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Costs of Building Green
The building industry greatly overestimates the cost of building green while underestimating the amount of greenhouse gases emitted from buildings, a new study from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) found.
Respondents to the global survey guessed that implementing green building practices boosted costs by 17 percent. Data from USGBC and other sources indicate zero to two percent is more likely.
Source: greenerbuildings.com |
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Water: the Overlooked Utility
Facility Managers are sometimes unaware of the excellent paybacks available for water conservation activities.
A favorite is to submeter cooling tower makeup water to obtain credits for "water not returned to sewer" from your local water authority.
Another simple one is simply repairing water leaks when they occur. The leak in the photograph may appear small but is costing the Owner $5,000 a year and can be fixed for just a few dollars.
Send for Energy Ace's Water Audit factsheet. |
Factoid:
U.S. buildings consume more energy than cars and trucks, and release about a third of the country's greenhouse gases. |
Phone: 866-610-LEED
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House Passes Major Energy Bill
On August 4, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a far-reaching energy bill that includes a number of AIA-backed initiatives, including carbon-neutral federal buildings by 2030, an extension of the energy-efficient commercial buildings tax deduction, and the construction of a photovoltaic sun wall on the Department of Energy's headquarters.
Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Tax Deduction
Extending the energy-efficient commercial buildings tax deduction, set to end next year, was also included in the House-passed energy bill. Section 10113 of the legislation extends the tax deduction until 2013. This provision allows for a tax deduction of $1.80 per square foot for the construction of energy-efficient commercial buildings and the installation of energy-efficient systems in existing commercial buildings that result in the reduction of energy consumption by 50 percent or more as compared to a reference building.
Send for Energy Ace's Tax Incentives Factsheet |
 LEED Evolves
USGBC's LEED Green Building Rating System Awards "Innovation in Design" Point for Using Carbon Neutral Materials and Products in Building Projects
"Products that deliver climate benefits that go above and beyond the standard version of key building materials support USGBC's desire to move towards a more life-cycle based approach throughout the LEED rating system."
Innovation in Design points are awarded to LEED projects that develop new solutions, employ new technologies, educate, or realize exemplary performance in another area. USGBC is cataloging all Innovation in Design points that have been awarded to LEED certified projects and will publish them online at www.usgbc.org.
Another big change occurred in June. All LEED certified projects must now achieve at least two "Optimize Energy Performance" points within LEED, which will improve the energy performance of all LEED certified green buildings by 14% for new construction and 7% for existing buildings.
This was done because buildings are an important and often overlooked solution to climate change: they are responsible for nearly 40% of CO2 emissions in the U.S., due to energy use, water consumption and other operational issues. CO2, a greenhouse gas that is a major contributor to climate change, has increased 18% since 1990 due to the rise in energy consumption. | |
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Green Globes versus LEED
Green Globes is a green building rating system that presents itself as an easier-to-use alternative to the USGBC's LEED rating system.
A group of graduate architecture students from UC Berkeley examined Green Globes l(GG) ast year. They " generally felt that the online format for GG, as well as many of its intended offerings, held considerable potential that was as yet unrealized."
Their " understanding is that GBI and GG are sponsored by NAHB, and that the majority of initial funding came from the forest products industry. Students were concerned that, as a result, GBI cannot be free of inherent bias and that can (and is) affecting the perceived integrity of the GG tool."
Their report went on to say that " The process by which GG has been drafted, amended, and adopted was very unclear. This transparency is also crucial to the system's success as a rating tool. If the public is not aware of how decisions are made, GBI opens itself up to criticisms and doubts as to the influences that push it in one direction or another."
The students were initially very excited about the potential of the online format, but were quickly discouraged by what the system actually did compared to what an online tool could potentially do. Since this is one of the most touted unique features of GG, it was also the one that invited the most scrutiny.
The upshot seems to be that Green Globes has potential but needs work, especially in the areas of transparency and neutrality. |
Green Schools 
McGraw-Hill Construction announced a report finding that the $53-billion education sector is the fastest-growing market for green building.
Guaranteeing Green is Green
CHPS (Collaborative for High Performance Schools) is now offering a verification program to accompany its CHPS Design Program. In 2000 CHPS was initially created for use in California; however, since that time it has been regionally adapted in Massachusetts, Washington, New York and is currently being adapted by several additional New England States. The new LEED for Schools program has also been adapted in part from the CHPS program.
What is the difference between CHPS and LEEDFor schools?
In 2007 the US Green Building Council is scheduled to release their LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Schools tool. This tool will be similar to the CHPS rating program, as it is partially based on the CHPS Criteria. When choosing between LEED and CHPS, school districts will have various factors to consider including ease of certification, recognition, cost, experience, flexibility, transparency, and regional adaptation.
Send for Energy Ace's LEED for Schools Factsheet.
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Campus News
72 percent of voting students in a recent student government election at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga supported of a fee increase of up to 10 per semester to fund energy efficiency and use of renewable energy.
69 percent of voting students at University of Memphis recently voted in favor of a fee increase of unspecified amount to purchase renewable energy and to fund efficiency and sustainability projects on campus.
343 Colleges and Universities have now signed the Presidents Climate Commitment, pledging to reduce their global warming impact by taking actions in a variety of ways.
The University of Florida recently completed the installation of a 2,600-square-foot green roof. The roof, which covers an amphitheater next to UF's School of Building Construction, includes a dozen species of native plants and is intended be a model for future building projects on the campus. The roof will be studied for to determine its benefit in reducing and cleaning stormwater runoff. All runoff that isn't absorbed by the roof will be stored in cisterns and used to irrigate the roof during dry periods.
The University of Georgia recently began using B20, a blend of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel, in all 47 buses in its fleet. The switch makes UGA one of the largest users of biodiesel in the state. The biodiesel UGA is using is derived from chicken fat produced as a byproduct of the state's poultry industry. The switch to biodiesel follows a successful spring 2006 pilot program in which the university ran a bus on a biodiesel blend. At the present time, the University is able to secure biodiesel for less than the cost of conventional diesel.
Source: AASHE Bulletin
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Car Talk
Honda and Toyota lead the world's top eight automakers in lowest greenhouse gas emissions and smog-forming pollution, according to the results of a survey of the auto industry. America's Big Three -- Ford, General Motors and DaimlerChrysler, placed last on the list.
This is the fourth time in a row Honda has topped the list, but Toyota came within one point of tying for the lead. Hyundai-Kia, Nissan and Volkswagen ranked third, fourth and fifth, respectively, and the American automakers Ford, G.M. and DaimlerChrysler placed sixth, seventh and eighth.
The survey is conducted by the Union of Concerned Scientists, and ranks two factors to determine scores: smog-forming pollution emissions and greenhouse gas emissions. The scores are weighted across models and for the number of each type of car sold.
Source: greenbiz.com | |
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