Coalition Founding Partners

USGBC Nebraska Flatwater Chapters mission is to serve as a catalyst for change in the state of Nebraska by serving as the local resource for green building and a forum for information exchange, promotion of green building practices, technologies, policies and standards through partnerships with other organizations. The mission maintains energy and momentum as the cycle revolves from education through encouraging implementation, to enable an environmentally and socially responsible community.

The Mission of The Sierra Club Foundation is to advance the preservation and protection of the natural environment by empowering the citizenry, especially democratically-based grassroots organizations, with charitable resources to further the cause of environmental protection.

The mission of the Joslyn Institute for Sustainable Communities is to promote an integrated approach to sustainability through education, public visioning, partnership and coordination.

Jim Suttle was sworn in as Omaha’s 50thmayor on June 8, 2009. Mayor Suttle is former vice chairman of the Board of Directors for the Omaha-based engineering and design firm HDR, Inc. Mayor Suttle is also a former Public Works Director for the City of Omaha and served from 2001-2005 as an Omaha City Councilmember from District 1, representing Benson, Florence and Dundee. Mayor Suttle plans to work with neighborhoods, businesses and other key stakeholders in an effort to promote and recognize sustainability. Within his first 30 days in office, Mayor Suttle announced CDC Enterprises Inc. would open a new facility in Omaha to produce energy efficient HVAC piping.

Omaha’s Public Works Department mission is: “To effectively meet the transportation and environmental quality needs of the citizens of Omaha.” The main responsibilities of the department include maintaining the design, construction and maintenance of Omaha’s infrastructure. Also, Omaha Public Works section for environmental services offers environmental quality control, sewer maintenance, as well as environmental engineering.

Omaha by Design is a civic planning organization dedicated to the development, implementation and monitoring of urban design and environmental public policy in the metro. The organization facilitates partnerships between the public, private and philanthropic sectors to execute projects that improve the quality of the metro area’s built and natural environments. Projects and activities stem from four areas of emphasis: Green Omaha – preserving and enhancing the city’s natural setting and public park system; Civic Omaha – defining and improving the city’s civic places and public image; Neighborhood Omaha – preserving and enhancing the diversity of the city’s residential neighborhoods; and Environment Omaha – creating a more sustainable city by focusing on the natural environment, urban form and transportation, building construction, resource conservation and community health.

Nebraska Alliance for Conservation and Environment Education is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to promoting and strengthening environmental education in Nebraska. NACEE’s website, newsletter and listserv are important ways for formal and non-formal educators to learn about the newest environmental education resources, workshops, and conferences. NACEE’s members include formal classroom educators, non-formal environmental educators, resource professionals, and Nebraska citizens.

Kiewit Building Group Inc. is one of the largest construction and engineering companies in North America. Fortunately Kiewit also works at actively protecting the environment in a variety of ways including utilizing the renewable energy market, improving water quality, and practicing sustainability in their operations and on their construction sites. Kiewit is also a founding member of the Flatwater Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council and the Green Omaha Coalition.

The American Institute of Architects is “the largest and most influential professional association for architects, interns, and those directly involved in the practice of architecture.”

With input from residents, business owners, employees and other concerned parties, Destination Midtown aims to transform Midtown into a vibrant area for growth and development.

Pollution Prevention Regional Information Center (P2RIC) “strives to improve resource sharing between the programs, businesses, and agencies of EPA Region 7 (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska) that provide waste reduction services and expertise to business and industry”

Founded in 1959 by Don Lamp and Bill Rynearson, Lamp, Rynearson & Associates quickly became widely known and greatly respected for thorough civil engineering and accurate surveying. Lamp, Rynearson & Associates (LRA) has evolved in size and scope since launching the firm.

At BVH the mission is “Architecture that serves and inspires.” A full service design firm with offices in Omaha and Lincoln, Bahr Vermeer Haecker works to incorporate sustainable design in each decision and recommendation it makes. With architects, designers, and planners, BVH is able to “create buildings that enhance human health, biodiversity and productivity.” Also, BVH’s LEED accredited staff uses efficient, non-toxic materials as well as unique energy-efficient systems.

At HDR, the mission is to “be a superior professional firm known for vision, value and service to their clients, their communities, and their employees.” Employee-owned, HDR is an architectural, engineering and consulting firm that works on a variety of projects with a staff willing to go beyond “the scope of traditional A/E/C firms”

Established in 1915, LEO A DALY is an internationally renowned architecture, planning, engineering, interior design and program management firm. The company's portfolio includes award-winning projects in over 70 countries, all 50 states and the District of Columbia. LEO A DALY currently employs more than 1,100 architects, planners, engineers and interior designers in 30 offices worldwide. The firm consistently ranks in the top 10 largest architecture, engineering and interior design firms in the U.S., and is listed in BD World Architecture's top 30 global practices.

RDG is dedicated to engaging “the disciplines of Architecture, Interior Design, Graphic Design, Landscape Architecture, and Planning.” Within the firm, the staff works to create “purpose-driven designs” through creativity, community, and experience. Working closely with their clients to identify their specific needs, before starting a project, RDG is able to gain a strong understanding of an organization and develop cost-effective and efficient project plans.

At FBG Service Corporation, the staff is dedicated to environmental responsibility and this can be seen in its mission and core values that are “built around solid business ethics and professional integrity.” FBG is an ISO 14001 compliant company who’s policy is to “implement strong, sustainable programs that produce results for their customers with minimal impact on the environment.”

Working in the Omaha-Council Bluffs area, MAPA is a voluntary association of local governments that serves to coordinate “planning and development activities.” With a diverse forum MAPA can help member governments “address problems which are regional in scope and which may cross jurisdictional boundaries.”

The Sustainability Leadership Institute is a research and educational organization dedicated to developing leadership capacity in local, national and international organizations and communities needed to create a more sustainable economic, environmental and social future.

The Lead Safe Omaha Coalition works to eliminate childhood lead poisoning. Their vision is to eradicate this preventable disease by the year 2010. Working with the community and educating families across the Omaha-Douglas County area, they will provide resources to all community stakeholders.

The Douglas County Health Department’s mission is to promote and protect public health. They seek to ensure a health community by serving “all citizens with integrity and respect through a highly skilled and caring staff.” Within their division of environmental health their focuses range from food and rink to sanitary engineering, sanitation control, and lead poisoning prevention.

As a nonprofit, Green Hearts works to restore and strengthen the bond between children and nature. They believe that in providing natural settings for children they will develop “life-long conservation values” which will lead to “adult conservation behaviors.”

Since 1995, City Sprouts has maintained community and family gardens in our half-acre demonstration plot at 40th and Franklin Streets in the Orchard Hill Neighborhood of North Omaha. We work with inner-city residents and volunteers from around Omaha to grow vegetables, flowers, and herbs using environmentally responsible and sustainable gardening techniques. We are currently opening a new gardening lot on Decatur Street and working with the North Omaha Empowerment Network on summer work programs. For information, please contact co-director Jumoke Omojola at .

As a nonprofit organization the Nebraska State Recycling Association is “dedicated to recourse conservation and recycling.” NSRA’s mission is, “to serve as a catalyst, improving the consumer's ability to conserve resources, protect air, land and water by meeting solid waste management and recycling challenges with local resources.”

WasteCap Nebraska is a non-profit member based organization dedicated to assisting business develop and adopt environmentally friendly practices that increases their profitability. We like to say we are where conservation and common sense meet. We assist businesses with simple issues like establishing recycling programs and green teams, to technical concerns dealing with air quality, energy, and water conservation.

Omaha Streetcar promotes sustainability by encouraging the “implementation and use of street cars as well as urban transit in the Omaha area.” This diverse organization is composed of “grassroots citizens, organizations, institutions, businesses, and public agencies.” Omaha Streetcar educates the community about placing streetcars back in Omaha for a transportation alternative.

At Element Distributing the mission includes educating both consumers and businesses about sustainable and alterative sources of disposables that help to increase social responsibility. Following their mission they make sure to only “distribute products that are either compostable and/or are made from recycled fibers.” The main involvement at Element Distributing comes directly from community through “local clean-ups, education and awareness” in reaching important sustainability practices.

ConAgra is working with the community to reduce waste and protect the environment. They place high priority on committing themselves to their customers, consumers, employees, shareholders, and all of the communities in which they work. Through their sustainable development programs and their corporate responsibility report, ConAgra Foods works hard to promote excellent environmental decisions, designs, and communities.

Since its early beginnings the Metropolitan Utilities District’s mission has been to “provide customers low-cost, high-quality natural gas and safe drinking water at a cost consistent with sound management practices.” As the only metropolitan utility district in the State of Nebraska, they feel that their strength lies in “being a public utility, customer-owned and governed by a locally-elected board of directors.”

As one of the largest publicly owned electric utilities in the United States, OPPD’s mission is to “deliver high-value electricity and other essential services to their customers.” In their plan entitled “Aim Green,” OPPD began utilizing renewable energy in 2003 and educating their customers about being green and making sustainable decisions in their daily lives.

Green Bellevue is the people of Bellevue coming together to work with the empowerment, guidance and support of our City Council and Mayor to ensure a greener, more beautiful Bellevue. We are a grass-roots organization, supported by volunteers who are individual citizens, businesses and organizations including the Mayor, City Council, department heads, Chamber of Commerce, Offutt, schools, students, utilities, scouts and churches. Green Bellevue is intended to help passionate people undertake programs to beautify our community, preserve our natural resources and honor our environment.