Chairman's message: Focus to be on green building in '08

I am very excited tonight to announce that Mass. ABC chapter will be focusing on green building and sustainable construction as one of our primary initiatives this coming year. At our 2008 Planning Conference which was held in Newport recently, I was fortunate to be a member of the working group which focused on green/sustainable construction. By conducting a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats), we were able to take green/sustainable construction and formulate a plan for ABC in 2008. Green/sustainable construction is already an integral part of our industry. Each member of ABC, whether you are a general contractor, subcontractor or a vendor, has the opportunity to be a part of this cutting edge development. ABC will be coordinating training and gathering information, resources and programming in the coming months, as well as cultivating alliances with organizations and experts on sustainable construction. While some skeptics believe that green construction is an impediment to construction, ABC believes that it offers tremendous opportunities! Green/sustainable construction is now part of the industry, and we must recognize that. Owners demand that buildings are built in the green model. We do not want to be left behind and lose jobs to competitors. We have been hearing that architects are complaining that they can not find certified/qualified GC, subcontractors and vendors to build the green building they are designing. ABC MASS plans to be a leader in green/sustainable construction, and we are currently convening a task force to examine what more ABC can do to prepare our members and enable them to be ready for upcoming projects. Please look out for more information about our January 17th dinner meeting which will be held at Café Escadrille in Burlington. We are planning a very informative evening with expert presenters which will focus on Green Building 101. I also want to take this opportunity to invite each of you to the Holiday Open House at our new office at 200 Wheeler Rd. in Burlington on December 6th. Stop in and see our new and improved office space. Visit our planned "Wall Of Fame," the centerpiece of the new office. Each ABC member will have the opportunity to purchase a brick with their company name engraved on it. Bricks are being sold for $250 to help offset the costs of our move, so bring your checkbooks . We are on the move from GOOD TO GREAT. The momentum has begun. Make sure you are part of this exciting new chapter of Mass ABC. Thanks for your continued participation in ABC. Doug Hunter is chairman of the Mass. ABC chapter, Burlington, Mass.