USGBC and China GBC sign MOU. (March 2010)

On March 29-31, Gunnar Hubbard, Principal of Fore Solutions, participated in Sixth International Building Energy Efficiency and Green Building Symposium in Beijing, China. This conference was the sixth annual conference sponsored by China’s Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MoHURD).

This year marked a significant milestone between the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and the China Green Building Council (CGBC). The organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreeing to work together to advance green building opportunities and reduce carbon emissions, including joint research and educational programs around green building. Gunnar was present for the signing of the MOU. Additionally, Gunnar was privileged to be included in discussions between the CGBC and the USGBC related to China’s Three-Star green building rating system and the LEED rating system.

This was Gunnar’s 8th trip to China in the last 4 years to teach green building classes and to pursue project related opportunities. Gunnar also had meetings in Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Learn more about the USGBC and China.

ABC News broadcast an interview on Ahead of the Curve last Friday evening with Rick Fedrizzi, President of the U.S. Green Building Council. He spoke about the LEED rating system and Hannaford’s new LEED Platinum grocery store.

Click here to watch the ABC video. (Interview will air after the advertisement…..)

Naomi Mermin, board chairperson for the Maine Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, is featured in Maine Voices of the Portland Press Herald talking about the how the success of Hannaford’s LEED Platinum store ties to green jobs in the building industry in Maine.

The Hannaford project is a real-world example of the concept of “green jobs.” It takes a team approach to make a high performance green building – especially when targeting the Platinum level of certification – and Hannaford was able to rely on a number of other Maine-based companies to plan and build the new supermarket. (August 17, Portland Press Herald)

Click here to read the entire article.

Learn more about the Maine USGBC.

Mainebiz Profiles Fore Solutions

The new Hannaford supermarket in Augusta has gotten national attention for being named the greenest grocery store in the country, but the Portland green building design consultant on the project is already well known internationally in its field. From its Old Port office, Fore Solutions is working on billion-dollar projects around the world, from Las Vegas to Jordan. (Mindy Favreau, Mainebiz Staff Reporter)

Click here to read the full Mainebiz story.

Hannaford Awarded LEED Platinum Certification by USGBC
Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chairman of the U.S. Green Building Council based in Washington DC, was on hand yesterday at the new Hannaford supermarket in Augusta, Maine to award a LEED Platinum rating under the USGBC’s green building certification system. This is the first grocery store to achieve a LEED Platinum Certification. Hannaford CEO Ron Hodge accepted the award. Maine Governor John Baldacci was also present.

Fore Solutions was the green building and LEED consultant for Hannaford. Rick Fedrizzi congratulated Gunnar Hubbard, Principal of Fore Solutions, on his committment to Green Building. They first met 16 years ago at the Greening of the White House. Gunnar Hubbard was instrumental in the forming of the U.S. Green Building Council, and since then has opened his own green building consulting firm based in Portland, Maine, pursuing work locally, nationally and internationally.

Tours of the new store highlighting the environmental features were given to the media and invited guests. The store will be open for business to the public on Saturday, July 25, 2009.

Fore Solutions was the LEED Consultant. Learn more about the green building process and the new store by following the links below.

NECN.com Video and News Article 7.24.09

Portland Press Herald News Article 7.24.09

WCSH6 News Video 7.23.09

Portland Press Herald News Article 7.23.09

Take Tour of the Hannaford Store

Fore Solutions Project Page