FirstCarbon Solutions Selected To Prepare Environmental Studies For L.A.’s Groundbreaking Hollywood Central Park Project
LOS ANGELES and IRVINE, CA (February 27, 2013) — FirstCarbon Solutions, a pioneer and industry leader in environmental sustainability solutions for business, and the Friends of Hollywood Central Park (FHCP), a non-profit organization dedicated to building the Hollywood Central Park, today announced that FirstCarbon Solutions has been selected to prepare the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and other necessary studies for the groundbreaking and transformative Hollywood Central Park (HCP) project. Supporting one of the most dense and green space-starved neighborhoods in Los Angeles, HCP is a planned 44-acre street level urban park built over a one-mile stretch of the Hollywood Freeway (US 101).
The Park began as an idea more than 28 years ago. In 2006, it progressed from a Hollywood Chamber of Commerce initiative to a Hollywood Community coalition and finally to Friends of the Hollywood Central Park, a nonprofit organization. FHCP is dedicated to raising funds to create a new urban park in Hollywood by covering a portion of the Hollywood Freeway (US 101) as it travels below grade between Hollywood and Santa Monica Boulevards.
Funding for the EIR was made possible by a generous $1.2 million donation from the Aileen Getty Foundation. Additionally, the City of Los Angeles contributed $825,000. In November 2012, an RFP (request for proposal) was issued to interested parties. Five firms submitted proposals which were evaluated by FHCP community Board members, legal counsel and Caltrans consultants. In-person interviews were conducted in December, 2012, and on January 10, 2013, the selection of FirstCarbon Solutions was announced at For Love of Hollywood Gala benefiting the Hollywood Central Park.
FHCP President Laurie Goldman said FirstCarbon Solutions was selected because of the firm’s strong technical qualifications and its shared passion and understanding of the needs of the Hollywood community. “Hollywood is a bold community and constructing the Hollywood Central Park is a bold move,” Goldman said. “With this one project, Los Angeles will address the economy, the environment, the health of its residents and their quality of life. Los Angeles will become the leader in sustainable cities and livable communities. We are proud to have the forward-thinking FirstCarbon Solutions as our partner to lead the project’s EIR process,” Goldman continued.
In cooperation with Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering, the EIR lead agency, FirstCarbon Solutions will deliver high-quality environmental services and support the timely implementation of the HCP project through preparation of the required California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documentation on behalf of FHCP. As part of the EIR and other necessary studies, the FirstCarbon Solutions team will provide a whole host of technical analyses in conformance with CEQA and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements. These include community impact assessments, traffic/circulation studies, noise and vibration assessments, air quality studies, as well as conducting geotechnical and hazards/hazardous materials investigations.
Reuniting communities separated for more than 50 years, the Hollywood Central Park is a creative place making infrastructure project that contributes toward the livability of Hollywood and the Los Angeles region by transforming US 101 into a lively, beautiful, sustainable place with the promotion of healthier lifestyles, environmental justice and long term economic security at its core.
“Building a Hollywood Central Park over the 101 Freeway is a visionary idea that would create open space in one of L.A.’s most dense neighborhoods. The Park will be a destination for the local community and shine as a global model of innovation in urban living,” said LA City Council Member Eric Garcetti. “It’s wonderful that Friends of the Hollywood Central Park selected FirstCarbon Solutions and are moving us closer to making this vision a reality.”
With its global headquarters in Irvine, California, FirstCarbon Solutions recently opened a new Los Angeles office at 11601 Wilshire Boulevard to expand its ability to offer fully integrated environmental sustainability solutions to its growing base of clients and prospects in the region. The environmental and sustainability consulting firm has provided environmental support for many L.A.-based agencies, including The L.A. Department of Water and Power, the L.A. World Airports and the L.A. Parks and Recreation Department. In addition, FirstCarbon Solutions was recently selected as an On-Call Consultant Member for the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Bureau of Engineering.
“Consistent with our founding principle that sustainability matters, FirstCarbon Solutions is thrilled to help implement the vision Edward V. Hunt had over 28 years ago – that Hollywood needed a park to bring neighborhoods together but didn’t have the adequate space. Reclaiming the airspace above the Hollywood Freeway trench for use as an urban park is an innovative and efficient alternative to purchasing land,” said Robert A. Francisco, President, FirstCarbon Solutions.
As a member of ADEC Innovations, a global enterprise with more than 5,000 employees and operations in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, FirstCarbon Solutions is the only company to have in-depth, broad environmental and sustainability expertise combined with extensive back office processing and software capabilities that can be rapidly mobilized to augment or free up internal resources, allowing organizations to focus on their core activities and more strategic initiatives.
About Friends of the Hollywood Central Park
FHCP is a non-profit organization dedicated to building the Hollywood Central Park, a 44-acre street urban level park over the Hollywood Freeway as it travels below grade through the heart of Hollywood. The Hollywood Central Park is a landmark infrastructure project that will reunite diverse and dense communities separated for more than 50 years by the Hollywood Freeway, strengthen the economy through job creation and increased tourism dollars, provide healthy communities and provide children with open green space in which to grow and thrive. The Hollywood Central Park will transform Hollywood’s disadvantaged communities into thriving economic engines and is an investment in our children, our community and our future. For more information visit http://hollywoodcentralpark.org.
About FirstCarbon Solutions
FCS advances sustainable practices around the world and helps organizations responsibly grow and operate their businesses. Seamlessly delivering fully integrated, cost-effective consulting, data management and software solutions, FCS helps clients save time, reduce costs, optimize resource use, and drive operational efficiencies in a world where sustainability matters. With more than 30 years of environmental and sustainability consulting experience, FCS meets its clients’ ever-evolving environmental and compliance needs in energy, air and carbon management; environmental assessments and planning; supply and life cycle assessments; permitting and compliance; software and data processing.
FirstCarbon Solutions is a member of ADEC Innovations, a global provider of onshore managed services and offshore outsourcing solutions for governments and businesses worldwide.
For additional information, visit FirstCarbon Solutions website.
Author: ADEC Innovations
Environmental companies converge to offer worldwide clients greater opportunities to reduce costs and risk, optimize natural resource use, maximize revenue opportunities and improve operational efficiencies
DEPOSIT, NY and IRVINE, CA (April 17, 2012) – FirstCarbon Solutions, a pioneer and industry leader in environmental and sustainability solutions for business, today announced plans to acquire privately-held Michael Brandman Associates. The strategic convergence will broaden the opportunity for FirstCarbon Solutions and Michael Brandman Associates to provide even more comprehensive and integrated environmental sustainability services to companies and governments worldwide. In addition, the integration will offer both current and future clients greater opportunities to reduce costs and risk, optimize resource use, maximize revenue opportunities and improve operational efficiencies in highly-regulated global environments.
Based in California, Michael Brandman Associates is a comprehensive environmental planning services firm that provides thousands of public agencies and private clients with contract environmental services, including disciplinary specialties such as environmental and sustainability planning, regulatory compliance, natural resource management, cultural resources management, restoration planning and monitoring, air quality and climate change services and water resource management.
As a member of the ADEC Innovations, a global enterprise with more than 5,000 employees and operations in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, FirstCarbon Solutions is the only company to have environmental expertise combined with sustainability software and extensive back office processing capabilities that can be rapidly mobilized to augment or free-up internal resources, allowing organizations to focus on their core activities and more strategic initiatives.
“FirstCarbon Solutions combines its extensive sustainability reporting, data and software expertise with Michael Brandman Associates’ comprehensive environmental consulting solutions to provide fully integrated, expanded service offerings to customers , as well to the continually evolving, global market,” said James Donovan CEO of ADEC Innovations and FirstCarbon Solutions.“With access to Michael Brandman Associates in-depth environmental expertise as part of the acquisition, organizations will be able to efficiently and cost-effectively collect the needed information, properly calculate and analyze the data, develop and implement appropriate plans, and comply with ever-evolving local, state and federal regulations across a much broader spectrum of environmental areas – all from one fully integrated company.”
Michael Brandman, Ph.D., President and CEO of Michael Brandman Associates, said “the combination of data, software and subject matter expertise is a key factor regarding connecting sustainability, reducing costs and supporting economic development.”
“Michael Brandman Associates and FirstCarbon Solutions share a common belief in the game-changing impact of merging extensive data, software and environmental expertise to provide fully integrated service offerings,” added Brandman. “We believe the time is now, and the acquisition will significantly accelerate this unique industry innovation as we look at the future.”
“Together, FirstCarbon Solutions and Michael Brandman Associates will continue to be responsive to our clients while expanding our solutions to meet their needs and the needs of the ever-changing, global market,” Donovan said. “This will be accomplished with a broader and deeper set of cost-effective solutions focused on achieving a balance between sustainability, environmental compliance and profitability attainment.”
“Now more than ever, organizations around the globe are integrating a broader range of sustainability practices into their strategies because they recognize that it’s good for business,” stated Brent Peich, Senior Analyst at Verdantix, an independent analyst firm focusing on energy, environment and sustainability. “FirstCarbon Solutions takes an integrated approach to environmental data management across software, services, and business process practices. Its acquisition of Michael Brandman Associates represents a welcome acknowledgment of the fact that such management extends beyond software and data processing capabilities to include in-the-field technical and regulatory expertise.”
About FirstCarbon Solutions
FCS advances sustainable practices around the world and helps organizations responsibly grow and operate their businesses. Seamlessly delivering fully integrated, cost-effective consulting, data management and software solutions, FCS helps clients save time, reduce costs, optimize resource use, and drive operational efficiencies in a world where sustainability matters. With more than 30 years of environmental and sustainability consulting experience, FCS meets its clients’ ever-evolving environmental and compliance needs in energy, air and carbon management; environmental assessments and planning; supply and life cycle assessments; permitting and compliance; software and data processing.
FirstCarbon Solutions is a member of ADEC Innovations, a global provider of onshore managed services and offshore outsourcing solutions for governments and businesses worldwide.
About Michael Brandman Associates
Michael Brandman Associates is a recognized pioneer in helping clients achieve project objectives while ensuring environmental compliance at the local, state, and federal level. The firm has prepared over 25,000 environmental documents for more than 8,000 clients. Headquartered in California, Michael Brandman Associates has 30 years’ experience providing cost-effective environmental consulting services in the western United States. With over 65 employees who possess 15 years of experience on average, Michael Brandman Associates has proven expertise in a wide range of disciplines including air, water, noise, California Environmental Quality Act/National Environmental Policy Act (CEQA/NEPA), planning, permitting, and biology and cultural resources.
Focused on achieving carbon transparency for organizations and suppliers for which sustainability has become a business imperative; voluntary carbon and climate change action reporting gaining traction among global organizations.
DEPOSIT, N.Y. & LONDON, October 18, 2011 — FirstCarbon Solutions, a pioneer and industry leader in environmental business intelligence today announced a partnership with the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) in which FirstCarbon Solutions will score all company submissions to CDP Supply Chain, a program which works with global corporations to understand the impacts of climate change across the supply chain. CDP, an independent not-for-profit organization, provides a transformative global system for organizations to measure, disclose, manage and share climate change information.
With consumers, shareholders and other stakeholders demanding carbon reporting transparency, businesses are actively examining the green credentials of their existing and potential suppliers. More than 50 brands, including Vodafone, Pepsico and Walmart, participate in CDP Supply Chain. FirstCarbon Solutions will score disclosures from nearly 1,300 suppliers in the coming months to determine the quality of disclosure and the level of climate change performance.
As CDP Supply Chain’s scoring partner, FirstCarbon Solutions will be tasked with taking information provided by participating suppliers and creating a disclosure score and, for the first time, a CDP Supply Chain performance score. These scores help the CDP Supply Chain members and their suppliers benchmark performance and seek year-on-year improvements. FirstCarbon Solutions’ depth of experience in carbon accounting, life cycle assessment and carbon trading makes the company an ideal partner for this project.
Frances Way, programs director, CDP said, “We selected FirstCarbon Solutions as a scoring partner because of its leadership position in both data management and sustainability. The scored data will provide tangible insights for our members in assessing which suppliers are performing well on climate change and those that are lagging behind.”
“Organizations are actively setting targets and making performance improvements to reduce their carbon footprint. And as greater importance is placed on mandatory and consistent reporting of carbon emissions, a standard scoring system is the only way to provide the transparency required for effective carbon management along the entire supply chain,” said Charles Hansard, director of business development Europe, FirstCarbon Solutions. “Supported by FirstCarbon Solutions’ proven data management and carbon accounting capabilities, CDP Supply Chain offers a practical scoring system that enables industry benchmarking and removes existing complexities pertaining to supplier carbon data collection.”
About Carbon Disclosure Project
CDP is an independent not-for-profit organization holding the largest database of primary corporate climate change information in the world. Some 3,000 organizations and cities across the world’s largest economies now measure and disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and climate change strategies through CDP, in order that they can set reduction targets and make performance improvements. This data is made available for integration into local government, business and policy decision making. For more information visit https://www.cdp.net/en.
About FirstCarbon Solutions
FirstCarbon Solutions is the only end-to-end sustainability provider, combining services, software and business process outsourcing into cost-effective solutions. Unlike companies that specialize solely in environmental software or consulting services, FirstCarbon Solutions allows organizations to completely outsource sustainability management. FirstCarbon Solutions is a subsidiary of ADEC Solutions (www.adec-solutions.com), a global enterprise with over 5,000 employees and operations in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. For more information on FirstCarbon Solutions, please visit http://www.firstcarbonsolutions.com.
FirstCarbon Solutions, a pioneer in environmental management optimization, today announced that it is providing data management support for California Energy Commission’s Cash for Appliances rebate program.
WEST CHESTER, Pa., May 11, 2010 — FirstCarbon Solutions, a pioneer in environmental management optimization, today announced that it is providing data management support for California Energy Commission’s Cash for Appliances rebate program. FirstCarbon Solutions is overseeing customer call center support, evaluating rebate applications, and working to process and approve applications in a timely and cost-effective manner. Applications will then be distributed to Energy Commission for payment processing and issuing.
Since April 22, California consumers have been able to trade in appliances such as old refrigerators, clothes washing machines, and room air conditioners for new energy efficient models. The Cash for Appliances rebate program will offer rebate incentives from the $35.2 million in federal stimulus funding California received from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).FirstCarbon Solutions was selected as a result of a competitive bid solicitation based on the overall quality of service and efficiency the company delivers to its customers. The Energy Commission will benefit from a cost-effective program that decreases operating costs for the State of California while conserving budget-constrained resources and keeping the majority of funds within the state.
“Processing data for sustainability programmes poses many challenges for organisations,” said Dailey Tipton, vice president, sales and marketing, FirstCarbon Solutions. “Whether it’s a customer rebate program from a state energy office or a company trying to create an accurate and verifiable carbon footprint, success begins with effectively managing data. The Energy Commission’s effort to improve California’s long-term energy efficiency goals is the latest example of the kinds of sustainability initiatives FirstCarbon Solutions can support.”
FirstCarbon Solutions combines environmental consulting and GHG emissions management software to allow organisations to optimise their sustainability initiatives. For regulated industries struggling with how to assure compliance with new environmental reporting requirements, FirstCarbon Solutions provides the an end-to-end environmental management solution that helps companies quickly identify and collect the necessary data and accurately calculate a carbon footprint without draining an organisation’s internal resources. For organisations not yet subject to carbon regulation, but where carbon has a material impact on business operations, FirstCarbon Solutions quantifies the cost of carbon and transforms that cost into business opportunity.
The California Cash for Appliances website – www.cash4appliances.org – explains the rebate program and offers information such as the forms that consumers are required to fill out once the new efficient appliance is purchased. This will help consumers find eligible appliances and fill out forms correctly, delivering and installing energy efficient appliances and recycling old models to California certified recyclers. The website also lists the partner retailers who have signed on to the program, including “Platinum Partner” stores, which offer a full-service to consumers.
About FirstCarbon Solutions
FirstCarbon Solutions advances sustainable practices around the world and helps organizations responsibly grow and operate their businesses. Seamlessly delivering fully integrated, cost-effective consulting, data management and software solutions, FCS helps clients save time, reduce costs, optimize resource use, and drive operational efficiencies in a world where sustainability matters. With more than 30 years of environmental and sustainability consulting experience, FCS meets its clients’ ever-evolving environmental and compliance needs in energy, air and carbon management; environmental assessments and planning; supply and life cycle assessments; permitting and compliance; software and data processing. FirstCarbon Solutions is a member of ADEC Innovations, a global provider of onshore managed services and offshore outsourcing solutions for governments and businesses worldwide.
FirstCarbon Solutions, a pioneer in environmental management outsourcing, today announces its acquisitions of Global Sourcing Advisory Group (GSAG), a top sourcing advisory firm, and Enverity Corp., a leading environmental software provider.
EUEC 2010, Phoenix – February 1, 2010 — FirstCarbon Solutions, a pioneer in environmental management outsourcing, today announces its acquisitions of Global Sourcing Advisory Group (GSAG), a top sourcing advisory firm, and Enverity Corp., a leading environmental software provider. FirstCarbon Solutions is exhibiting (booth 917) and speaking at the Energy & Environment Conference (EUEC) 2010, Feb. 1-3, 2010.
FirstCarbon Solutions is the first company to combine environmental consulting, software and carbon trading into customized solutions that allow clients to outsource their sustainability initiatives. The acquisitions of GSAG and Enverity expand the company’s offerings in the carbon management industry, while leveraging its existing expertise in outsourcing.
“Reporting and improving a company’s carbon footprint can be a massive undertaking, much like driving business results and preparing a corporate financial statement,” said FirstCarbon Solutions CEO Jim Donovan. “Environmental management sourcinglets companies focus on their core businesses instead of struggling to master sustainability.”
GSAG Is Now Part of FirstCarbon Solutions
With the acquisition of New York-based GSAG, voted one of the world’s best sourcing advisors in 2009, FirstCarbon Solutions gains additional expertise in project managing large-scale sourcing programs . The company will leverage GSAG’s proprietary methodology to provide fiduciary oversight and management accountability that enables companies to align their sourcing programs with their entire operations.”GSAG’s business advisory services help companies determine which parts of their environmental management processes to outsource and which to keep in-house,” said John Stacey, president, GSAG, and executive vice president, FirstCarbon Solutions. “Then we focus on execution, putting the right services, software and carbon-management offerings in place to meet each client’s needs.”
FirstCarbon Solutions Acquires Enverity and its ghgTrack Software
The company also acquires Enverity Corp., an environmental software firm based in the San Francisco Bay area. With this acquisition, FirstCarbon Solutions now offers environmental compliance and environmental management tools, as well as Enverity’s ghgTrack software solution, which helps calculate, manage and report greenhouse gas emissions.
“As part of FirstCarbon Solutions, ghgTrack software developers have unprecedented access to environmental experts,” said Eric van Gestel, former Enverity CEO and FirstCarbon Solutions’ vice president, software products. “We’re turning that insider’s perspective into innovative features, such as a library of emission sources that takes the guesswork out of GHG calculations and reports that facilitate third-party verifications.”
FirstCarbon Solutions Experts Speak at EUEC 2010
Carbon management and sustainability experts from FirstCarbon Solutions (booth 917) are speaking at EUEC:
U.S. Climate Change Policy: Implications for Competitive Strategies
Mike Radcliffe, Director, Sustainable Strategies
Feb. 1, 3:30 p.m.
Greenhouse Gas Compliance and the Art of Predicting the World Series Champion
Eric van Gestel, Vice President, Software Products
Feb. 2, 7:30 a.m.
Sustainability Indexing: Brand Value, Reputation and the “Wall of Noise”
Chet Chaffee, Vice President, Life Cycle Assessment
Feb. 2, 1 p.m.
Environmental Health and Safety: a New Engine for Business Value
Dailey Tipton, Vice President, Sales and Marketing
Feb. 3, 10 a.m.
The GHG-Data Tsunami: The Hidden Challenge Facing Organisations
Jim Donovan, CEO
Feb. 3, 1 p.m.
About FirstCarbon Solutions
FirstCarbon Solutions advances sustainable practices around the world and helps organizations responsibly grow and operate their businesses. Seamlessly delivering fully integrated, cost-effective consulting, data management and software solutions, FCS helps clients save time, reduce costs, optimize resource use, and drive operational efficiencies in a world where sustainability matters. With more than 30 years of environmental and sustainability consulting experience, FCS meets its clients’ ever-evolving environmental and compliance needs in energy, air and carbon management; environmental assessments and planning; supply and life cycle assessments; permitting and compliance; software and data processing.
FirstCarbon Solutions is a member of ADEC Innovations, a global provider of onshore managed services and offshore outsourcing solutions for governments and businesses worldwide.