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| About Nantucket Green Solutions |
Nantucket Green Solutions (NGS) is a company focused on providing practical information and real solutions to issues related to building and recycling. Nantucket Green Solutions is a majority woman-owned business (as defined by the Massachusetts State Office of Minority and Women Business Assistance (SOMWBA)). Click here for the resumes of our key team members. Our main areas of interest and expertise include (click on hyperlinks to learn more): · Construction Administration/Project Oversight and Review · Advocacy/Education and Promotion · Socially Conscious Investing
Socially Conscious Building NGS recognizes that the building industry has forever changed due to the elevated and real concerns surrounding the global environmental situation. After building more than 100 homes since 1992 using traditional methods as well as modular construction, we have seen it all. With both Nantucket and Vermont roots, where we are members of Building for Social Responsibility (a non-profit building trade group that has been building “green” for more than two decades), we aim to be leaders in bringing better, more socially conscious building techniques to the island. Construction Administration/Project Oversight and Review In Nantucket, construction administration is sometimes termed “Clerk of the Works”. When it comes to assisting an owner with a large or small capital improvement project, NGS offers these basic services and much more. We are capable in many areas including: · Owner’s representation in design/development (project review) · Reviewing and/or preparing initial budgets to any level of detail using industry standard CSI cost categories · Reviewing, identifying and qualifying key prime contractors or subcontractors · Assistance with all aspects of competitive bidding including: review and/or preparation of bid packages, managing internet based bid/procurement systems, analyzing and reviewing bids and making recommendations for awarding contracts, and contract negotiation. · Contract preparation (typically using AIA forms) · Financial analysis and management · Site progress reviews and reporting · Project closeout and certificate of occupancy compliance Obtaining approvals and attending meetings for even the most simple projects is time consuming. NGS provides a cost-effective alternative to attorney’s, surveyors and others involved in the process by identifying the value-added places where professional involvement is required versus those that are more administrative in nature. NGS is very focused on working cooperatively with all government agencies on the island and meeting those requirements that insure the job gets done. NGS can also help when off-island agencies are involved, which is the case for many renewable energy projects. Incentives for adopting renewable energy solutions have improved at both the state and federal levels in the past few years. Nantucket has a great opportunity to adopt both wind and solar technologies in its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and its dependence on foreign oil. NGS has identified several qualified firms implementing renewable energy solutions in the Cape and Islands areas and can assist owners or municipalities in researching and implementing solutions as needed. We will also make informative presentations to interested groups to assist in education and decision making related to renewables. This process requires lots of paperwork, which NGS can help in expediting. In addition, NGS has identified qualified lenders interested in lending on renewable projects and other government and non-government sponsored financing sources. NGS recently launched the “Nantucket REuse eXchange (aka REX), an eBay type website where community members can post building or household items they want to sell or give away to other community members. Membership and use is free to any resident or island property owner (businesses may be asked to contribute a 10% fee on items sold using the “honor system”). This idea was born out of our own experience as custom homebuilders on Nantucket, where oftentimes we found ourselves with extra stuff at the end of a job that would potentially go to waste. We hope to enroll all island builders as users of this service to help them get perfectly good items into the hands of those needing them. We encourage home buyers and owners who are planning a new construction project or major renovation to enroll and let community members know about items available for reuse. NGS in no way wants to supplant the role of the “Take It or Leave It” at the local landfill. Items best recycled at that facility should still be brought there. REX will focus on those items not effectively reused or recycled at the landfill. The first step in any renewable energy initiative is energy conservation. We have partnered with an experienced energy conservation firm to carry out this important work on the island for individuals, builders, property owners, schools and governments. An individual can make an immediate difference at little or no cost to themselves - and reduce his/her carbon footprint - by taking advantage of a free energy auditing service from MassSave. This service is paid for by ratepayers in a charge on our monthly electric bill. Advocacy/Education and Promotion NGS has identified and affiliated with many Cape and Islands advocacy groups involved in education and outreach for renewable energy, green building, energy conservation and recycling. There is a vast and active network of individuals and organizations actively trying make a difference in our communities. NGS partners have recently sponsored a town article that seeks to define the rules for solar installations on the island primarily outside of the core historic district. We believe that Nantucket’s reputation as a historic and high-end resort is solidified and that allowing solar installations as a rule rather than as an exception should be part of the new global paradigm. An NGS team member has also initiated a “green house” building program as part of his involvement with Habitat for Humanity of Nantucket as a board member. If all goes as planned, Habitat will be beginning the construction of a new dwelling near the Nantucket Airport in June 2008 in partnership with the Nantucket Housing Office, another non-profit housing agency active on Nantucket. Habitat hopes to use this “green initiative” to spur its fundraising efforts and increase its overall production of sustainable homes for those in need. NGS is strongly considering a “solar outreach” program to raise awareness of renewable energy options such as solar thermal (hot water and radiant heat systems), wind and biodiesel. We are currently seeking funds to actively pursue this educational opportunity. Investment in renewable energy technologies and companies is booming. Venture capitalists are tripping over themselves to invest in this “hot” sector and we hope this drives innovation to the point of making renewable energy technologies THE world’s option for fulfilling its energy needs. States are competing hard to capture a share of this industry as it can mean high paying R&D and manufacturing jobs. In a global economy, many countries and foreign owned companies are far ahead of the US but we are motivated and poised to catch up. Massachusetts has set its sight on being a leader and recently passed sweeping legislation called “The Green Communities Act of 2007” as well as announcing “Commonwealth Solar”, a bold initiative to pump $68 MILLION into the state economy to promote growth in solar installations over the next four years. As part of this initiative, the state funded a new facility in Marlborough, MA for Evergreen Solar, a publicly traded company, which will make solar panels and create 400 jobs. There are many ways to invest in renewable energy in a socially conscious way, either through direct investments in specific projects or through investments in publically traded companies. NGS is exploring the idea of forming an investment group on the island to help individuals identify and select quality firms active in this industry with strong growth prospects. · Karen Alence, Founder, Principal
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