Karen Wristen - Guest Expert on Livable Cities

"Working Towards more Healthy and Livable Cities"

Karen Wristen, Executive Director, SPEC

Founded in 1969, the Society Promoting Environmental Conservation (SPEC) is a non-profit charitable organization that addresses environmental issues in British Columbia, with a particular focus on urban communities in Lower Mainland and the Georgia Basin.  Karen will discuss some of SPEC's public education programs and advocacy work, through which the organization raises awareness on environmental issues and encourages policies and practices that lead to urban sustainability.  In particular, she will discuss SPEC's solar photovoltaic system, which produces approximately 1.5 megawatt hours annually and is the first of the grid-tie system in the city of Vancouver. The budget for the system when installed was $18,000 and was installed by Vancouver Renewable Energy Coop (VERC). The system reduced green house gas emission by over 800 kg per year.

Bio - Karen is an environmental lawyer who has worked in the public interest sector for over a decade.  Formerly Executive Director at Vancouver's Sierra Legal Defense Fund and the Ottawa-based Canadian Arctic Resources Committee, Karen brings a broad range of skills and connections to SPEC.  She studied in Toronto, receiving her B.A. from the University of Toronto in 1977 and her LL.B. from Osgoode Hall in 1980.  After a dozen years practicing civil litigation in Toronto, she relocated to Vancouver to actively pursue environmental law in Sierra Legal.

PLEASE RSVP to info@sustainablebuildingcentre.com.
This is a free event but a donation of $2-$5 is suggested.

LOCATION
Light House: Sustainable Building Centre is located at 1575 Johnston Street, just East of the Public Market in the heart of Granville Island. Our centre is on the second floor and accessible via the glass door and staircase on the Southwest corner of the building. This event is sponsored by Light House Sustainable Building Centre and Cascadia Green Building Council, the local chapter of the CaGBC. Funding comes from Environment Canada and the Real Estate Foundation of BC.

Guest Expert seminars are intended to provide general information about green building products and technologies. Light House Sustainable Building Centre does not endorse any of the services or products discussed by guest expert speakers.