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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Webcor Builders and Navitas Capital Host Executive Forum on the Built Environment: Innovation Driving Sustainability
03/09/2009 Webcor Builders
Webcor Builders and Navitas Capital Host Executive Forum on the Built Environment: Innovation Driving Sustainability San Francisco, CA: March 9, 2009 – Webcor Builders, the largest commercial general contractor in California by volume, and Navitas Capital an early-stage venture capital firm focusing exclusively on sustainable green building materials and technologies for the built environment, hosted a high-level executive forum Tuesday, March 3rd to lay the groundwork for the next stage of the "built environment."
Leading owners, developers, architects, engineers and advanced building materials companies were in attendance and exchanged ideas regarding how innovative products can improve the portfolio value of existing buildings and how advanced technologies and materials could potentially transform the next generation of buildings. "Webcor maintains its advantage by identifying, adopting and advancing emerging technologies, and providing this information to our clients in a format that will help them design their new buildings" said Andy Ball, President/CEO of Webcor Builders. "This type of event is a natural way for us to help shape the future of our industry by identifying green companies, systems and materials that will create a benefit to the Built Environment."
Thomas Siebel, founder of Siebel Systems and Chairman of First Virtual Group, provided the keynote address. Mr.Siebel is in the process of launching a $20 million building innovation contest that will seek to inspire university teams, corporations, scientists, entrepreneurs, builders and developers worldwide to invent technology breakthroughs for the built environment. "This is the time for us to effectively use the natural advantages that we have in technology and apply them to make substantial positive changes to how we approach the built environment," said Thomas Siebel.
Other presenters included Travis Putnam and James Pettit of Navitas Capital, Kevin Surace, President and CEO of Serious Materials and Phil Williams of Webcor Builders. Later in the program, attendees participated in an interactive discussion regarding the challenges and opportunities of adopting innovation, which led to a lively discussion amongst key industry thought leaders. "As an investor dedicated to this emerging sector, the experience and insight that the participants brought to the table was not only helpful in seeing existing and future opportunities for innovation, it also inspired people both to think big and to be practical in approaching the fundamental problems we face." said Navitas Managing Partner James Pettit.
Phil Williams, Vice President of Webcor Builders added, "We are all grounded in the reality of today's economic climate but that does not take away from the new development in materials, systems and energy efficiency taking place in the science of the buildings, right here in the Bay Area. Today we are at a "Trinity Point" of the built environment, sustainability and innovation. Collaboration with our partners is how we all continue to be poised to take the best innovations and technologies and transform them into smart decisions."
John Cushman, Chairman of the Board of Cushman & Wakefield and Co-Chairman of iCrete, concluded the forum with a dinner address. "Having our industry leaders sitting in one room discussing green building innovation was a remarkable experience. We are in the early stages of an industry transformation that will produce a wave of new technologies and design practices that will help produce energy and resource efficient buildings," said Mr. Cushman.
The format enabled participants from all sectors of the building industry to actively participate in and lead a lively town hall style meeting where the most pressing challenges of the building industry were voiced. The group concluded that the "Built Environment," those places where we all live, work and learn, those places that consume 40% of the world's energy and 70% of this country's electricity, and those spaces where we spend over 80% of our time, must take a role of greater importance as we address energy and climate concerns. Continuing advances in new more sustainable building practices, the transfer of innovation into the existing building stock and the encouragement of unprecedented investment and research directed at energy saving systems and low embodied energy materials, will be of paramount importance to the group as they focus their combined expertise, time and resources on the "Built Environment."
About Webcor Builders
Webcor Builders is currently ranked by volume as the largest contractor in California and was recently named by ENR as the #2 Green Contractor in the nation and currently with more than $3 billion of contracts in place and 20 million of LEED certified projects. More than 35 years of working for such clients as Lucasfilm, California Academy of Sciences, eBay, Oracle Corporation, Symantec and Starwood Lodging has secured its position as a builder for corporate campuses and high-profile, large-scale projects. Through the years, Webcor has become known for its innovative and efficient approach to construction, wide range of experience, skill in concrete construction and expertise in the use of Multi-Dimensional Building Information Modeling. Webcor takes an active role in its projects by providing both cost-effective solutions during the preconstruction period and leadership during the construction and commissioning phases, ensuring that its clients receive the high level of quality and service they expect. For more information, visit www.webcor.com.
About Navitas Capital
Navitas Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm within the cleantech sector. Navitas Capital's investment focus is unique among VCs - dedicated to working with companies that are developing sustainable green building materials and innovative technologies for the built environment. Founded in 2008, Navitas has been one of the early and driving forces behind several of the leading green building companies. Navitas Capital is based in Berkeley, California. For more information, visit www.navitascap.com.
CONTACTS
For Webcor Builders
Megan White
mwhite@webcor.com
+1-415-978-1000
For Navitas Capital
James Pettit
jim@navitascap.com
+1-510-388-5770
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