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CEO Joins Panel on Sustainable Building
From left: Jennifer Languell, Ph.D., SCCF CEO James Evans, CHR Executive Director Nicole McHale
On April 8, CEO James Evans joined a panel hosted by SanCap Resilience surrounding affordable resilient building practices in Florida amid increasing threats from climate change.
The event’s main speaker was Jennifer Languell, Ph.D., the president and founder of Trifecta Construction Solutions. Languell has many years of experience working on sustainable development, and she is one of the lead developers on Babcock Ranch, a fully solar-powered town. Following her talk, both Evans and Nicole McHale, executive director of Sanibel’s Community Housing and Resources, gave brief presentations discussing how the respective organizations are incorporating sustainable building practices into their operations and post-Ian rebuilding plans.
Languell’s enlightening, informative talk explored ways in which buildings can reduce their environmental impact. She explained that around 50% of power usage in Florida comes from buildings and discussed small steps that can be taken to reduce energy needs, such as choosing the right windows and roof color. She also discussed the importance of sustainable materials selection, water conservation, native planting, air quality, and structural resilience to storms.
Evans’ presentation focused on how SCCF’s strategic plan ties into sustainability, and how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s green building principles have guided our post-Hurricane Ian rebuilding. These include measures surrounding solar power, water conservation, material reduction, recycling, and responsible/native landscaping.