Clean Air Success Stories
St. Louis Lawyer Influences Firm and Clients to Make Green Choices
There are numerous lawyers practicing in the St. Louis area, but the St. Louis-based firm called Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., however, has something most other firms do not have: Real Estate Associate Cristina Spicer, one of the few LEED-accredited professional (AP) lawyers in the St. Louis area. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a third-party nationally and internationally recognized green building certification system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 1998 with hopes of making buildings more environmentally friendly.
Spicer joined the USGBC St Louis Regional Chapter shortly after graduating from St. Louis University’s School of Law in 2007 and then earned her LEED AP certification in 2009. By incorporating LEED into her daily work as a lawyer, Spicer is able to mix her passion for the environment with her professional career, which is something she said she always knew she would do.
“I was raised in Romania and grew up in nature, spending my weekends in the Carpathian Mountains and being able to drink water from a spring on the side of the road,” noted Spicer. “From the start, I knew I was going to blend law and environmental awareness together in my professional career.”
As an associate in real estate, Spicer advises clients on every aspect of real estate, from acquisitions and dispositions to financing, development, leasing, zoning and land use. When a client wants to build or lease a LEED building, Spicer uses her expertise to address every legal risk and benefit to her clients so that they can understand how it will affect their real estate pursuits.
For those looking to construct buildings, namely green buildings, Spicer explained that things can become a little more complicated as the USGBC keeps expanding its LEED rating systems to encompass a variety of industries and types of construction. In addition, the USGBC is embarking on a nationwide effort to partner with various state and local governments to require LEED in certain circumstances.
“Through the various LEED ratings systems, USGBC is trying to set the national benchmark for the design, construction and operation of green buildings,” said Spicer. “These benchmarks may apply to an office building, warehouse, hospital, school, shopping center or even the entire neighborhood. Knowing when LEED or other green standards are required or simply recommended can have a significant impact on the financial bottom line of a project. As a result, we have to stay on top of these standards and advise our clients how to allocate risks, adequately protect their businesses and fully maximize all financial incentives available.”
In addition to her LEED law consulting work, Spicer has also played a major role in creating the green committee at Greensfelder, which is called “G3” or “Greensfelder Gets Green.” The committee was formed with the goal of launching several green initiatives within the St. Louis office (later expanded to include all three offices), including participation in the ABA-EPA Law Office Climate Challenge. Since the G3 committee was formed in 2008, Spicer says she and her co-workers have recycled over 110 tons of paper, increased recycling efforts by 200 percent and saved more than $65,000 by switching their paper supply, light bulbs and cleaning products. Now, the committee is focusing its work, among other initiatives, on encouraging employees to use alternative transportation methods such as MetroBus and MetroLink or carpooling with RideFinders for their commute to the office as a way of furthering their individual commitments to the environment.
With office buildings being some of the worst polluting offenders in cities nationwide, Spicer says companies have an obligation to do a better job of protecting the environment if they wish to stay competitive in a growing economy.
“One of the top environmental priorities for us in St. Louis should really be to improve the air quality,” Spicer said. “I would love to see St. Louis move up a little higher in the air-quality rankings, or to eventually see it be taken off the list of areas with poor air quality completely. Area companies can help accomplish this by making a commitment to doing business in a greener way to enhance employees’ health and productivity.”
Spicer’s future goals include getting involved in the government advocacy side of the sustainability movement by partnering with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to promote the Waste-Wise Challenge and also with the USGBC St. Louis Regional Chapter to help pass legislation promoting LEED and sustainable construction in the St. Louis area. She plans to work with other professionals in the St. Louis Area to spread the word about the legislation and reach out to local and state government offices in Missouri and Illinois.
At home, Spicer does everything she can to live green. She and her husband have their own herb and vegetable garden, each drive fuel-efficient vehicles and are in the process of installing solar panels.
“Caring for the environment is something that I love to do, and I think I am really one of those idealists,” said Spicer. “I would do it if no one was looking, and to me that’s the real test.”
To learn more about going green and helping improve the region’s air quality, visit www.cleanair-stlouis.com or call the American Lung Association at 314.645.5505, ext. 1007. For more information on the green initiatives underway at Greensfelder, visit www.greensfelder.com.
