April/May 2009
Special
C O N T E N T S
Executive Director's Corner: Standing with Giants, by Deb Kleinman
Special: Remembering Greg Franta, by Annette Stelmack
LEED: Aardex Receives Second Platinum LEED Certification from the USGBC, by Mike Hehir
Energy Incentives: Xcel Announces New Incentives, by Erine Mathe
Sustainable Development: Grassroots Efforts Support a Sustainable Ethic, by Sarah Martinez
Government: Greening the Government: State Leads by Example, by Angie Fyfe
Case Study: Extracting Value From NAIOP's Highly Criticized Building Cost Report, by Courtney France
Go Green, Save Money: Rep. Perlmutter Legislation Promotes Going Green To Save Green, by Christopher Votoupal
Colorado Building Green is the official newsletter of the U.S. Green Building Council – Colorado Chapter, and is published bi-monthly. If you are interested in submiting a story, ideas or other information for publication, please contact the editor at sarah@usgbccolorado.org
In Memory of Greg Franta - A Legacy of Love, Laughter and Sustaining the World
Greg Franta’s Eulogy by Nancy Clanton
Greg is my best friend. Since he was Norwegian and I was Swedish, he constantly teased me about being the Crazy Swede.
Greg and I gave a lot of speeches together. At the beginning of every one, he would surprise me to get me laughing with a new Ole and Lena joke.
Dit you know how Ole and Lena met? They met on a blind date. Ole came in the soda fountain vere dey ver suppoze to meet, and he slid in the boooth with a cute girl. "Are you Lena?' She asked, "Are you Ole?" he sez, "Yah...I'm Ole!" She said, "Den I'm not Lena."
Greg loved so many things in his life including his work, adventures, teaching, people and his family.
Greg loved his work. .
I think we would all agree that single handily, he is responsible for reducing several degrees in global warming. No matter how difficult the project, Greg would listen carefully, begin sketching ideas and finish up with master pieces.
Many of you were there at Greening of the White House (Pliny, Amory, Gunnar, Michael Totten, Gregg Ander) to help witness and participate in this tipping point of sustainable Green Architecture. As envelop group leader, Greg easily convinced the Secret Service that old looking wavy bullet proof glass COULD also be high performance.
Amory, I remember well when you Greg and I were sitting in the Bentonville Airport after an all day charrette with Walmart. You two cornered me and with big smiles told me that Greg was joining Rocky Mountain Institute. I have never seen two more excited people, both envisioning the wonderful blend of talent and leadership including (Victor, Cara, Ashley, Alexis).
Greg wrote the book for all of us on how to successfully design with sustainable principles. His enthusiasm was contagious. His sense of adventure was too.
Greg loved adventure …
No matter what city or country, Greg would seek out adventures. While finishing up a charrette for the Empire State Building, Greg convinced Robert, Carolyn, Kathy, Aalok and me to crawl out the escape hatch right below the antennae of the Empire State Building just so we could stand in the crow’s nest on top of a very windy world.
In Singapore, after all day meetings, Greg met a snake charmer and convinced you Gunnar to wear with him boa constrictors as necklaces around your vulnerable necks.
Greg loved to teach...
When Greg and I co-taught Best of GreenBuild, Greg was able to describe Green Architecture and daylighting design in simple, non-forgettable terms. Mixing humor with every lesson was a key. At the end of our seminar, Greg surprised the audience with live interviews with Bill Clinton and George Bush. As Greg called them on his cell phone, their videos came up on the screen with Greg’s dubbed in voice. Profoundly, they both told the audience that they should listen to Greg and Nancy and that everything Greg had said was true.
Greg loved people...
Jana told me the other day that everyone loved Greg including (Andy, Michael, Monika, Joel, Candy) and all of you. Every person Greg encountered, he would take time to know them, call them by name and greet them with his famous smile. When Greg and I were at the Clinton’s home in Chappaqua, he and I were up on the kitchen counter changing out light bulbs when Bill Clinton walked in. Greg jumped down from the counter, shook his hand and handed him a light bulb and said “Do you want to help?”
Greg’s greatest love was his family...
Jana, I was with Greg the day he first met you. His other best friend Bob Berkebile asked Greg to interview you since you were moving to Boulder with your daughter Sarah. He never did hire you, but he certainly fell in love with you. I felt so honored when you were married in my house which Greg had designed.
Jana, you were the love of his life. Last January, Greg and I were in Chicago together writing the new daylighting and views credits for LEED 2011. At the end of a long day, a text came through on his phone from you. You were thanking him for taking you to the inauguration. His face lit up with a huge smile and he told me “I wish I were home with my sweetie!”
Sarah and Jenny, Greg loved you both. He proudly told me about all of your accomplishments and the memorable times you had together.
Bernie and Marge, you were his first family. When I first met you both at Greg’s wedding, I witnessed what pillars you were to Greg.
Emily, Lori, and Lindsey, you three were his first true loves. Your dad included you in everything he did especially in his travels.
Lori, your dad would brag that you had been in more countries by the time you were twelve than all of us here combined. While you were in school in Boston, your dad would go out of his way to stop and see you. When we went to the Oyster House, your dad and Marge were celebrates because of you! You definitely have your father’s contagious smile.
Lindsey, how proud your dad was when he visited you in China and bragged about your fluent Chinese. He told me about a story where you both jumped in a cab and how shocked the driver was when you gave him perfect directions in Chinese. I think he mentioned a similar story, but this time in France with your impeccable French. You definitely have your father’s love of travel and adventure.
Emily, remember the time when we went to Brazil together? We saw some tough things there, including the ghetto conditions in the squatter communities. You were amazing as you as visited the ghetto schools and helped your dad take lighting measurements around the make-shift lightshelves that he made. Emily, you definitely have your father’s gentleness and kindness.
My favorite story with Emily and Lindsey was when Greg took them to the Grand Canyon for a charrette. Before a contentious public meeting, Greg had an idea to put on a skit with the girls. They sat in folding chairs pretending to be driving in the Grand Canyon Park. As Greg held an imaginary stirring wheel and bounced along the rough roads, the girls acted out all of the identified problems in the park including Lindsey saying “I have to go to the bathroom!” and Emily begging to stop at the Landfill.
Greg loves everyone of you. He is present in our music, dancing, laughter, tears, teaching, hugs, and smiles. I do know that he is expecting a lot from all of us. He wants us to continue the work he has started and share the love that is so much a part of his life.
Greg’s bright humor and goodness, his contagious smile, all his works and talents, his teachings, all his aspirations, his loyalties and his love - put your arms around us as we love and remember Greg.