Sustainable Sandhills Programs

Sustainable Sandhills will host the fourth annual Green Living & Design Tour (previously called the Green Building & Solar Tour) on November 7, 2009 from 10am-4pm in four counties PLUS Fort Bragg. This year's Tour includes a diverse set of more than 25 sites total in Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke and Moore Counties, and a guided tour of some of Fort Bragg's greenest buildings and sites. Link to full details on this year's Tour.

2009 SPRING URBAN FARM TOURS - MOORE & CUMBERLAND COUNTIES

The Tours were held on April 11, 2009, and were a great success with hundreds of people touring the farms. For more information: Read More>>

2009 MOORE COUNTY HOMEBUILDERS ASSOCIATION - SPRING HOME & GARDEN EXPO and PARADE OF HOMES

The 2009 event was on February 27-March 1 at the Fair Barn in Pinehurst. Sustainable Sandhills had a booth set up at the Expo, hosted by John Portman of Comfort Made Blinds in Southern Pines. More information about the Expo and Parade of homes.

Past pROJECTS

HIGH PERFORMANCE SCHOOLS SYMPOSIUM

Over 100 community leaders attended the High Performance School Building Symposium at the Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club in Southern Pines on October 23, 2006. The Symposium, hosted by Sustainable Sandhills, brought elected officials, architects, school board members, and citizens together to discuss the merits of High Performance Schools. With a nearly $1 billion combined construction budget for school districts in the Sandhills region between 2006-2011, North Carolina schools have the opportunity – and now the knowledge – to make educated decisions about the types of schools they will build.

GREEN BUILDING AND SOLAR TOURS

These Tours showcased homes in the region that include sustainable design features. Tours were held in Moore County in 2006 and 2007, and in Cumberland County in 2008. The 2008 Tour was consolidated into the Cumberland County Energy Expo at the Cumberland County Crown Expo Center. More than 500 people have attended these Tour events in the last four years!

COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGNS

In late 2006, nearly 600 Sandhills citizens pledged to "change-out" over 2,800 incandescent bulbs to CFLs! Sustainable Sandhills volunteers and staff promoted the benefits of CFLs at Wal-Mart Super Centers throughout the Sandhills region.

Change a Light, Change the World: On October 4, 2006, as part of the EnergyStar “Change a Light, Change the World” program, Sustainable Sandhills and Sustainable Fort Bragg celebrated the distribution of 6,200 compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs in the Sandhills Region. Sandhills citizens will save nearly $200,000 in electricity costs and bulb replacement costs over the life of these 6,200 CFLs.

ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION FUELS WORKSHOP

In late 2005, we hosted two workshops in Cumberland and Moore Counties for fuel distributors and fleet managers to promote the use of alternative fuels in our region. These workshops continued in 2006.

INDUSTRIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY WORKSHOP

Reducing Energy Expenses at Your Business Facility: On January 17, 2007, at M. J. Soffe in Fayetteville, Sustainable Sandhills co-sponsored this FREE program to help local businesses reduce their energy costs. Approximately 30 local business owners attended to learn no-and low-cost ways to save on energy bills. The event was also sponsored by the State Energy Office of the N.C. Department of Administration, along with the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Industrial Extension Service at N.C. State University, Fayetteville Public Works Commission, M.J. Soffe, and the Cumberland County Business Council.

RESOURCES

HIGH PERFORMANCE SCHOOLS AND GREEN BUILDING ORGANIZATIONS

American Institute of Architects (AIA).

BetterBricks

Build It Green

The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS)

The National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities (NCEF)

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)

Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA)

Sustainable Building Industry Council (SBIC)

US Department of Energy – EnergySmart Schools

US Department of Energy – High Performance Buildings

US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

US Green Building Council (GBC)

HIGH PERFORMANCE SCHOOLS - REPORTS AND STUDIES

High-Performance Schools - Affordable Green Design for K-12 Schools: Reports case studies of affordable energy saving strategies tailored to each climate zone within the US. The strategies are based on the US Department of Energy’s Energy Design Guidelines for High Performance Schools. Published: August 2004.
National Review of Green Schools – Costs, Benefits, and Implications for Massachusetts: Documents the financial costs and benefits of green schools compared to traditional schools. The national review of 30 green schools reveals greater benefits than costs. Published: December 2005.

STATE ENERGY & GREEN BUILDING ORGANIZATIONS

Advanced Energy Corporation
NC Cooperative Extension Service
NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR)
NC Green Building Technology Database
NC Green Power
NC Home Builders Association
North Carolina Incentives for Renewable Energy (Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficicency)
NC Industrial Extension Service
NC State Energy Office
NC Sustainable Energy Association
Western NC Green Building Council

FEDERAL ENERGY-RELATED AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS

LOCAL ENERGY UTILITIES

WIND ENERGY

American Wind Energy Association (AWEA)- AWEA is a national trade association that represents wind power plant developers, wind turbine manufacturers, utilities, consultants, insurers, financiers, researchers, and others involved in the wind industry.
NC State Solar Center Wind Program
NC Wind Energy at Appalachian State University
Small Wind In North Carolina-American Wind Energy Association website for small wind information specific to N.C.
US Department of Energy Wind Power Program -The DOE's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Program.
Wind Energy Technology- Extensive listing of new releases and publications of the DOE's Information Bridge.
Wind Powering America

OTHER ENERGY RESOURCES