Go Green! Building a More Sustainable Future

14 April 2011

Agnes Vortbrodt-Schuma, CEO of the Polish Green Buildings Council, describes the impact buildings have on the environment

The U.S. Embassy, in cooperation with the U.S. and Polish Green Buildings Councils, hosted a conference titled “Go Green! Building a More Sustainable Future” at Agora Headquarters in Warsaw on April 12.  The conference, in celebration of Earth Day, featured speakers Lee Feinstein, U.S. Ambassador to Poland, Agnes Vortbrodt-Schuma, CEO of the Polish Green Buildings Council, and Scot Horst,  Senior Vice President of LEED.  Students, academics, environmentalists, industry experts, and journalist attended the conference live in Warsaw and virtually at four locations throughout Poland.  Ambassador Feinstein opened the conference with remarks on U.S. efforts to promote green buildings as a way to save energy, lower operating costs and reduce emissions.  Ms. Vortbrodt-Schuma described the impact buildings have on the environment and introduce the leading green building rating systems (LEED and BREEAM).  She also presented a brief case study of the first and only LEED-NC certified project in Poland, the BorgWarner Turbo Systems Poland office and manufacturing facility in Rzeszow.  Mr. Horst, who participated virtually from Washington, DC, discuss the LEED rating system.  Following the presentations, the live audience in Warsaw, as well as audience gathered at the U.S. Consulate General in Krakow, the American Corners in Lodz and Gdansk, and the City Hall of Radom, participated in a question and answer session with the speakers.