I am the manager of the High Performance Building Database, as well as the manager of network (firm-wide and college/university) sales of BuildingGreen Suite.

As manager of the High Performance Building Database (HPB) I get to work with all kinds of fun people on projects such as the HPB Google Earth Layer and the AIA COTE Top Ten Awards.

I graduated from Union College in 2004 with a dual degree in Electrical Engineering and French. Shortly thereafter I headed to Portland, Oregon with my girlfriend Lauren and the noble but not-so-specific goal of "working on environmental sustainability". While Portland lived up to its reputation as a hotbed for young, active and green minded people, we moved back east after failing to find our niche in what proved to be a competitive or lackluster job market. Upon arriving at BuildingGreen shortly thereafter, I began working as a sales and marketing intern.

Over the last couple years I have been able to narrow my interests to building science, material science, urban design... Who am I kidding? I am still interested in almost anything related to environmental design, nature, sustainable communities, etc. When not trying to change and inform the world through the wonders of BuildingGreen, you can find me telemark skiing, rock climbing, practicing yoga, hiking, drinking beer, and eating cheese.

The Boston Children's Museum expansion and renovation was designed to enhance the building's connections to its urban waterfront site, guided by a desire to build environmental education opportunities into the design. From the adaptive reuse of the onsite 19th-century wool warehouse and industrial site to the new graywater storage system and green roof, the museum has become an environmental teaching tool for its young audience, in addition to becoming the first LEED-certified museum in Boston.

The museum is a private, nonprofit, educational institution founded in 1913 by a group of teachers. Its mission is to help children understand and enjoy the world through hands-on engagement and learning by experience. The museum features exhibits on science, culture, environmental awareness, health and fitness, and the arts.

For more, read the full 12-page case study.

We've received some comments about the recent decision to highlight the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation case study in our email bulletin. As the BuildingGreen case study manager, I chose to highlight this case study for one reason: many people have recently spent time in a synagogue for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The issue at hand here is that this building uses 50 kBtu/sf while the CBECS 2003 average for religious worship buildings is 43 kBtu/sf. There are definitely higher-performing synagogues and other places of worship around the world - many of which were built hundreds or thousands of years ago - but in order to achieve our goals such the 2030 Challenge we need to look at the highest and lowest performing buildings, and everything between.

While readers may not agree with all of the choices made for this building, I hope that the simple act of featuring the case study will invoke reflection. What is this building used for? What is the occupancy schedule? What are the most important sustainability issues in my area, and how can we get the word out? Implementing green strategies at your church, synagogue, mosque, etc. could be the most effective way to get out the word in your community. If you have something to say, please say it.

In his post Tough Choices on the AIA Top Ten Jury our President Nadav Malin addressed questions about energy performance of the AIA Top Ten Awards from this year, including this building. The way I see it, the conversation that resulted from this year's Top Ten Awards was more useful than it would have been if the ten highest performing buildings in the US and the world had been chosen.

Would you go to a liberal arts program that doesn't subscribe to JSTOR? No? Then why would you go to an architecture, green building, or sustainable business program that doesn't have BuildingGreen Suite?

BuildingGreen Suite integrates online versions of GreenSpec product listings, high-quality articles about green buildings, peer-to-peer comments, and more than 250 project case studies. As you can imagine, the resources are perfect for everything from a text-book replacement and research project tool to reference that facilities staff can use to find green products and academic thought-leader journal. Also, we have reduced the price dramatically for institutional purchase, learn more here.

A couple examples of how BuildingGreen Suite is used on campus (and off):

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Home on the Range is an office building shared by two nonprofit organizations: Northern Plains Resource Council and Western Organization of Resource Councils (WORC). Formerly an uninsulated concrete block grocery store with few windows, the building was renovated to house energy-efficient, daylit offices. Northern Plains organizes Montana citizens to protect the region's water quality, family farms and ranches, and unique quality of life. Northern Plains is a member of WORC, which is a regional network of seven grassroots community organizations.

Read the full 12-page case study.

I'm starting a fun new weekly feature on Twitter, #fridayrefresh. Every Friday I will suggest a topic that needs a better solution than the current status quo such as, "building codes don't keep up with green building #fridayrefresh" and "k-cups go straight in the trash #fridayrefresh". In response, please share your thoughts, ideas, solutions, links, and horror stories.

All you need is a Twitter account, if you don't have one you can sign up at twitter.com. Then follow me, username wentzm.

To respond to my posts, just tweet "@wentzm [your message] #fridayrefresh". To follow the conversation, even if you are not on twitter, go to http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23fridayrefresh

The EcoDorm at Warren Wilson College houses 36 students who are interested in environmental responsibility and want to live with like-minded students. The co-ed dormitory is one of a series of four dorms surrounding a common lawn.

Warren Wilson College is an independent, accredited, four-year liberal arts college in rural North Carolina. The school's mission statement includes a dedication to environmental responsibility, and environmental literacy plays a significant role in the curriculum.

Read the full 12-page case study.

The Lacks Cancer Center, the only dedicated comprehensive cancer center in western Michigan, supports all components of cancer care, including inpatient and outpatient care and traditional and complementary therapies.

The building houses 42 private patient rooms, expansion space for 42 additional rooms, family hospitality spaces, treatment spaces, surgical suites, outpatient services, healing gardens, sheltered promenades, a chapel, and a resource library.

Read the full 12-page case study.

The University of Denver's College of Law houses one of the nation's top environmental and natural resource law programs. The first LEED-certified law school in the nation, the facility offered the College an opportunity to design a building consistent with its mission: a green facility that reduces environmental impact and prioritizes occupant safety. The new 210,000 ft2, four-floor facility, constructed on a former parking lot, includes a library, large lecture halls, training courtrooms, a dining hall, and faculty offices.

Read the full 12-page case study.

The newly published Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities (IAMU) Office and Training Headquarters is a great example of a municipal building that was built using green principles and is continually monitored for energy use and IEQ. They were able to provide full years of metered energy information, which is (sadly) unusual. While this is not a sexy building, it is a recommended read.

Read the full 12-page case study.