Expert Q&As

Rick Alfandre, president of Alfandre Architecture, is a LEED accredited professional and has been specializing in sustainable design and building for over 28 years. A leader within the New York Hudson Valley’s green movement since 1976, Alfandre is a founding member of the Hudson Valley Branch of the United States Green Buildings Council. He and his firm also work in connection with the Builder’s Association of the Hudson Valley, as well as the New Paltz and Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce. Through this cooperation with building officials and the community, Alfandre has become known for his collaborative approach to sustainable building and his advocacy for health-conscious design. Meanwhile, Alfandre will be a featured speaker at the upcoming Hudson Valley Green Real Estate Development Conference this October in Kingston, NY.

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The acclaimed 2008 Sundance award-winning documentary film FUEL is the result of a 10-plus year odyssey by activist filmmaker Josh Tickell, who began his mission to break America's oil addiction by driving cross-country in the 1990s in the Veggie Van, an old Winnebago converted to run on waste grease from restaurants. FUEL recounts the history of U.S. energy use and energy policy-making and features notable policy-makers, environmentalists, scientists, and celebrity-activists. To coincide with the film's premiere, Tickell and producer Rebecca Harrell drove cross-country from California to New York City with a large caravan, including a green vehicle called the Algaeus—a Toyota Prius retrofitted with extra batteries and fueled partially with Green Crude, 100 percent algae gasoline mixed with regular gasoline. MGB spoke with Tickell and Harrell in Washington, DC, just before their scheduled arrival in New York for FUEL's premiere at AMC Theater, Times Square, on September 18.

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As regional architect for the Reckson Division of the SL Green Realty Corporation, Jason Black oversees a whopping 5.5 million square feet of commercial Class A office space throughout Westchester and Connecticut. With experience ranging from interior architecture to tenant office development and capital, Black has become a leader within New York City’s largest commercial office landlord. He has also become a leader in sustainable building, specializing in creating high-quality, green commercial office space. As a result, the Reckson Division has initiated a successful sustainability program, in connection with the Westchester County Climate Change Action Committee and the White Plains Green Technology Committee. MGB asked Black a few questions about his work at Reckson and the importance of sustainable architecture and construction.

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Mark Jupiter and Tyler Schmetterer, best friends of almost 25 years, are the co-founders behind the successful modular home company, New World Home. After realizing that traditional modular homes lacked both substance and style, Jupiter and Schmetterer decided to combine great design with sustainable building. The results are attractive, LEED Platinum-certified homes which can be found throughout east coast. Currently, New World Home is looking to expand their business, with their sights set on upstate New York’s Hudson Valley. Jupiter will be attending the Hudson Valley Green Real Estate Development Conference in October, and was happy to answer a few questions for MGB.

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