Expert Q&As

With over 12 years of experience in the construction, development, and inspection industries, Peter Berman can certainly be considered an expert in real estate and building. A Certified Graduate Builder with The Ruby Group, Berman has tackled a variety of projects in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Central New Jersey, and most recently, in New York’s Hudson Valley. He is also a faculty member at the New York Real Estate Institute and the NAHB University of Housing, and has published many articles regarding the construction and development industries. In October, Berman will be speaking at the Hudson Valley Green Real Estate Development Conference, and he was able to share some of his insights with MGB.

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Begun in 1949, the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association has been advocating environmentally responsible water and land practices for 60 years. Through the principles of Conservation, Advocacy, Science, and Education, the group has grown into one of the largest and most successful watershed associations in New Jersey. The association’s Nature & Environmental Summer Day Camp, for example, has become a popular program for New Jersey youth, particularly those raised in urban environments. Using the 860-acre Watershed Reserve as both classroom and playground, the day camp offers children from grades one through nine the opportunity to experience nature and learn more about the environment. Jeff Hoagland, the education director of the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, spoke to MGB about the camp and how it creates a lasting impression on those that attend.

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Located in Warren, Vermont, the Yestermorrow Design/Build School offers 150 courses in design, construction, woodworking, and architecture each year, with a strong focus on sustainable building. Founded in 1980, the school offers programs directed towards students of all backgrounds and skill levels, and provides a practical approach to learning. The executive director, Kate Stephenson, began her affiliation with Yestermorrow in 2002, as a design/building intern. Since then, she has held a variety of positions within the school, such as Associate Director and Director of Operations, and has become an integral part of the institution. Stephenson was happy to answer a few questions from MGB on Yestermorrow’s unique and eco-friendly mission.

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Headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, Renaissance Lighting "is a global leader in the development of next-generation solid-state architectural downlights and controls, the result of on-going breakthroughs in the application of LED technology and Constructive Occlusion, a patented technology for the unique mixing and blending of multiple LED light sources. The company's innovation and unrelenting commitment to green technology are key forces driving the development of highly creative lighting products that deliver the solid-state industry's purest light source with exceptional appearance, superior efficiency and glare-free illumination for all architectural applications. Renaissance Lighting deploys a revolutionary approach to product engineering and design that is supported by 30 patents including its optical and feedback control technologies."

MGB asked CEO Barry Weinbaum a few questions about Renaissance, LED lighting, and just what the future may hold for this particular green technology.

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Christopher C. Womack is Executive Vice President and President of External Affairs for the Southern Company, which has been listed the top ranking U.S. electric service provider in customer satisfaction for nine consecutive years by the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Based in Atlanta, Southern Company has 4.4 million customers and more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity. Womack joined the company in 1988 as a governmental affairs representative for Alabama Power, and has held his current position since January 2009.

In June, Womack represented his firm at the IREO (Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Organization) conference at the United Nations, a gathering of experts from UN member states and professionals from the corporate and academic communities. The goal: to develop a global good governance model as a clean energy source. MGB had the opportunity to ask Mr. Womack a few questions about the relationship between energy and the environment in 2009.

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