Reducing costs through sustainable practices

George Brennan chairs Long Island's most exciting committee. The Green Technology Committee for the U.S. Green Building Council - Long Island Chapter (USGBC-LI) fulfills its mission by evaluating and introducing green technologies to the board, the members and the general public. Brennan constantly shows his passion for the mission, finding new ways to save energy everywhere he looks. When not working on the committee, Brennan hosts "Sustainable Organization" seminars, helping companies "become leaner, meaner and greener in and outside their operating environments," according to his company's website. But the topic follows him everywhere. At a recent USGBC-LI 'Sustainable Cocktails' networking event, having covered advocacy, green awareness, the economic benefits and the sense of community this all fosters, the conversation turns to the innovative technologies themselves. For example, Long Island's first garage with solar panels in Hauppauge's Motor Parkway Plaza will recharge the parked cars' batteries, with no carbon emission and no maintenance until 2031. Looking forward, the committee members have their eyes set on the Nassau Coliseum upgrade. LIPA's insistence on energy efficiency and sustainability for the project has Brennan's team hoping the high profile project creates wide-spread awareness of green practices and the value they bring to the community. In the meantime, the committee prepares to launch the "Dollars and $ense" program this fall. Brennan's team will show organizations how technologies work and what they cost, following up quickly with another round of the Sustainable Organization program series. You can be sure that Long Island's most exciting committee will continue to press the importance and practices of ever greater efforts to sustain our environment for years to come. David Sporn is the president, creative director, at Village Communications Worldwide, Plainview, N.Y.