Join SBN’s GSI Partners on Wednesday, January 24 at Temple University City Center for our first Quarterly Meeting of 2018!
What can businesses and other organizations do to bring maintenance to the forefront across the GSI industry? We will wrap up our quarterly theme on the value of maintenance with a panel discussion focused on how businesses, public officials, and community members and organizations can bring maintenance to the forefront by elevating its value in the workforce, through contracts, and in financing processes that span a GSI project's entire timeline. LandStudies Inc., Water Logs LLC, TEND landscape, and Philadelphia Water Department will share their perspectives and experiences in a panel discussion alongside other GSI Partners with opportunities for attendees to join the conversation.
Additionally, on the agenda are GSI Partners programmatic updates and structured time for engaging and conversing with your peers.
8:00 AM - Doors Open
8:30 AM - Agenda Begins
10:30 AM - End
About the Panelists:
LandStudies, Inc. was founded in 1989 on the belief that understanding and working with natural systems, instead of artificially controlling them, provides consistently superior, more stable, and longer lasting results. Their clients appreciate their refreshing approach in contrast to conventional site design: solutions which balance economics with environmental sustainability. The LandStudies team are experts in innovative stormwater management, natural channel design, floodplain/stream restoration, conservation planning, watershed assessments and planning, riparian buffer design and installation, water quality and infiltration design, invasive plant control and sustainable land development solutions.
Water Logs LLC provides specialized maintenance for all types of stormwater management practices (SMPs). They work closely with PWD to ensure SMPs are functioning as designed and help property owners to receive and renew stormwater credits. Additionally, they use GPS based software for accurate and readily available inspection reports. Having an engineering staff in-house enables us to offer maintenance and certified inspection service contracts that are comprehensive and affordable.
Alex Warwood, Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) Warwood serves as the Apprenticeship and Workforce Development Director at PWD. Since 2013 PWD has partnered with PowerCorpsPHL, a City of Philadelphia AmeriCorps initiative that operates in close partnership with EducationWorks to support the city’s environmental stewardship initiatives, youth violence prevention, and workforce development. In FY2017 alone, 54 PowerCorpsPHL members supported PWD GSI maintenance efforts in completing 465 work orders on PWD infrastructure. Forty-three members have met the requirements for successfully transitioning to employment, post-secondary education or training, or continued public service. Sixteen members have transitioned into positions in the water industry or other environmental stewardship/sustainability fields.
TEND landscape, Inc. is a landscape architectural consulting firm specializing in the living systems of landscapes—plants and soils—with an eye toward long-term stewardship. They produce implementation documents for enhancing and expanding upon current assets, while guiding future development.
Free to members; $25 to non-members.
Breakfast and coffee will be provided.
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The GSI Partners, a signature program of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia (SBN), is a network of local businesses in the green stormwater infrastructure industry, including firms in GSI design, construction, and maintenance, as well as material supply. Green City Clean Waters, the City of Philadelphia’s comprehensive nature-based stormwater management plan, sets a 25-year vision for environmental, social, and economic benefits for our city and region. SBN supports this triple bottom line plan, and is working to support its successful implementation.
SBN approaches this work through a number of activities designed to support the growth of the local industry and the advancement of innovation. We connect our members with each other, prospective clients and other collaborators, and decision-makers, as well as to meaningful content and resources; we promote our members to each other and to prospective clients, as well as promote the triple bottom line benefits of green stormwater infrastructure; and we advocate on our members’ behalf while also incorporating feedback from other key stakeholders.