Council Telephone Seminars

Cell Tower Zoning: Overview and Current Issues BenefitsThis live audio conference will describe the major elements and issues under the 1996 Federal cell tower zoning statute, including the FCC's 2009 shot clock rule setting 90/150 day deadlines to act on zoning applications, the pending FCC Notice of Inquiry on cell tower zoning, the major federal zoning cases involving cellular towers and practice pointers on how municipalities can  more...

Form-Based Zoning: An Alternative to Traditional Ordinances ...cifically endorsed or approved by the U.S. Green Building Council. Learning Objectives: - You will be able to identify key issues addressed by form-based codes. - You will be able to define elements of form-based codes. - You will be able to explain legal considerations and regulations. - You will be able to review the application and approval processes. This live audio conference is designed  more...

California E-Discovery Rules: Still in Their Infancy ...existing CCP sections. On August 14, 2009, the Judicial Council followed suit by amending California Rule of Court 3.724 to require early meet and confer as to e-discovery issues. The rules, which largely track current federal provisions, took effect immediately and brought California in line with the growing number of states adopting specific regulations for modern civil litigation's  more...

Brownfield Redevelopment and LEED in 2010: What Happens When You Mix Green and Brown? ...cifically endorsed or approved by the U.S. Green Building Council. Learning Objectives - You will be able to explain and breakdown the benefits and synergies when you mix green - planning, design and construction methods into brownfields. - You will be able to review and apply LEED and green building techniques, sustainable site development and remediation practices, and apply them to urban  more...

Current Issues in Cell Tower Leases BenefitsThe wireless industry has built more than 250,000 cell sites in the United States in the past 20 years. But many more cell sites are needed as iPhones, iPads and the like strain existing network capacity with data, email, computer and video applications, as well as to fill gaps in coverage. New cell sites and significant modifications to existing cell sites will also be needed due to the  more...

Sustainable Design and LEED Specification Requirements BenefitsThe project specifications are part of a legal contract that describe the quality of materials, the quality of workmanship and the administrative processes required for the contractor to deliver a building that meets the owners requirements. One of these requirements may be LEED certification. This teleconference will give you an understanding of the importance of the Division 1  more...

Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act: The Overhaul of the U.S. Financial System ... the Act, including the new Financial Stability Oversight Council, new resolution authority of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and new consumer protection requirements. This teleconference is designed for presidents, vice presidents, attorneys, branch managers, directors, loan officers, loan department personnel, credit and collection managers, controllers, auditors, business  more...

LEED Tax Incentives and Credits for Green Buildings BenefitsLEED is a certification program for green buildings. Key elements of the program are water conservation, energy conservation and a reduction in waste going to landfill. Federal, state and local jurisdictions are looking for ways to incentivize improved performance in these key areas. The President is working with Congress to pass comprehensive legislation to protect our nation from the  more...

Green Leases: Sustainable Alternatives to Traditional Agreements BenefitsA steadily increasing number of tenants, along with state pension funds and other institutional partners of commercial landlords, and state and local legislators are combining forces to press commercial landlords into moving forward with green buildings and the greening of existing buildings. The LEED movement for green building leases started with encouraging energy efficiency and then  more...

Understanding LEED for Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance ...Councils' LEED for Existing Buildings Operations Maintenance program goal is obtaining higher performance in buildings that have already been constructed and are currently in operation. LEED EBO M emphasizes maximizing operational service and efficiency while minimizing environmental impacts. The system addresses whole-building energy and water use, indoor comfort and air quality, cleaning and  more...

Current Issues in Digital Billboards and Sign Regulations BenefitsLocal governments, elected officials, municipal lawyers, zoning and building officials, and professional planners face increasing litigation threats due to the proliferation of digital signs. One national expert has predicted a wave of litigation at localities across the country that is trying to maintain attractive communities and prevent visual blight. What is the role of the Federal  more...

Using Green Strategies for Your Business to Increase Your Profits ...s economic crisis, if not more so (source: World Business Council on Sustainable Development). Obama's Stimulus Plan is focused on green jobs and infrastructure. Monster.com surveys show that green is a critical talent retention strategy. Discover what is driving this wave toward green and sustainable products and services. Find out how your company can profit from this world-wide trend, where  more...

Building Green Without Losing Green: Managing Risk in Sustainable Design and Construction Contracts BenefitsRising energy costs, government mandates and market forces are combining to produce a surge of interest in sustainable development. The introduction of new green practices and processes requires a fresh review of old design and construction template agreements. In this teleconference, you will learn to identify areas of contractual risk in the green development context. You will also learn  more...

Major Issues in WiMAX Tower Leases and Zoning BenefitsHigh speed over the air broadband service for your computer, home or office, often called WiMAX service, is being rolled out in more than 80 U.S. metropolitan areas in 2009 and 2010. WiMAX is like Wi-Fi computer service, but covers an entire city or county. WiMAX will lead to more leases of land for communications towers because an entire new set of antennas and some new towers will be  more...

Lighting Design and Control for Commercial Buildings: Increase Sales, Increase Productivity and Save Energy BenefitsWhatever your business is, the proper illumination can provide paybacks that far exceed the energy saved. Studies have confirmed findings. This topic will be presented in a fast paced teleconference with many real life examples. System efficiencies, impact on other architectural systems and integrated controls will all be discussed. We will discuss daylighting, a 100 year old feature that  more...

Green Building: LEED Water Efficiency Credits ...This teleconference discusses how the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Version 3 Building Rating Systems addresses the supply and demand issues of water in the built environment. Emphasis is placed on water as an influence in integrated design and how alternative sources of water supply and intelligent water demand side considerations can be central to  more...

Building Performance Benchmarking Strategies BenefitsGovernmental entities and private corporations in the United States and worldwide, face an enormous challenge to improve the performance of the built environment. The CO2 and energy reduction targets that are being discussed in pending legislation will require huge investments in the existing building stock over the next 25 years, whereas the performance targets for new buildings will far  more...

Measurement, Management, Reduction: Tools for Tracking Waste in Construction Projects BenefitsWith the growth of USGBC and the widespread adoption of LEED principles across the construction industry, contractors are under more and more pressure to understand the environmental impacts of their business. Documentation of construction waste recycling and waste avoidance measures is now required on many new construction jobs. This teleconference will discuss the business case for  more...

Preliminary Project Description Fundamentals BenefitsAre you ready for the new PPD and UniFormat? In 2010, the Construction Specifications Institute will issue a new Preliminary Project Description Guide and a new consensus-based UniFormat. Organized according to UniFormat, Preliminary Project Descriptions are the most effective way to describe a project during the schematic design phase of a project. PPDs organized according to UniFormat  more...

Green Building Design Basics BenefitsGreen buildings are structures that more efficiently use valuable resources such as energy, water, materials and land compared to buildings constructed to basic building codes. Green buildings are better for the environment and provide healthy, comfortable and productive indoor spaces. This teleconference will give you an introduction into incorporating green building design in your  more...

Understanding Design and Construction Defects BenefitsA construction defect occurs whenever finished or partially completed construction fails to perform as required by applicable contract documents or accepted standards. It is the bridge whose cables flex and snap, the concrete that is under-strength or structurally deficient, the roof that leaks, the adhesives that do not bond and the paint that peels, to name only a few examples.  more...

All About Insulating Concrete Forms BenefitsInsulating concrete forms are a valuable new construction system that is poorly understood by many. ICFs provide high energy-efficiency, high-comfort, low-sound attenuation and disaster-resistant exterior walls for a wide range of buildings up to15 stories. They are widely used in high-LEED projects based mostly on their energy efficiency and indoor air quality properties. However, many  more...

Best Practices in Budget Development and Analysis ... begin, internally with department heads, externally with council members and other public stakeholders. This teleconference will provide budget preparers with a comprehensive framework for preparing the budget to meet the realities of revenue constraints, set priorities, build consensus, and avoid unproductive budget negotiations. You will learn how to invest your time upfront to gather the  more...

Design Codes and Standards for Noise Control nAcoustics strongly affects the human response to our environment and yet noise rises to the top of any list of user complaints in buildings. Complaints relate to poor hearing conditions, annoyance from neighbors, inadequate privacy, noisy mechanical equipment and a plethora of other issues. This teleconference will provide you with information on how to use building design to control sound and  more...

Maximizing Innovation and Design Process Credits for LEED. Certification ...EED® accredited professionals. n nThe U.S. Green Building Council is installing its third-generation version green building performance rating and certification system, LEED®. The 2009 revisions focus mainly on further reductions in energy waste and enhanced water conservation, representing a major upgrade and harmonization of key technical criteria. This latest version (effectively "3.0")  more...