The Green Building Matters Podcast with Charlie Cichetti

Jeff focuses on public interest architecture and planning. He is the former Executive Director of First Community Housing, a Non-Profit Affordable Housing Developer in San Jose, CA. As Executive Director of FCH, Jeff built the firm into a nationally recognized pioneer [and early adopter] in the development of sustainable, affordable housing. FCH's impressive record of architecturally significant, sustainable affordable housing in the Silicon Valley has been recognized through multiple local, state and national awards, including an AIA/COTE 2009 Top Green Projects Award, an AIA National Housing Award, an AIA California Chapter "Community Housing Honor Assistance Award"​, Boston Society of Architects John M. Clancy Award for Socially Responsible Housing, a USGBC "Super Heroes"​ Award and the State of California GEELA Award for Sustainability. As ED at FCH Jeff developed the first "set-aside" in California for Developmentally Disabled tenants--which is now a core value in all FCH developments. Under Jeff's leadership, FCH pioneered the integration of "Green"/Vegetative roofs in Affordable Housing Developments. Jeff has served as a juror on the national AIA/HUD Housing Awards and on the Cradle to Cradle International Ideas Competition and is a frequent speaker at national conferences on Housing, Sustainability and integrating special needs populations. Jeff is a member of the SPUR San Jose Policy Board and Housing Advisory Committee and served on the USGBC 2015 LEED Fellows Selection Committee. He is an expert Integrated Design Team Leader. Jeff is a member of the AIA California Council Housing Congress exploring the Architects' role in providing solutions to our current housing affordability crisis. Consultation in: Multifamily Affordable Housing, Incorporating Special Needs Tenants in Multifamily Housing, Urban Design and Design Review, and Social Equity in Design.    Show Highlights    How the shootings at Kent State inspired how Jeff looked at the community and how  people participate in the environment? Everything you need to know about First Community Housing, why they are hyper aware of toxins, green roofs, and how they became the model beyond affordable housing in their designs.  Integrating green products into your designs so they can’t be value engineered out.  A perfect formula that pulls the community together to design exciting architecture for people with developmental disabilities. Partnering with organizations like Enterprise Community Foundations and the Living Building can help meet some challenges with budget.  It’s essential to improve air circulation systems and not let net zero carbon and electricity overshadow using natural  and nontoxic materials.  Stop thinking about sustainability and start thinking about carbon reduction, zero electric and regenerative planning.      “I left First Community Housing five years ago, all our buildings were LEED Platinum and we're starting to investigate getting a Living Building Future. That is even further than LEED. Now I realize that's passe right now, because we really need to be looking at all electric buildings, zero electric, new materials, maybe photo glass that are going to change things. Just being sustainable is not enough anymore.”   - Jeff Oberdorfer       Jeff Oberdorfer’s Show Resource and Information   Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES   GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on .  We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the !   Copyright © 2020 GBES

Have you ever wondered why some teams rise to excellence or some organizations excel at innovation? Understanding what drives organizational learning and innovation, and the foundations of highly successful teams has been a personal pursuit for Joanne Perdue for almost three decades. Joanne considers this knowledge essential to accelerating the sustainability transformation. As CSO for UCalgary she is responsible for leadership and organizational strategy to enable the university to reach its goal of being a leader in sustainability. This work takes her deep into the disciplines of organizational learning, leadership and change management – alongside both the diverse technical skills and business operations knowledge required of sustainability professionals. Joanne believes there is no more important work. The higher education sector has the greatest reach in preparing future leaders, undertakes critical interdisciplinary research to enable the transition to a sustainable future, and has unique opportunities to model the way forward. Prior to joining UCalgary, as a practicing architect she combined her aptitude for design thinking, her reverence for the natural environment, and her desire to create remarkable places. This triad shaped a twenty-year career specializing in healthy, high performance green buildings. She is a LEED Fellow but her work in this area began long before LEED. The C.K. Choi Building at the University of British Columbia, completed in the mid 90’s, was perhaps her most seminal project. It set an exceptional North American precedent for sustainable design, and it demonstrated the power of the integrative design process (then an undefined concept) in enabling interdisciplinary teams to innovate and achieve collective excellence. Joanne is a life-long learner and is interested in connecting with senior sustainability professionals and academics on: organizational learning for sustainability, particularly those leading change in large complex organizations; and sustainability integration in higher education. Show Highlights    Connect design with ethics of care to broaden thinking about the environment we depend on when building on the land  C.K. Choi Building, a progressive project that broke ground and barriers in Green Building STARS rating system, collaboration and partnerships that are occurring both on campuses and with community Joanne’s  company’s climate action plan to become a carbon neutral campus.  Why it is vital to get the operations team involved early on net zero builds Understanding of ourselves as a part of nature with regenerative design ecosystem, health, and resiliency for high performance buildings The 17SDGs can provide a global connection to LEED standards     “So I fell in love with the vast beauty of nature, and this instilled in me, a really strong ethic of care and connection to the land, as we would call it, to nature.”    - Joanne Perdue       Joanne Perdue’s Show Resource and Information           Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES   GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on .  We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the !   Copyright © 2020 GBES

Helen has worked on over 80 LEED projects in various roles leading the design and construction team to develop more sustainable projects. On most projects, she is the primary LEED consultant and Project Team Administrator. In addition to leading the LEED process, we provide energy efficiency/energy modeling and commissioning consulting. In recognition of our technical abilities, HJKessler Associates has been recognized as a LEED® Proven Provider™ for the Building Design and Construction rating system family by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). LEED Platinum projects have included Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management and Kresge Centennial Hall, Legacy Charter School in the North Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago (K-8), Exelon's Headquarters Project, which, at the time it was certified, was by far the largest LEED Commercial Interiors project to achieve Platinum; the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation of Evanston, the first house of worship to achieve LEED Platinum; the Chicago Center for Green Technology, the first LEED Platinum municipal building; Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy, a Chicago public high school; Bousfield Hall, a residence hall at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign; and some Interpretive Centers. LEED Gold projects have included projects at Northwestern University, many schools and libraries for the Chicago Public Building Commission, municipal facilities such as police and fire stations, office buildings, and many others. Current projects include schools, university facilities, hotels, office buildings, and other project types. Her goal is always to encourage and facilitate an integrative approach to design and to encourage teams to go as far beyond the LEED requirements as possible. Specialties: Sustainable design, LEED and energy efficiency consulting Commissioning process management Facilitation Regenerative Development.   Show Highlights    How to turn Silver into LEED Platinum at relatively little or no extra costs? Helen’s career is made up of “disparate parts” that have made a tremendous impact on energy efficiency and sustainability in our world.  Hear her tips on what to study for an impactful career.  Using energy models as a design tool will make a valuable resource and significant difference.  Embodied Carbon is making a come back into conversations. Helen explains why you can’t have a regenerative design or buildings without considering these essential factors.  How LEED became a very important tool in transforming the market? To solve issues on climate change society needs to become more creative and develop technologies related to human and social development.   “I've also been educating myself about racism and especially that history of our country. I am more convinced than ever that we won't create a sustainable world until we create a sustainable society that gives everyone an equal opportunity.” -Helen Kessler Helen Kessler’s Show Resource and Information           Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES   GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on .  We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the !   Copyright © 2020 GBES

Marija has graduated in Mechanical Engineering, at the University of Genoa, Italy, and at the University of Belgrade, Serbia. With more than 19-years world wide experience in MEP design for commercial buildings, hospitals, cruise ships and military vessels, she became first female in the Europe Commissioning Authority certified by AABCcg Associated Air Balancing Council Commissioning Group, the official test engineer for the region of Lombardy, and also the expert witness at the Court of Milan. She is a LEED AP since 2008 and USGBC Faculty™ Faculty since 2011 as well as an accredited DGNB International Auditor. She has contributed to numerous international LEED projects ( over 300.000 certified sqm) as designer, LEED consultant, LEED process administrator and Commissioning Authority. Marija administrated and designed the mechanical and electrical systems for the first LEED Core and Shell certified project in Italy (Gold Level) and administered the LEED certification process of the Vodafone Village. She also introduced the first LEED for Homes pilot projects in Europe. Starting from 2014, she was the first LEED for Homes Green Rater in Energo. Marija also develops and teaches courses in the role of USGBC faculty and education partner, having trained over 500 LEED professionals. Marija Golubovic is founding chairman of SerbiaGBC (2010-2013).    Show Highlights    Construction is lacking in ethics  The hypocrisy of building the best buildings on a budget The difference and hurdles of building in Italy and Serbia Why Marija recommends everyone start a small company  Hear about Park Smart, technical rigor and all the pioneering projects and commissions Marija and her team are a part of How WELL Health and Safety Rating is complementary to LEED  Social transparency should rate at a higher level in sustainability   “We need to come back to some good social politics strictly related with buildings because buildings are our environment and it cannot be separated or detached.”  -Marija Golubovic     Marija Golubovic’s Show Resource and Information   Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES   GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on .  We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the !   Copyright © 2020 GBES

Michael is responsible for the development of new markets and services and to provide corporate leadership for (the wholly owned subsidiary the Design/Build construction services company HEAPY.). In this role, his team develops the “what’s next” to enhance client service experience and produce colleague advancement opportunities. To emphasize a keen focus on the HEAPY Vision of “Building a more Resilient and Sustainable Society”, new markets and services are centered on Smart Technologies Integration, Distributed Energy Resources, Resiliency Planning, Energy as a Service (EaaS), etc. Michael has presented at several National and Regional Conferences including: Greenbuild, AIA National Convention, International Living Futures UnConference, National Conference on Building Commissioning, the World Energy Engineering Conference, Greening the Heartland and the US Institute for Theater Technology Conference. He is on the Industrial Advisory Committee for the University of Dayton Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and served as a Fellow for the Hobart Center for Food Service Sustainability. He was a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for the former EDC Magazine, writing a column focused on Sustainability. He leads sustainability on the local level as Co-Chair of the Dayton (Ohio) Regional Green Initiative (DRG3.org) and is a past Regional Chair for the U.S Green Building Council’s College and University based USGBC Students Program. He recently served as Chair of USGBC Ohio. HEAPY is a nationally recognized MEP&T Systems Design, Sustainability, and Planning & Commissioning Services firm. Heapy has an outstanding record of providing practical sustainable-based smart solutions for today’s high performance buildings. The HEAPY HQ achieved LEED PLATINUM. Michael’s experience with projects in both the public and private sectors shows, when properly planned and executed throughout the entire design and construction process, every project can be Resilient, Environmentally Responsible, Energy Efficient AND Cost Effective.   Show Highlights    Building holistically by looking at the entire client's portfolio to create a plan that blends standards  Position your green building projects and jobs to be recession proof  Michael’s unique building systems as an innovation officer on solar and smart grids Concepts that look at how you make the best use of renewables and what's next in buildings Stick to your convictions when determining the path for your career Outside of the box thinking that impacts long term needs and deferred maintenance for green building   “This market is still ginormous. This is the opportunity to help move the world, your community, and your family forward by being green and by living green. Helping others to do that too will give you a rewarding and impactful life. That's what we're all looking for. How can I be of impact? Being in the sustainability movement certainly is. It is questions answered.” -Michael Berning     Michael Berning’s Show Resource and Information     Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES   GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on .  We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the !   Copyright © 2020 GBES

Gail Vittori is Co-Director of the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, a non-profit design firm established in 1975 dedicated to sustainable planning, design, and demonstration. Since 1993, Vittori has coordinated the Center's Sustainable Design in Public Buildings Program, including serving as a sustainable design consultant for the Pentagon Renovation Program’s Commissioning Team from 1999 to 2006, numerous design projects. Beginning in 2000, Vittori led several national initiatives focused on greening the health care sector and advancing environmental health considerations in green building. Examples include collaborating on the development of the American Society of Healthcare Engineering’s (ASHE) Green Healthcare Construction Guidance Statement, and the Green Guide for Health Care, convened by the Center in 2002, a project of CMPBS and Health Care Without Harm. She currently serves as a Co-Coordinator of the Green Guide for Health Care and is Founding Chair of the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Healthcare core committee (2004–2008).  Vittori has spearheaded emerging green and affordable housing initiatives, tools and resources, including directing a program in 1989 that created a building materials exchange and cooperative homebuilding training program for colonias residents along the Texas ; consulting to the DC Housing Authority to establish a green materials library and assessment process; being invited to participate on the 5-person core development team of Enterprise Community Foundation’s Green Communities Initiative in 2004; and, in 2008, spearheading a successful initiative to develop green building criteria for the Texas-based Meadows Foundation capital grant funding. In 1989, Vittori proposed a conceptual framework for what evolved as the City of Austin’s Green Building Program, the only U.S. program recognized at the 1992 U.N. Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, and the first green building program in the world. Along with Pliny Fisk, she oversaw the program’s early stage development through 1992. Austin’s Green Builder Program influenced the formation of the U.S. Green Building Council and LEED, in addition to scores of policies throughout the U.S. and abroad. Additionally, from 1988 to 1998, she served on the City’s Solid Waste Advisory Commission, six of those years as founding chair, a committee formed in response to a successful initiative co-coordinated by Vittori to cancel a proposed incinerator. Her work on establishing recycling residential programs, in addition to recycling programs for the City’s commercial and multi-family sectors, has led Austin to having one of the nation’s most successful recycling programs. Her work in this area continues with promoting zero waste by 2040, adopted by the Austin City Council in January 2009.    Show Highlights    Gail shares what you need to know as a green guide for healthcare aligned with a green building rating system. A comprehensive look at process water and LEED prerequisites. How do we avoid using unhealthy materials in buildings in order to promote health? The evolution of LEED and how it raises the bar while not eliminating an entry point.   Utilizing rainwater and stormwater as valuable resources. Gail shares how Austin holds on to the environmental values in all of its new developments. One of the important distinctions is that the HPD is a standard. It's not a certification. Every action we take needs a health lens and let’s ask these two essential questions.   “2020. It's the year of letting us see where the cracks are and what we need to focus on. I'm really sort of taking this time as a wake up call to pay attention to those cracks and to do what we can in our small way to address them in terms of the way we approach our work, our relationships with other organizations and to hopefully come out of this with some clarity in terms of what is the new pattern language going forward.” - Gail Vittori     Gail Vittori’s Show Resource and Information   Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES   GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on .  We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the !   Copyright © 2020 GBES

, AIA co-founded W A T E R S H E D in 2008 in order to build expertise around affordable, sustainable building solutions for a hot humid climate, create built environments that inspire a greater connection with the natural world, and to perform work in the spirit of collaboration, sharing information with her clients and community. Originally from Alabama, Rebecca moved to Colorado to study sustainable design and social ecology in 1990 and worked in San Francisco and Houston before returning home to get red dirt back under her feet. Rebecca has received a Synergy Award from the Citizen’s Environmental Coalition, been recognized as one of 9 “Green Leaders in Red States” by Fortune Magazine and recently voted one of her region’s “Top 40 under 40.” She is the first LEED Faculty member in the state of Alabama, and since 2008, she has provided green building training to over 2,000 professionals and over 200 school children. Rebecca’s passion for sustainable development is focused on sustainable design, construction, and operational strategies for the hot humid south. While the growing green building movement is international, her approach is decidedly local. Registered Architect in Alabama and Florida LEED Fellow LEED Accredited Professional, BD+C Living Building Ambassador Passive House Consultant Permaculture Designer   Show Highlights    Why was the recession a Watershed moment?  The key to transform the market is to raise the level of practice for firms. Economic, environmental, and sustainability restoration projects that create great experiences in nature.  Learn the benefits of being a permaculture designer and who should pursue the credentials.  A deeper look at integration with SITES and low impact development + human health. Elevate your standard of practice and raise awareness on best practices in LEED, SITES, WELL, Wildlife Habitats, and other certifications with Rebecca’s valuable resources.    “We need you. The need for people to transform the way we build is more and more urgent so don't lose heart and please stick to your guns and follow this path. The other thing I would say, based on my experience is we need to spread out. We don't need all of our sustainable design experts to live in places where everyone in that town agrees with and has already drank the Kool Aid. We need them to spread out, dispersing this movement into more communities and making connections with other movements.”   - Rebecca Dunn Bryant       Rebecca Dunn Bryant’s Show Resource and Information   Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES   GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on .  We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the !   Copyright © 2020 GBES

The first woman in the construction industry from the Province of Quebec to become LEED Fellow and part of the professional green building industry for over 12 years, Josée’s journey has been an exceptional one. Among her qualities that stand out, this honour recognizes her technical proficiency, leadership, commitment and dedication to the advancement of the sustainable construction industry in Quebec as well as abroad. A founding member of the Quebec chapter of the Canadian Green Building Council, her leadership has been recognized on more than one occasion. Recognized for cutting-edge expertise in sustainable building and LEED® certification, Josée Lupien, LEED Fellow, BD + C & ID + C, president,brings together a team of experts with incomparable know-how in environmental analysis of construction materials and in the implementation of sustainable buildings. After more than 30 years in the manufacturing industry and numerous collaborations with architects, engineers and construction contractors, in 2008, Ms. Lupien decided to invest in the green building sector by setting up the company. Vertima. Today, thanks to its experienced and specialized team, Vertima actively supports manufacturers as well as all stakeholders involved in an ecological and sustainable construction project, and particularly with regard to LEED® certification. Our greatest strength remains the quality of our services, the integrity, transparency and professionalism of our team as well as our network of loyal and trusted partners and collaborators. Our influence is achieved through our involvement and our contribution in the evolution of sustainable building for 12 years.   Show Highlights  How Canada's LEED challenges, spec requirements, rating systems and adaptations differ from the U.S.? Vertima, the only Canadian company that is approved as a preparer and verifier from HPD collaborative.  Tips on reinventing how to work efficiently and effective in virtual meetings with these steps.  Josee shares why there is a need for more qualified people in the carbon and overall wellness movements. Ways to push reducing the carbon footprint in buildings and the C40 challenge.  Productivity tips, why continuing education and certifications matter and how the resources from the GBES.com helped Josee pass her WELL exam.  WELL Health and Safety is becoming  popular but it's not just in the certifications, but the verification. “If you believe in what you're doing and how you can change the world, go for it.  I encourage you to jump in the green building movement. Absolutely!”      Josee Lupien’s Show Resource and Information   Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on .  We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the !   Copyright © 2020 GBES

Experienced Program Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the government administration industry. Skilled in Policy Development, Sustainable Design, Renewable Energy, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), and Change Making. Strong design professional and manager with a BARC focused in Sustainable Architecture from Mississippi State University.   Show Highlights  How a childhood focus on buying an Atari kickstarted Lance’s building and ultimately green building career. A hotbed of crazy ideas that created LEED and the sustainability movement.  How did building trust as an architect allowed Lance to write policy for green building across the nation? What you need to know to create a green oasis for community projects? A spectacular moment of humanity and how architecture and sustainability work to bring everybody together.  Push the envelope and raise the bar by finding balance with these tips. Embodied energy. Determine a building’s need to transform waste to energy. Lance speaks about Fitwel, and various healthy building programs, and ideas that incorporate healthy options for employees. “All of that was sort of born out of a common group and challenging ourselves about the future. I think it’s been super important continuing to build those relationships and continuing to challenge our thinking.  It’s where we come up with that next big idea and find the right people to help us implement it -- relationships.”   Lance Davis       Lance Davis’ Show Resource and Information   Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES   GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community!   If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on .  We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the !   Copyright © 2020 GBES

Jean is HDR’s Sustainable Principal for the firm globally. She is based in San Francisco, California with 30+ years of experience in interior design, departmental planning and sustainable design. Ms. Hansen is responsible for advancing HDR's sustainability initiatives in project and research work for healthcare, commercial and institutional environments. She served on Kaiser Permanente’s High Performance Building Committee to develop national sustainable design standards, led a team in the development of a USGBC Volume Build Pilot Program for Wells Fargo Bank in 39 states and was a green consultant with the University of New Mexico’s new Children’s Hospital and Critical Care Pavilion. She led sustainable research in the textile industry for Kaiser Permanente and co-authored a white paper on the research, titled, Future of Fabric: Healthcare. She was a core committee member in the development of the USGBC’s LEED Healthcare rating system and more recently is a pilot committee member in the development of the HealthProduct Declaration (HPD). She is past president of IIDA (International Interior Design Association) for the Northern California Chapter, IIDA Fellow and past board member and secretary of the USGBC Northern California Chapter. Jean is working on or has worked on over forty LEED projects, developed sustainable guidelines and led sustainable research for healthcare organizations and manufacturers, provided sustainable training for a variety of clients, including the U.S. Army and in-house staff; she has inspired many to pursue LEED Accreditation, and integrated sustainability into multi-million dollar projects. Her clients have ranged from Federal agencies such as the U.S. Army, the Department of Veteran Affairs, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center and NOAA, to universities such as the University of California system, Stanford, and numerous healthcare organizations and furniture manufacturers.   Show Highlights  Jean shares her expertise on how to design healthy buildings with emphasis on product specs and protocols that won’t harm humans or the environment.  How to guide corporations to answer the question “Where should we put our energy and our money first?” Green Guide for Health Care and LEED Healthcare. Jean’s work with numerous organizations to create sustainable products and a questionnaire for product transparency. Valuable tips on building awareness on safe product materials and warnings. Knowing the difference between manufacturers vs distributors when selecting materials and products. Protocol for selecting healthy materials for facilities. Jean talks about another lens that really needs to be added to sustainability to take it to another level. “It's not too late for anyone to consider learning and adopting sustainability for whatever type of work you're doing because luckily the green building movement or the sustainability movement in general needs people with any and all skills. I say that with all truthfulness and sincerity, and there's always a way to combine sustainability to any and all phases of our work. Your voice is incredibly important and we can only be stronger when we're stronger together.” - Jean Hansen     Jean Hansen’s Show Resource and Information Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES   GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on .  We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the !   Copyright © 2020 GBES