Green Mondays #17: Green Building: How far from a reality?

25% of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 is not an easy target.

Despite an increased use of renewable energy and environment-friendly vehicles, that will not be sufficient. Domestic measures to slash emissions, forest absorption of carbon dioxide and the purchase of emissions credits from oversea; all options will have to considered.

The Environment Minister Sakihito Ozawa is presenting a plan which assumes that emissions from the household sector will be slashed by 18 to 31 percent by 2020, with the use of highly energy-efficient water heaters, and solar panels.

This raises the question about how the construction and architecture area is changing to provide new solutions. How far away are we from the “Green building”? Is there any standard that could facilitate the change of processes and practices in a society of high-consumption and high-volume of waste?

For this Green Mondays #17 (TUESDAY February 22) we are proud and excited to have Eric De Groot, General Manager of Forbo Flooring System's Japan our lead speaker for the evening as well as Martin van der Linden CEO of Van Der Architect.

17.1 'The Global Green Building Movement' with special reference to the US and Japan.
Eric De Groot, General Manager of Forbo Flooring System's Japan

Eric De Groot has spent 7 years in the Canadian forest products industry as the Japan representative for the BC Wood Specialties Group, and the past 7 years with Forbo, a Swiss based global leader in the floor covering, adhesive and industrial belting industries.

He is the general manager of Forbo Flooring System's Japan branch office. Forbo Flooring Systems is a global player in high-quality commercial and residential floor coverings focusing on environmentally friendly, functional and design-oriented linoleum, carpet and high function industrial flooring.

Eric De Groot will provide a general outline of how the phenomenon has developed from the initial realization that construction of our build environment contributes heavily to our societies' overall volume of waste. This presentation and will introduce how the impact of Green Building is growing globally, yet still much misunderstood in Japan.

17.2 Construction is a major source of pollution so why speak about sustainability at all?
Martin van der Linden CEO of Van Der Architect

Martin van der Linden is a Dutch architect based in Japan for over 15 years. He has worked on the Kyoto station, Umeda Sky Tower and other large scale projects in Japan. He's an adjunct professor at Tokyo University of Science where he teaches architecture and urban design.
His company van der Architects has designed projects for companies such as Nokia, Ernst & Young and ING.

Martin's presentation will show the research that he has conducted and a larger picture of what sustainability means within the process of modernization. In addition Martin will give some examples of how architects are trying to come up with technical as well as psychological-social ideas to create a better, more sustainable world.


**IMPORTANT: PLEASE RSVP on the GreenMondays website**

Green Mondays takes place at KaMu Restaurant in Minami Aoyama, with exceptional pied-noir cuisine and a relaxed, but very stylish atmosphere. (See their recent glowing review in Metropolis magazine!)

Cost: 3,000 yen including a sumptuous buffet and 1 drink per person.

We are always looking for volunteers and interesting speakers, and love to hear suggestions for Green Mondays so please email us at any time.

See you there!

Laurence Smith, Patricia Bader-Johnston (Co-Chairs)
Chad Stewart, Donald Nordeng, Duco Delgorge, Jean-Luc Creppy, Luke Poliszcuk, Michael Todd, Zach Smith (Green Mondays Committee)


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Please note: Paul Sands is speaking at the November Green Mondays, not October. Due to the national holiday, the November date is still to be confirmed.

**IMPORTANT: PLEASE RSVP ON THE EVENT PAGE**

GreenMondays is a monthly event for those interested in any type of 'GREEN' Business and Sustainability issues, traditionally held on the 4th Monday every month at KaMu Restaurant in Minami Aoyama, with exceptional pied-noir cuisine and a relaxed, but very stylish atmosphere. (See their recent glowing review in Metropolis magazine!)

Cost: 3,000 yen including a sumptuous buffet and 1 drink per person.

We are always looking for volunteers and interesting speakers, and love to hear suggestions for Green Mondays so please email us at any time.

greenmondays@gmail.com

See you there!

Laurence Smith, Patricia Bader-Johnston (Co-Chairs)
Chad Stewart, Donald Nordeng, Duco Delgorge, Jean-Luc Creppy, Luke Poliszcuk, Michael Todd, Zach Smith (Green Mondays Committee)

[OCTOBER] Green Mondays #15: Tetsunari Iida, Executive Director, Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies (ISEP)

For Green Mondays #15 we are incredibly pleased to introduce Tetsunari Iida, Executive Director, Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies (ISEP), as our lead speaker for the evening!

In addition to founding Energy Green, Japan's leading provider of renewable energy certificates, Iida-san has been involved in a number of global initiatives in the fields of renewable energy and environmental business.

He is Chairman of the World Council for Renewable Energy (WCRE), Japan, a Senior lecturer in Sustainable Energy Policy Studies at Tokyo University, Tohoku University, and Obirin University, and is/has been a member of various Governmental Committees including the Climate Change Committee for the Ministry of Environment, the Renewable Energy Committee for Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Energy Policy Committee for Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and the Environmental Committee of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and many other local governments.

[NOVEMBER] Green Mondays #16: Paul Sands, General Manager Japan, Virgin Atlantic

#16.1 Something in the Way - What constrains green technology innovation, and what are some of the answers?
Paul Sands, General Manager Japan, Virgin Atlantic

For Green Mondays #16 we are proud and excited to have Paul Sands, General Manager, Virgin Atlantic Japan back as our lead speaker for the evening!

Green Mondays #16

#16.1 Something in the Way - What constrains green technology innovation, and what are some of the answers?
Paul Sands, General Manager Japan, Virgin Atlantic

Paul Sands is General Manager Japan for Virgin Atlantic and was one of the first speakers at Green Mondays last year, when he spoke about the airline's biofuel test flights.

Since then Paul has been engaged in postgrad research into the factors that influence innovation of green technology - what factors can block innovation or push it in a certain direction, and how can we encourage that direction to be towards sustainability?

Paul's presentation will cover some of his key findings, and what we can learn from Betamax videotapes, your computer keyboard, a plane that does not exist but should, steam powered cars, and golf carts.

Intrigued? Come along and find out how all this relates to green innovation.

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