West Coast Green Early Adopter’s Workshop Interview Questions

Kristian Kicinski

29 August 2008

1. What inspired or caused you to get involved in green building & how many years ago was that?

In 1994 (14 years ago) was doing research for a project in architecture school and stumbled upon an article about Mike Reynolds’ Earthships.  Thought they were totally cool.  Next semester, signed up for a class in sustainable design and was subsequently mentored by that professor for remainder of his degree program.

2. 2 or 3 examples of what do you do to keep you on your edge?

• Practice in his work.
• Read Environmental Building News.
• Attend conferences.
• Read listserves: Big Green, Greenbuilding.com.

3. What are the next steps for you to get to the next level?

• Living Building Challenge, which requires regulatory change to allow rainwater for potable uses.

4. What feelings come up for you when you think of these steps

Exciting, really exciting.

5. What are a couple of success stories of bringing along your network to their next level

• Principals of his large firm had mixed commitment to green design.  Got firm to change from doing green piecemeal on some projects to doing green as a core requirement for nearly all projects.
• Each completed project educates its client, brings them along further, adds more green converts.

6. If you were to describe your network as a metaphor that comes to mind...what would it be…

Swimming pool. [no explanation]

7. Next steps in working with your network in helping & inspiring them to the next level

Education, education, education by him of his network.  Get his network to conferences and seminars.

8. Resources you’d suggest

• US Green Building Council.
• Environmental Building News.
• NW Ecobuilding Guild.

9. Anything else you’d like to tell me that I haven’t asked

• It has been gratifying to see mainstream building culture adopt best green practices over the past decade.