PHILADELPHIA, October 9, 2013

What:

Saving energy, improving property values and financing green building improvements are among the topics to be featured at the second annual Philadelphia Green Condo Congress presented by the Philadelphia Green Condo-Co-op Initiative and supported by the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. The event is designed to help condo and co-op building owners achieve the goals of economic efficiency and environmental responsibility while reducing operating costs. The Congress includes interactive workshops, a mini trade show with diverse exhibitions, networking sessions and a light supper.

The Condo Congress is free and open to the public. For more information, including the schedule of speakers and to register, visit 2013 Philadelphia Condo Congress or call the Community Associations Institute, 877-608-9777.    

When:

Tuesday, Oct. 15. Registration begins at 3 p.m. Sessions will be from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Attendees can come for one session or stay for the entire program. Attendees can register and pay online for an after-party at Chima, the Brazilian Supper Club at 20th Street and JFK Boulevard.

Who:

Philadelphia City Councilman James Kenney will explain the city’s new Actual Value Initiative and how to apply savings to finance green building improvements; Emily Linn and Andrew Kreider, ENERGY STAR program managers for the Environmental Protection Agency, will describe ways to reduce energy costs by tracking energy usage; Laura Hansplant, director of design for Roofmeadow, will explain how installing a vegetated roof is not only attractive but improves property value; and Mitchell H. Frumkin, Principal, Kipcon, Inc., and Jared Tunnell, Vice President, National Cooperative Bank, will present ways to budget and finance large capital sustainability projects.
           
Where:

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia

Who Is Invited:

Managers in condominiums, cooperatives and homeowners associations considering adopting sustainable practices or wanting to learn more on these subjects.
Homeowners and elected volunteers in community associations looking for information on conservation, alternative energy, and associated legal and financial issues.
Individuals interested in learning about how to make any building more sustainable.

Background:

The Philadelphia Green Condo Congress is a collaborative project of the Philadelphia Green Condo/Co-op Initiative, the Community Associations Institute, the Greater Philadelphia Condo Managers Association, and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. Philadelphia Green Condo-Co-op Initiative is a local grassroots organization of volunteers whose goal is to help building managers and owners in our unique communities adopt sustainable operations and maintenance practices that will protect the environment while saving money through education, information networking and advocacy.

News media contact:

Erin Johnson, Director of Sustainability, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, 215-299-1151, emj46@drexel.edu