Key questions

• In terms of green certifications (LEED, Fair Trade, etc) where are we and what still needs to be done?
• How do you protect yourself against green washing?
• What are some of the challenges and best practices in branding your products as green?
• Which green certifications do consumers recognize, and which ones have the most value to consumers?
• Are consumers willing to pay a premium for products with these certifications?

Confirmed participants

• Werner Lang, Director of Center for Sustainable Development, UT School of Architecture
• Joep Meijer, President, The Right Environment
• Nancy Mims, Founder, Mod Green Pod
• Steve Roberts, Managing Director, Enviromedia Social Marketing
• Further participants to be announced soon
  

Panelist: Werner Lang, Assoc. Professor, Director of Center for Sustainable Development, UT School of Architecture

Dr. Lang is currently teaching building construction and sustainable design at the UT Austin School of Architecture, where he is also directing the Center for Sustainable Development. He is co-author of the Façade Construction Manual (2004) and has published numerous articles on low-energy-architecture and sustainable design. He is a licensed architect in Germany and a co-director of Lang Hugger Rampp GmbH Architects, Munich. His focus in research is on the energy performance of buildings and the relationship between the environment and architectural design.

The University of Texas School of Architecture (also referred to as UTSOA) offers degrees in architecture, architectural history, community & regional planning, interior design, historic preservation, landscape architecture, and sustainable design. The UTSOA has recently been ranked fifth in the nation in both its undergraduate and graduate programs by DesignIntelligence, a journal that produces the only recognized rankings for accredited bachelor's and master's programs in architecture in the United States. The graduate program ranking is the highest achieved by a public university in the nation.

www.soa.utexas.edu

Panelist: Joep Meijer, Owner and President, The Right Environment

Joep Meijer is Owner and President of The Right Environment, a leader in the science of sustainable performance.  Prior to starting his consultancy, Joep worked as a Senior Consultant for INTRON, an organization dedicated to evaluating the performance of building materials.  Joep has developed national standards for environmental product declarations and tools for the Dutch government to evaluate the environmental performance of their purchasing decisions.  Joep has an extensive background in Life Cycle Assessment and a Master’s in environmental chemistry.

The Right Environment specializes in environmental footprinting, sustainability assessments, eco-labeling, training and education, as well as strategic consulting. Although based in Austin, the company has a broad client base throughout the U.S. and Europe. The Right Environment has developed a novel product nutrition label that incorporates life cycle assessment and corporate responsibility to enable consumers to make thorough social and environmental purchasing decisions.

www.therightenvironment.net

Panelist: Nancy Mims, Founder, Mod Green Pod

Nancy Mims is Co-founder and Creative Director of Mod Green Pod. Prior to Mod Green Pod, Nancy was a highly successful textile print designer for nearly a decade with studio representation in New York and Los Angeles. At Mod Green Pod, Nancy creates new print collections, designs custom collections, oversees marketing efforts and licensing, and drives the vision of the web site. She lives in Austin with her husband and two sprouts.

By “shaking the beige off organic” Mod Green Pod has made its mark in the textile world by proving that organic need not mean boring.  In a few short years, the company’s stylish organic cotton home textiles and vinyl-free wallpapers have helped build an international following for this Austin, Texas company.  Now growing the brand into licensing, the company is also working to help other companies expand into sustainable textiles.

www.modgreenpod.com

Panelist: Steve Roberts, Managing Director, Enviromedia Social Marketing

Steve Roberts has more than a dozen years of marketing experience and strategic expertise related to the environment and sustainability. As Vice President of Green Canary Sustainability Consulting and EnviroMedia Social Marketing, he helps clients evolve their practices and communicate change for the better. Putting the principles of social marketing to use in the sustainability field, Roberts has led teams that built global sustainability brands, restructured internal practices and trainings, and established new green paradigms. Roberts earned his B.A. in Spanish and History with Honors at Northwestern University, and his master's degree in Latin American History at The University of Texas at Austin.

Green Canary Sustainability Consulting helps clients evolve toward sustainable practices by providing strategic analysis, innovative business and operational solutions, and the communications support to fully integrate new ways of thinking into their culture. Green Canary's team of problem-solving professionals empahsizes the intersections of sustainability and smart business, helping clients find value while minimizing risk – and impact to the planet. They then put social marketing principles to work in recalibrating the way organizations look at sustainability - from the boardroom to the lunchroom, helping promote organic change without sacrificing the collective identity or core mission.

www.greencanary.net