The Building and Construction Academy of Singapore Lecture Series on “Leadership in Green Building” on April 8, 2009

Michael Arny, Leonardo Academy President (pictured second from the right), talks about the conference:  The Building and Construction Academy of Singapore is working on moving green building forward in Singapore. They have set up the Green Check program for new buildings to promote sustainability in new buildings. They are also providing an exciting lecture series called: “Leadership in Green Building,” which provides educational presentations on sustainability by speakers from around the world. I was pleased to participate in the Third Lecture Series along with representatives of the World Green Building Council, Adrian Smith & Gordon Gill Architecture and ASHRAE.

The Keynote Address, "Sustainable Strategies within the Asia-Pacific" was presented by Tony Arnel, Chair of the World Green Building Council, who is also the chair of the Green Building Council Australia. Gordon Gill of Adrian Smith & Gordon Gill Architecture presented several of the key sustainable building projects of his company including the Burj Dubai, the Pearl River Tower, the Jin Mao Tower and the Trump International Hotel & Tower. I spoke on LEED for Existing Buildings with a focus on the economics and practicality of implementation. Gordon Holnes, President of ASHRAE, signed a cooperative agreement between ASHRAE and the BCA.

The Building and Construction Academy work on advancing green buildings is led by BCA Chief Executive Officer Dr John Keung.

After the presentations, there was a panel discussion by all the speakers lead by Cheong Yew Kee, representing the Green Practice Committee of the Singapore Institute of Architects. One of the questions he asked was who inspired each of the speakers to work on sustainability and sustainable buildings. I responded that my commitment to advancing sustainability grew out of the love of the environment instilled in me by my parents Deane and Edith Arny, and I was inspired by a number of environmental and innovation leaders. On the 12-hour plane flight home from the conference, I thought more about this and came up with a long list. The top five mid-westerners who inspired and continue to inspire me include: John Muir, Wilbur and Orville Wright, Aldo Leopold, and Frank Lloyd Wright, Farrington Daniels and Ronald Coase. For more information on these luminaries, see the Source of Leonardo Academy History web page.