Sarah
Busch

In her role as Vice President of Operations at Landis Construction, Sarah focuses on project launches. She is integral to the planning of each project and ushering it from preconstruction to construction to ensure continuity of service. Sarah has been involved in the construction industry with Landis Construction since 1998, beginning as the receptionist for the Harrah's Casino project and working her way through the ranks to Vice President of Operations today. Sarah feels that her years of in-depth and hands-on training in the field have given her the strong foundation of knowledge required to plan and prepare projects of all scales and complexity for successful execution.

PROJECT

"I would like to explore and work towards new ways, through tax incentives and subsidised programs, that the construction industry can encourage developers to include solar panels into their projects as an end-use cost savings measure, as well as a way to proliferate the use of solar panels in our region. I am also interested in how the use of solar panels can help off-set cost of living expenses for affordable housing, apartment and condominium projects to help slow the gentrification of New Orleans. I chose this project largely due to the fact that I live in a heavy oil and gas state, and solar power generation is a way to combat our dependence on fossil fuels, the burning of which is the leading cause of global warming and climate change.

I am currently involved with a project that was trying to achieve my second initiative of off-setting cost of living expenses for affordable housing by installing solar panels, and then allowing the condo association to "sell" power that they generate to the attached commercial spaces. This would not only decrease each home-owner's monthly utility costs, but would provide a nest egg for the condo association to maintain the property in lieu of condo association fees. This idea was thwarted by our local utility company, but the idea resonated with me."

MOTIVATION FOR AND COMMITMENT TO CREATING A BETTER AND MORE SUSTAINABLE PLANET

"There is a Greek proverb that states "A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in". I am fully committed to doing everything I can to help course-correct the current trajectory our planet is on, though I may never benefit from it myself. It is enough for me to know that my children, and my children's children, will."