UHC Lecture Series
UHC has challenged itself to present a series of lectures by members and guests that draw on a wide range of fields and interests such as urban agriculture, biology, ecology, architecture, land use and planning, engineering, construction, product design, and manufacturing. We hope to help educate our members and the public about today’s vital environmental concerns and provide some information and tools on how to address them in ways large and small.
See below for transcripts and audio downloads of lectures.
Lectures are free to the public, but registration is requested since seating is limited.
See below for more information about having UHC present a lecture to your organization.
Why our lectures are free
At UHC, we truly believe disseminating information freely about the viability of concepts and practices in urban environments is part of our mission, and the more are able to do so, the more our message will spread.
However, it does cost UHC to prepare lectures, reserve speakers, A/V equipment, etc.
If you can help at all, we ask that you consider supporting Urban Habitat Chicago so we may continue to bring you great, relevant lectures that no one else can.
Getting to our lectures
We make a point of holding lectures in places close to public transportation.
So, we highly encourage you to leave your car at home, take the train, take the bus… or even ride your bike!
Please note our the locations for each lecture since they sometimes change.
2008 lectures
8. High-Performance Residential Rehab, Dave Hampton, Echo Studio
7. Rethinking Independence Day, Michael Repkin, Repkin Biosystems
6. What’s Your Building’s Eco-Value?, Mike Jackson, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency
5. To be determined
4. Building a Future for Construction and Demolition Debris
3b. Creating an Abundant Water Supply for All Humans
3a. Commercial Real Estate Finance: Going Green
2. Deconstruction: The Next Step for True Sustainability in Chicago
1. Urban Agriculture: Sustenance, Security, and Beauty
8. High-Performance Residential Rehab
REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED FOR THIS EVENT.
Lecturer: Dave Hampton, Echo Studio
Date/time: Wednesday, August 6 at 6:30pm
Location: LivingRoom Realty
1530 W. Superior St., Chicago, IL (map)
Get there by CTA
Lecture summary
Rehabilitating and renovating existing buildings for very different clients - a family and a speculative residential developer - required rethinking preconceived notions of sustainability. Through a collaborative design and construction administration process and close attention to detailing the thermal envelope, cost-effective choices brought energy high-performance into the realm of possibility for the average homeowner or developer.
A brief discussion of the merits of various green building standards such as Energy Star and LEED for Homes will also be included.
A question and answer session and discussion will follow the lecture.
7. Rethinking Independence Day
Lecturer: Michael Repkin, Repkin Biosystems
Date/time: Wednesday, July 2 at 7:00pm
Location: Budlong Woods Branch Library
5630 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL (map)
Get there by CTA
Lecture summary
As we move forward in a new reality, we must find new ways to create resilient independent systems to provide ourselves and our loved ones with life support. One way to ensure an abundance of resources is to examine our interaction with these resources. Michael Repkin will provide an overview of human life support, the 2175 concept and will discuss the SWEN model of resource analysis.
Seating limited to 30. Please register here for this event.
Join us afterwards for dinner at Hubs Restaurant!
Downloadable content
Rethinking Independence Day brochure (364 KB, PDF format).
6. What’s Your Building’s Eco-Value?
Lecturer: Mike Jackson, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency
Date/time: Wednesday, June 4 at 6:30pm
Location: Budlong Woods Branch Library
5630 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL (map)
Lecture summary
Historic buildings, particularly commercial and institutional buildings constructed in the era of masonry bearing wall construction contain a large amount of embodied energy. This program will look at some of the historic and contemporary data on the building science of embodied energy (a.k.a embedded carbon). Calculating embodied energy is not necessarily an easy task. First there is the need to estimate the total amount of material used in a building, which can be challenging without any original construction documents. Secondly, contemporary research materials on the embodied energy of archaic building materials have not been assembled into one research report. However, there are several research reports on the embodied energy of construction materials that can be used as a starting point and some new web sites.
This program will also examine how embodied energy is used in new green building rating systems. A comparison will also be made of the embodied and operating energy of selected building types to produce a life cycle assessment of total energy utilization.
Speaker biography
Mike Jackson, FAIA is the Chief Architect of the Preservation Services Division of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (IHPA). He directs the IHPA architectural staff in evaluating changes to historic buildings when those alterations fall under a variety of regulatory and benefit programs. Mr. Jackson has been with the IHPA since 1983 and was the project manager for the restoration of the Dana-Thomas House in Springfield and the David Davis Mansion in Bloomington. He also supervises the IHPA design services provided to the Illinois Main Street program. Mr. Jackson holds degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Columbia University. He is a fellow of the American Institute of Architects. His professional experience includes work in New York City and New Orleans as well as communities across Illinois. He is a visiting professor of architecture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Mike Jackson, FAIA is the Chief Architect of the Preservation Services Division of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (IHPA). Mr. Jackson holds degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champign and Columbia University. He is a visiting professor of architecture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Downloadable content
What’s Your Building’s Eco-Value?, copy of PowerPoint presentation (3.0 MB, PDF format)
Download a flyer for this presentation (308 KB, PDF format).
4. Building a Future for Construction and Demolition Debris
Lecturer: Jenna Kunde, WasteCap Wisconsin
Date/time: Wednesday, April 2 at 6:30pm
Location: Lincoln Park Branch Library
1150 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, IL (map)
Lecture summary
As sustainable building takes hold across the nation, more and more people are seeking ways to reduce and recycle construction and demolition debris. This lecture will look at the trends in construction and demolition debris recovery, investigate why reuse and recycling of construction and demolition debris is important and growing, provide attendees with case studies of successful construction and demolition debris reuse and recycling along with ideas of how you can replicate these successes on your projects, and discuss reuse and recycling markets — what’s available, what happens when the materials leave the job site, what to watch out for, what the trends are.
Speaker biography
Jennifer Kunde, Executive Director for WasteCap Wisconsin, has worked in waste reduction and recycling for sixteen years and is known nationally for her and WasteCap’s work in construction and demolition debris recycling. WasteCap Wisconsin has helped over $3 billion of construction and demolition projects successfully reuse and recycle. In addition, she co-authored and serves as a trainer for WasteCap’s day-long Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling Training and Accreditation program.
Kunde was named “Recycler of the Year” by Wisconsin’s state recycling association. Under her leadership, WasteCap Wisconsin developed the first drywall recycling efforts in Wisconsin for Type X drywall, obtained the first-in-the-state exemption for recycling of engineered wood along with dimensional lumber, coordinated the first-in-the-state ceiling tile recycling effort and one of the first commercial carpet recycling efforts.
She gives presentations locally, statewide and nationally about WasteCap’s work including recent presentations at Greenbuild, National Recycling Coalition, Decon, and the National Environmental Performance Track Conference. She was also a member of the planning committee of Decon ‘07 and Chair of the Waste Reduction Workgroup of Wisconsin’s Governor’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Waste Materials Recovery and Disposal.
3b. Creating an Abundant Water Supply for All Humans
Lecturer: Michael Repkin
Date/time: Wednesday, March 12 at 7:00pm
Location: Budlong Woods Branch Library
5630 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL (map)
3a. Commercial Real Estate Finance: Going Green
Lecturer: Dan Kastilahn
Date/time: Wednesday, March 5 at 6:30pm
Location: Lincoln Park Branch Library
1150 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, IL (map)
Dan Kastilahn will address the basics of commercial real estate finance in the capital markets. Topics will include pros and cons for developers, investors, lenders, property managers, etc. when it comes to green buildings.
Downloadable content
Commercial Real Estate Financing: Going Green (1.4 MB, PDF format)
2. Deconstruction: The Next Step for True Sustainability in Chicago
Lecturer: Dave Hampton
Date/time: Wednesday, February 6 at 6:30pm
Location: Budlong Woods Branch Library
5630 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL (map)
An overview on why deconstruction is a timely issue, the basics of how and why it works including examples of projects large and small, challenges and possibilities for implementation, and the true motivation for advocating for this viable alternative to demolition.
To be included will be an update on steps the City of Chicago is taking to encourage deconstruction in 2008.
See our deconstruction advocacy project page for more information.
Downloadable content
Deconstruction: The Next Step for True Sustainability in Chicago (5.5 MB, PDF format)
1. Urban Agriculture: Sustenance, Security, and Beauty
Lecturer: Emily Lake
Date/time: Wednesday, January 9 at 6:30pm
Location: Uptown Branch Library
929 W. Buena Ave., Chicago, Illinois (map)
2007 lectures
1. Growing Plants on Rooftops in Chicago
2. The History and Relevance of North Park Village
3. Gold, Not Garbage
1. Growing Plants on Rooftops in Chicago
Lecturer: Michael Repkin
Date/time: Wednesday, September 26 at 6:30pm
For the first of the Fall 2007 UHC Lecture Series, Michael Repkin talks about creating opportunities for human health, economic growth, and national security… by growing plants on roofs!
Download a PDF of this presentation (1.4 MB)
Audio clips:
…everything that we need to live… (0:28 sec, 284 KB)
Current aerial view of Chicago’s North Park Village. Image source: NASA
2. The History and Relevance of North Park Village
Lecturer: Anna Glenn
Date/time: Wednesday, October 10 at 6:30pm
Landscape architect-in-training Anna Glenn will give a presentation on the history and relevance of North Park Village. This 155-acre site in the heart of Chicago, once used as a plant nursery, is currently home to such functions as a recycling facility, senior housing, a city park, a nature center, a 46-acre interpretative ‘nature preserve’… and a an occasional (and controversial) destination for a local deer population.
3. Gold, Not Garbage
Lecturer: Michael Repkin
Date/time: Wednesday, October 17 at 6:30pm
Ecological designer and longtime composter Michael Repkin talks about saving kitchen scraps and even “waste” paper (as UHC does after every meal we share). The results are biological nutrient recovery systems to create perpetual soil fertility for an abundant future.
2006 lectures
1. Fabric in Architecture
2. Disseminated Biofiltration for Mitigation of Anthropogenic Contaminants
3. Beyond Earth Day - The Chicago 2175 Plan
4. Pioneering Engineers - Economy of Materials from Robert Maillart to Shigeru Ban
UHC lectures for your organization
Contact us to schedule a presentation of one of our lectures or to develop a special presentation for your organization.
Because UHC is a volunteer organization, we will charge a modest honorarium to cover the costs of speaking.
We thank you for your interest and support!