Lawrence Business Magazine 2013 Q3 - Green Impact Issue

IN THIS ISSUE: FEATURES:

VOLUME 3 NO. 3 FALL 2013

ON THE COVER: GREEN TEAM (L to R)

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SARAH HILL-NELSON, Bowersock, “Business of Alternative Energy” DARRON AMMAN, Bartlett West, “Green Design” BRIAN PHILLIPS, The Community Mercantile, “Green Grocer” GREG THOMAS, KU Center for Design Research, “Green Design” ARON CROMWELL, Cromwell Enviromental, “Green Design & Business of Alternative Energy” EILEEN HORN, Douglas CO. & City of Lawrence, Sustainibility Director “Green Business Leaders”

24 BUSINESS OF ALTERNATE ENERGY 30

GREEN GROCERS GREENER SUPERMARKETS

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AFFORDABLE CARE ACT HEALTH INSURANCE AVAILABILITY

photo by Steven Hertzog

PUBLISHER: MARK KERN LAWRENCE BUSINESS MAGAZINE, LLC MANAGING EDITOR: ANN FRAME HERTZOG

RECYCLING LAWRENCE TURNING DEEPER SHADES OF GREEN

40 GREEN DESIGN FOR OUR FUTURE 48 WESTAR GREEN COMMITMENT

CREATIVE EDITOR: ANN FRAME HERTZOG

54 WHY LOCAL GREEN EFFORTS SETTING ROOTS

ART DIRECTOR: RORY HARMS

59 GOING GREEN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND CUSTOMERS

CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER: STEVEN HERTZOG

CENTER FOR SUSTAINABILITY

66 BUILDING SUSTAINABLE MODELS

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: CHARLES LEWER FEATURE WRITERS: ANNE BROCKHOFF,

IN THIS ISSUE: 8

DOWNTOWN IN FOCUS

10

BUSINESS ON THE HILL

12

PROFESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT

PATRICK CONNOR

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CITY OF LAWRENCE

INQUIRIES & ADVERTISING INFORMATION CONTACT:

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NON-PROFIT

57

BOOMER PERSPECTIVE

64

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

72

LOCAL SCENE

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NEWSMAKERS

MARK FAGAN, DEREK HELMS, EMILY MULLIGAN, DAISY WAKEFIELD

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: HANK BOOTH,

MEGAN GILLILAND, GREG WILLIAMS, JANICE EARLY

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER:

info@LawrenceBusinessMagazine.com www.LawrenceBusinessMagazine.com Lawrence Business Magazine, LLC 730 New Hampshire, suite 110 Lawrence, KS 66044

FOR SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: LAWRENCEBUSINESSMAGAZINE.COM/SUBSCRIPTIONS Lawrence Business Magazine, is published quarterly by Lawrence Business Magazine, LLC and is distributed by direct mail to over 3000 businesses in the Lawrence & Douglas County Community. It is also distributed at key retail locations throughout the area and mailed to individual subscribers. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reprinted or reproduced without the publisher’s permission. Lawrence Business Magazine, LLC assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials.

Statements and opinions printed in the Lawrence Business Magazine are the those of the author or advertiser and are not necessarily the opinion of Lawrence Business Magazine.

GREEN BUSINESS LEADERS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY RESTORE

facebook.com/lawrencebusinessmagazine Follow us: @LawrenceBizMag

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DOWNTOWN IN FOCUS

by DEREK HELMS photo by STEVEN HERTZOG

Sally Zogry has a lot of energy. With her arms full of marketing materials, a lunch and a bag, she bounds up the steps leading from Massachusetts Street into the small office of Downtown Lawrence Incorporated. She talks while unlocking the door, turning on the lights and adjusting the thermostat. Spend a few minutes with the new Director of DLI, and you’ll find yourself caught up in her whirlwind of activity and ideas.

“Well, she’s certainly an energetic person,” explains Jim Bateman, owner of YarnBarn and President of the DLI board. “That was apparent very quickly. I know the other members of the board were very impressed with her positive energy. We know she’s going to do very well for DLI.” Zogry began work for DLI on July 1, 2013 after former director Cathy Hamilton’s retirement. Hamilton worked with Zogry through the first few weeks of July to help ease the transition. Zogry was selected from a pool of more than 30 applicants.

“We received applications from, literally, across the country,” Bateman says. “That shows the reach of Downtown Lawrence and the respect for our community. I know of applicants from Florida, Ohio and across the country.”

With Health Care Access, Zogry used her seemingly boundless energy to help implement the organization’s annual half marathon.

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Zogry worked for the organization for almost 5 years as the director of development. When she started the job, the half marathon was her first task.

“I think I started working on the race the day after I took the job,” Zogry says with her custom smile and laugh. “And I kept working on the race until my last day there. That event is just so big, with so many people and organizations involved. Everything from the logistics of the course to sponsors and organizing volunteers was handled through our office. Of course we got invaluable help, but everyone at Health Care Access really worked their tails off to make the race a great experience.”

It was the experience producing such an encompassing community event that qualified Zogry for the Downtown Lawrence directorship.

“It’s clear she is capable and comfortable working with vastly different groups of people,” Bateman says with emphasis. “Anyone familiar with the DLI members knows that being able to wade through many very different ideas and types of people is very, very important.”

After leaving Health Care Access, Zogry worked in development with the Kansas Historical Society, based in Topeka. The experience offered her the chance to travel the state of Kansas and immerse herself in the history of the state. Though the job

was both challenging and rewarding, Zogry wanted to stay in Lawrence. When the DLI position became available, she jumped at the opportunity.

Hamilton says the challenges Zogry faces trying to increase attention and traffic on Mass St are well known, but she believes downtown will continue to be a draw.

“A couple of different people contacted me about the position,” she says. “The more I considered it and thought about how much my family really likes downtown Lawrence, I knew I wanted to apply.

When I got the job offer, I was so excited. I’m really thrilled to have this position.”

“With the new garage, library and hotel coming online, Downtown is going to be a stronger attraction than ever,” she says. “I think Rock Chalk Park poses a potential challenge if the retail and restaurant scene blows up out there, but people will always be drawn to the unique experience of Downtown Lawrence. There’s nothing like it.”

Zogry knows getting all 160 DLI members moving in the same direction will be a challenge, but she believes the future of downtown Lawrence is very, very bright.

Her advice to Zogry was simple. “You’ve got a great board of directors,” she says. “Trust them and have fun.”

“This street is absolute Americana,” she says as she motions out her office window. “So many of these shops and restaurants are unique to Lawrence. Downtown is the cultural and social center of our town and we have to work to keep it that way. We need to continue to find innovative events to bring new people to downtown, and keep our regulars interested and happy.”

Cathy Hamilton, who served as the DLI Director for almost 3 years, thinks Sally is a great fit to help lead DLI into the future.

“I wasn’t in on the interviews but, in general, it was a very particular set of experiences and skills (for which the DLI Board was looking), lots of contacts and established relationships in town, and an outgoing personality,” Hamilton says.

The large chalkboard in the DLI office is full of dates and titles of upcoming promotional events. Zogry is excited about the future possibilities of DLI, and is bursting with ideas.

“One of the really great things about this group of business owners is their willingness to give new ideas a chance,” Zogry says with excitement. “Where else does a downtown support zombie walks, parades and rescuing Santa? We have so many great things happening here, and so many great ideas. I’m working to increase the membership base and help more of the downtown merchants benefit from our great ideas.” ■

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BUSINESS ON T H E H IL L

KU RESEARCH SETS RECORD, THOUGH FEDERAL CUTS POSE CHALLENGES

mediately, but KU and other U.S. research universities are bracing for what is ahead.

The University of Kansas generated a record $275.2 million in externally sponsored research expenditures in 2011-12, demonstrating how KU’s strength as a research university is an asset for the state.KU conducts more research than all other universities in Kansas combined. Of the $275.2 million received in 2011-12 to support research projects at all KU campuses, approximately $250 million came from the federal government and other sources outside of Kansas.

“Unless the sequester is turned off soon, research expenditures will almost certainly be lower this time next year,” Paul Terranova, vice chancellor for research at the KU Medical Center said. “That’s a challenge for our researchers, of course, and we have to deal with it. But I’m far more concerned about the discoveries in human health, education, energy and many other fields that won’t be made if the sequester is made permanent.”

“KU bolsters the state’s economy in a range of ways,” said Steve Warren, vice chancellor for research and graduate studies. “Not only are jobs directly created by this research, but we make discoveries that generate prosperity and well-being for people across the state.”

The total for 2012 was nearly $20 million more than in 2011, and double what it was in 2000.

“Researchers at all KU campuses are extremely active, competitive and successful in obtaining external support for their work. That reflects a huge return on the state’s investment in talented faculty,” Warren said.

While the economic benefit of KU research in Kansas is clear, the future of federal funding for research is less certain. Last spring, an automatic 5 percent cut in federal spending went into effect.

The full impact of the ongoing budget sequester was not felt im-

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Warren and Terranova strongly encourage KU researchers to continue to pursue federal funding opportunities, as well as grants from foundations and industry.

“The worst thing you could do in this uncertain environment is to become discouraged and stop seeking research support,” Warren said. “The sequester has reduced agency budgets, but the federal government remains the leading source of funding, and we have to pursue it aggressively.”

KU RANKS NO. 2 NATIONALLY IN PHARMACY RESEARCH FUNDING For the second consecutive year and the third time in four years, the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy is ranked No. 2 in the nation in National Institutes of Health funding.

The School of Pharmacy earned more than $25 million in NIH research funding in fiscal year 2012 — an increase of $3 million

from the previous year’s total. The NIH is a primary source of federal funding for pharmacy schools, and NIH funding is considered a key indicator of the productivity and quality of a school’s faculty.

This marks the 12th consecutive year the school has been ranked in the top five. It has been in the top 10 every year since 1995. KU is the only Big 12 institution in the top 10.

Additionally, the KU School of Pharmacy ranks No. 1 nationally in the value of awards per funded faculty member. The school’s 24 NIH-funded faculty members bring in an average of more than $1 million each. Additional funding is awarded to researchers who collaborate with colleagues from other schools “Faculty researchers at the KU School of Pharmacy are second to none,” Ken Audus, Dean of the pharmacy school, said. “Year after year, they compete for and earn significant outside funding. They bring millions of dollars to the university and the state, and more important, they make discoveries that improve the lives of people throughout the world.”

The rankings are based on data collected and posted by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. KU Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little said the NIH rankings affirm the KU School of Pharmacy’s status as a national leader.

“These rankings show that our faculty are aggressive in competing for external grants and demonstrate why KU has such a strong return on investment for the state of Kansas,” Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little said “More important, these rankings demonstrate that our researchers are leading the way in developing new cures and therapies to improve our health and quality of life.” ■

P RO FESSIONA L SPOTLIGHT Mike Dever President, GuideWire Consulting

of building offices and staff in many cities. We focused on building a team of likeminded small business owners and entrepreneurs to help us serve our national clients. By keeping our overhead low, we have been able to withstand the fluctuating economy and remain profitable.

How many people does your business employ?

Our team includes individuals and small business in almost every state. Most of these affiliates work on a per project basis. In some areas where we have more business, we will have multiple groups available to assist with our fluctuating project demand.

How many of those live in Lawrence?

What is your company’s most important commodity or service?

GuideWire Consulting provides a wide variety of environmental and building assessment services for clients located throughout the United States. These services are often required as a part of property transactions. Delivering our reports on time, and often with very little advance notice, for a competitive price is what allows us to continue to compete with larger firms.

Other than monetary, what is your company’s most important priority?

Client satisfaction is our top priority. When we are given the opportunity to be involved in a project or business transaction, we deliver our services with a constant sense of urgency.

What has been some of the most important aspects of your success?

Early in the development of our company we focused on harnessing technology to provide the best possible product for the lowest possible cost. This meant utilizing the internet for report production and data assimilation. Embracing technology, and new ways to provide our service allowed us to compete early on with competitors who were slow to adapt to the changing business intelligence environment.

GuideWire also embraced the concept of using affiliate business partners to deliver services locally. Many firms followed a model

We have three full time employees that live and work in Lawrence. Prior to moving our business to Lawrence, Kansas several of us that commuted to Kansas City on days where we worked in the office. Since most of our projects are located outside the Lawrence and Kansas City market, the location of our staff is less important, and proximity to the projects we are awarded becomes most important for optimum service and profitability.

How do you and your business make a positive impact on the Lawrence community?

We believe one impact we make on the Lawrence community is our ability to bring in dollars from outside the community and infuse those dollars into the local economy. We also pride ourselves on providing needed technical services to the businesses and lending institutions in our area, for a fair price. By providing homegrown technical services to local institutions, we also help keep dollars inside our community.

What do you see as your personal responsibility and your company’s responsibility to the community?

We made the conscious decision to move our business to Lawrence so that our team could work, live and participate in the community. We also made the decision to move our office to downtown Lawrence so that it would be easier to invest ourselves in the daily activities that are available in our central business district. Those decisions have led to several of our team’s active participation in community boards, associations and leadership roles.

What would you change about doing business in Lawrence?

How do you manage your day-to-day stress of business?

I strive to make Lawrence a great place to do business through my role on the City Commission. Many of the hurdles that I once believed were a hindrance for businesses to prosper in Lawrence have been removed and the climate is improving.

I was fortunate to get a job in an industry that was directly related to what I care about most and what I studied in college. When you love what you do, it is easy to manage the stress that comes from providing the level of service that you desire and the expectations of your client. Flexibility is important, and an understanding spouse is a requirement. My family has supported my efforts throughout my career, and that has helped me manage business related stress.

As a consultant in the rapidly changing and growing technology field, how have you managed to remain relevant and profitable? Or, how has your business changed over the years to remain relevant?

We have invested heavily in building technology that allows us to respond faster and write more consistent and comprehensive reports. These investments have had a direct impact on our bottom line. We have also helped others harness technology to streamline their operations. The technological changes that have emerged over the past ten years have allowed the average client and consultant to do more with less time and personnel. From database driven reports to the use of web-based systems for client delivery and management, we have been at the forefront in our industry. However, it is important to remain open to new tools and technology, and we are continuously revaluating the way we do business, and help others to avoid the pitfalls related to standing still as the technology world changes.

How do you reward excellent work performance? How do you manage poor performance?

In our business, the client is the ultimate judge of our work. When we have made our client happy, it is usually rewarded with repeat business. We try to provide the best possible working environment, flexibility of hours and the tools to do your job well. We also provide proper praise and financial incentives when our work is done exceptionally well. Conversely, some people are not able to meet the demands that our clients place upon us, and so those relationships do not usually merit continued investment. Since most of our affiliate consultants work for themselves, or a small business, the business dynamic is different than most companies.

We all work for the client and if we do well, we all succeed.

What is the biggest challenge you feel your company faces?

Our business is cyclical, and that means some months we have to turn down projects, and other months we do not have enough business to keep all of our affiliates busy. The structure of our company allows us to manage the highs and lows, but it also means that we must work hard to keep our base of business at a level that everyone has enough to do to keep them financially viable.

The other challenge is finding good people who are technically proficient and able to respond rapidly to the clients needs.

Over the course of your career, what has been the single largest change in the Lawrence business environment?

Since most of my business is outside of Lawrence, I do not have great insight from my business experience to share, however in my role as a City Commissioner I can say that I have learned a great deal about our business environment, and how it has changed over the last thirty years. For many years we focused on building homes for people to live in, and less on the businesses that would keep people in the community. As more residents began leaving town for work outside of Douglas County, we lost some of the time and energy of those people that could be invested in our community.

We could have done more to allow businesses to grow and prosper in Lawrence. Much effort has been put into changing the recent

trend, and I believe with the communities continued investment in local businesses and attracting new businesses, we will be able to reverse the trend.

What do you foresee as being the biggest challenge in the area of environmental technology? On a local level? On a national level?

The biggest challenge in the environmental and building consulting field is keeping up to date on the changing local, state and federal regulations that apply to our business, and the changing business climate that drives the work. Lending institutions have become far more sensitive to and interested in the risks associated with real estate. This means that there is more scrutiny of potential risks associated with a loan or investment. Regulators are also constantly evaluating environmental contamination issues and revising the rules associated with their assessment and remediation. These challenges will continue, but is also creates an opportunity for consulting firms who are able to stay on top of the rules and expectations in the industry to prosper and grow. â–

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GREEN BUSINESS LEADERS Impacting The Bottom Line

by MEGAN GILLILAND, COMMUNITATION MANAGER CITY OF LAWRENCE

Twelve downtown businesses participate in city-sponsored program to increase energy efficiency and decrease utility costs Paul Heitkotter with Westar Energy discusses display window lighting with Chris and Mary Cox with Shark’s Surf Shop in downtown Lawrence.

In 2013, the City of Lawrence launched a new educational program for small businesses that provides access to information and tools businesses can use to save energy and money. Green Business Leaders developed from a desire to teach businesses how to slash their energy costs by making relatively simple improvements to buildings. The program graduates would earn recognition as a leader in the business community for their efforts and assist the community in meeting our greenhouse gas reduction targets.

“The City of Lawrence is committed to reducing our energy use, saving taxpayer dollars, and reducing our emissions,” Eileen Horn, County-City Sustainability Coordinator, said.

“We believe that businesses are an instrumental partner in reducing our community’s greenhouse gas emissions. Through this new program, we convened experts – from our city, utilities, engineering firms, and business organizations – to share best practices and proven energy-saving strategies with the business community.”

City Commissioner and downtown business owner, Robert Schumm, participated in the program and had an assessment done for both his restaurant and business.

“I thought this was a very valuable exercise in demonstrating how to save energy in large, commercial buildings,” Schumm said.

“The program offered many opportunities for businesses to take advantage of to improve their energy efficiency.”

Schumm has started the process to convert his building’s fluorescent lighting to LEDs. Twelve downtown businesses signed up for the inaugural program, which began in January and ended in May 2013. The businesses attended workshops on business friendly

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energy-efficiency programs, rebates and incentives, lighting and HVAC efficiency solutions, and tracking business energy usage with the Westar SmartStar meter program. Participants received a free walk-through energy assessment from Westar Energy and GBA Architects+Engineers at their business, which targeted buildingspecific ways to save money and improve efficiency. Businesses committed to share lessons learned from the energy assessment and completed the energy improvement projects identified in the assessment. Participating businesses were: The Roost, Pendleton & Sutton, Paul Werner Architects (OneTwoThree), Mass Street Sweet Shoppe, Shark’s Surf Shop, Weaver’s, Callahan Creek, hobbs., Global Café, Z’s Divine, Gould Evans and Buffalo Bob’s Smokehouse.

“I think the businesses got real value from the program, as they learned the most practical, cost-effective ways to slash their energy costs,” Horn said. “The energy saving measures were simple – changing light bulbs, installing programmable thermostats or setting back thermostats - but the savings were significant.”

At Shark’s Surf Shop, the energy assessment found that by replacing T12 lighting fixtures with T8 fixtures and replacing incandescent lighting with compact fluorescent bulbs, the business would save $830 per year. Shark’s Surf Shop has since replaced all of the incandescent bulbs in their display window with compact fluorescent bulbs and are considering other changes, as needed, to replace lighting.

“This was a great opportunity for downtown and small businesses,” said Mary Cox, with Shark’s Surf Shop. “The walk-through for the assessment was really beneficial. The staff from Westar and GBA Architects pointed out some really easy ideas that made a lot of sense for our business.”

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If each of the participating 12 businesses made the recommended changes to their buildings in their energy assessment reports, they would save $26,000/yr in reduced energy costs, and save the energy equivalent of 22,000 gallons of gasoline or the equivalent energy usage of 30 homes.

“The Green Business Leaders Program really highlights the impact that each small business can have in reducing energy use, saving money, and helping us achieve our community’s sustainability goals,” Horn said. “We look forward to partnering with more businesses in 2014 to learn together how best to save energy and money.”

Several of the participating businesses have already completed retrofits or projects that were recommended as part of the energy assessment.

Sarah Etzel, Vice President of Finance and Operations for Callahan Creek, served as the program lead for the company’s downtown headquarters.

“Taking part in the Green Business Leaders program earlier this year was a great opportunity for us to strengthen our emphasis on

conservation, and it supplied us with proactive steps to take for Callahan Creek to become a greener business,” Etzel said.

“We took particular interest in the findings from the energy audit, which included a thorough review of our energy costs as well as recommendations for simple changes we could make to reduce our energy consumption and decrease our operating expenses. For example, the audit revealed that we could recognize substantial savings by simply replacing any incandescent lamps that we had with compact fluorescent light bulbs, which is a change we have since undertaken throughout the majority of our facility.”

“This was one of the best opportunities for downtown and our business,” Cox said. “The representatives were thorough and informative throughout the whole process. Everything was great – the speakers, the programs – I would give it an A+.”

The Green Business Leaders Program was sponsored by the City of Lawrence, Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, Westar Energy, GBA Architects+Engineers and Downtown Lawrence Inc. The 2014 program will expand to a city-wide program. ■

Paul Heitkotter Westar Energy, & Brian Huff, GBA Architects + Engineers, review insulation and duct work at Paul Werner Architects during their energy assessment.

If your business is interested in participating, visit

lawrenceks.org/green-business-leaders The 2014 class of Green Business Leaders Applications will be available in November.

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Lawrence Turning Deeper Shades of Green

by DAISY WAKEFIELD photos by STEVEN HERTZOG

By many counts, Lawrence is a progressive and eco-friendly city whose residents go out of their way to be kind to Mother Earth.

Without a city curbside recycling service, many have taken the extra steps to sort cereal boxes and wine bottles and office paper and drop it at one of the cities recycling drop locations. Some have chosen to pay up to $18 a month to have one of the several independent recycling haulers come and take the recyclables away.

Lawrence has a 38% recycling rate, which indicates the volume of municipal solid waste that is diverted from a landfill. The national recycling rate is 34.7%, as reported by the EPA for 2011.

The city provides other recycling opportunities in a variety of ways. Yard waste is collected once a week and made into compost for a twice-yearly sale. The Household Hazardous Waste Facility receives toxic household waste by appointment. Varying sites around town take items like prescription drugs, batteries, light bulbs and automotive chemicals. And two times a year, the city runs an Electronic Recycling and Document Shred Event at Free State High School.

Since 2005, Cans for the Community has encouraged residents to drop off aluminum cans at their 12 locations. The volunteer-based nonprofit take the cans to 12th and Haskell, and when they reach $1000 in proceeds, they donate it to a local nonprofit.

Glass recycling has increased in Lawrence since the city formed a partnership last year with Ripple Glass. Four bins are owned and maintained by the city. City crews take the full bins to fill up a truck for Ripple Glass to take to their operation in Kansas City, where the recycled glass is made into Boulevard Beer bottles.

February 2011, decided after a year of research and meetings that a single stream residential curb side recycling system would encourage even more residents to jump on the green bandwagon.

“This conversation about curbside recycling has been a very public conversation, and it’s been going on for many years, with neighborhood association groups, with the city sustainability advisory board,” says Kathy Richardson, Waste Reduction and Recycling Operations Supervisor for the City of Lawrence.

“Lawrence residents do a great job recycling already even without curb side service, but over the years, the discussion was focused on if there is a program where we could offer it and encourage it to all residents to recycle at an affordable and convenient way.”

The task force recommended the goal of a 50% recycling rate by volume by 2020 and issued a RFP for either turnkey operations (from pickup to materials recovery) or for just the materials recovery. Hamm Companies, based in Perry, was awarded the materials recovery contract, with the city crews doing the pickup.

Hamm will build a materials recovery facility outside of North Lawrence, using an existing structure to house recovery and processing equipment. Charlie Sedlock, Sales Executive with Hamm, says that they expect fifteen new jobs to be created for running the facilities.

Because of recently passed state legislation, the city must wait 18 months to implement the new system, putting the curb side service at an October, 2014 start date. Residents will be issued a 95 gallon recycling cart and charged an additional $2.81 on their trash bill for the recycling services, whether they choose to use it or not.

“It’s been great for the community,” says Michelle Goth, Program Manager at Ripple Glass. “There’s a 28% glass recycling rate in Lawrence, which is higher than the 20% we have in Kansas City, and Ripple Glass has been in Kansas City a lot longer than Lawrence.”

Though Richardson says that the city tried to build some flexibility to mitigate the economic effects on small business haulers, many of the haulers will inevitably be put out of work.

But big changes are coming to the world of recycling in Lawrence.

The Solid Waste Task Force, created by the City Commission in

Community Living Organization has six clients that work at the Wal-Mart Recycling Center, and 14 clients in their own curb side service. Michael Hoffman, Day Services Director at CLO, has met

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Recycling By the NUMBERS: 88,484 of municipal solid waste generated

by Lawrence residents and businesses in 2010.

54,549 of municipal solid waste landfilled (2010).

33,935 of municipal solid waste recovered (2010).

1000 of glass recycled in a year through the partnership with Ripple Glass.

8000-9000 of yard waste collected in a year by the City of Lawrence.

3000-4000 of compost and wood chips distributed by the City of Lawrence at the twice yearly sales.

188,000 pounds of hazardous waste collected in a year by the Household Hazardous Waste Facility. $120,000 in proceeds from recycled aluminum donated by Cans for the Community to 69 nonprofit organizations.

with Wal-Mart executives to discuss what future plans they have for the recycling center and whether CLO’s clients will continue to be employed. No decisions have been made.

“My understanding is that I cannot take on any new residential customers, and there will also be restrictions on my loads,” Jeff Joseph, owner of Jeff ’s Curb side Recycling, explains. “If I’m trying to run a business, and I can’t add new customers, that’s going to put me out of business.”

Chris Scafe, owner of Sunflower Curb side Recycling, which services 289 Lawrence households and businesses, echoes Joseph’s thoughts.

“I’m done,” he says. “I’m still working, but I’m looking at other options, and it won’t be in recycling. But for me, it was all about the recycling. I did what I set out to do, and now I’m going to move on.”

The new curb side recycling service is not mandatory for Lawrence residents to use, but Richardson says that there are some built in incentives to using it - such as being able to downgrade a 95 gallon trash cart to a 65 gallon one. The convenience and glass inclusive factors are also hoped to raise Lawrence’s recycling rates. The city recycling drop off locations and Ripple Glass locations will remain, for business and large drop off use. ■

THE BUSINESS OF

by EMILY MULLIGAN photos by STEVEN HERTZOG

As politicians nationwide continue to discuss ways to make Americans less dependent on foreign oil and environmentalists protest construction of a new coal plant in Kansas, some alternative energy methods are getting a stronger foothold in Lawrence and Douglas County.

Wind turbines won’t be gracing downtown anytime soon, but geothermal power, solar power and hydroelectric power all have an emerging presence in the area.

Geothermal Geothermal heat pumps are an energy alternative that is just beginning to emerge in the area. Prices have remained steady over the years, but a 30% tax credit is prompting builders, architects and homebuyers to consider the technology more readily, said Sarajane Scott of Scott Temperature Equipment.

Air Ducts circulate warm/cool air

Geothermal heat pumps employ a series of pipes about 4 feet underground that use the Earth’s natural temperature to heat or cool a home by pumping liquid through the system. The ground’s temperature at that depth in this area stays about 55 degrees yearround, Scott said. That means it is cooler than the air in the summer and warmer than the air in the winter. Even when there are extreme temperatures outside, the geothermal heat pump maintains an equilibrium that makes it much more efficient than air-source heat pumps or traditional air-exchange HVAC equipment. An optional component with the geothermal heat pumps also allows for water heating, in place of a traditional water heater.

Shane Lyle, a geologist with the Kansas Geological Survey, said that geothermal heat pumps were becoming more popular as buildings are built or retrofitted to become LEED certified.

Scott said that geothermal heat pumps decreased utility bills by 30 to 60 percent. Because of the digging required to install them, it only makes sense to install geothermal technology for new construction or major renovations.

“In comparison to air-exchange heating and cooling, the energy usage is much lower, so it is greener,” Lyle said. “But there is an initial investment cost that has to be overcome.”

According to Scott, adding geothermal would start at about $14,000. When installing geothermal in new construction, the price includes all of the ductwork and sealed ductwork in the house, with a total price starting at about $18,000. Subtract the tax credit and calculate utility bill savings, and the system can pay for itself in seven to 10 years. Scott Temperature is receiving more calls from builders inquiring about the technology, as new home construction has begun to pick up in the area.

Two scholarship halls at the University of Kansas, Reiger and Krehbiel, have geothermal heat pumps that were installed when the buildings were constructed in 2004 and 2008, respectively.

“The initial cost hit isn’t big to an institution like KU or an office building where they’re going to use a lot of energy, and it pays for itself more quickly,” Lyle said. “In the scholarship hall, where they have a number of people who live there, that maintains a steady revenue stream to recover the installation costs.”

The Castle Tea Room event space on Massachusetts St. was fitted with a geothermal heat pump when it underwent extensive renovations in 2009.

The Scott Temperature Equipment office building is heated and cooled by a geothermal heat pump they installed last year, Scott said. Scott Temperature also installed geothermal technology in Habitat for Humanity homes in North Lawrence.

Solar Power Solar panel prices have been going down for the past few years, and there is a 20% federal tax credit available for solar panel installation. Couple that with a successful local solar panel installation company, Cromwell Environmental, and more and more businesses and residents are opting to put solar panels on their south-facing roofs.

Solar panels, also called photovoltaic panels, use silicone to transmit energy from the sun to wires inside the panels that then connect with a home or building’s electrical system.

Cromwell installed solar panels on the Poehler lofts in East Lawrence when they were renovated, and Hilary’s Eat Well, a veggie burger manufacturer, recently fitted its headquarter building with solar panels. Even downtown businesses have made solar power work for them, as both Sunflower Outdoor and Liberty Hall

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Sun light travels to Earth

Photovoltaic panels collect sunlight converting to direct current (DC)

Inverter converts Direct Current (DC) to Alternating Current (AC)

Alder Cromwell, Aron Cromwell, Dave Hill, Jeff Hill at Mid American Bank, with Solar Array Baldwin City

installed solar panels within the past year.

Given the low maintenance, decreasing prices and other factors, such as geography, solar power makes more sense than other options for businesses in the area, said Scott White, founder of the Kansas Energy Information Network (KEIN), a compendium of energy news and projects in the Great Plains.

Control Panel distributes power to house or to meter

“Solar is really what is happening in Lawrence right now,” White said. “Wind turbines are the same price as solar, but they have moving parts and you have to maintain them. Because we are in the Kansas River valley, the trees and hills would block wind from the turbines. We would have to put the turbines too high to get them to work properly.”

Solar panel prices will likely continue to decline, whereas natural gas prices will fluctuate and probably go up, so solar is a more stable financial option, White added.

Hydroelectric The presence of Hydroelectric power is clear to anyone crossing the Kansas River north of downtown. Bowersock Mills & Power Co. completed its hydroelectric power plant on the north bank of the Kaw in 2012.

AC electricity travels through house to outlets

“In part, the visibility of our new building has raised the community’s awareness of energy just by its physical presence,” said Sarah Hill-Nelson, co-owner and manager of the Bowersock Mills & Power Company. “Now that this plant is here, not only are people thinking about hydroelectric power, but electricity. They’re asking, ‘Where does the rest of our electricity come from?’”

Hydroelectric power uses the motion of the water to spin a turbine, which then turns a generator and creates electricity. That electricity is then transmitted along traditional wires and poles.

Although the plant is located in Lawrence and employs local workers, all of the power it generates is sent downriver to the Kansas City Board of Public Utilities customers in Wyandotte County. The past two times Bowersock has solicited bids for a Purchase Power Agreement, it has chosen someone other than Westar, which

27

Water is stored in a reservoir and enters the power house through the head gate.

The falling water turns the turbine which turns the generator creating electricity.

Electricty goes to the transformer and out.

the electricity provider for Lawrence and Douglas County.

“It doesn’t affect us pricewise, but we got a new dam out of it,” White said.

Bowersock’s impact isn’t just green in the environmental sense; it’s also green in the financial sense.

“Through the construction process, we spent a ton of money in Lawrence. We tried to give preference to Kansas and Lawrence suppliers when at all possible – down to the fact we spent a lot of time eating at Johnny’s Tavern,” Hill-Nelson said.

Bowersock is the only place in Kansas where it makes physical and financial sense to generate electricity, White said.

“Some groups have analyzed every dam on the lakes in Kansas. The

Sarah Hill-Nelson, Mark Maxwell, Matt Marquette, Shawn Kessinger

Water exits the power house.

Electricity travels out through the transmission lines.

costs of revamping the dams for hydroelectric power are not worth it,” he said.

Hill-Nelson said that nationwide, only about 3 percent of dams have hydropower production on them. So, the potential is huge – possibly as much as the equivalent of 70 nuclear power plants, according to research – if more dams in the U.S. were to be equipped.

She said that, in combination, all the methods of alternative energy generation make the electrical grid more localized and potentially stronger.

“Our distribution system is becoming more robust and powerful,” Hill-Nelson said. “There are little hydro plants, people have solar panels on their roofs, and there is wind power. You’re going to have a much more diverse, stable grid.” ■

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Green Groceries Green Grocers

by ANNE BROCKHOFF photos by STEVEN HERTZOG



Lawrence supermarkets are greener than ever these days, thanks to environmentally minded renovations and projects. The Community Mercantile, Dillons, and Hy-Vee are investing heavily in the local market, while the opening of Natural Grocers in 2011 added more options to the mix.

All are striving to tap into fast-growing consumer demand for eco-friendly products and shopping experiences, but their goals are bigger than that. What’s good for the environment also benefits communities and boosts the bottom line, says Sheila Lowrie, a spokeswoman for Dillons, which is owned by the publicly traded Kroger Co. “Because the margins are so razor thin, if you want to remain competitive, you have to find ways to reinvest in things that matter to customers,” Lowrie says.

Supermarket profit margins shrank to about 1% in 2012, largely due to rising wholesale food costs, according to financial information provider Sageworks. Passing those costs onto consumers is tricky, so stores are instead seeking ways to reduce expenses.

And when it comes to expenses, energy is a big target.

Refrigeration and lighting account for more than half of total energy use in the average supermarket, and every dollar spent to reduce usage is equivalent to increasing sales by $59, according to Energy Star, a voluntary energy efficiency program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Finding the best way to spend those dollars can be challenging, though. That’s why The Merc conducted an energy audit last year.

The cooperative, which has more than 6,500 owner-members, discovered it could reduce energy consumption by 30 percent, with a seven-year payback on the investment. Implementing all the recommended changes at once would cost around $300,000, though.

So The Merc’s Green Team, which includes both owners and employees, is now reviewing the results and developing a methodical plan for upgrading the store’s heating and cooling, refrigeration and lighting systems.

Improvements like weather stripping, caulking and installing strip curtains on walk-in freezer doors have already been finished.

Thermostats will be upgraded, lighting reduced during off-hours and staff trained later this year. Bigger projects like replacing the electric furnaces and installing LED lighting in refrigerated cases are also planned.

It’s all been a long time coming. The Merc began in 1974 as an organized buying club, and it over the years moved through several retail locations before settling into its current home at 9th and Iowa streets in 2001. In 2007, The Merc renovated the 18,000 square foot space, which had operated continuously as a grocery store since 1966.

Still, management was reluctant to invest too heavily in a structure it didn’t own. That changed last year, when The Merc purchased its building under a 10-year financing plan, says store operations manager Brian Phillips.

Electric Vehicle Charging Station at Hy-Vee

“We wanted to stay in this location for a very long time and wanted Take the amount of food that gets thrown away each year. to be able to make those kinds of improvements to the building,” Americans toss about 40% of their food each year, the National Phillips says.

Resource Defense Council estimates. Grocery stores generate a portion of that, and Dillons is working to reduce its share. One The improvements aren’t just structural. The Merc continuously strategy is to partner locally with Harvesters through the Feed reviews the environmental impact of other practices and policies America network to donate safe but unsalable perishable and nonas well. Employees on its Environmental Team have spearheaded perishable food to local food banks. projects such as offering customers paper shopping bags or recycled boxes instead of plastic bags and encouraging them to bring reusable The Dillons at 17th and Massachusetts is also a pilot for composting bags by offering a five-cent bag credit—a payout that added up to and recycling programs company-wide, says Lowrie. Together, they $11,689 in bag credits in 2012. divert 93 percent of the store’s waste from the landfill, earning it the zero waste designation under the EPA’s WasteWise guidelines, The Merc’s annual waste audit spurred improved recycling, and Lowrie says. some 400 pounds of plastic, cardboard, metal and paper are now recycled daily. Another 150,000 pounds of waste is picked up by But that’s not all that’s happening at the location, which Dillons farmers to be composted or fed to livestock each year, Phillips says. opened in 1960 and in 2012 demolished and rebuilt.

The Merc has scaled back on plastic packaging used in its deli, meat and other services, and it enforces an anti-idling policy for delivery The new store now consumes 20 percent less energy, thanks in part to skylights, LED lighting and a slew of monitors and sensors that trucks with diesel engines. ensure the lights operate only as needed. The refrigeration system Meat and dairy products are antibiotic and hormone free, seafood has state-of-the-art compressors, there’s a new fan system in the is sustainably harvested, coffee is Fair deli and 19 sensors that monitor and Trade and organic and deli items are adjust energy consumption store-wide. scratch-made. The Merc also adheres There are low flow toilets and sinks in to a long list of banned ingredients such the bathrooms, drought-tolerant native as artificial colors, parabens and high plants outside, a new bulk food section fructose corn syrup and emphasizes and polished concrete floors throughout locally made and grown products. the store.

“From small decisions to big decisions, we consider the environmental impact in everything we do,” -Brian Phillips

“From small decisions to big decisions, Dillons is also renovating its location at we consider the environmental impact in everything we do,” Phillips 6th Street and Lawrence Avenue, which says. “It is baked into every fiber of our being, so it comes out in opened in 1986 and was last updated in 1994. The company has no everything we do.” plans to remodel its 23rd Street and Naismith Drive store or the location at 6th Street and Wakarusa Drive.

The Merc’s single location means it can quickly institute small changes that have a big impact, such as identifying local products All four of its local stores benefit from Kroger’s environmental with shelf tags that include producer’s photos and their distance policies, such as improving transportation logistics to reduce the from the store. number of trucks on the road, working with the World Wildlife Fund to support wild-caught fishery improvement projects and Change is more challenging for a chain the size of Dillons, which committed to purchasing 100 percent certified sustainable palm oil operates 88 stores in Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. That’s why for use in its corporate brands by the end of 2015.

Dillons, based in Hutchinson, recently launched a campaign designed to tell shoppers exactly how local their food is, says Lowrie. “We look for ways we can make a positive impact socially, on the environment and on the economy,” Lowrie says “We want to Hutchinson dairies supply some 15 million gallons of milk annually improve today so we can protect tomorrow.” to Dillons, and all of the company’s self-stable and organic milk is produced there as well, she says. Dillons’ eggs are also sourced in Hy-Vee shares that forward view. The Iowa-based, employeeHutchinson, its own-brand flour is milled near Wichita and scores owned company last year renovated and expanded its location of other products come from a 400-mile radius. at Clinton Parkway and South Kasold Drive; it also added a gas station and convenience store nearby.

Working with local producers fits Dillons’ overall sustainability policy, which not only addresses the environment but also the Becoming more environmentally sustainable not only helps reduce economic and social needs of the communities in which it operates. operating costs, but also allows the company to lower prices and reinvest in the communities where it operates. That’s especially

Hy-Vee Gas Station Solar Array at Clinton Parkway and Crossgrate

true in the face of rising energy costs, says Andrew Yochum, store director of the Hy-Vee at Clinton Parkway and South Kasold Drive “There are certain things we want to do right,” Yochum says. “If you look to the future, in 10 years how important will this be to our customers but also how much more is energy going to cost?”

Hy-Vee upgraded its refrigeration system, installed LED lighting in the refrigerated cases, incorporated more ambient light near the front of the store and connected most of its lighting to sensors so lights turn themselves off when they’re not being used. Those and other changes meant that even 15,000 square feet of space was added during the renovation, for a total of 76,000 square feet, utility costs have remained the same.

“When you look at it that way, it does make sense to do the things we’re doing,” Yochum says.

Tile floors were replaced with polished concrete, which take no chemicals to maintain. There are electric car charging stations in the parking lot, and the store will soon launch a composting program that Yochum expects will divert as much as 60% of its waste from the landfill.

It’s always more challenging to renovate a building that must remain open during construction. That wasn’t a problem at Hy-Vee’s new gas station and convenience store just off Clinton Parkway, though.

The newly built structure, which Yochum also manages, incorporates structural brick design, a high-energy furnace, skylights, LED lighting wired to dimmers, concrete floors, solar panels, landscaping with native plants and a rainwater collection system that can be used to flush the toilets.

Not that you’d notice most of that, says Yochum, who expects the site to become LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certified.

“Everything flows so seamlessly that you don’t know there’s anything special about it,” he says. “It looks like a conventional building, it acts like a conventional building, it just doesn’t use the energy or have the waste.”

Hy-Vee doesn’t plan to renovate its store at 6th Street and South Monterey Way; the store instead is focusing on other green policies. It recycles plastic shopping bags, as well as cardboard, other plastics, light bulbs and even grease. The store’s looking to divert even more waste and may soon begin composting, says store director Andy Sutton.

The company’s also taking bids on installing LED lights, and it continues expanding the range of local and organic products offered. All that helps keep Hy-Vee competitive, but there’s more to the philosophy than that, Sutton says.

“If it’s right for our community, right for our store and right for our world, Hy-Vee makes the right decision,” he says.

Natural Grocers, which opened at 23rd Street and Naismith Drive in 2011, is also all about making the right decisions.

“It’s imperative that we are sustainable,” says store manager Colby Carter. “We need to return a balance to the ecosystem and provide for future generations.”

The store doesn’t provide shopping bags; customers instead bring their own or use one of the recycled boxes in a bin near the front door. All of the store’s produce is certified organic, and it’s working to bring in more locally made and grown products.

Meat, poultry and eggs are naturally produced according to the company’s own standards, and fish is sustainably wild-caught.

Natural Grocers also has an extensive selection of bulk products that are prepackaged at a central warehouse and shipped to each store. That cuts down on on-site management, waste and packaging, Carter says. Employees recycle cardboard, paper, plastic and other waste, and the building’s design incorporates green lighting, heating and other technologies.

When you’re shopping at a health food store, it’s only natural to assume they are doing their part for saving the environment and reducing their footprint, Carter says.■

NON-PROFIT: byDAISY WAKEFIELD photos by STEVEN HERTZOG

HABITAT for HUMANITY ReSTORE HELPS BUILD HOUSES AND A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER THINGS “We offer a wonderful place to find affordable building materials for small repairs and building projects, as well as providing a place to find unique treasures for repurposing or decorating homes and businesses,” -Michele Johnson Not a lot of non-profits can boast that they can get Batman into their place of business. But when local mechanic Rich Johnson was building his dream Batmobile, he knew where to go to find a few parts. Lawrence ReStore was the perfect place to find metallic laminate from a metal roll top desk, which now perfectly forms the dash of the completed Batmobile.

of facility use as well as donate materials to the offices and homes under construction.

The first Habitat ReStore began in 1992 in Austin, Texas. Today, there are more than 800 ReStores operating in three countries, and some raise enough funds to build an additional 10 or more houses a year.

Habitat ReStore is the go-to place for building materials, shelving, cabinets, appliances, fixtures, and a hodgepodge of items that make their way to the store on Lawrence’s east side. Items are donated, and the landscape of the store changes daily as they receive and move inventory.

“Many ReStores cover the administrative costs of the Habitat affiliate so that 100% of donor funds can be put toward home construction, which is true for our local ReStore,” Michele Johnson, manager of Lawrence’s Habitat ReStore, says. “We are very proud of that!”

The store exists as a funding mechanism for its affiliate, Habitat for Humanity (HFH). Profits from the store are channeled to help HFH’s programs for building homes for families. Last fiscal year, with over $320K in gross revenues, Lawrence Habitat ReStore was able to contribute over $100K to HFH and pay for the overhead

The ReStore benefits from individual donors, many of whom bring their leftover materials to the store after a remodeling project. KU also is a major donor, with an entire warehouse of office furnishings that ReStore’s staff peruses about once a week. Some local building contractors and remodeling companies also bring their leftover materials as donations.

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Local stores that close will also bring their fixtures and other items to the store, which resulted one time in the acquisition of 27 mannequins from Talbot’s. Johnson made a window display out of them and named it “Ladies Night Out.” The ReStore operates with two full-time and two part-time employees. About seven volunteers also come on a weekly basis, including students and student groups and aspiring Habitat homeowners who are working toward their sweat equity quota.

The ReStore attracts a wide range of customers, from people looking for household goods, to artists looking for a unique piece, to store owners looking for display shelving and fixtures. Some customers who are remodeling a room or even a home will come to the ReStore frequently over a length of time, picking up a piece here and there, to do their project with all reclaimed materials.

Johnson and her husband (yes, the other Johnson — the Batmobile creator), rebuilt their home in an old barn red iron structure out of materials they were able to glean from the ReStore.

“I was able to get so much from the ReStore — windows, cabinets, lighting, trim, shelving, vanities, unique furniture. Parts of the Lawrence library are a part of my windowsills.”

the bulletin board had pictures of people who belonged to “ReStore Anonymous.” Some artists come in for their muse, and up-cyclers and re-purposers also come in looking for the basis of their next project. At the front of the store, there is a binder of project ideas from magazines and actual projects from customers who have found things at the ReStore and re-purposed it.

Sometimes the ReStore gets things that even they don’t know what it is. Those are the things they put in the front of the store, and watch people as they puzzle over the piece As much as the ReStore is fulfilling a need in funding HFH, as well as providing the community with a venue for buying materials at 50% or less of retail price, it is also an important community piece in reusing and repurposing things that still have life in them. Last year, the ReStore diverted 300 tons of materials that would have gone to a landfill.

“We offer a wonderful place to find affordable building materials for small repairs and building projects, as well as providing a place to find unique treasures for repurposing or decorating homes and businesses,” Johnson says. “Plus we’re just a really friendly place.

That’s what a few people really come in for.” ■

Because of the ever-changing inventory of the store, some customers come in almost daily to peruse its contents. For awhile, Habitat ReStore is the go-to place for building materials, shelving, cabinets, appliances, and fixtures.

A key p␣rt of the

Afford␣ble C␣re Act, He␣lth Insur␣nce

by Janice Early, MBA, Vice President, Marketing & Communications, Lawrence Memorial Hospital

No doubt, you’ve been hearing about the new Health Insurance Marketplace, a key part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the federal health care reform that was signed into law in 2010. The law was designed to make affordable health care and health insurance available to more people.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 365,000 Kansans – or 13.1 percent of the population – were uninsured in 2010-2011. That rate is significantly lower than the uninsured rate of 16 percent for the United States as a whole in 2010-2011. But the numbers in Douglas County tell a different story. During that same time, about 17.7 percent of Douglas County residents under age 65 were uninsured – that’s about 15,500 of our community neighbors. And just who uninsured Kansans are might surprise people:    

More than half are between 19 and 44 years old.

Two-thirds have family incomes above the federal poverty level.

Two thirds are white non-Hispanic.

Three out of four adults in Kansas are working

Beginning January 1, 2014, the new law says, almost all people must have health insurance or pay a tax penalty. To learn more about insurance offerings for Kansans, including a Cost Calculator, visit the Kansas Insurance Department’s website insureKS.org. The federal website HealthCare.gov provides information about the Health Insurance Marketplace and is the place to enroll online.

This website has been compared to travel websites that let consumers compare flight or hotel rooms. The Marketplace will list all health insurance policies that you are eligible to buy and will provide side-by-side comparisons.

All health insurance plans offered on the Marketplace are qualified health plans and must cover these “essential health benefits”:

         

Plans are categorized into bronze, silver, gold and platinum. All offer the same set of essential health benefits.

In general, bronze-level plans with lower premiums will have higher out-of-pocket costs, which may be good for relatively healthy people who do not need a lot of medical care or prescription drugs. On the other hand, platinum-level plans will tend to have the highest premiums, but you will pay less out-of-pocket costs.

A platinum level plan may be right for you if you expect a lot of doctor or hospital visits or require many prescription drugs.

Everyone is eligible to buy health insurance, even people with preexisting conditions. Insurance companies may no longer charge more just because someone has been sick in the past, and women may not be charged more than men.

Previously, insurance companies would use health status and other factors to determine premium costs. Now companies may only use these four factors to determine premium amounts:    

38

Ambulatory (outpatient) services Emergency services Hospitalization Maternity and newborn care Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment Prescription drugs Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices, Laboratory services, Preventive and wellness service and chronic disease managment Pediatric services, including dental and vision care

Your age Whether you are purchasing coverage for yourself or for yourself and family members.

Where you live Whether you use tobacco

Enrollment starts October 1 for coverage that begins as soon as January 1, 2014, and enrollment will be open until March 31.

The website, HealthCare.gov, provides information about the Health Insurance Marketplace. For Spanish-speaking consumers, CuidadoDeSalud.gov also has been updated in preparation for the coming Marketplace. On the websites, you also can see if you qualify for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or savings you can use now to lower your health insurance premiums.

Consumer assistance will be available online, on the phone or in person. A toll-free number, 1-800-318-2596, will be answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Customer service representatives will be available to speak in English and Spanish, and there will be a language line to assist callers with more than 150 languages.

Trained, unbiased professionals – known as certified navigators and certified application counselors – also will be available in the community. In Lawrence, Heartland Community Health Center was awarded funding for a navigator, and many other community organizations, including Health Care Access, Douglas County Senior Services, Lawrence Public Library, Lawrence Memorial Hospital, are expected to offer education and assistance. Watch for announcements in the media about efforts to educate the community about this complex law. ■

Green Design

by ANNE BROCKHOFF photos by STEVEN HERTZOG

Green is good. Just look at all the products, projects and programs marketed as such. But what does being “green” really mean when it comes to design?

At first glance, there’s no easy answer. Green thinking informs decisions big and small, from materials selection and landscaping to energy and water. It’s applied to single projects, folded into mission statements and guides new construction and renovations.

In the end, though, green design translates into a single idea.

“It really talks about being a good steward to the earth and maintaining sustainability for future generations,” says Dan Sabatini of Sabatini Architects.

More companies than ever are adopting that mindset. A growing number are building green to lower operation costs, burnish their brand, make properties more attractive to buyers and tenants and otherwise drive business growth, according to the U.S. Green Building Council.

As much as 48% of new U.S. nonresidential construction (by value) will be green by 2015, as well as more than onequarter of nonresidential retrofits and renovations, the USGBC estimates. And that national trend is increasingly visible in Lawrence, Sabatini says.

“We’re seeing more and more (clients) get it,” he says.

“They understand what it can mean.”

For Sabatini, green is synonymous with timeless.

He grew up in Topeka, a city littered with historic buildings constructed in styles ranging from art deco and neoclassical to Spanish colonial revival and Italian renaissance.

Many are substantial stone or brick structures that not only served their original purpose, but also endured to adapt to modern needs. That they didn’t end up as so many tons of debris in the landfill is green in and of itself, Sabatini says, and he strives for that kind of longevity in projects such as Bowersock Mills & Power Company’s new powerhouse.

“We were shooting for a building that could last 100 years with minimal maintenance,” Sabatini says of the expansion, which sits across the Kansas River from

Bowersock’s original powerhouse.

Designing for the future isn’t so much an interior challenge, but rather a structural one. That technology, lighting fixtures, heating and cooling and other systems will change is a given. It’s the bigger challenges that intrigue Sabatini.

“Gravity is still going to be the same. Water’s always going to try to get into buildings,” he says. “We’re really trying to design for the main elements that effect the building.

“If you can keep the shell of the building intact, then that’s where you can design for the long-term.”

The Lawrence Public Library is perhaps one of the most vivid local examples of that. The building, which was

originaly constructed at 7th and Vermont streets in 1972, was stripped down to its shell over the summer amid a $19 million renovation.

The plan calls for recycling more than half the construction waste, recycling or repurposing components from the old library, cutting water and energy usage by 30 percent and reducing the heat island effect by putting parking under cover, according to the city’s web site.

The project is not only expected to generate significant savings; the city also hopes it will also join the growing ranks of LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certified buildings in Lawrence.

LEED provides independent, third-party verification of how a building stacks up when it comes to sustainable site development, water and energy efficiency, materials selection and the quality of the interior environment. Some 3,000 projects comprising 10.1 billion square feet in the U.S. and globally are currently participating in LEED certification. In Kansas, 268 commercial buildings and 148 residential homes are registered and certified, the USGBC says.

According to the organization, three have received certification in Lawrence—the University of Kansas’ Center for Design Research (platinum), Westar’s operations center (silver) and Western Extralite’s distribution facility (silver). At least half a dozen more are registered but have yet to be awarded ratings, according to the USGBC.

Dan Sabatini at Bowersock Dam

Improvements in building codes mean new structures are inherently more environmentally friendly than those built 20 or 30 years ago, says Tim Herndon, a Lawrence-based landscape architect and urban planner. But LEED ensures projects go beyond those basic requirements to address a wide range of issues from the earliest planning stages.

“You can’t throw a building up and paint some green things on, and then ask for LEED certification,” Herndon says. “It begins with the ground you start on.”

That was Western Extralite’s strategy when it built a new 40,000 square-foot distribution center near the intersection of Ousdahl Road and West 31st Street in 2010.

“We sell energy solutions,” says Mike Higgins, regional vice president of the Kansas City-based company. “We figured we’d better walk the talk if we were building a new building.”

Western Extralite occupies half the building and leases the remainder. Of the approximately 20,000 square feet the electrical and datacomm supply company uses, about a third is office space. The rest is a typical warehouse with 24-foot ceilings that under normal conditions would be challenging to heat and cool.

Tim Herndon at Lawrence Country Club

But this warehouse is anything but normal. Instead of dozens of industrial high bay lighting fixtures, the handful of fluorescent lights are supplanted by large skylights that magnify and diffuse light coming in from outside.

“During the summer, we don’t use the warehouse lights after 9 a.m., but people swear they’re on,” Higgins says.

Lighting in both the warehouse and office area is zoned and fitted with occupancy sensors, fixtures that allow for full- or half-lighting, variable dimmers and task lighting, depending on the zone. Employees control the amount of light they need; if they don’t need it, they turn it off.

The energy-efficient Daikin heating and cooling system Western Extralite uses in its offices is also zoned. In the warehouse, it uses a Cambridge Engineering heater that lightly pressurizes the space, pushing cold air out in the winter and re-circulating warm air from the ceiling down. Exhaust fans provide cooling during warmer months. “(Employees) felt the warehouse was about 15 degrees cooler than the old building,” Higgins says. “It’s very comfortable compared to most warehouses.”

Western Extralite also used certified sustainable wood and lowVOC paint, carpet, adhesives and other finishes on the interior; purchased many materials from suppliers within 500 miles of Lawrence; and installed reflective roofing.

Splitting the parking lot evenly between asphalt and concrete reduced the heat island effect. The company also planted landscaping to capture and filter storm water runoff and diverted about ten dump trucks’ worth of construction waste from the landfill.

But just making these and other environmentally friendly choices wasn’t enough to earn LEED certification. Western Extralite also had to prove they’d done it. Higgins credits Mar Lan Construction for not only helping the company meet its goals, but for keeping detailed records to verify each point on its LEED scorecard.

Building green added between 5 percent and 7 percent to the building’s construction cost, but Higgins expects to recoup that cost in about 10 years. That’s largely thanks to the energy savings—utilities between Western Extralite’s new, larger facility and its previous 12,000 square-foot one are “virtually the same,” he says. But that’s not the only benefit.

“It’s reduced our carbon footprint and gives us the feel-good of not just trying to tell businesses they can save energy—we can show them,” Higgins says.

Greg Thomas at 804 Design Building KU West Campus

Showcasing green techniques and technology is also the point of Studio 804, the University of Kansas School of Architecture, Design and Planning’s design-build program. Students create a project a

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“(Employees� felt the warehouse was about 15 degrees cooler than the old building, It’s very comfortable compared to most warehouses.”

-Mike Higgins

year, among which are KU’s LEED-platinum Center for Design Research on 15th Street and the Hill Engineering Research and Development Center on KU’s west campus, which the university says has also earned LEED’s platinum designation.

The Center for Design Research opened in 2011 and includes everything from 32 solar panels and wind turbine to a living roof, dimmable windows, smart technologies that minimize energy consumption and an electric car charging station.

“It’s a boutique to look at wind power, solar—the whole sustainability package,” says director Greg Thomas.

The Hill center opened earlier this year and will house KU EcoHawks, a School of Engineering student research program that focuses on sustainable energy for automobiles and infrastructure.

Constructed from recycled and reclaimed aluminum and glass, the building also uses motorized sunshades made from Aerogel insulating panels, solar panels, electric vehicle charging stations and other energy-conserving technologies.

While such technologies can still be expensive and challenging to integrate into conventional systems and buildings, Thomas sees greater demand for materials, products and expertise expanding supply and reducing costs.

Meanwhile, there are still plenty of cost-effective choices, says Aron Cromwell, owner of Cromwell Solar.

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Darron Amman at Farmland

INTRUST BANK

“You can do things that don’t necessarily cost an enormous amount of money,” Cromwell says. “The cheapest thing to change is our behavior.”

Weather stripping doors and windows, caulking, selecting Energy Star-rated appliances and replacing frequently used light fixtures or bulbs with LED versions all reduce energy consumption. Businesses can also take part in Westar Energy’s WattSaver program, which provides programmable thermostats free of charge.

Still, the state does lag behind others in offering renewable energy incentives. What is available: systems are exempt from state property taxes and qualify for a 30 percent federal tax credit. Businesses can also take advantage of an accelerated depreciation schedule.

But there’s still the up-front cost, which can run about $20,000 for a small residential installation, Cromwell says. That’s why he’s recently launched a solar lease program in partnership with Mid America Bank.

“Starting in those areas that are relatively inexpensive makes the most sense,” Cromwell says. “If you give people a laundry list of things that are expensive and difficult, a lot of it doesn’t get done.”

The bank pays for the installation cost and claims the tax credit and depreciation savings. Cromwell installs and maintains it. The customer pays Mid America a monthly fee while benefiting from the energy savings.

Even bigger projects are easier these days. When it comes to solar, modern photovoltaic panels are more efficient and less expensive than their predecessors, and the inverter technology that connects them to the power grid is vastly improved, Cromwell says.

“It really amounts to a zero-percent loan,” Cromwell says.

“We’re taking advantage of increasing electricity rates and decreasing solar costs, and we have a leasing partner who’s willing to make it work.”

“Panels have gotten more efficient as the years have gone by,” he says, “but the truly remarkable thing is the way they speak to your other source of power.”

Many states, including Kansas, also have net metering laws that require utilities to absorb excess electricity generated by customers’ renewable energy systems and credit them for the retail value. When a system’s output exceeds current usage, the excess electricity feeds into the grid. It can then be used at a later date—say, on an overcast winter day when little solar power is being generated—at no charge.

“It functions like a battery,” Cromwell says of net metering.

Solar panels provide visible evidence of a company’s “green” commitment, but bigger efforts are sometimes harder to see. Take storm water. Most people don’t consider where it goes once it runs down the gutter, but it’s a subject that Darron Amman, a senior project manager and LEED-certified landscape architect for engineering firm Bartlett & West, gives a lot of thought to.

Amman works with clients like Farmland Industries to configure storm water systems that improve ground water quality through the use of detention basins and ponds, greenways and other features. It all adds up to better water for the community, he says.

“When you’re managing storm water, you’re filtering pollutants and helping clean the water before it gets back to the river,” Amman says.

Recycling storm water can also cut dependence on other water sources, says Tim Herndon. He cites Lawrence Country Club, where he helped create a system of ponds that capture storm water; that’s then used to irrigate the club’s golf course.

“These are massive decisions that can be made, that are made, on a day-to-day basis that have tremendous impact,” Herndon says.

That was the goal with Bauer Farms, near 6th Street and Wakarusa Drive, which Herndon helped design. Its streets mimic a downtown block in order to maximize their flexibility and adapt as uses change and businesses come and go, he says.

Such projects illustrate just one of many definitions of green design. And while “green” can mean many things, one fact remains undeniable, says KU’s Thomas.

“It’s evolved from the fad stage,” he says. “It’s reality now.

That’s the greatest thing that can happen, and now we have the momentum to go forward.”■

Among those decisions is how a community expands.

Encouraging development in areas with existing infrastructure helps protect green spaces and natural resources, the USGBC says. Boosting development density, or the number of people living and working within a neighborhood, also get more value out of investments in utilities, sewers, streets and other infrastructure, Herndon says.

“We can neglect the opportunities to really take advantage of investment and infrastructure by not putting more people in a given location,” he says.

Planning for a neighborhood’s long-term viability is also essential to sustainable urban planning, Herndon says.

While it’s impossible to imagine how a development might evolve over the decades or even centuries, it is possible to build in flexibility that allows for evolution, he says.

Aron Cromwell at Poehler Lofts

Westar’s Green Commitment

by EMILY MULLIGAN photos by STEVEN HERTZOG

The tall red-and-white stack of Westar Energy’s Lawrence coal plant, the Lawrence Energy Center, is one of the most visible sights in the area, aside from Fraser Hall atop the University of Kansas campus. With recent large-scale environmental improvements at the plant, both of those vistas may be clearer than ever.

“Some companies wait and act only after the rule comes out, but Westar’s proactive approach allowed us to be in the front of the line, get the best contractors and negotiate great rates,” Mussetter said. “Although $325 million is a big number, it could have been a lot more, and that would affect our customers.”

From 2009 until this spring, Westar has designed and constructed $325 million of environmental upgrades at the Lawrence Energy Center, complying with the federal Clean Air Act and the Regional Haze Agreement between Westar and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).

The upgrades have reduced the three primary pollutants from the plant by significant amounts: particulate matter is down 74%, sulfur dioxide is down 27%, and nitrogen oxide is down 30%.

The plant has three active generators – two others have been decommissioned in the past 20 years – and the upgrades incorporated all three, with the most extensive work on the plant’s newest generator, Unit 5, built in 1971. At the time it was built, Unit 5 had some of the first pollution control equipment in the country, Mussetter said.

Troy Mussetter, executive director and plant manager of the Lawrence Energy Center, which employs 113 people, oversaw up to 350 contractors at the plant site during the three years of planning and construction. Kansas City engineering firm Black & Veatch planned and designed the upgrades.

This summer, after construction was complete, Mussetter played host to the Environmental Protection Agency at the plant, to tour the upgrades and also show how EPA guidelines are translated and implemented in the field. The Lawrence Energy Center was one of the first coal plants in the country to put the most recent Clean Air Act guidelines into action.

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IT’S IN THE BAG The new pollution control on units 4 and 5 involves technology with a deceivingly simple name: bags. But these are not ordinary bags. They are constructed with a P84/fiberglass blend and are about 30 feet long and 10 inches in diameter, and they each fit over a cage face below the generators’ stacks. The bags filter the fly ash in units 4 and 5, and they are the reason for the drastic decrease in particulate matter released by the plant.

Unit 4 has 8,000 bags, and Unit 5 has 10,000 bags contained in the newly constructed bag houses. Every three years, the bags will be replaced, making them lower maintenance than the scrubbers used previously, which required the units to be offline once a year for maintenance.

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In addition to the pollution reduction, the bag houses allow for a beneficial reuse of the fly ash captured in the bags.

“For reuse, the fly ash can be mixed with concrete. Road construction crews love that material, and now we can collect the ash and sell it. That money goes back to the customer,” Mussetter said.

How to conserve energy: Monitor energy use

★ Westar Energy Dashboard account Tracks usage and billing information www.westarenergy.com

★ Westar WattSaver programmable thermostat Free programmable thermostat

As part of the upgrades, concrete cylindrical towers were constructed near units 4 and 5 that can accommodate rail cars and semi trucks to collect the fly ash. A chute deposits fly ash directly into the rail car or truck, and it is on its way to the construction site.

ROCK AND ROLL In order to reduce sulfur dioxide www.westarenergy.com emissions, the plant uses age-old technology – with modern efficiencies, of course. Limestone is placed in a cylindrical tumbler, along with metal balls and then finely ground. It is then mixed into a slurry and used as a filter for material exiting the generators.

Call 888-753-6523 or

Mussetter said Westar purchases its limestone from the local Hamm’s quarry. That, in addition to water from the Kansas River to power its boilers and natural gas from Southern Star, is the one of the main vendors that the plant uses, aside from coal.

“It’s nice to be able to use a local company like Hamm’s,” Mussetter said.

WATCHFUL EYE Although activity at the plant is a bit calmer now that the construction is complete and the contractors are gone, Mussetter knows that environmental oversight is a continuous process.

“I’m complete with my upgrade, but what will be my next upgrade?

Is the technology even there to do it? That’s always a challenge to us,” he said. “The next technology may be mercury control; the rule is out in draft to the EPA. That would be a significantly smaller effort than this.”

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The plant has hired an environmental engineer specifically to keep track of the latest policy as it develops. That will help them plan ahead for any future improvements.

Environmentalists in Kansas concede that the Lawrence Energy Center upgrades are an improvement - but burning coal as a fuel will always affect air quality, along with other environmental impacts. Scott White, founder of the Kansas Energy Information Network, a compendium of energy news and projects in the Great Plains, said that the Lawrence plant upgrades are progress.

“Westar did put in controls – the Lawrence plant used to be the lowest ranked in their fleet,” he said .

In the meantime, coal-powered electricity is still the main energy source for residences and businesses. Energy conservation efforts have increased in the past 15-20 years, with Energy Star products and improved computer technology. Even with devices such as tablets and smartphones, White said those still had to be recharged regularly using, of course, electricity.

“Your average person probably hasn’t sacrificed in comforts.

I’d guess they’ve moved to more efficient means of getting those comforts. We buy more efficient products, but then we buy more of them,” White said.

HELP FOR BUSINESSES The Lawrence Energy Center upgrades are by far the most extensive and expensive environmental improvements that Westar has made in recent years, but the company continues to make strides toward helping its customers use less electricity.

Matt Lehrman, Westar account manager for customer programs, recently represented Westar for the city of Lawrence’s Green Business Leaders initiative, which advised downtown businesses on how to decrease their environmental impact. Lehrman said that although energy auditors dispensed good advice about upgrades such as insulation and LED lights, the businesses were most impressed with Westar’s Energy Dashboard, which allows them to track energy use.

Any business that is a Westar customer can set up its own Energy Dashboard account through the Westar website. The Dashboard allows both residential and business customers to track their energy use, as detailed as 15-minute increments, to see when they are using the most energy and how much it costs them. Information displayed on the Dashboard is tracked within an eight-hour delay, so it is almost instant feedback.

Lehrman said that being able to track energy use in small increments is especially helpful to businesses, because they must pay a demand charge based on their time of highest usage in the month, in addition to their actual usage.

Troy Mussetter, Executive Director and Plant Manager, Lawrence Energy Center

“So if your business opens at a certain hour, you can see when you turned on the coffee pots, the air conditioning, things like that, and get an idea how that affects your bill. You might want to turn on those things at different times, to keep your demand charge less,” he said. “That also decreases the demand from Westar and allows us to operate more efficiently.”

The Dashboard also allows businesses to receive weekly email updates about their bill and to look back and compare bills month to month or year to year – complete with information about what the temperature was on any given day.

Westar also offers its WattSaver thermostat program to businesses, providing a free programmable thermostat, so businesses can automatically power down furnaces and air conditioners when facilities are not occupied.

ELECTRIC FLEET Westar is on the cutting-edge of automotive technology and hopes other businesses will follow suit.

“In the Westar fleet, we have 31 plug-in vehicles, including Chevy Volt, Ford Focus and Ford Fusion. Also, our bucket trucks, which are diesel, use a rechargeable battery to operate their boom, so there is no gas use when they are sitting still on a job,” Lehrman said.

The Westar fleet vehicles use both electric and gas, which means that when the electric charge wears off, typically after 80 to 100 miles of driving, gasoline begins powering the car. Lehrman said that the vehicles could plug into any outlet and do not necessarily require a special type of plug, although that isan optional upgrade.

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Westar Energy has 31 electric vehicles in its fleet.

The Westar headquarters and each of its plants have charging stations for the fleet vehicles. More and more charging stations are popping up in towns around the eastern half of the state, as well, and several businesses in Kansas have begun to equip their fleets with electric vehicles.

Lehrman said that there weren’t any businesses with electric fleet yet in Lawrence, but there is a public electric vehicle charging station at the University of Kansas’ Center for Design Research on West Campus. There is also a charging station at Hy-Vee on Clinton Parkway. Lehrman hopes that Lawrence will follow the lead of other cities in the United States that are constructing electric vehicle charging stations, ideally leading to more electric vehicles on the road. ■

WHY LOCAL? ‘Green’ efforts setting roots in Lawrence

by MARK FAGAN

Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM) is among the world’s largest agricultural companies. Among the most advanced tech companies. Heck, it’s among the most ardent advocates for new processes, products and markets in the world.

And it’s developing some of its most promising efforts in sustainability right here, in a small-but-growing lab in Lawrence.

“They’re testing the waters to see where their research will take them,” says Mike Smithyman, director of operations for the Bioscience and Technology Business Center, a complex that includes the ADM lab in Lawrence. “They’ve had success that’s warranted them investing more resources.”

Turns out that the ADM lab — part of a research-seekingcommercialization project that already has attracted $2.4 million from ADM, to go along with $6.8 million in state and federal grants — is among several mounting investments from the private sector in so-called “green” technology, sustainability-related products and associated services. Together, such initiatives represent what local officials hope will be foundational investments in Lawrence itself.

“This helps us build momentum,” Smithyman says. “Then there’s a snowball effect, to attract more and more companies and collaborations to the area.”

With customers, businesses and industries increasingly seeking ways to reduce the world’s reliance on fossil fuels, a rising number of entrepreneurs and industrial giants alike are settling — and growing — in Lawrence, a university community where risktaking is welcome, expertise is readily available and private and public support is both available and essential.

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The University of Kansas provides a plentiful source of scientists, researchers and students looking to change the world — one molecule, fuel source or other advancement at a time. KU also works with the city of Lawrence and Douglas County to finance and operate the Bioscience and Business Technology Center, a complex of incubator spaces that come with business services that allow proven ideas to grow into actual products and services, ones with potential commercial futures.

The combination is convincing businesses — some spawned by KU research, others licensing such science or simply feeding off the momentum it builds — to set up shop in town, as officials look forward to a future of robust hiring, scientific investment and overall success for all involved.

“The BTBC at KU has been a powerful recruitment tool for the region, as evidenced by the numerous companies that have chosen to locate in our BTBC facilities,” says Joe Monaco, a KU spokesman who assists center clients. “The BTBC is an especially good option for companies involved in green technology and sustainability, as KU has incredible expertise in these areas.

“When a company chooses the BTBC, they get access to KU experts in climate change, environmental impact assessment research, energy production, and related areas. That’s why the BTBC at KU is such a great draw for a company involved in green tech.”

So far three so-called “green” operations have set up shop within the BTBC: ADM, whose biorefining efforts could lead to stronger, more flexible and more sustainable plastics.

Midwest Energy Solutions, an alternative energy company that designs and installs renewable energy solutions for homes, vehicles and businesses.

or diesel fuel. The goal is to enable consumers and businesses to be able to use such plentiful and efficient fuel conveniently, even by refueling in their own garages or driveways.

360 Energy Engineers, which works to help clients improve energy efficiency of their buildings.

“We’re addressing this country’s addiction to foreign oil, protecting the environment and creating new jobs,” Batten says. “I’m proud of that.”

All three are doing more than simply existing. They’re growing.

They’re hiring. They’re leading.

“They are good to have here, because it’s a reflection of where the economy is going and it just shows that ‘green’ companies — companies in that space — continue to grow and prosper,” Smithyman says. “It’s really good for us because they’re doing well and actually creating jobs.”

BIOREFINING ADM moved into its lab space last year at the BTBC Expansion Facility, at 4950 Research Parkway in western Lawrence. Two post-doctoral scientists from ADM have been in the lab since last summer, and within the past couple months the company has hired a full-time manager — another post-doc from KU’s Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis —to help advance ADM’s efforts in Lawrence.

The materials being developed in the 1,200-square-foot lab area aren’t quite ready to be used for PVC pipes at construction sites, or in drink bottles sold in sporting goods stores, or in any other applications envisioned through biorefining efforts.

But the work is promising, says Bala Subramaniam, director of KU’s Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis, which has been working with ADM for more than nine years. And such an ongoing partnership is good for everyone, including folks looking to generate a critical mass of technology companies — “green” or otherwise.

“That’s the goal — to attract companies here to work with each other and with KU,” Subramaniam said last year, when ADM set up the lab.

EFFICIENT FUELS, ENERGY Midwest Energy Solutions is among companies capitalizing on the KU connection, working out of a BTBC building at the KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. Michael Batten, the firm’s founder and president, describes the BTBC’s business development services and opportunities for research collaboration as “ideal” for an energy and technologybased company like his.

“We have everything we need to expand here,” he says.

Midwest Energy Solutions aims to convert vehicles to using an alternative form of gas: compressed natural gas instead of gasoline

BTBC’s main building in Lawrence, at 2029 Becker Drive on KU’s West Campus, is home to another firm working in the “green” space: 360 Energy Engineers. The firm opened its Lawrence office in 2010 with four employees; today it has 10, with plans for more.

The BTBC provides work space, and helps with basic businesses services. KU supplies plenty of qualified and motivated candidates for jobs and internships. The Lawrence community offers a future.

“The BTBC is the ideal location for us,” says Joe Hurla, a partner in the firm and director of business development. “This is a community that is open to greener technologies and those types of businesses. We see us having some further expansion here.”

PROMISING FUTURE? All three “green” firms are working through their own forms of success now: landing clients, testing technologies, investigating opportunities.

City and county officials, of course, continue investing in the BTBC concept — and construction and acquisition of buildings and equipment — with eyes toward the future: Firms hiring more engineers, entrepreneurs capitalizing on new ideas, even multinational companies refining new market opportunities.

Nobody can say whether biorefining products born here in town — if proven viable in the lab — could be developed and also manufactured and distributed in Lawrence. It’s much too early for that kind of talk.

But the simple fact that Lawrence even is in the conversation is saying something.

“We seek to create an infrastructure in Lawrence that can help those companies land, or exit — as we say, ‘graduate’ — from our system, and then thrive in the local community,” Smithyman says.

“That’s our over arching goal.” ■

Making

Big Things Happen

Rock Chalk Park financing provided by Member FDIC

BOOTH’S BOOMER PERSPECTIVE

by HANK BOOTH photo by STEVEN HERTZOG

From the Disposable Society To the Recycling Generation

➤ Hank Booth at the Wal-Mart Recycling Center

Driving into the parking lot in front of the Wal-Mart Recycling Center on a hot August afternoon, the thought struck me that “I’ve come a long way baby!”

the new “what’s hip” look each season and the old threads went to the back of the closet, ultimately to be discarded. The convenient disposable age was the new way of life.

My old Jeep was loaded with a whole bunch of stuff that, just a few years ago, would have been hauled away by the trash truck without another thought. Heck, I complained when they cut the pickup to just once a week. Our family was the trash-producing champion of the neighborhood. Now here I was sorting through plastic bottles, cans, plastic packaging and a bunch of well-read newspapers and magazines.

And what about gas mileage? Who cared! Gas was $.25 a gallon, even less if there was a “Gas War” going on. Four hundred cubic inches of engine and zero to sixty in a few short seconds was what impressed the girls and that’s what mattered, even if you only earned a buck an hour. The bigger the car, the better for Mom and Dad. They had lived thru the gas rationing WW II years with many staples in short supply. Use it up and toss it out felt kind of good for a change.

Actually, I was shamed into my new era of taking care of disposables by our grandkids who were shocked to discover that ‘Boppo’ was throwing away such junk without a care in the world.

Now I’m visiting my new friends behind the drive-up windows for recycling on a regular basis. You know what? There are more of us New Generation, Boomer, retirement eligible Seniors out there than those other disposables producing age groups. The “little old ladies and gents” loading their recycle junk into carts to wheel to the windows, not to death in the trash dumps, but to a rebirth into who knows what form.

If you think about it, when we were kids growing up, we lived in the beginning of the disposable years. Get it off the shelf at the store, use it up, and throw anything left away. Our mealtimes were all about TV dinners, instant pudding and instant coffee. Frozen foods replaced fresh produce and the drive-in restaurant became family dinner a couple of nights a week.

Then up popped the microwave oven and it took just a couple of minutes to make an entire meal! It didn’t taste very good, but what the heck it didn’t taste good really fast. Every package, wrapper and cup was headed for the trash can. Clothing styles changed with

Now the grand kids have introduced me to the new world order.

Conserve, reuse and recycle has replaced buy it and who cares what happens to the leftovers, except at the dinner table, where we still heard there were starving children somewhere. That didn’t really matter when we were younger. The economy was going great guns, new businesses were springing up everywhere, television, central Heat and AC were coming for everybody. Who cares how much non-renewable energy we used up, there so much we never gave it a thought. How the times have changed.

I think about the crowds gathered at meetings I’ve attended discussing land use issues, alternative energy sources and production, public transportation, curb side recycling service. It’s the older crowd carrying much of the message of conservation and living in a cleaner environment. Don’t get me wrong, we in the Boomer Generation are learning much from our children and grandchildren, but we need to be directly involved in the future planning and most importantly carrying out the mission of conservation and recycling. Maybe in part it’s because we share the guilt for being youngsters taking part in the Disposable Era of American life. ■

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Business striving for friendliness to the environment and benefits to their customers

by DAISY WAKEFIELD photos by STEVEN HERTZOG

There are businesses that recycle paper and call themselves green, and then there are businesses that really have eco-friendliness woven into the fabric of their daily processes. The following local businesses are standouts in sustainability.

Basic Carpet Care, Owner Mike Brummett Heavy soap use in carpet cleaning is not only bad for the environment, it actually makes the carpet more susceptible to soils and stains afterwards because of the sticky factor. Basic Carpet Care uses the steam extraction method of cleaning, which cleans carpets through high temperature water misting without the use of chemicals. It shakes the dirt and grime loose and then pulls it out. And instead of draining the dirty water into the sewage system, owner Mike Brummett has a special holding tank on his property that the water is dumped into and eventually seeps into the ground. basiccarpetcare.com Eco Logic Cleaners, Owner Santa Berlioz While conventional dry cleaners use petroleum based solvents to clean clothes, Eco Logic Cleaners uses liquid silicone from Green Earth Cleaning, made out of sand, heat and water. There’s no cleanup, no emissions, and no VOCs. The price is competitive with other cleaners, the clothes leave behind no chemical smell and the entire process is easier on fabrics. Founded in 2009, Eco Logic is a family run business that opened a second store last October in response to demand.

601 Kasold Dr. 2540 S. Iowa

Aveena Natural Cleaning Services, Owner Laurie Wilson The cleaners at Aveena Natural Cleaning Services are tired of the myths, especially the one about having to use chemicals to really get the dirt out. They wager that they can clean anything just as well with vinegar and baking soda as any chemical on the market — the secret is in knowing the surface. The five to ten cleaners at Aveena clean for about 50 Lawrence households, many of whom have allergies or sensitivities to chemicals. They use vinegar, baking soda, essential oils, and lemon, among other natural cleaners that are friendly to the environment.

Lawrence Automotive Diagnostics, Owners Danny & Beth Fox Sure, you get your oil changed, or your antifreeze drained, or your tires replaced — and then you drive away without a thought to the used chemicals and materials left behind. That’s for Lawrence Auto Diagnostics to take care of - and they do. They discard the leftover oil and chemicals through various companies that come to pick up and recycle the materials, including one that takes used tires and breaks them down to use in park benches and playground turfs. lawrenceautodiag.com 2858 Four Wheel Dr.

(785) 841-3133 721 E. 9th St.

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LED Source, Owner Adam Ritchie There are three kinds of bulbs used for creating light - an incandescent bulb, a compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL), and a light emitting diode (LED). Only one has a computer chip and a semiconductor inside. While LEDs are more expensive than the other two, they last longer (40 times longer than an incandescent and 5 times longer than a CFL), and are by far the most environmentally friendly of the three, from manufacturing to disposal. LED Source has been retrofitting Lawrence businesses with the LEDs, saving them up to 85% in lighting electricity costs.

Ledsource.com/lawrence004 10 E. 9th Street

Minute Man Press, Owner Dee Bisel Dee Bisel, owner of Minute Man Press, is clear - she is not trying to be green; she is being green. The proof is in the independent third party audit that occurs every other year to evaluate her status as a certified Sustainable Green Printer (SGP). The audit challenges every facet of the business, including materials in the inks, air and sound quality, cleaners for the building, types of fertilizer and ice melt used, and safety procedures. There are no petroleum-based products in the building and they recycle 87% of all products used.

The SGP status has grown the business by 15%, Bisel says, and some companies are keen to have the green printer logo printed on their pieces. minutemanlawrence.com 501 Gateway Dr.

Roundhouse Works, Owner Ted Freeman Ted Freeman’s handmade birdhouses are pieces of poetry hanging all over Lawrence and beyond. Made of reclaimed wood and tin, the birdhouses are a blend of rustic charm and sophisticated design. Freeman started the business two years ago as a second career and has sold about 140 houses through his website or at art shows. He scours Craigslist for wood and tin of barns that are being torn down and also uses eBay to find metal. Last year at Lawrence’s Art in the Park, Freeman’s birdhouses won Best in Show. http://www.etsy.com/shop/Roundhouseworks

downtown lawrence unusual?

here’s a sign.

Our newest location in the Peoples Bank building at 8th and New Hampshire is now open.

Banking Unusual is “Open For Business” downtown to help you reach your financial goals.

Count on world-class service, delivered by Peoples bankers you know and trust.

A 24/7 ATM is available, too.

And while you’re in the building, check out Sandbar Subs, our very hip roommate.

Heck, yes, Downtown Lawrence is Unusual.

Come see for yourself.

745 New Hampshire Hours: M–F 9am-5:30pm bankingunusual.com Member FDIC

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Vinland Valley Nursery, Owners Doug Davidson & Amy Albright

Sunfl ower Outdoor and Bike, Owner Dan Hughes In the time that Dan Hughes has been at Sunflower Outdoor and Bike, first as an employee, and eventually as an owner, he’s biked to work. Since 1989, through inclement weather, less-than-friendly motorists, and spotty biking infrastructure, he’s biked. And the employees and clients of the shop - they bike too. Some do it just for recreation, but some are diehards who actively eschew petroleumbased transportation. And when they need new parts or repairs for their ride, or just someone that speaks bike-talk, they know where to go. t sunfloweroutdoorandbike.com 804 Massachusetts St.

Vinland Valley Nursery are aiming to make the world a better place by growing plants. Using organic potting mixes, fertilizers, and pest control, their goal is to build a balanced ecosystem that is friendly to people and animals. The nursery abounds in native plants that thrive in local conditions, reducing the amount of resources needed while providing necessary shelter and food to local wildlife. They also partner with local non-profits and schools to build garden habitats, as well as offset propane and energy use with the purchase of green tags. vinlandvalleynursery.com 1606 N 600 Rd., Baldwin City, KS Warren-McElwain Mortuary & Cremation Services, Owner Larry McElwain The City of Lawrence approved the first Natural Burial Cemetery in the state in 2008, located in Oak Hill Cemetery. Since then, Warren-McElwain Mortuary has done 4 or 5 natural burials at the site. The body is not preserved or embalmed in any way and is lowered to the ground in only a shroud or in a casket made of biodegradable material, such as bamboo. Eventually, the body and casket are broken down and returned to the earth. warrenmcelwain.com 120 West 13th St., 120 West 13th St.

Z’s Coffee, Owner Sherry Bowden The people at Z’s Coffee aren’t content just to make customers happy through their certified organic coffees that have been roasted in small batches. They want the happiness to extend to people’s gardens by using the leftover grounds as soil amendments or compost nutrients. Coffee grounds add phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and copper to the soil, and they are slightly acidic - a good thing to balance out the slightly alkaline soils around here.

Between the two locations, ten to fifteen pounds of coffee grounds a day are giving gardens all over Lawrence a good cup of joe. zsdivine.com 10 East 9th St., 1800 East 23rd St.

Zarco USA, Owner Scott Zaremba Zarco USA owner Scott Zaremba asserts that crude oil, as a single transportation energy source, is volatile and unsustainable. That is why he opened the first Lawrence Zarco seven years ago, with three others following - to provide alternative and renewable fuels to the marketplace, using different blends of ethanol and biodiesel.

These fuels burn cleaner, don’t leave behind the pollutants that crude oil does, and in newer cars, get equal or higher gas mileage than pure gasoline. And as new vehicles are built for the EPA’s 2022 CO2 reduction standards, these alternative fuels are going to be the new normal.

Zarco66.com 2005 W. 9th, 900 S. Iowa St., 1500 E. 23rd St., 1415 W. 6th St. ■

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Focus Leadership Lawrence: Building an Active, Engaged Community

by GREG WILLIAMS, PRESIDENT/CEO LAWRENCE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

At the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, leadership is a verb: it is an activity to be practiced, shared and implemented. No program better explains this concept than Leadership Lawrence, which recently kicked off its 32nd year of bringing together local residents to learn more about how Lawrence and Douglas County function and how to put leadership skills into action.

engagement and active community members are more successful in economic development projects. Conversely, research also shows that a community with an active, growing economic development program has more resources (money, volunteers and volunteer leaders, in-kind donations) distributed to those aspects of community life we love so well.

A program of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Lawrence is our community’s civic leadership program. It brings together residents from all walks of life to explore the many facets of the Lawrence-Douglas County community in a meaningful way while learning leadership skills outlined by the Kansas Leadership Center. The program is no small commitment, as class members agree to participate in a two-day opening retreat, nine full-day sessions that focus on a specific aspect of community life and a specific leadership competency such as diagnosing an issue or situation and how to energize others to act with you.

The Chamber is proud of the Leadership Lawrence program and its more than 750 alumni, and we look forward to seeing great things come from the Class of 2014. By working together, we will continue to build Lawrence and Douglas County into a stronger, economically stable and vibrant place to live and work.

Sixty-three people applied to Leadership Lawrence this year, which was the largest applicant pool in recent memory. This reflects growing recognition that connecting to the Lawrence-Douglas County and participating in civic life is essential to the survival, growth and success of the place we all call home.

Leadership Lawrence now has more than 750 members of the Lawrence-Douglas County that can proudly claim to be program Alumni. Of those alumni, 83% are involved in the community serving on a municipal, political or nonprofit board. Nearly every municipal and charitable board in Lawrence has at least one Leadership Lawrence alumni.

But Leadership Lawrence isn’t just a fun way to get to know the community; it’s a sound business practice for our region. The ties between a healthy community rich in arts programs, social services and a strong business community are undisputable.

Research indicates that strong communities with strong civic

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For more information about Leadership Lawrence, visit www.leadershiplawrence.org

MANAGEMENT

Building Sustainable Models

Sustainability is our Tradition

At The University of Kansas Center for Sustainability

by DEREK HELMS photos by STEVEN HERTZOG

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The University of Kansas Center for Sustainability was established in 2007. The center is a direct result of work by students, staff and campus administrators with a common interest in a sustainable future for the university. The Center for Sustainability promotes a culture of sustainability at KU in order to protect natural ecosystems, create economic prosperity and treat all people with equality and respect. The Center works across campus to support sustainable practices in operations, education, research and campus life.

Jeff Severin, director of the center, says the work done by his staff has two goals, both of which are green.

“We want to help the university use energy and resources as efficiently as possible,” he explains. “That means consuming less, which is beneficial both environmentally and fiscally.

In 2004, the university established the Sustainability Task Force to research the feasibility of developing a Center for Sustainability to serve as a hub for research and projects that address environmental issues and work to make campus operations more environmentally sustainable. The task force identified reasonable need for the center and, in the Spring of 2006, the center was funded through Tuition Enhancement.

Severin served on the Sustainability Task Force and has directed the center since it’s inception. He says the work done by the center has experienced a natural evolution.

Building Sustainable Traditions identified 9 key areas of university life that can be addressed and modified to increase efficiency: • Administration, Development and Planning • Curriculum and Research • Student Life • Energy • Built Environment • Campus Grounds • Procurement • Waste • Transportation The center functions, in essences, as an environmental advisor to all university departments. Severin and his staff has worked hard to change many small habits of office life that, when multiplied by the thousands of university employees, can result in significant waste of energy and resources.

“We help people and offices make some minor changes that can have a large cumulative affect,” Severin says. “For instance, if we can have each floor of an office or building use one central printer, instead of individual desktop printers, can make a very, very big difference. The energy is more concentrated, so we consume less energy and electric bills will be reduced. And, as anyone who works in office supplies know, printer components like ink and toner can be very expensive. Larger printers are less expensive to maintain.”

“When we opened the center most of our work was done on boards and committees,” the soft-spoken Severin explains. “As time passed and we were able to education individuals and committees about specific steps that can be taken to increase efficiency and sustainability. Many times our suggestions were met with resistance, because change is often not welcomed. But now our conversations are more operational. We aren’t making as many suggestions, we are helping people implement the changes they have already decided to make.”

Severin says the center’s most important work to date was publishing Building Sustainable Traditions, the first comprehensive sustainability plan for the Lawrence campus, in October of 2011. The 67-page document outlines a framework to build new traditions based on the tenets of sustainability.

“Publishing the sustainability report was a really solid step for us,” Severin says. “It’s a document that can help in all aspects of campus sustainability and serve as a reference point for the entire university.”

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Since the center opened in 2006, Severin says the university has made major changes to increase sustainability. From light bulbs to more efficient electronics, small changes are being made that, in the long run will result in significant financial savings.

“One of the most frustrating aspects of sustainability is that real, concrete, big-picture changes can’t be measured for another 50 to 100 years,” Severin says. “But we are implementing practices here that will show tangible results in 5 to 10 years.”

Severin says his office can’t put a dollar amount on financial savings to the university since the center opened, but he has seen a significant change in the role of the center.

“I use to go to meetings about new construction and remodeling and things like that and be very vocal about what steps the department needed to take to increase the sustainability of the plan,” he says. “In the past few years, that has almost totally changed. Now, instead of making sure we see plans and then offering our input, we are called and get to answer qu estions.

The idea of sustainable practices isn’t something we are fighting to get implanted in campus planning. It has become an accepted aspect of the university life. It’s so great to be able to go to a meeting and sit quietly because the department has already factored in our recommendations.”

Perhaps the most substantial, and tangible, example of the Center for Sustainability’s contribution to the university is the reconstruction of parking lot 54 on the Southwest corner of Naismith & 15th Street. The lot had deteriorated badly and had significant functionality issues. The university decided to make it the first “green” parking lot on campus.

The majority of construction was funded by KU Parking & Transit department with the City of Lawrence contributing funding which covered the cost of replacing old sanitary sewer lines under the parking lot. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) provided a $450,000 loan with principle forgiveness (essentially a grant with a small amount of interest payment).

The KDHE money came with conditions, according to Paul Graves, Deputy Director at KU Design Construction Management.

KDHE required prior approval of the construction documents; inclusion of standard forms and language in the bid package (such as nondiscrimination certification and disadvantaged business entity good faith efforts); an annual 2.29% interest rate on the principle from the first disbursement until substantial completion – this will likely be about one month’s interest totaling around $1,000; and an operating & maintenance plan to address long-term care of the pervious pavement and rain garden.

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Funding has also been made available through KU’s Revolving Green Loan Fund. In 2010, KU established a revolving green loan fund to finance energy conservation projects. The fund allows investment in smaller conservation projects, with the resulting savings returned to the fund for future reinvestment. In short, the savings from these projects will finance perpetual implementation of projects with energy savings.

“Construction is on schedule for substantial completion by the end of September,” Graves says. “The lot will be open for parking

by October, although there will still be some remaining work including landscaping and signs. The fact that this project includes underground storage of storm water runoff added substantial work for excavation and rerouting sanitary sewer; and the pervious concrete pavement required special training for the contractor and workers at the mix plant.”

With major construction completed, crews will begin landscaping the lot in early October.

“Planting has to wait until sustained cooler weather,” Graves explains. “Numerous shade trees will be planted in the islands and some ground cover will be planted at a few locations, most notably in the rain garden near the lot entrance. Student volunteers will be recruited to help plant the rain garden. The landscaping will help remove pollution from storm water runoff and will draw water out of the underground storage system to replenish its storage capacity.

In addition, all the greenery will make the lot more pleasant for those who use it.”

Given KU’s sustainability goals, the KDHE grant purpose, and the highly visible location, KU plans to make Lot 54 a showcase sustainability demonstration project. In addition to the enhanced storm water management, the lot was constructed with longer-life concrete instead of asphalt; the concrete will have a high albedo (light coloration) to reduce heat island effects; numerous shade

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trees will be planted to reduce the heat island effect (as well as treating storm water runoff ); KU Facilities Services will process removed timber for firewood at the Chamney kiln and wood chips for landscaping use; and asphalt millings, The lot is being reconfigured to increase the number of parking spaces and improve accessibility. A major change involves replacing sparsely landscaped parking islands oriented north-south with more densely landscaped islands oriented east-west; this reorientation of the parking islands is necessary to accommodate the subsurface storm water storage system and to improve accessibility with flatter pavement slopes in the east-west direction – and using stored storm water runoff, it will also provide subsurface irrigation for the trees to be planted in the islands.

Graves says the lot is a major step forward for the university.“This is a major sustainable project for KU and the parking lot’s prominent location on campus will showcase it to the community,” Graves says. “The lot is located across the street from the engineering quad and researchers will have ongoing opportunities to monitor conditions in the underground storage via special ports installed for that purpose, along with regular infiltration tests to check the performance of the pervious pavement, and the ability to evaluate the vegetation too.”

Severin hope the high visibility of lot 54 will help encourage more sustainable building.

“Lot 54 is a highly visible example of what can be done to create a more sustainable campus,” Severin says. “It demonstrates the new culture of sustainability showing up in the way we make decisions.

The collaborative effort and quality result is a great showpiece for what we can do to help the university consume less and be as efficient as possible with necessary consumption.” ■

“This is a major sustainable project for KU and the parking lot’s prominent location on campus will showcase it to the community,” -Paul Graves

SPACES

THE LOCAL

S C E N E

Taste of Lawrence

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Downtown Mariott Ground Breaking

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Leadership Lawrence

N E WS M AKERS

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE. Lawyer Joseph M. Jarvis Receives the 2013 Gavin Smith Leadership Lawrence Scholarship Lawrence, Kan. –.Leadership Lawrence, a civic leadership training program of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, has named Joseph M. Jarvis, owner of Tallgrass Legal LLC, the Gavin Smith Leadership Lawrence Scholarship recipient for 2013-14.

Jarvis owns Tallgrass Legal LLC, a boutique law practice focused on small businesses, startups, entrepreneurs and wealth planning that he founded this spring. The scholarship will pay for his full tuition to the 2013-14 Leadership Lawrence class.

“I’m honored and grateful to receive the scholarship, Jarvis said. “Gavin was a small business owner who gave back to the community, and I hope I can walk in his footsteps.”

Gavin Smith (Leadership Lawrence Class of 2009) was an active member of the Lawrence community and owner of a small business, Fatso’s Public House and Stage. Following his death on Sept. 24, 2010, his family and friends searched for the best way to honor Smith’s life, and decided to create the scholarship.

“We are so pleased to have Joe as the first member of the Leadership Lawrence Class of 2014,” said Sue Hack, Executive Director of Leadership Lawrence.

“He is exactly the type of person that Gavin’s family had in mind when they established this scholarship, and they are looking forward to getting to know Joe.” Jarvis fell in love with Lawrence while attending the University of Kansas, from which he graduated with highest distinction in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. Jarvis worked in Washington, D.C., for several years, but returned to Lawrence to earn his law degree. He graduated KU School of Law in 2011 and worked for Polsinelli PC in Kansas City, Mo., before opening Tallgrass Legal LLC in June

STEPHENS REAL ESTATE HIRES MARKETING AND TECHNOLOGY COORDINATOR Stephens Real Estate is proud to announce the hiring of Lisa Stofac as Marketing & Technology Coordinator. “We’re excited with the hire, and looking forward to the skill set Lisa brings to the position,” said Stephens Broker and Co-Owner Pat McCandless. “She has an extensive background in marketing and advertising and is a great addition to our team.”

Mrs. Stofac is a Lawrence resident of 15 years, and previously was employed by USD497. Prior to that, she was a print production and studio manager of GodwinGroup Advertising, Jackson, Mississippi.

Stephens Real Estate is a locally owned realty company specializing in residential and rural sales.

Stephens has been an independent, full service, community oriented company for over 30 years.

Their team approach consists of a full support staff to assist their agents in serving their customers and clients. Its reputation for honesty and community service is still widely acknowledged and the continued foundation of the company.

USSSA Fastpitch World Series comes to Lawrence Lawrence, Kan. – The Lawrence Convention & Visitors Bureau will host the 2013 USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association) Fastpitch World Series Tournament in Lawrence from Monday, July 15 to Saturday, July 20. Bringing in 63 teams and 3,000 participants and attendees, the event is expected to generate more than 1,500 hotel room nights for Lawrence and $1.5 million in economic impact.

The World Series tournament is for the Fastpitch Girls 14 and Under B Division and will draw teams from across nine states.

The Lawrence CVB has worked in conjunction with USSSA and Midwest Sports Productions to bring the event to Lawrence.

“Lawrence is fortunate to have an event of this caliber,” said Bob Sanner, sports marketing manager for the Lawrence CVB. “It is a well-organized tournament that has the kids’ interests at heart, and it helps some of our Lawrence hotels make their July budgets.”

Wednesday a World Series Player Luau will be held at the Lawrence Outdoor Aquatic Center. The tournament will consist of pool play on Tuesday and Wednesday followed by double elimination championship bracket play Thursday through Saturday. Several teams from Lawrence will be competing in the tournament.

The Lawrence CVB has assisted Midwest Sports Production in general event planning, securing game venues and hotel room blocks and arrangements for opening ceremonies and social events for the tournament.

For more information, contact: Bob Sanner Lawrence Convention & Visitors Bureau, Sports Marketing Manager (w) 785-856-5302, (c) 785-764-2660, sports@visitlawrence.com

Games will be played at the Clinton Lake Softball Complex and the Youth Sports Complex throughout next week. The event kicksoff with opening ceremonies at the Lied Center on Monday. On Landmark National Bank to Acquire Citizens Bank, National Association

(Manhattan, KS, August 1, 2013) Landmark National Bank, the wholly owned bank subsidiary of Landmark Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: LARK) (“Landmark Bancorp”), and Citizens Bank, National Association (“Citizens Bank”) today jointly announced a definitive agreement under which Landmark National Bank will acquire Citizens Bank from First Capital Corporation (“First Capital”), the privately-held holding company of Citizens Bank.

The transaction will merge Citizens Bank into Landmark National Bank, increasing Landmark National Bank’s assets by approximately 30 percent and adding a sizeable customer base in several eastern Kansas communities. The transaction is subject to standard closing conditions, as well as the approval of the appropriate regulatory agencies.

Under the agreement, Landmark National Bank will pay an amount in cash to First Capital that will be determined at the time of closing based upon the deposit accounts and value of certain real estate held by Citizens Bank. Immediately prior to the transaction, Citizens Bank has agreed to distribute certain loans and other assets to First Capital, which will remain an independent entity following the transaction. The acquisition is expected to be completed during the fourth quarter of 2013.

Landmark National Bank has approximately $640 million in assets as of June 30, 2013, and operates 22 locations in 17 communities across Kansas. Citizens Bank operates eight locations in seven

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communities in eastern Kansas. Landmark will be acquiring approximately $195 million in assets from Citizens Bank. In addition, Landmark Bancorp, Inc. has agreed to assume the trust preferred security obligations of First Capital.

“We are very excited about this opportunity to expand Landmark’s strong presence across Kansas by adding Citizens Bank customers in several more communities in the eastern parts of our state. Clients of Citizens will find a high level of commitment from Landmark to serve their financial needs and to benefit the communities where we do business,” commented Patrick L. Alexander, Chairman and CEO of Landmark National Bank. “For Landmark, this transaction represents a significant step forward in a disciplined approach to building the scale of our banking franchise. We are adding value for our shareholders and for our bank customers across Kansas.”

H. Dean Mann, Chairman of Citizens Bank, stated, “We are pleased to be able to partner with a community-oriented institution like Landmark National Bank. The community and customer focus for which Landmark is well known fits very nicely with the community banking services that Citizens Bank has delivered to its customers.

Landmark is a strong organization whose values, products and solid performance will allow our customers to continue to enjoy a great relationship with a Kansas-based, community-focused financial organization.”

NEW BUSINESSES IN DOUGLAS COUNTY JULY-SEPTEMBER 2013

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WH OSE DESK? Be the first to correctly guess which local business figure works behind this desk. Winner receives a $50 gift card to 23rd Street Brewery. facebook.com/lawrencebusinessmagazine

LMH Our biggest

advancement in surgical care is really very tiny.

With our new da Vinci速 Surgical System, surgeons at Lawrence Memorial Hospital are treating more conditions than ever with a minimally invasive approach. Robotically enhanced visualization, precision and control mean many operations result in shorter recovery, less pain and tiny scars.

From robotics to the wide range of laparoscopic and traditional surgeries, we bring board-certified expertise to every procedure.

To find a surgeon and learn more about da Vinci robotically assisted surgery, visit www.lmh.org/surgicalservices.

325 Maine Street Lawrence, KS 66044