The excitement and attendance continues to grow for the CIBOR Affiliates Green Series of presentations, we had a record attendance for our August series. Even with the abundance of information being promoted by USGBC and other green organizations some people are unclear as to how they can go "Green" and where to begin with the process. In an effort to address the many questions of how going green may impact our professional lives, the NH-CIBOR affiliates committee have developed a series of twelve seminars to be presented the second Thursday of each month in 2008. Each seminar is designed to focus on a specific topic that relates to the green building process, with the format providing for roundtable discussion after a presentation by a professional on the particular topic. The seminars will be hosted on a rotating basis at LEED certified building locations in New Hampshire, The McLane Audubon Center Concord, the Portsmouth Public Library Portsmouth and the PSNH building in the Manchester mill yard area. Seminars will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will include a limited breakfast. Cost for this session is free.
The eighth seminar in the series is scheduled for Thursday September 11 at the Portsmouth Public Library in Portsmouth. The topic will be centered on the "Legal Aspects" of green construction and touch upon changing building codes, potential risks to builders, engineers, architects and material suppliers.
The presentation will be made by Jon Wilkinson, principal partner of Wilkinson Law Offices of Portsmouth.
The rapid expansion of green building practices has led to exciting opportunities in the real estate and construction industries.  But legal risks have emerged as well. Jon will discuss some of the risks, and how can they be properly managed? As well as how you can confidently discuss green building concepts with clients while avoiding problematic representations and terminology? In addition building codes are being changed to encourage green building principles, with far reaching impacts. Jon will review how codes are being changed, and what parties involved in green building projects need to know.  What can interested parties do to ensure that new codes maximize the benefits of green building without creating undue risk or hardship to builders, engineers and architects, and materials suppliers? 
Subsequent seminars will follow in a sequence reflective of the planning and building process. Remaining seminars will include:
* October 9th - Green from the Realtors Perspective
* November 13th - Green from the Owners Perspective
* December 11th - Green Residential Design
* January 2009 - Panel discussion - All Speakers
The series is open to anyone.
For more information contact Heather Rowan, business development manager for Office Interiors LTD at [email protected]
Bill Jean is the director of business development for Fulcrum Associates Inc., Amherst, N.H.