January 28, 2008

New student organization focuses on environmentally sound building practices

Purdue GreenBuild is an organization open to students of all majors, as well as faculty and staff, who are interested in green building practices. It is geared toward constructors, engineers and designers, but not limited to those individuals, said group president Sohag Patel, a senior majoring in building construction management.

"The prime goal of our group is to provide a learning atmosphere for members to find out about green building, green environments and green lifestyles," he said. "We will do this by providing speakers, presentations, discussions and field trips on green issues and sustainability."

Patel said another top priority of the group will be to provide information about the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green building rating system (known as LEED), which is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.

"We want to help the group's members become LEED-accredited professionals through providing study resources, sessions and interaction with current accredited professionals," he said.

Michael Rebbec, a junior majoring in building construction management, is treasurer of the group. He said that during the first two meetings the group has held, interest has been strong. An estimated 200 students, faculty and staff from various disciplines have attended meetings so far.

"Our group would like to get the campus involved in greening projects and activities and teach the community what it means to live a green lifestyle," Rebbec said. "It's important that we create an organization that is welcoming to all departments and members of campus. It will take planning and cooperation from everyone to bring attention to the issue of sustainability."

Other goals include working with students and faculty to research and design new eco-friendly products, methods and technologies, in addition to building practices, and providing students with career opportunities by seeking industry sponsorship and partnerships with green builders and designers.

"It has been refreshing to see that so many students, faculty, staff and industry officials have been so receptive to participating in a group like this," Rebbec said. "We have some lofty goals, but we're confident we can capitalize on this enthusiasm and make this a successful organization."

Two events are planned so far this semester. The Indiana Green Build Symposium will be held Jan. 31-Feb. 1 in Indianapolis. Students will have the opportunity to meet experts, industry personnel and other students while learning about green building and new technologies in the industry. At 6 p.m. Feb. 6 (location to be announced), representatives from DPR Construction Inc., one of the leading green contractors in the nation, will visit Purdue to discuss the steps involved in deciding which LEED credits to design for. 

Those interested in these events or in joining Purdue GreenBuild can contact Patel at sgpatel@purdue.edu; Rebbec at mrebbec@purdue.edu; or faculty adviser Kirk Alter, an associate professor of building construction management, at (765) 496-7450 or alterk@purdue.edu.

Writer: Kim Medaris, (765) 494-6998, kmedaris@purdue.edu

Sources: Sohag Patel, sgpatel@purdue.edu

Michael Rebbec, mrebbec@purdue.edu

Kirk Alter, (765) 496-7450, alterk@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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