BUILD SMART SUMMIT - by Cheryal Lee Hills

Hi All,

We are busy preparing for the Build Smart Summit which gets more interesting each day.

It is so important when promoting this Summit to relate why it is we put this event on. We learned from the Fairview Office Park case study the savings of Low Impact Development (LID) and Conservation Designed alternatives to traditional construction methods. Yes..... I said....SAVINGS.

Janelle Riley, one of the owners of the Fairview Office Park, never dreamed that these building concepts would show such a quick return on investments. Both of us thought these concepts would COST her more money. We thought this because that's the message that the building industry is taught and tells consumers.

After two years of crunching numbers (Janelle is a CPA and actually likes this) we can prove she will save over $30,000 per year when comparing her site systems and techniques to traditional building methods. OK, so this is the message we need to be telling business people and consumers. This is BIG.

We should "go green" for environmental reasons and more, now we a positive fiscal reason. I'm so excited to learn more.

Region Five along with our partners and the sponsors of this event have given you an opportunity to learn about "green" building of communities and developments within communities. The information regarding the BUILD SMART SUMMIT is below.

I hope many of you are able to attend this event.

Peace, Cheryal Lee Hills

BUILD SMART SUMMIT
Focusing on central MN counties of Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd and Wadena. When and

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008, & Thursday, May 1, 2008
Madden’s on Gull Lake, Brainerd MN.

Presenters: Nationally recognized lecturers: Randall Arendt, Patrick O’Malley, and Ed VonThoma. State known and respected speakers: Dr. John Gulliver UMN, Don Burger MPCA Local expert presenters: Dann Siems, Tim Ramerth, Janelle Riley, Phil Hunsicker.

Registration: This summit is being offered for a $89.00 registration fee for both days (includes morning break and lunch) download registration form at http://www.regionfive.org/ or call 218.894.3233 to request mailed registration forms.

Register by April 15th to reserve your space.

Contact; Maddens on Gull Lake 1.800.247.1040 for lodging rates and reservations. (lodging not included in registration fee)

FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://www.regionfive.org/ or 218.894.3233