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    What do we want Commonground to be ?
    Entry posted Jan 26 by mkulkaSuper Contributor, last edited Jan 27
    475 Views, 3 Comments
    Title:
    What do we want Commonground to be ?
    Entry:

    Commonground peaked my interest after attending an EDR presentation on social networking sites in early 2008. I never blogged, facebooked, myspaced or the like.  This site has grown tremendously since then and I am now an avid social networking professional here and on LinkenIn.  Moving forward, as a member of the commonground Advisory Panel, I am interested to here what other members want to see out of Commonground.  I have blogged on other professionals visiting the site from banking and commercial real estate.  Last week I received an e-mail from an SBA Certified Development Corporation officer after I directed him to a blog with a similar situation to a loan he was trying to close.  He commented that he thought the site was great.  It is for him, the banker and the commercial realtor.  I personally like it directed at environmental due diligence.  Others want more remediation, energy and sustainiblity or brownfields.  The site has and should continue to evolve by the users by posting discussions on issues they are dealing with everyday.  However, our advisory Panel is primarily environmental professionals.  Should we add more energy, brownfield or remediation blogs.  Do we want actual bankers (not risk managers) and commercial realtors to blog on how the environmental consulting world affects there daily business activities.  Sounds interesting to me.

    What do you want ?  I would like to hear.  Where do you see commonground 2015 ?

    Comments

    • posted Jan 28 by McCarthySuper Contributor

      In 2015 there'll still be heated discussions of RECs vs. BERs and thats probably a good thing.  If Phase I pricing hasn't ratcheted up much in the last decade, I expect there will still be the quarterly / semi-annual pile-on related to chop shops and low cost providers.  It seems that many / most of our discussions end up morphing into EPs try to reconcile their own experience with that of others while at the same time trying to balance their own needs with those of the their clients and outside parties (e.g. SBA and legal counsel).  Some of these discussions are a bit sticky and uncomfortable as they require us to accept some bitter pills or opinions that are in almost total disagreement with our own opinions.  There has been more than one weekend when I left the office cogitating on some outstanding issue, but ultimately found it a healthy professional exercise.

      My preference would be that the primary focus continue on the transaction / due diligence market.  There are many remediation related sites, including those sponsored by the EPA to discuss assessment and remediation technology.  I use many of them and have been managing remediation projects for a long time.  I don't think this is the site to explain to noobs the difference between LIF and XRFs in assessment or SVE and HVE systems in remediation.  That said, the discussion on fate and transport of PCBs on concrete transformer pads and strip mall dry cleaning solvents and photolab chemicals become relevant for those that haven't assessed or remediated these contaminants and aren't aware of the potential cost and downside of something which doesn't look like a dripping tank of MEBs.

      Most of us are scientists, which is why the Phase I process is different from assessment and remediation projects because it requires so much more contextural opinion in the absence of quantifiable data.

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    • posted Feb 3 by bhannanElite Contributor

      Mike,

      You ask all the right questions.  I wonder if members know we have about 500 new posts added every month?  That's a lot of new information and expertise coming through the door.  But is it what are members want?  Is it too much of one thing and not enough of another?   Here's a situation of Do Ask, Do Tell.  

      McCarthy's feedback is enormously helpful.  I see 100 members have viewed your blog.  I know each of them has an opinion - just wish they would share. 

      Any new takers?

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    • posted Feb 2 by EdGElite Contributor

      It's no secret I hope to broaden commonground far beyond the ad nausea discussion on if this or that is a REC.  I seriously mean no disrespect to any EP.  On the contrary I respect numerous opinions - but to discuss a single factual issue (usually very simplistic) for days seems too much.  That's my 2-cents.  It absolutely has its place - but Mr. McCarthy is going to fall off his chair - I agree with him.  The issue has been and will always be (emphasis added) REC vs BER.  And to me, its all about BER in reality.

      So that being said - I think end-users should be welcomed - particularly lenders.  Right, wrong or indifferent, what controls our economy is lending (in simple terms).  So lenders should be very welcome.  I have always been interested in appraisers as well.  I know they do not typically opine on environmental issues - but let's hear from them.  They have skin in the game!  Property values have significantly devalued - why?  For example why did the John Hancock Tower go from $1.3 Billion in 2006 to $800 million in 2010?  Hate to be that investor(s).  Let's hear from some appraisal experts.

      Bottom line - I would like to see commonground to be fun (welcoming - even with the strong differences of opinions), informative, and a place to ultimately become a better professional (and person). 

      Kind Regards,

      Ed Greene

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