Downtown's Proposed Sustainability Resource Center
Metro Jacksonville shares the presentation of the proposed Sustainability Resource Center recently given to the Downtown Development Review Board (DDRB). The Sustainability Resource Center will occupy a long-vacant parking garage storefront on West Duval Street near the public library.
About the North Florida Sustainability Resource Center
The Sustainability Resource Center is a vision of the US Green Building Council North Florida. Imagine a hip, cutting edge downtown Resource Center that educates and inspires a “take action” attitude from the general public, professionals, and decision makers about the triple bottom line of sustainability – people, planet, and profits. A learning and engaging space where residents, students, professionals, and educators can come together to expand their knowledge on energy efficiency strategies, carbon and pollution reduction, and healthy buildings. A place where the newly-trained can meet with industry leaders to create synergies and opportunities and where homeowners can research green retrofits alongside architects and designers skilled in such strategies.
We envision a 5,000 square foot LEED Platinum certified space containing a gallery of innovative green building demonstrations, a robust sustainability library, a training space, and a home base for our partner organizations. This destination-spot will attract people from all over Jacksonville to this downtown location for special events, education programs, and daily “ah-ha” moments. The front entrance will be an attractive point of interest with a living green wall, solar windows, porous pavers, native landscaping, as well as incorporate other visible sustainable strategies.
The Center will provide a space for contractors to engage trained job-seekers. It will provide opportunities for continuing education for technicians as well as professionals. And, it will be the base of operations for the Contractor’s Consortium, a workforce development program created by CRCI in collaboration with regional licensed solar contractors and home performance auditors, where CRCI graduates utilize their skills to uncover project leads which are then funneled to participating contractors. As the contractors are awarded projects, they then employ graduates as installers under the contractor’s guidance and leadership.Ultimately, the Center will be a hub of sustainable activity in downtown Jacksonville. Training programs will drive attendees to the downtown area, expanding the downtown visitor base beyond the characteristic traffic. Evening events at the Center will drive people in outlying neighborhoods like Mandarin, the Beaches, the Northside, and Orange Park to visit downtown restaurants and bars, and discover entertainment venues. Independent architects and designers will utilize the library and workspace at the Center as a convenient place to meet with clients, allowing them to co-work and share space. The Center’s library will house specification books, resources for green building, and computer kiosks to allow research and program development.
https://www.usgbcnf.org/assets/documents/macc/usgbcnf sustainability resource center narrative 042911.pdf
About the US Green Building Council North Florida (USGBCNF)
The USGBCNF Chapter is a 501(c)(3) mission-driven non-profit organization committed to making green buildings available to everyone within a generation. We are creating a positive impact on the region’s built environment by accelerating the adoption of green development practices, technologies, policies and standards. We endeavor to move the building industry forward with a combination of modernized code requirements, market-based solutions and public/private partnerships.
The Chapter’s membership is open, balanced, and comprised of leaders and visionaries from all segments of the development industry and public, including product manufacturers, environmental organizations, building owners, building professionals, utilities, city government, research institutions, professional societies, public schools and universities, and homeowners. This type of representation provides a unique, integrated platform.
The USGBCNF's mission is to promote sustainable development and green building in North Florida through open, collaborative education and leadership. Their vision is to create a sustainable community in North Florida inspired by green building within a generation.
For more information: www.usgbcnf.org
The North Florida Sustainability Resource Center will be located in the Jacksonville Public Library parking garage at the intersection of Main & Duval Streets.
The interior floor plan will include a kitchen, library, training room and streetfront gallery.
The streetscape will offer Jacksonville true examples of urban sustainability within the public realm.
The North Florida Sustainability Resource Center is anticipated to have a $1 million annual economic impact.
Fundraising efforts of the Sustainability Resource Center as of December 8, 2011.
For more information: https://sustainableresourcecenter.wordpress.com/
The Sustainability Resource Center is a vision of the US Green Building Council North Florida. Imagine a hip, cutting edge downtown Resource Center that educates and inspires a “take action” attitude from the general public, professionals, and decision makers about the triple bottom line of sustainability – people, planet, and profits. A learning and engaging space where residents, students, professionals, and educators can come together to expand their knowledge on energy efficiency strategies, carbon and pollution reduction, and healthy buildings. A place where the newly-trained can meet with industry leaders to create synergies and opportunities and where homeowners can research green retrofits alongside architects and designers skilled in such strategies.
We envision a 5,000 square foot LEED Platinum certified space containing a gallery of innovative green building demonstrations, a robust sustainability library, a training space, and a home base for our partner organizations. This destination-spot will attract people from all over Jacksonville to this downtown location for special events, education programs, and daily “ah-ha” moments. The front entrance will be an attractive point of interest with a living green wall, solar windows, porous pavers, native landscaping, as well as incorporate other visible sustainable strategies.
The Center will provide a space for contractors to engage trained job-seekers. It will provide opportunities for continuing education for technicians as well as professionals. And, it will be the base of operations for the Contractor’s Consortium, a workforce development program created by CRCI in collaboration with regional licensed solar contractors and home performance auditors, where CRCI graduates utilize their skills to uncover project leads which are then funneled to participating contractors. As the contractors are awarded projects, they then employ graduates as installers under the contractor’s guidance and leadership.Ultimately, the Center will be a hub of sustainable activity in downtown Jacksonville. Training programs will drive attendees to the downtown area, expanding the downtown visitor base beyond the characteristic traffic. Evening events at the Center will drive people in outlying neighborhoods like Mandarin, the Beaches, the Northside, and Orange Park to visit downtown restaurants and bars, and discover entertainment venues. Independent architects and designers will utilize the library and workspace at the Center as a convenient place to meet with clients, allowing them to co-work and share space. The Center’s library will house specification books, resources for green building, and computer kiosks to allow research and program development.
https://www.usgbcnf.org/assets/documents/macc/usgbcnf sustainability resource center narrative 042911.pdf
About the US Green Building Council North Florida (USGBCNF)
The USGBCNF Chapter is a 501(c)(3) mission-driven non-profit organization committed to making green buildings available to everyone within a generation. We are creating a positive impact on the region’s built environment by accelerating the adoption of green development practices, technologies, policies and standards. We endeavor to move the building industry forward with a combination of modernized code requirements, market-based solutions and public/private partnerships.
The Chapter’s membership is open, balanced, and comprised of leaders and visionaries from all segments of the development industry and public, including product manufacturers, environmental organizations, building owners, building professionals, utilities, city government, research institutions, professional societies, public schools and universities, and homeowners. This type of representation provides a unique, integrated platform.
The USGBCNF's mission is to promote sustainable development and green building in North Florida through open, collaborative education and leadership. Their vision is to create a sustainable community in North Florida inspired by green building within a generation.
For more information: www.usgbcnf.org
The North Florida Sustainability Resource Center will be located in the Jacksonville Public Library parking garage at the intersection of Main & Duval Streets.
The interior floor plan will include a kitchen, library, training room and streetfront gallery.
The streetscape will offer Jacksonville true examples of urban sustainability within the public realm.
The North Florida Sustainability Resource Center is anticipated to have a $1 million annual economic impact.
Fundraising efforts of the Sustainability Resource Center as of December 8, 2011.
For more information: https://sustainableresourcecenter.wordpress.com/