Student Gives Voice to New Generation of Green Builders

Christine Clark | December 1, 2008

As an international studies major, Erika Kociolek didn’t expect to give a presentation at one of the biggest green building conferences in the world. After years of working on several sustainability projects, the UC San Diego senior was invited to serve as a student speaker at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo which took place in Boston, Nov. 19-21. Kociolek said she was proud to represent one of the nation’s greenest universities at the conference, which connects leaders in the green building industry from around the world.

Sarah Termondt (left) and Ericka Kociolek at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo which took place in Boston, Nov. 19-21.

“I feel really passionate about this subject,” she said. “The conference was completely overwhelming but also inspiring. There were so many power presentations and I was honored to be a part of this momentous event.”

Kociolek is one of only a handful of people at UC San Diego who is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professional, and is highly involved in several of the campus’ sustainability efforts. The Green Campus and Environment Sustainability Initiative intern serves as a student representative on the UC San Diego Climate Solutions Working Group and the Advisory Committee on Sustainability.

She said the conference helped renew her passion for saving the environment. “It reminded me why I do the kind of work that I do,” she said. “There are a lot of obstacles, but after going to the conference and learning from the speakers, I learned about the bigger picture and it really renewed my commitment to my work.”

UC San Diego alumnus Sarah Termondt, ‘08, David Weil, director of Building Commissioning and Sustainability, and Kociolek all spoke to a group of emerging green builders and students about their experiences working on several “green” projects on campus. “I want students to know they can be agents of change on their campus,” she said. “Some people don’t buy into the whole green thing, but students can get across those barriers.” She added that it’s essential for students and staff to work together to help make college campuses more sustainable. “You really have to know how to communicate and be a part of a team.”

Kociolek is minoring in environmentalsStudies and has aspirations to work in the green job sector after she graduates. “I think it is a really exciting field and it’s changing rapidly every day,” she said. “I am intrigued by the new advances in technology and innovative people in the profession.”

Kociolek’s passion for the environment runs in the family. Her father was executive director of the California Academy of Sciences. He worked with a team of architects to help the academy’s new building in San Francisco achieve LEED platinum certification, making it the greenest museum in the world. His daughter appears to be a green chip off that block.