The Greenest Building – Seattle Screening, March 13
What: The Greenest Building: Documentary Screening and Discussion
When: Thursday, March 13, 2014, 6 – 8 pm
Where: Seattle Central Library Auditorium, 1000 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98014
Registration: Free/donation
Over the next 20 years, Americans will demolish one third of our existing building stock (over 82 billion square feet) in order to replace seemingly inefficient buildings with energy efficient “green” structures. Is demolition in the name of sustainability really the best use of natural, social, and economic resources? Or, like the urban renewal programs of the 1960s, is this well-intentioned planning with devastating environmental and cultural consequences?
Attend a free showing of The Greenest Building, an hour-long documentary produced by filmmaker Jane Turville. The film presents a compelling overview of the important role building reuse plays in creating sustainable communities, and explores the myth that a “green building” is a new building and demonstrates how renovation and adaptive reuse of existing structures fully achieves the sustainability movement’s “triple bottom line.” The film reveals: (a) how reuse and reinvestment in the existing built environment leads to stronger local economies that can compete on a global scale, (b) that sense of place and collective memory, while intangible, are critical components of strong sustainable communities, and (c) the direct correlation between reuse of existing buildings and a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, degradation of the natural environment and overuse of precious natural resources.
If you’re interested in buildings, community development, sustainable communities or just plain want to find out if existing buildings really are worth keeping, plan to attend this special event. Turville will introduce the film and moderate a discussion by a panel of experts, including Chris Moore, Executive Director, Washington Trust for Historic Preservation; Michael Malone, Principal, Hunters Capital; and Mark Huppert, Senior Director, Preservation Green Lab at National Trust for Historic Preservation. The event is organized by Historic Seattle and is co-sponsored by the Seattle Public Library, Hunters Capital, RAFN, Preservation Green Lab, ULI Northwest, Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, AIA Seattle, and Seattle Architecture Foundation. To register, go to www.historicseattle.org.