Connecticut Green Building Council’s Vision for a Sustainable and Resilient Connecticut
The CT Green Building Council (CTGBC) is a non-profit membership-based organization made up of architects, engineers, facilities managers, and other sustainability professionals committed to transforming the way buildings are designed, constructed, and operated through green building practices. The built environment affects our daily lives in many ways, from health and well-being at the individual level to the behavior and functioning of our society as a whole. CTGBC promotes green building practices through education and networking, and has recently introduced a program for industry partnerships to further its mission in concert with like-minded organizations. CTGBC Board Vice Chairman Wayne Cobleigh (GZA GeoEnvironmental) and Executive Director James Albis will discuss CTGBC's vision for a sustainable future in Connecticut and how we can get there together.
About the Presenters
James Albis is the Executive Director of the Connecticut Green Building Council, and is serving his fourth term as a State Representative from his hometown of East Haven. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from New York University in 2006, and his Master of Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies in 2016. James was named chairman of the Speaker’s Task Force on Shoreline Preservation after East Haven was devastated by Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 and Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Through the work of that Task Force he authored the first law in Connecticut history to define sea level rise, requiring that sea level rise be considered during planning for major public projects and long-term plans of conservation anddevelopment. He also wrote the law that created the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and ClimateAdaptation (CIRCA), which provides technical and financial assistance to municipalities embarking on adaptation projects. James is a LEED Green Associate and is a published author. His paper “University Sustainability: Assessing College Sustainability Rating Systems” appeared in the 2017 issue of the Journal of Environmental Sustainability.
Wayne Cobleigh, CPSM is Vice Chair of the Connecticut Green Building Council and the Vice President – Client Services with GZA GeoEnvironmental. He received his B.A. degree in Biology with a Concentration in Environmental Science from Colby College and an MBA from University of Phoenix Online. He advises GZA’s public and private clients on matters involving: real estate, infrastructure, energy, water resources, environmental protection, brownfield redevelopment, high performance buildings, renewable energy, sustainability and resiliency from conceptual planning through construction. His business focus areas include sustainable development, critical infrastructure protection, community resiliency, natural hazard mitigation and flood hazard assessment. In August 2017, he co-authored FINANCING RESILIENCE IN CONNECTICUT: CURRENT PROGRAMS, NATIONAL MODELS, AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES with Rebecca A. French, Jessica H. LeClair & Yi Shi in the Sea Grant Law & Policy Journal.