petaluma's Green Building Program
Frontier Associates, Austin, TX and Oakland, CA (2002-2005) Frontier Associates is a well-respected consultant to electricity retailers and distribution companies, power generators, natural gas distributors, electricity and gas consumers, and manufacturers of energy efficiency related products. Our services include:
- Providing green building technical and organizational consulting services for various clients.
Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), Emeryville, CA (2000-2005) SCS is a worldwide recognized organization which conducts research and acts as a third-party certifier for a wide range of environmental issues for the food industry and of the environmentally sound management of forests, marine habitats, and a wide variety of manufacturing-related businesses. Our services include:
- Providing Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) chain-of-custody auditing services for various clients such as wood products wholesalers, and furniture and door manufacturers.
- Providing technical and programmatic consulting in designing residential green building certification program and examination.
Media
Natural Home and Garden Magazine, Topeka, KS (2003-2008) This popular and nationally distributed, bi-monthly consumer magazine offers today's health-conscious, environmentally concerned homeowners the information they need to practice earth-inspired living. Our services include:
- Regular writer for "Can This Home Be Greened" column.
