Grassroots Profile
Unique Partnerships Plan for a Higher
Quality Of Life in the Detroit River Region
By Don A. Griffin, Advisor to the Friends of the Detroit River Board of Directors
The Friends of the
Detroit River has
received, from a
variety of sources,
positive responses to
its environmental
statements, yearly
events and activities.
Seeking a higher
quality of life is a goal
mutually supported by diverse
organizations, agencies, and businesses in
Wayne County.
A recent Green Buildings Forum was hosted
by a partnership of groups as a public
service. Participants enjoyed a program of
speakers, as well as a tour of “green”
facilities of the Environmental Interpretive
Center and two packets of materials on the
subject. The audience of lay people, elected
officials, architects, university professors
and environmentalists applauded the
principal speaker, Paul Goldsmith, chairman
of the Detroit Chapter of the U.S. Green
Building Council (USGBC) when he said,
“Sustainability is not an issue of doing less
bad, but what we need to do is more good.”
The architectural firm of Hamilton
Anderson, hired by Wayne County Parks,
presented their preliminary plans for the
Gateway Project of the Detroit River
International Wildlife Refuge. The audience
was thrilled that the goal for the project is a
LEED certified Platinum rating.
The USGBC certifies buildings
using their Leadership in
Energy & Environmental
Design (LEED) criteria. The
county hopes to use a
combination of methods to
achieve this high level of LEED
certification.
Saundra Nelson, director of
special projects for the Wayne
County Department of Services
says the building and site for
the Gateway Project on the
Detroit River fall right in line
with Wayne County Executive
Robert Ficano’s goal of creating
a high quality of life in Wayne County. She
added, “We are shooting for the stars
because we think it’s important to develop
a LEED certified building.”
These statements were happily received by
those in attendance, and especially by John
Hartig, Manager of the Detroit River
International Wildlife Refuge, whose office
will be at the Gateway Project Visitor
Center. A great deal needs to be done to
achieve such a lofty goal. A Visitor Center
and grounds that achieve a high LEED
certification will attract world-wide
attention and draw a variety of visitors to
the Detroit area.
Michigan already is among the top 10
states for environmentally friendly and
energy efficient buildings that have been
certified using LEED criteria. In spite of this
trend it is estimated that 19 of every 20
buildings, now being constructed in the
U.S., will never be energy efficient nor
environmentally friendly.
The common belief is that it costs less to
build structures that are not “green.”
However, there are LEED certified buildings
and homes at all levels of the cost strata. In
addition, the buildings boasting LEED
certification also report savings that more
than make up for any initial costs.
The sublime comfort and
ambiance experienced by visitors
of the Philip Merrill Environmental
Center on Chesapeake Bay is
so impressive that many visitors
immediately begin to consider
the “greening” of their own
buildings. It is the only building
in North America to receive
the Platinum Certification
level from LEED. The only other
building rated Platinum by LEED
certification is located in India.
The original planning partners: Don A. Griffin and Blair
McGowan of Friends of the Detroit River; John Hartig of the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and Orin Gelderloos of the
University of Michigan – Dearborn expect to be joined by
additional agencies, businesses, and organizations in our
continuing pursuit of a higher quality of life. A grant from the
Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network and Fund was helpful in
establishing the partnerships needed to “pull off” the first
forum/seminar of what may well become a part of FDR’s
annual calendar of events. Additional seminars on a variety of
subjects are already in the planning stage.
Our partners and supporters for this successful forum were:U.
S. Fish and Wildlife Service, University of Michigan – Dearborn,
Green Building Council – Detroit Regional Chapter, National
City Mortgage Co., Wayne County Parks and Recreation
Department, Friends of Belle Isle, the Detroit Audubon Society,
Spiderweb publisher of eco-structure magazine, Past Tense
Bakery, and the Heritage Newspapers that published both
pre- and post coverage of the event. Thank you partners and
participants.
For more information on this exciting project, please contact
Don Griffin at DonAGriffin@wowway.com.
Disclaimer:
The interpretations and conclusions presented in this newsletter represent the opinions of the individual authors. They in no way represent the views of the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, the C.S. Mott Foundation, subscribers, donors, or any organization mentioned in this publication.
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