Sustainable Building
Fetner has been interested in building green for more than a decade, long before such concepts were in vogue. "Even before green construction started to become affordable, I jumped at the opportunity to introduce sustainability in our buildings," he said. "We decided to make a strong effort to make sure everything we built had some component of sustainability."
His company's latest building, The Epic, recently achieved Gold LEED certified status without what Fetner calls "all the bells and whistles" that can be included in an LEED structure. The LEED certification system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, is a program for rating the design, construction and operation of green buildings. "We set out with a goal in mind to send a message to the real estate and development community that you can build a LEED certified, green-sustainable building without a lot of additional expense, or such sophisticated items as blackwater systems, solar panels or microturbines, which we have in our other newest building, the Helena," Fetner said. "That was important for us because we wanted to encourage others in real estate development to have a social consciousness and to at least try to reduce the carbon footprint. With good pre-construction planning and purchasing, we achieved our goals without a lot of extra expense."
The graduate of the Whitman School of Management is also enthusiastic about all things orange-and sees many connections between what his company is doing and the green initiatives at Syracuse University.
"We care about social responsibility and setting a good example," said Fetner, whose daughter Samantha is a freshman in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. "The real important issue today is reducing your carbon footprint. I admire SU for what it has done to build in a sustainable manner, such as Ernie Davis Hall and the Center of Excellence building. It's fantastic." He and his wife, Nina, have established The Fetner Sustainable Series, which brings guest speakers to campus, and The Fetner Prize in Sustainable Enterprise. The award is given to the finalist entry in the Whitman School's Panasci Business Plan Competition which has the greatest potential for positive impact on society and the natural environment and best recognizes the interconnectedness of economic, environmental, and social considerations.
Fetner also gives his time and expertise to classes of students who visit his offices to meet with him, even to the point of giving them his e-mail address, should they have any additional questions. He responds to every e-mail they send. "I love talking to the students," he said. "I tell them that as graduates of the Whitman School, they will have a strong foundation in business. But also coming from SU, they have a strong foundation in social responsibility. My advice to them is not to be afraid to take a chance. Trust your instincts and you'll do fine."
