Jan. 23 - Green Sustainability Training held at HGC Construction for Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. Green Contractor Certification. Photos show the LEED projects HGC has worked on: Emersion Design LEED CI Platinum, Montainai Condos LEED NC Silver, Cincinnati Zoo Entrance LEED Registered, Entry Village LEED Platinum and Gift Shop LEED Registered, and photos from the class. Also included are photos of the suppliers of Green Building samples from: Tri-State Wholesale Building Supply, Insul-Deck Insulated Concrete Floor Forms, ECO Green Building Supplies, Greener Stock Green Building Supplies, Park+Vine Green General Store, Tremco Green Roofs, Susan Jackson Interiors, Milliken Carpet, Interface Flooring, Caroline Duffy Green Building Design, Monroe Mechanical Green Source HVAC, Green Building Resources LLC, Effective Office Environments, Mecho Shade, and Magic Snow Magnesium Chloride Removal Solution.
Testimonial: Mr. Lohre, I wanted to thank you for the comprehensive program you put on for our employees today regarding what we, as contractors, need to be aware of on a LEED project. I think your presentation opened the eyes of many of our field employees regarding how their actions have a huge impact on the LEED rating of a project.
I believe it changed the opinion many had that LEED was simply something that “the architect takes care of” to the realization that the entire construction team right down to the person pushing the broom has a huge impact on the process. They also now realize that they need to pay additional attention to many methods used by all trades to help us police the projects for other sub contractors that may not understand what is required.
We believe the more we train our work force in all facets of construction, the more we distance ourselves from “the pack”. Your presentation today is another step in that process. I really appreciate the visuals used as well as the information filled CD you provided for everyone. You really held everyone’s attention for the entire four hours.
Respectfully, Gary Gilbert LEED AP BD+C, ggilbert@HGCconstruction.com
HGC Construction, 2814 Stanton Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45206, P: 513.861.8866, F: 513.861.7878, www.HGCconstruction.com
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March - LEED AP+/Green Assoc. Exam Class for New Construction, Core & Shell and Schools starts in March and runs for 6 weeks and 12 classes. Each class is at a different LEED project, 5:30 to 8:30 pm Mondays and Thursdays. A virtual classroom experience may be offered for remote attendance. Former class members, still studying for the test, may audit the class at no charge. Learn more.

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Wanted - partners in making a building in Over The Rhine into a residential and office space that has a low impact on the environment. Team help with gentle design, water use, energy use, and materials would be appreciated. Please contact Green Cincinnati Education Advocacy. Download the OTR Green Historical Study to learn more. Over the Rhine Foundation.
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Feb. 17 - Green Cincinnati Education Advocacy - Green Marketing Seminar - Learn how to use Google: SEO, Local, Analytics and AdWords to make your marketing the Greenest ever - Paperless and with a Return On Investment metric. Natural, free rankings for the terms your clients are using to find you are the number one marketing challenge; Google shows you how. Learn more. RSVP.
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Please contact us with any questions or more information on Green marketing, custom courses or presentations. Green Cincinnati Education Advocacy, a wing of Lohre & Associates, Inc., 2330 Victory Parkway, Suite 701, Cincinnati, OH 45206, 877-608-1736, Mobile 513-260-9025, Fax 513-961-1192, chuck@lohre.com

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Green Cincinnati would like to offer space in our new office makeover to other firms interested in working on and in a LEED project. Partners would benefit from the publicity opportunities and educational activities LEED Projects generate as well as achieve their LEED project experience. GC would consider in relocating the project rather than proceeding with the lease in the East Walnut Hills location. In other words, your place or mine, our office is going to be a LEED Platinum project. Learn more.

Chuck Lohre, President of Lohre & Associates, a Cincinnati-based marketing and communications consultancy serving engineers, architects and the building and materials trades, recently received LEED AP status from the U.S. Green Building Council (www.usgbc.org), the organization responsible for LEED certification. Lohre & Associates, celebrating its 70th anniversary, is the only marketing communications firm in the region whose principal has achieved LEED AP status.

LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED APs) have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices, principles and the LEED Rating System. More than 43,000 people have earned the credential since the Professional Accreditation program was launched in 2001. Both the LEED Rating System and LEED AP credentials are recognized worldwide.

LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, focuses on five areas including sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials and resources selection as well and indoor environmental quality.

Lohre studied for the LEED AP examination earlier this year for the benefit of the company’s entire client base and especially the building materials and products industries his firm represents. Says Lohre, “Even though building products are not eligible for LEED certification, there’s a tremendous opportunity for manufacturers to get their green message across to architects and developers.” With a relatively small investment of time, Lohre explains, “Manufacturers can provide the necessary information about the recycled content, location of manufacture, VOC content and other details builders are looking for when specifying products for their green projects.” In turn, Lohre & Associates has the specific knowledge to produce the documentation those specifiers are seeking when applying for LEED status for their projects. Lohre is also available to consult with architects and firms needing an accredited LEED AP.

LEED certified buildings are, by USGBC requirements for several of the design areas, at least 15-20 percent more efficient than typical code buildings besides the improved environment for work and play that may increase productivity up to 20 percent.

Of Ohio’s 36 LEED-certified buildings, 12 are located in the greater Cincinnati area with another 30 already in the works. In 2007, a Cincinnati ordinance created significant financial incentive through (transferable) tax abatements for commercial and residential developers to build to LEED standards. Properties can receive up to 85 percent of the project’s value abated for 15 years. Additionally, the state of Ohio has mandated that schools must be LEED certified to receive funding from the Ohio School Facilities Commission.

About the U.S. Green Building Council: is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community of leaders working to make green buildings available to everyone within a generation.

About Lohre & Associates: is a full-service marketing communications agency specializing in mechanical, chemical and electrical engineering as well as green architecture through strategic branding, Internet marketing, graphic & 3D design and continuing educational unit events. Green Cincinnati Education Advocacy was registered as a new brand on May 21, 2009.

Note to editors: Chuck Lohre is available to comment on local building projects and trends as well as sustainable products and the LEED Rating System. He currently serves as Cincinnati Regional Chapter of the USGBC 2009/10 Board Member and Chair of the local USGBC Chapter Communications PR/Media Committee as well as past Board member of the local chapter of the Society of Marketing Professional Services (SMPS), an architectural, engineering and contractor marketing communications professional association.)

Get it Forest Stewartship Council, FSC, approved. That means you’ll print it on paper that uses recycled content and any new wood will be from approved forests that are sustainable. Just ask the printer you use if they are FSC approved. There are several in Cincinnati and if they aren’t they probably are in the pipeline. If you decide to go this route the FSC logo can be printed on your literature. There is even a paper with the logo watermarked in it. Lohre is using it for our letterhead. Chuck Lohre is a LEED AP (Accredited Professional with the US Green Building Council) and there isn’t a better source for, “What is Green?” Look one up in your neighborhood http://www.gbci.org/LEED/AP/ViewAll.aspx?CMSPageID=59 .