Annual effort focuses on conservation, sustainability

Conservation and the environment are the focus of this year’s Salute to Construction, an effort aimed at promoting the design and construction industry in a positive light to the community, and particularly, to students.

Teaming up for conservation

While Salute’s core efforts remain intact, the council this year is in partnership with City Utilities and the Discovery Center in support of Salute’s focus on sustainability and conservation of materials and energy.

Salute, CU and the Discovery Center are working together on In Your Hands, an idea that came from Salute’s publicity committee, which is led by Springfield Business Journal Publisher Dianne Elizabeth Osis.

In Your Hands aims to bring the entire community together for conservation, said Discovery Center CEO Emily Fox.

“Whether it be a business, a family, a child, whatever, what we’re trying to do is get people to understand that they have the power over conservation,” Fox said. “We just want folks to know that everyone has to do their part.”

The program includes a signature drive – organizers are trying to collect at least 1,000 pledges from individuals to do at least one thing to help with conservation.

“If you’re a 3-year-old, you can remember to turn off the light when you’re not in the room or turn off the water when you brush your teeth,” Fox said. “It goes from things like that all the way up to what corporations can do.”

Pledge forms are available on the Web sites of the Discovery Center and City Utilities. CU also sent out copies in its September billing statements to more than 100,000 customers. Cara Shaefer, CU director of energy management and conservation, said the pledge idea ties in well with CU’s existing energy and water conservation programs.

“Having people make that pledge and write that down seemed like a really good way to get people to think about conservation,” Shaefer said.

The Discovery Center, Fox said, was a natural choice as a program partner, due to the built-in conservation techniques used in the recently completed expansion to its downtown facility and its mission to help educate children.

“We have a big program here at the center,” Fox said.

“We’re conserving every single day, and conservation impacted every facet of our operation. We’ve taken the commitment on in a big way.”

Pledges are still being collected from various sources.

Sheryl Letterman, executive director of Salute council member Springfield Contractors Association, said the effort won’t stop when the Salute banquet ends.

“We see it as an ongoing project,” Letterman said. “Each person has to make a change. It’s our future. We really don’t have any choice.”

Building the construction industry

Salute entails sending representatives of participating groups into area classrooms to talk about their jobs and the industry. The speakers are available year-round, but Salute culminates with an annual banquet where awards and scholarships are presented by member organizations to local companies and individuals and to area college students studying construction or design.

This year’s banquet is Nov. 2 at Clarion Hotel.

Salute is orchestrated by a council comprised of liaisons from participating organizations within the construction and design industries.

Miles Boyer, office manager for the Southern Division of The Builders’ Association, is this year’s Salute coordinator. He said the program is intended to spread the news about the benefits of the industry.

“We’re trying to get the word out that there are jobs available in the construction industry and increase overall awareness of how much the construction industry contributes to the economy as a whole,” Boyer said.

Among Salute’s participating groups are labor organizations, including the local chapters of the Brick Layers & Allied Craft Workers, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

John Creller, field representative for the bricklayers, said the unions were asked to join about four years ago, and their representatives are among those visiting schools.

“I think that our input, because of the benefits we offer – negotiated wages and benefits – gives Salute more things to offer to these kids when we go talk to them,” Creller said.

“It also gives us an avenue for getting our word out to more people.”

What is Salute to Construction?

Salute to Construction is a joint effort by representatives of the construction industry to promote construction and design in the community. Salute isn’t an event – though there is an annual banquet – and it doesn’t belong to any one organization. It is governed by a council made up of representatives of 23 member organizations (see below). The Salute Council meets regularly at the offices of Springfield Contractors Association, a member group. Member organizations also pay annual dues that help pay for costs associated with Salute efforts. For more information, visit www.salutetoconstruction.org.

Event Details

What: Salute 2006: Building Communities, Careers & Lives

When: Nov. 2; social hour starts at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m.

Where: Clarion Hotel, 3333 S. Glenstone Ave.

Tickets: $20 until Oct. 30; $30 after that. Seats are limited to 360.

For more information: Call Springfield Contractors Association, (417) 862-1313.

Salute to Construction sponsors

American Institute of Architects – Springfield Chapter

American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers – Ozarks Chapter

Associated General Contractors of Missouri Inc.

Brick Layers & Allied Craft Workers

The Builders’ Association

Concrete Promotion Council of the Ozarks

Greater Ozarks Building Systems Association

Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

Mechanical Contractors Association of Greater Springfield

Missouri Society of Professional Engineers - Ozark Chapter

Missouri Society of Professional Surveyors - Ozark Chapter

National Association of Women in Construction -Southwest Missouri Chapter

Professional Engineers in Private Practice - Ozark Chapter

Southwest Missouri Chapter Construction Specification Institute

Southwest Missouri Code Officials

Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce

Springfield Contractors Association

United Brotherhood of Carpenters

American Institute of Architecture Students - Drury Chapter

American Society of Interior Designers – Missouri State University Chapter

Construction Technology at Ozarks Technical Community College

Missouri State University Construction Club