Advanced Sustainability

This article is not for those newly initiated into green building. It's not for the faint-at-heart, nor is it for those just learning about sustainability.

Why? Because this article pushes our view of 'green' into the next phase.

So you've wrapped your mind around the idea of recycled and renewable, life cycle costs, carbon footprint, and energy savings. Now, let's talk about embodied energy.

Embodied energy refers to the energy required to extract, manufacture, transport, install, assemble and supply to the point of use a product, service, or material.

On the surface, a product may appear 'green', but what happens when we take into account the full, embodied energy?

The following is an article from Forbes Magazine:

When Building Green Harms The Environment
Matt Woolsey, 07.15.08, 6:15 PM ET

Gay Browne and her husband Tony have set out to build the greenest house in Montecito, Calif., in a small gated community near the ocean. They'll find the task much simpler than when they pursued the same green goal, in 1994, in Pacific Palisades, outside of Los Angeles.

Back then, builders had no idea about which materials were truly sustainable or were start-to-finish green, as opposed to being "greenwashed"--materials and appliances that might purport environmental friendliness through advertising or a fancy seal, but are environmentally detrimental. When Gay needed counter tops, she took a Geiger counter to a rock quarry to find the stones with the lowest radiation levels; she even found the one insulation maker in the country that used cotton batting instead of environmentally harmful fiberglass. In other words, she had to do everything herself.

Today, Browne, as the founder of greenopia.com, a site that helps consumers distinguish between those products that are highly efficient and have a low footprint from those that are masquerading as environmentally conscious (likely to take advantage of the growing green-materials market), has a much better idea as to what home-building materials and procedures are the greenest. The site is now a go-to resource for truly green construction, as buying greenwashed materials isn't just the slightly less environmentally friendly alternative; these products can increase your carbon footprint significantly.

Enthusiasm Despite The Downturn The remodeling market has slid with the housing market. Starting at the end of 2005, activity in remodeling has been decreasing steadily, according to the National Association of Homebuilders' Remodeling Market Index. David Seiders, the NAHB's chief economist, estimates that the market will further weaken through 2008. However, research from the NAHB and the American Institute of Architects indicate that green building is a growing component of the overall sector, and that green contractors have longer backlogs.

As a result, an increasing number of products are being positioned as green to take advantage of one of the few growing segments of housing. The most common false claim involves hidden trade-offs, according to research from TerraChoice Environmental Marketing, an Ottawa-based firm that, in November 2007, tested 1,000 household products making green claims. A good example of a hidden trade-off is concrete, which seems green once you own it, but is environmentally harmful to produce.

"Concrete is very durable, all natural and technically recyclable," says Eric Corey Freed, the principal of organicARCHITECT, a green architecture firm in San Francisco. "But its chief ingredient is Portland cement, which is heated to 5,000 degrees during manufacturing and lets off high carbon emissions."

How a product uses energy over its life makes a big difference as well. Carpets, for instance, might be made from sustainable fibers or recycled soda bottles. Assuming it's not backed with vinyl, which some are, think about the idea of the carpet itself. It requires cleaning, vacuuming and collects dust and pollen more than hardwood does. You need to amortize every extra watt it will require--and sneeze it will cause--over its life.

Supply-Chain Uncertainties. Another problem stems from how global supply chains work. Very few green operations are completely vertically integrated, meaning that it's rare for a company to own and operate every phase of the manufacturing process. From the time a piece of bamboo is harvested in China to the time it's installed as flooring in an Omaha living room, it's often gone through the hands of multiple companies--some green, some not so much.

While the flooring company in Omaha can truthfully say that it's using sustainably harvested wood (though bamboo is technically a grass), the shipping and trucking companies used to get the materials from China might not be green-oriented, and the factory where the bamboo is pressed might bond it with formaldehyde, or use a toxic finishing product.

"Consumers are looking for easy answers, and when I shop I prefer to see a logo on something and just buy it," says Scot Case, vice president of TerraChoice. "But the biggest piece of advice I have is don't buy a product because it has some green dot on it unless you understand exactly what that green dot means."

If a company doesn't chart all the materials used, makes claims on only one component of its sustainability, or makes no mention of manufacturing techniques, it's important for consumers to call companies and demand a material safety data sheet, which details every material used in the product, its disposal instructions, what sorts of gasses it emits, its level of toxicity and disposal instructions.

But another important tactic is conservation. For example, PaperStone and Richlite make high-end, recycled countertops that will more than likely outlive you, but so will your current granite countertops. Another good example is linoleum floors, which don't off-gas anything harmful, are easy to clean, aren't toxic and will last 25 to 50 years. Neither granite nor linoleum is as green as post-consumer compressed paper countertops or bamboo floors, but if you throw away the old floor and counter top in a landfill just for the sake of switching to a greener material, you're not doing a lot to reduce your footprint.

When a remodel is absolutely necessary, however, take the phone book out from under the short leg of the table, and look up salvage yards. In many cases, older is greener.

"Salvage companies are inherently green," says Freed. "We have clients who buy a new house and want to remodel it, and will throw away a perfectly good toilet and bathtub because it's the wrong color. If we can't change their mind, we try to salvage it."

Though if you've got a flair for design and carpentry, you might want to refashion what wood or metals you're throwing away. As anyone who's ever been to an artisanal furniture store can attest, old barn doors and rafters are converted into high-cost furniture.

"I really like the antique look of reclaimed stuff," says Browne. "But they really do mark it up."

http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/2008/07/15/green-home-decisions-forbeslife-cx_mw_0715realestate.html

Why do I need the LEED Plaque?

That's a fair question. If you build responsibly, follow LEED guidelines, incorporate best practices and focus on sustainability, why do you need the added expense of certification?

How about this... According to a recent article in Urban Land Magazine, ULI's periodical, not having the third-party certification may hurt future sales opportunies. Charles Lockwood, a green real estate authority and consultant in southern California, had some interesting things to say about green real estate space:

"Green is now becoming the rule - not the exception - in some office markets. Expect other building types - retail, industrial, warehouse and hotels - to go green shortly.

This past May, a top New York real estate broker, in a conversation at a conference with ULI president, worldwide, Richard M. Rosan, told him: 'You won't believe what's happened. Today, none of the leading companies will look at office space in New York unless it's green. They won't look at it.'

Companies are not restricting their green demands to New York. Brokers in Washington, DC, report that Class A buildings without a LEED plaque are at a disadvantage.

Around the world, companies are insisting on green workplaces. In Australia, for example, 'Every commercial tenant seeking more than 10,000 square meters requires five- or six-star Green Star space, the equivalent of LEED-Gold or Platinum,' says Che Wall, chair of the World Green Building Council.

Driving the green juggernaut are all the familiar benefits of green: lower operating costs, improved workforce productivity, reduced employee absenteeism, lower health care costs, greater drawing power to attract and retain skilled workers, higher property values, and increased profit for building owners and investors. More recently, green also is being driven by a greater awareness of how buildings contribute to global climate change, by a major shift in how many corporations view the environment, and by worker and shareholder demand for green workplaces.

How does the green juggernaut affect tenants? Green development results in healthier workplaces that are most competitive in terms of attracting desirable skilled workers, lowering operation costs, and providing a green image that will gratify shareholders and lore clients.

How does the green juggernaut affect building owners and investors? They will need to prepare for the looming obselescence of their existing conventional buildings. But, that massive obsolescence will, in turn, create a major new profit center for owners and investors and the entire real estate industry - the green renovations of existing convential buildings."

This market transformation has well-surpassed the "this is just another trend" stage. It will take a special kind of traditionalist to continue to say this is another passing phase. Green's here to stay and will only continue to transform real estate, development, design, and construction. The question then becomes: Are you going to be part of the transformation? Or are you going to be the one running from behind the industry to catch up?

Part of the transformation, then? Great choice!

So, back to our initial question: Why do I need the LEED Plaque? Not only does the third-party certification ensure sales and occupancy opportunity in future transactions, but it also affirms that the building meets or exceeds certain standards. It's your report card. It's something you can bring to the table and say, "Look what we did!"

And, most importantly, it is your Statement of Authenticity. When faced with the choice between purchasing the LEED-Silver Building A and 'green' Building B, what are you going to choose? There is simply too much greenwashing out there to risk Building B, no matter how much the agent tells you. I want to see the Report Card and the LEED-Silver Building has one.

An important note on the cost of certification: In a 50,000 square foot building, the cost for certification (for a USGBC member) is $1750.

Is that report card worth $1750? Absolutely.

Where is GREEN taking you this year?

So, did you think I was going to discuss strategic planning? Or corporate sustainability plans? Or future trends?

How about conferences? Let's talk about conferences! Who's incorporating green into their expos and conferences, where they're happening, how much is it going to cost you to get there?

Here's the scoop:

International Council of Shopping Centers
www.icsc.org
"Idea Exchange"
Clearwater, FL
February 6-7, 2008
Cost: $180-$225
(Point to note: Kevin "The Green Man" Songer will be a featured speaker!)

UF/TREEO
www.treeo.ufl.edu/conferences/air/
Air Contaminates Conference
Daytona, FL
February 28-29, 2008
Cost: $295

NESEA: Northeast Sustainable Energy Association
www.buildingenergy.nesea.org
"Building Energy '08"
Boston, MA
March 11-13, 2008
Cost: $465-$565

NAIOP
www.naiop.org
"Develop Green"
Glendale, AZ
March 12-13, 2008
Cost: $595-$795

GreenPrints
www.greenprints.org
"GreenPrints Conference and Trade Show"
Atlanta, GA
March 13-14, 2008
Cost: $375-$425

Aspen Institute
www.aspeninstitute.org
"The Aspen Environment Forum"
Aspen, CO
March 26-30, 2008
Cost: $1700-$3000

Gulf Coast Green
www.gulfcoastgreen.org
"Gulf Coast Green Symposium"
Houston, TX
April 3-6, 2008
Cost: $250-$300

ULI: Urban Land Institute
www.uli.org
"Developing and Investing Green"
Charlotte, NC
April 7-8, 2008
Cost: $995-$1095

ACEEE
www.frallc.com
"2nd Annual Energy Efficiency Finance Forum"
Arlington, VA
April 10-11, 2008
Cost: $1695

American Business Conferences
www.cost-efficient-sustainable-buildings.com
"Cost-Efficient Sustainable Buildings"
Philadelphia, PA
April 14-15, 2008
Cost: $2000-$3000 (Includes hotel stay)

Please feel free to add additional conference information and keep an eye out for future events.

See you 'round the conference scene!

LEED ROI and Payback

Here we are again, speaking on the cost of going green. I find it remarkable that there are those that still question the value and benefits of going green even when faced with strong Return-on-Investment numbers that confirm that high-performance building is the right way to go. Is it so difficult to believe there's some good deals out there?

I'm currently attending the FEFPA (Florida Education Facilities Planners Association) in Fernandina Beach and this morning's speaker, Alan Whitson, spoke about money and green building: It's the Money: Separating Green Fact from Fiction. (For more information on Alan Whitson, visit www.squarefootage.net) He provides some excellent numbers to share with clients when discussing green building options.

As mentioned before, the first question asked when discussing a LEED project is "How much more is it going to cost?" Or, "What is the payback on this?" If you had to convince an owner that the payback period was 5 years, would you receive a favorable response?

How about if you said the return on investment was 20%?

20% sounds mighty good.

In his example, the 5 year payback earned a 20% return on investment. I think we should start talking in terms of ROI instead of payback. Whitson does, too. He shared some excellent suggestions on why to use ROI instead of simple payback:

Simple payback focuses on how fast capital is returned, not on maximizing the return on capital. Simple payback doesn't consider post payback period cash flows, the time value of money and the risks to the cash flow.
Acceptable time periods are arbitrary and do not reflect market rates of return.

He also suggests that we include ALL financial benefits that can be generated including increases in building value and shareholder value. Your assumptions should include a realistic time horizon, inflation, and reinvestment of savings. Also, consider the financial impact of depreciation and income taxes.

Here's a great example Whitson provided:

Let's look at the impact of a $0.40sf. annual energy savings on a 130000sf school.
With no inflation and no reinvestment: $2,600,000 savings
With 2.5% inflation rate and 5% reinvestment: $22,260,535 savings
With 2.5% inflation rate and 8% reinvestment: $41, 093,713 savings

If you could incorporate energy saving measures that would equal $0.40sf on a 130k sf. project, you could reasonably earn back $41M dollars?

Let me guess... "That couldn't POSSIBLY be correct. There must be faulty numbers or everyone would be doing this."

Mmm hmm. Exactly.

As the green building champions that we are, we should be providing our clients the tools they need to make the right decisions. It's up to us to get this information into their hands so that they can move forward with sustainable projects. This is what they need to present their shareholders, or their boards, or their owners, so that they can feel strongly about making the right decision.

Most owners already have the desire to build an environmentally responsible, healthy place to work and live. Let's show them that it can be profitable, too.

Green Building Ordinance Update

A reminder to my fellow Jacksonville-ians:

The City of Jacksonville's Environmental Protection Board is drafting a Sustainable Building Ordinance which will require COJ new construction and major renovations to achieve LEED certification and incentivize private development for achieving LEED certification.

This draft needs your support to ensure it has the best possible chance before City Council. Here's what you can do:

Attend the Public Forum: The Public Forum for the proposed ordinance will be held Tuesday, January 22nd at 430pm in Conference Room 3C, City Hall - St. James 117 West Duval Street.

Provide a Written Comment: For those unable to attend, send your thoughts to Mr. Robert Schuster, Environmental Protection Board, 117 West Duval Street, Suite 225, Jacksonville, FL 32202, no later than January 29, 2008.

Notify your City Council Representative: Remind your city council representative that your future votes depend on their current votes. Send an e-mail stressing that this issue is critical to Jacksonville's future. Here are a few statistics that your city council representative may not know:

• USGBC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which is dues-based representing over 10,000 companies from 12 membership categories.
• With more than 1000 certified buildings and over 7300 registered buildings, USGBC has extensive experience in assessing, documenting, and administering what has become the leading green building rating system in the United States.
• As a third-party certification system, LEED validates achievement and establishes leadership in the green building sector. LEED provides a clear roadmap for sustainable design and then ensures its performance by documenting that the building is constructed as designed.
• More than 90 local governments have adopted LEED.
• 24 states have adopted LEED.
• 41 countries have LEED projects.
• According to the US EPA research, by cutting energy use by 30% tenants can save 50 cents per square foot per year.
• LEED Green Building Rating Sytem is available for New Construction, Existing Buildings, Commercial Interiors, Core & Shell, Homes, Schools, and Neighborhood Development.

To e-mail your city council representative: http://www.coj.net/City+Council/City+Council+members.htm

Take the time to raise your voice for sustainability! How often do we have the chance to truly make a difference in our city? Make it your priority to support this draft and attend the Public Forum on Tuesday.

We need YOU!

Green Building Ordinance Draft, rev. 2

Below is the most recent draft of Jacksonville's Sustainable Building Ordinance. See the post below this for details on the next public forum in January:


In the Public workshop, there was a request for a periodic review and update of this ordinance to stay current with Local, State and National priorities and technologies. I am unsure where or how to incorporate this. The EPB, at the December meeting, verbally agreed with this concept of periodic review and update.

Introduced by Council President at the request of the Mayor:

ORDINANCE 2007-
AN ORDINANCECREATING A NEW CHAPTER ___, ORDINANCE CODE, ESTABLISHING A SUSTAINABLE BUILDING PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE; SETTING FORTH INTENT, APPLICABILITY, DEFINITIONS, STANDARDS, AND INCENTIVES FOR PROGRAM; CREATING A TEMPORARY SUSTAINABLE BUILDING CERTIFICATION REFUND GRANT PROGRAM; APPROPRIATING $100,000 FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION TRUST FUND FOR THE GRANT PROGRAM; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

WHEREAS, sustainable development helps balance the expansion of the City and preservation of our quality of life; and
WHEREAS, Jacksonville has demonstrated its commitment and leadership through the Green Homes Initiative; and
WHEREAS, architects, developers, builders and owners are voluntarily making the commitment to design and construct sustainable buildings and homes in Duval County; and
WHEREAS, Jacksonville commits to high performance building practices that protect the quality of our air, water and other natural resources; provide employees, the public and the owners with safe and healthy indoor and outdoor environments, reducing developments impact on our God-given environment: and
WHEREAS, the Florida Green Building Coalition has developed voluntary programs for the development and operation of sustainable commercial, residential buildings and planned use developments; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Green Buildings Council has developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating systems for new and renovated commercial buildings, and new residential buildings and developments; and
WHEREAS, standards adopted for the Sustainable Building Program will advance the Jacksonville Green Homes Program, the Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star Program, the Water Management District Florida Water Star Program, and other programs advancing the goals of the Jacksonville Sustainable Building Program; now therefore
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the City of Jacksonville:

Section 1. Creation of New Chapter ____, SUSTAINABLE BUILDING PROGRAM. There is hereby created a new Chapter ____, Ordinance Code, entitled SUSTAINABLE BUILDING PROGRAM, to read as follows:
CHAPTER ____. SUSTAINABLE BUILDING PROGRAM

Section ___.101. Intent.
It is the intent of the Council in creating this Sustainable Building program to demonstrate a substantial commitment on the part of the City to finance, plan, design, construct, manage, renovate, commission, maintain and deconstruct County Buildings with sustainable building standards and to support development of privately owned buildings in Jacksonville to sustainable standards. The purpose of this program is to provide the City with a certification-based "Sustainable building" program to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly practices of design, construction, commissioning, maintenance and retirement for buildings.

Section ___.102. Applicability.
(a) All new civic or office construction projects owned by the City, including its independent agencies or authorities, will follow the requirements of this Chapter, unless the Council makes a determination that the costs of compliance with this Chapter significantly outweigh the benefits to the City of compliance. All new City-owned civic or office construction projects shall, at a minimum, obtain LEED certification for any buildings in the project. An exception to the requirements of this Ordinance shall be considered by Council for any project with a return on investment of less than 10% of the total capital cost of the proposed project.
(b) All modifications to existing City-owned buildings where the total renovations includes more than 50% of the total building square footage will follow the requirements of this Chapter.
(c) For all other construction projects, including all private construction projects, compliance with this Chapter is voluntary.

Section ___.103. Definitions.
For purposes of this Chapter, the following terms, words and phrases shall have the following meanings:
FGBC means the Florida Green Building Coalition.
FSEC means Florida Solar Energy Center, a unit of the University of Central Florida.
GHDS means the Green Home Designation Standard of the Florida Green Building Coalition.
Sustainable building means generally the resource efficient design, construction, and operation of buildings by employing environmentally sensible construction practices, systems, and materials. Sustainable building also means an office, residential or civic structure which has obtained LEED certification.
LEED means the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Rating System of the U.S. Green Building Council. Program certification means the final designation awarded to a program participant for satisfying all requirements associated with the program for a particular project.
Third party rater means an independent third party certified by the USGBC as a Sustainable building rater qualified to verify that the building project has satisfied all of the requirements associated with the standards applicable to a particular project.
USGBC means the U.S. Green Building Council.

Sec. _____.104. Administration.
(a) The Public Works Department Engineering and Construction Management Division is responsible to ensure compliance with applicable requirements of this Chapter in the construction of new City-owned civic and office buildings. The Engineering and Construction Management Division is also responsible for reviewing, assessing and making recommendations concerning existing City owned buildings being considered for participation in the Sustainable Building Program and, in the event such buildings are so included, for ensuring compliance with the requirements of this Chapter.
(b) The Environmental Protection Board shall review and approve requests for Sustainable Building Certification Refund Grants pursuant to section ___.107. The Environmental Protection Board shall also hear appeals from persons or entities denied access to future fast track development review pursuant to section ___.106(a).
(d) The Environmental Quality Department shall, in cooperation with the FSEC and others, coordinate at least one training workshop per year for the purpose of educating current and potential participants and City Staff in the Jacksonville Sustainable Building Program on the program and its benefits and requirements. Annual training shall be funded from the Environmental Protection Fund.
(e) The Planning and Development Department shall provide fast track development review pursuant to section ___.106(a).
(F) The Sustainable Building Program shall be administered on either a per-unit or per-development basis, as specified at the time of permitting. "Per-unit" means each unit built, except that any multi-family dwelling or similarly clustered structure may count as one unit. “Per-development” means each Planned Use Development, subdivision, or business park.

Sec. _____.105. Standards.
Published LEED standards of the USGBC shall be used to measure compliance of buildings participating in the Sustainable Building Program.

Sec. _____.106. Incentives.
The incentives contained in this section are intended to encourage the construction of Sustainable buildings. For any program participant seeking program certification for new residential or commercial construction, residential or commercial retrofitting/remodeling or new City-owned civic or office construction, the following incentives shall be made available:
(a) Fast track development review:
(1) Development Services, including “10-set” and Concurrency Management, Land Use Change and Construction permit applications submitted or resubmitted for review for Sustainable Building projects shall be given priority over projects which are not Sustainable Building projects by all City departments reviewing such applications.
(2) Applications for administrative deviations pursuant to section 656.109, when submitted to facilitate Sustainable Building program certification, shall be given priority over other applications which are not Sustainable Building projects, to the extent possible consistent with the time requirements of section 656.109.
(3) Applications for plat approval pursuant to Chapter 654 shall be given priority over other applications provided the developer records on the public records of Duval County covenants or other restrictions sufficient to require that all homes in the subdivision will be constructed so as to qualify for LEED certification.
(4) Requests for relief from the requirements of section 656.607(i), when submitted to facilitate Sustainable Building program certification, shall be liberally construed to promote such certification.
(5) Applicants who obtain priority status pursuant to this section shall provide proof of LEED certification to __________________ within 180 days of construction completion as defined by Occupancy Permit issue date. Applicants who obtain priority status but fail to obtain program certification may be will be subject to disciplinary action by the City of Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board under the provisions of Sec._____._____ of the City Code.. Any person or entity so denied priority status may appeal such determination to the Environmental Protection Board. Eligibility for priority status may also be restored upon proof of LEED certification of a building permitted through regular review after denial of priority status.
(b) Designation: The Environmental Quality Division shall coordinate a program of recognition, on the internet or through other additional means, identifying permitted construction as a Sustainable building project with benefits to the community and the environment.
(c) Refund of certification expenses: Subject to, and within the limits of, funds appropriated by the Council for the purposes set forth in this subsection, owners or developers of Sustainable Building projects may receive a refund of the actual costs of Sustainable Building program certification pursuant to section ___.107.

Sec. ___.107. Sustainable Building Certification Refund Grant Program.
(a) Creation and Purpose. There is hereby created a Sustainable Building Certification Refund Grant Program. The purpose of the program is to establish a temporary source of funds to be used to create an incentive to achieve Sustainable Building program certification through refunds of the actual cost of such certification. The program is intended to be a start-up program to encourage initial participation in the Sustainable Building program and shall terminate upon disbursal of any funds appropriated by the Council for this grant program.
(b) Responsibility. The grant program established by this section shall be administered through the Environmental Protection Board, which shall review and approve disbursements from such funds as may be appropriated by the Council for this program.
(c) Application for certification refund grants. Property owners desiring to participate in this grant program shall submit an application to the Environmental Protection Board on a form prescribed by that Board or its staff. Application shall be made following certification of Sustainable Building status and shall be accompanied by proof of certification and evidence of the actual costs associated with obtaining such certification. Certification shall be made by an independent third party rater that the owner has received LEED Sustainable building program certification for the buildings that are the subject of the application. Grants pursuant to this program shall be made by the Environmental Protection Board and shall be for reimbursement of actual cost of obtaining certification, which costs may include fees for application and inspection for LEED certification, but shall not include cost of any construction necessary to achieve LEED certification or permitting or other fess associated with such construction. Grants made pursuant to this program shall me limited to the following amounts:
Certification Level Maximum Amount per Building
LEED Certification $500
LEED Silver $1000
LEED Gold $1500
LEED Platinum $2000
Section 2. Appropriation. For the 2007-2008 fiscal year, within the City’s budget, there are hereby appropriated the indicated sum(s) from the account(s) listed in subsection (a) to the account(s) listed in subsection (b):
(B.T. ______ attached hereto as Exhibit 1 and incorporated herein by this reference)
(a) Appropriated from:
See B.T. ______ $100,000.00
(b) Appropriated to:
See B.T. ______ $100,000.00
Section 3. Purpose. The purpose of the appropriation in Section 1 is to provide funding for a Sustainable Building Certification Refund Grant Program established by Sec. ___.107, Ordinance Code, which program is temporary in nature and intended to create incentives to achieve Sustainable Building program certification as provided in Chapter ___, Ordinance Code.
Section 4. Carryover. The funds appropriated in this ordinance shall not lapse but shall carryover to fiscal year 2008-2009.
Section 5. Waiver. Section 111.755 (Environmental Protection Fund), subsection (f), Ordinance Code, is hereby waived so as to allow the use of the Environmental Protection Board Trust Fund for the purposes set forth in Section 3, notwithstanding the existing limitations on use of the funds.
Section 6. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall become effective upon signature by the Mayor or upon becoming effective without the Mayor's signature.
Form Approved:

__________________________________________
Office of General Counsel
Legislation Prepared By: Tracey I. Arpen, Jr.

Green Building Ordinance Update

For those of you that are following along, here is the latest update from the desk of Ms. Veleta at the Environmental Protection Board:

Greetings:

The Water Committee of the Environmental Protection Board will host a public meeting with the purpose of hearing comments on the latest draft of the proposed Green buildings Ordinance. It is the desire of the Water Committee to finalize the latest version of the draft ordinance and submit it to the Mayor's Office for introduction to City Council in February. You presence at this public meeting and/or your comments are vital to the forward progress of the proposed ordinance. The latest draft is attached for your information and comment.

The Public Meeting the proposed Green Buildings Ordinance will be held Tuesday, January 22, 2008 at 4:30 P.M. in Conference Room 3C, City Hall
- St. James, 117 W. Duval Street, Jacksonville, Florida 32202.

Should you have any questions or require further information, please contact the undersigned or Ruby Tucker at 630-3692. Written comments may be submitted via email to me or via snail mail to Mr. Robert Schuster, Environmental Protection Board, 117 W. Duval Street, Suite 225, Jacksonville, Florida 32202, no later than January 29, 2008.


Christi Veleta
Program Administrator
Environmental Protection Board
117 W. Duval Street, Suite 225
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
Phone: 904-630-3692
Fax: 904-630-3638
Email: veleta@coj.net

(The draft of the ordinance is posted separate from this notice.)

Please mark your calendar and plan to attend the meeting on January 22nd. Your support provides the strength required to make this happen.

Green Building Ordinance Update

For those of you that are following Jacksonville's proposed Green Building Ordinance, I spoke with Christi Veleta, program administrator for Environmental Protection Board, this morning and she told me to keep an eye out for the middle of January for the next public workshop.

Right now, they are considering the public comments received and making the appropriate revisions which will be available for review at the workshop in January. If you provided comment and included your e-mail address, you will be notified of the date and time. If not, (why not?) keep an eye on Sustainabuild for updates.

Also, the state will be rolling out a proposal around the same time so part of the review process will include ensuring that both are in harmony and there are no conflicts.

In the meantime, keep it green!

The cost... It's always about the cost

So, what's the biggest barrier to buildng green? The cost, you say?

But, is it the actual cost or the percieved cost?

Here's a good article from CoStar written by Andrew C. Burr that addresses this issue and how the commercial real estate industry sees it:

Rising Energy Concerns Buoy Green Building Industry

Ever-Increasing Energy Costs Boosting Demand for Sustainability in Corporate Real Estate, But is it Enough to Overcome Green Building Barriers?

There are a lot of reasons behind the green building industry's quick ascent into mainstream commercial real estate. At the center of the surge, global CRE giants like CB Richard Ellis, Transwestern and Jones Lang LaSalle are offering clients sustainability programs and pushing LEED and Energy Star certification. On the outskirts, retailers and tech firms like Wal-Mart, Google and IBM are retrofitting their real estate portfolios and pressing the issue with suppliers. Banks are starting to recognize the fiscal soundness of sustainable buildings, lawmakers are becoming braver on regulation, and global real estate-centric programs from former U.S. presidents (the Clinton Climate Initiative) haven't hurt, either.

But in perhaps the biggest boon for green building, the industry hasn't had to do a thing. Concern over spiraling energy prices in the U.S. have forced tenants and landlords, particularly among institutional owners and big corporate occupiers, to reevaluate their energy options, creating a market-based demand for solutions. "Energy is a pressure point that's causing people to focus on sustainability," says Eric Bowles, vice president and director of research for corporate real estate trade group CoreNet Global. "When companies look at what's busting their budget this year, it's rising energy costs. Essentially, the energy issue is creating the attention."

CoreNet, in conjunction with Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), recently released the findings of a global survey conducted over the past year on sustainability perceptions and trends in corporate real estate. The survey found that energy concerns dominated corporate thinking on critical sustainability issues. "Energy, at least currently, is the most important factor to corporate occupiers for sustainability. That's a direct reflection on the extremely high energy costs and the fact that it's a little more of a directly approachable and actionable item," said Ben Breslau, vice president and director of JLL's occupier research. The market has flocked to find ways to cut energy consumption, in part because the business case is clear -- or what Breslau means when he says "approachable." Less energy means fewer dollars.

A survey earlier this year of North American business leaders by Johnson Controls, an automotive and real estate consulting firm, found a compelling business case for slashing energy consumption. More than half of respondents cited cost savings as the primary motivator behind their company's investments in energy-efficient technology, whereas just 13 percent cited environmental concern as the prime reason.

And energy utilization solutions -- some as simple as switching off workplace computers and lights at night -- can also be easier to implement than other sustainable items, such as installing a green-rooftop or rainwater harvesting system.

But while the industry didn't create demand for energy efficiency, it isn't sitting back. Big firms like JLL, CB Richard Ellis, Transwestern and USAA Real Estate have established energy management programs across their managed portfolios, pitching big energy savings to clients.

Other industries are making inroads into commercial real estate energy solutions too, from intriguing new solar power platforms (you don't actually have to buy the panels) to HVAC cooling systems that rely on melted ice rather than electricity.

The correlation between rising energy prices and green building hasn't been lost on The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) either. The organization -- which advertises an energy reduction of 20 to 50 percent in buildings certified under its LEED rating program -- pitched environmental consciousness in its early days before becoming much more effective by advertising the business case for sustainability. This summer, it added two new mandatory energy efficiency requirements to LEED.

Other drivers of sustainability in corporate real estate, according to the CoreNet/JLL survey, include energy and emissions regulations -- in other words, the threat of regulation -- and corporate social responsibility. Both trail energy concerns in the survey but are significant factors, according to Bowles and Breslau. "In North America, there is at the senior level an increasing expectation that there will ultimately be some sort of regulation around carbon and around sustainability," Bowles says, citing the fact that many global corporations are already partially regulated in other parts of the world. "Look at New York. Look at San Francisco. Look at Washington, D.C. You have a proliferation of municipalities, and in some cases states, that are adding their own mix to the regulation. You've got to be a bit ahead of that curve," he said.

According to Breslau, corporations are facing immense pressure to spend capital on sustainability initiatives, including greening their real estate portfolios. "[The pressure] is coming from shareholders, employees, clients and customers. In terms of the willingness to pay more, there's a recognition that this is going to be a positive thing and a necessary thing in the long run," he said. "Obviously, real estate plays a big part in that."

Overall, the survey found that most respondents (79 percent) considered sustainability to be a critical near-term business issue in corporate real estate, and that roughly the same number are willing to pay a premium for sustainability. That's the good news. But the survey also concluded that a number of misperceptions and barriers exist, hampering green building from rooting itself more firmly in corporate real estate culture.

Only 17 percent of respondents said that "good" or "widely available" sustainable real estate solutions exist where their companies need to relocate their offices, with most other respondents describing availability as patchy, limited or minimal. The survey also pegged the commercial real estate industry as decisively reactive rather than proactive in terms of sustainability, with just 8 percent of respondents describing landlords as proactive, and a mere 3 percent calling brokers proactive.

But the biggest concern remains sustainability cost misperceptions, a problem that doesn't seem to be going away. "It's not that the information isn't there, it's that a lot of the stakeholders are not being proactive in talking about [cost issues]," says Bowles. "In many cases, they're simply accepting the premise that it's more expensive." Increased construction costs under the LEED system are generally held to be between 1 and 5 percent, with some levels of certification achievable at no cost premium.

The survey, however, found that more than half of respondents expected green construction to add between 5 and 10 percent to construction costs, a figure that has been roundly disputed by organizations including USGBC, construction consulting firm Davis Langdon, institutional investor Prudential Real Estate Investors and publisher McGraw-Hill.

A recent white paper by CB Richard Ellis also found that cost misperceptions continue to present the most serious barrier to green building acceptance. "The perceived increased cost of green construction spurs fears for developers who are already concerned about the cost of short-term debt and conventional building materials," the report said.

"It's a big obstacle," USGBC Director of Communications Taryn Holowka says of the cost misperception, adding that USGBC works to educate the industry on the cost of LEED through local advocacy and outreach at its 72 chapters, and through hundreds of workshops it hosts in-person and online.

This article can be found here.

So, it's pretty clear that the cost of green building isn't the issue. The percieved cost of going green is the issue.

Education is, and will continue to be, the solution. Keep talking and spreading the word!

Green Building Ordinance: Make your voice heard!

Today is the last day to offer public comment on the proposed Green Building Ordinance drafted by the Environmental Protection Board for the City of Jacksonville.

Here is the ordinance as it is currently drafted.

Please take the time to read it and submit comment to:

Robert Schuster, P.E.
Environmental Protection Board
117 W. Duval Street, Suite 225
Jacksonville, Florida 32202

Or, Christi Veleta will accept e-mail correspondence at veleta@coj.net

If you're reading this, that means you already have a commitment to sustainability. Be sure our government know, too. Take a moment today to make a difference.

Jacksonville's Proposed Green Building Ordinance

We need you!

From Christ Veleta, programs administrator for Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board:

"On November 15th at 5:00 P.M. the EPB will host a public meeting to discuss
the proposed ordinance. The meeting will be held in Conference Room 3C,
City Hall - St. James. Please feel free to pass the proposed ordinance
along to your colleagues or any group that you feel may be interested."

Here's the proposed wording (in draft form):

Introduced by Council President at the request of the Mayor:

ORDINANCE 2007-
AN ORDINANCECREATING A NEW CHAPTER ___, ORDINANCE CODE, ESTABLISHING A GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE; SETTING FORTH INTENT, APPLICABILITY, DEFINITIONS, STANDARDS, AND INCENTIVES FOR PROGRAM; CREATING A TEMPORARY GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION REFUND GRANT PROGRAM; APPROPRIATING $100,000 FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION TRUST FUND FOR THE GRANT PROGRAM; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

WHEREAS, sustainable development helps balance the expansion of the City and preservation of our quality of life; and
WHEREAS, Jacksonville has demonstrated its commitment and leadership through the Green Homes Initiative; and
WHEREAS, architects, developers, builders and owners are voluntarily making the commitment to design and construct green buildings and homes in Duval County; and
WHEREAS, Jacksonville commits to high performance building practices that protect the quality of our air, water and other natural resources; provide employees, the public and the owners with safe and healthy indoor and outdoor environments, reducing developments impact on our God-given environment: and
WHEREAS, the Florida Green Building Coalition has developed voluntary programs for the development and operation of sustainable commercial, residential buildings and planned use developments; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Green Buildings Council has developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating systems for new and renovated commercial buildings, and new residential buildings and developments; and
WHEREAS, standards adopted for the Green Building Program will advance the Jacksonville Green Homes Program, the Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star Program, the Water Management District Florida Water Star Program, and other programs advancing the goals of the Jacksonville Green Building Program; now therefore
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the City of Jacksonville:
Section 1. Creation of New Chapter ____, GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM. There is hereby created a new Chapter ____, Ordinance Code, entitled GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM, to read as follows:
CHAPTER ____. GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM
Section ___.101. Intent.
It is the intent of the Council in creating this Green Building program to demonstrate a substantial commitment on the part of the City to finance, plan, design, construct, manage, renovate, commission, maintain and deconstruct County Buildings with sustainable building standards and to support development of privately owned buildings in Jacksonville to sustainable standards. The purpose of this program is to provide the City with a certification-based "green building" program to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly practices of design, construction, commissioning, maintenance and retirement for buildings.
Section ___.102. Applicability.
(a) All new civic or office construction projects owned by the City, including its independent agencies or authorities, will follow the requirements of this Chapter, unless the Council makes a determination that the costs of compliance with this Chapter significantly outweigh the benefits to the City of compliance. All new City-owned civic or office construction projects shall, at a minimum, obtain LEED certification for any buildings in the project.
(b) For all other construction projects, including all private construction projects and existing City-owned buildings, compliance with this Chapter is voluntary.
Section ___.103. Definitions.
For purposes of this Chapter, the following terms, words and phrases shall have the following meanings:
FGBC means the Florida Green Building Coalition.
FSEC means Florida Solar Energy Center, a unit of the University of Central Florida.
GHDS means the Green Home Designation Standard of the Florida Green Building Coalition.
Green building means generally the resource efficient design, construction, and operation of buildings by employing environmentally sensible construction practices, systems, and materials. Green building also means an office, residential or civic structure which has obtained LEED certification.
LEED means the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Rating System of the U.S. Green Building Council. Program certification means the final designation awarded to a program participant for satisfying all requirements associated with the program for a particular project.
Third party rater means an independent third party certified by the USGBC as a green building rater qualified to verify that the building project has satisfied all of the requirements associated with the standards applicable to a particular project.
USGBC means the U.S. Green Building Council.
Sec. _____.104. Administration.
(a) The Public Works Department Engineering and Construction Management Division is responsible to ensure compliance with applicable requirements of this Chapter in the construction of new City-owned civic and office buildings. The Engineering and Construction Management Division is also responsible for reviewing, assessing and making recommendations concerning existing City owned buildings being considered for participation in the Green Building Program and, in the event such buildings are so included, for ensuring compliance with the requirements of this Chapter.
(b) The Environmental Protection Board shall review and approve requests for Green Building Certification Refund Grants pursuant to section ___.107. The Environmental Protection Board shall also hear appeals from persons or entities denied access to future fast track development review pursuant to section ___.106(a).
(d) The Environmental Protection Board, in cooperation with FSEC and others, coordinate at least one training workshop per year for the purpose of educating current and potential participants in the Jacksonville Green Building Program on the program and its benefits and requirements.
(e) The Planning and Development Department shall provide fast track development review pursuant to section ___.106(a).
(F) The Green Building Program shall be administered on either a per-unit or per-development basis, as specified at the time of permitting. "Per-unit" means each unit built, except that any multi-family dwelling or similarly clustered structure may count as one unit. “Per-development” means each Planned Use Development, subdivision, or business park.
Sec. _____.105. Standards.
Published LEED standards of the USGBC shall be used to measure compliance of buildings participating in the Green Building Program.
Sec. _____.106. Incentives.
The incentives contained in this section are intended to encourage the construction of green buildings. For any program participant seeking program certification for new residential or commercial construction, residential or commercial retrofitting/remodeling or new City-owned civic or office construction, the following incentives shall be made available:
(a) Fast track development review:
(1) Construction permit applications submitted or resubmitted for review for Green Building projects shall be given priority over projects which are not Green Building projects by all City departments reviewing such applications.
(2) Applications for administrative deviations pursuant to section 656.109, when submitted to facilitate Green Building program certification, shall be given priority over other applications which are not Green Building projects, to the extent possible consistent with the time requirements of section 656.109.
(3) Applications for plat approval pursuant to Chapter 654 shall be given priority over other applications provided the developer records on the public records of Duval County covenants or other restrictions sufficient to require that all homes in the subdivision will be constructed so as to qualify for LEED certification.
(4) Requests for relief from the requirements of section 656.607(i), when submitted to facilitate Green Building program certification, shall be liberally construed to promote such certification.
(5) Applicants who obtain priority status pursuant to this section shall provide to proof of LEED certification to __________________ within 30 days of obtaining such certification. Applicants who obtain priority status but fail to obtain program certification may be denied future priority status by the Director of the Planning and Development Department. Any person or entity so denied priority status may appeal such determination to the Environmental Protection Board. Eligibility for priority status may also be restored upon proof of LEED certification of a building permitted through regular review after denial of priority status.
(b)
(c) Refund of certification expenses: Subject to, and within the limits of, funds appropriated by the Council for the purposes set forth in this subsection, owners or developers of Green Building projects may receive a refund of the actual costs of Green Building program certification pursuant to section ___.107.
Sec. ___.107. Green Building Certification Refund Grant Program.
(a) Creation and Purpose. There is hereby created a Green Building Certification Refund Grant Program. The purpose of the program is to establish a temporary source of funds to be used to create an incentive to achieve Green Building program certification through refunds of the actual cost of such certification. The program is intended to be a start-up program to encourage initial participation in the Green Building program and shall terminate upon disbursal of any funds appropriated by the Council for this grant program.
(b) Responsibility. The grant program established by this section shall be administered through the Environmental Protection Board, which shall review and approve disbursements from such funds as may be appropriated by the Council for this program.
(c) Application for certification refund grants. Property owners desiring to participate in this grant program shall submit an application to the Environmental Protection Board on a form prescribed by that Board or its staff. Application shall be made following certification of Green Building status and shall be accompanied by proof of certification and evidence of the actual costs associated with obtaining such certification. Certification shall be made by an independent third party rater that the owner has received LEED green building program certification for the buildings that are the subject of the application. Grants pursuant to this program shall be made by the Environmental Protection Board and shall be for reimbursement of actual cost of obtaining certification, which costs may include fees for application and inspection for LEED certification, but shall not include cost of any construction necessary to achieve LEED certification or permitting or other fess associated with such construction. Grants made pursuant to this program shall me limited to the following amounts:
Certification Level Maximum Amount per Building
LEED Certification $500
LEED Silver $1000
LEED Gold $1500
LEED Platinum $2000
Section 2. Appropriation. For the 2007-2008 fiscal year, within the City’s budget, there are hereby appropriated the indicated sum(s) from the account(s) listed in subsection (a) to the account(s) listed in subsection (b):
(B.T. ______ attached hereto as Exhibit 1 and incorporated herein by this reference)
(a) Appropriated from:
See B.T. ______ $100,000.00
(b) Appropriated to:
See B.T. ______ $100,000.00
Section 3. Purpose. The purpose of the appropriation in Section 1 is to provide funding for a Green Building Certification Refund Grant Program established by Sec. ___.107, Ordinance Code, which program is temporary in nature and intended to create incentives to achieve Green Building program certification as provided in Chapter ___, Ordinance Code.
Section 4. Carryover. The funds appropriated in this ordinance shall not lapse but shall carryover to fiscal year 2008-2009.
Section 5. Waiver. Section 111.755 (Environmental Protection Fund), subsection (f), Ordinance Code, is hereby waived so as to allow the use of the Environmental Protection Board Trust Fund for the purposes set forth in Section 3, notwithstanding the existing limitations on use of the funds.
Section 6. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall become effective upon signature by the Mayor or upon becoming effective without the Mayor's signature.
Form Approved:

__________________________________________
Office of General Counsel
Legislation Prepared By: Tracey I. Arpen, Jr.
G:\SHARED\LEGIS.CC\ARPEN\Green Buildings Odinance draft 11.7.2007.doc

Please make EVERY possible attempt to be present tonight. We need your support!

Point Chasing

In recent conversations, I've heard talk about imbalance between various LEED points. How can someone think that changing rooms are as important as an enhanced commissioning? How is a walk to a restaurant or a bus stop as important as decreasing overall energy use? What's up with this crazy system if construction and design teams end up "point chasing" it to death?

What if design teams have a philosophical sustainable commitment in place that uses LEED as the system instead of the goal?

Let's look at Penn State.

In Environmental Design + Construction magazine's September issue, Leidy Klotz, LEED AP, writes about Penn State's commitment to sustainability and how it uses LEED to achieve their goals.

On some LEED projects, the design and construction team get caught up in a futile exercise of which points are "easy" or "cheap" instead of which points contribute to strategic goals. We may, in a breezy approach to the system, say "that's a freebie point, let's go after it". The team them chases these points instead of concentrating on what's important to the project.

The team at Penn State has managed to avoid this practice by prioritizing the points based on their goals. For example, the school has listed the following as their priorities:

• Energy conservation with a minimum 30% improvement over ASHRAE


• Natural resource conservation


• Prevention of environmental degradation


• People's health, well being, and comfort


• Financial payback

With these goals in mind, they weigh each credit using the following:

• Mandatory: Compliance is required.



• Significant effort: Must show clear evidence that an attempt has been made and if compliance is not achieved, reason for the failure must be shown and accepted by the university.



• Minimal effort: The team will investigate the possibility of credit achievement but no additional resources will be made available to achieve it.

As we all gain experience working on LEED projects, an important item to remember is that LEED should be the process... the benchmark... the system we use to achieve sustainability. But is it the goal? I would argue that it is not.

Sustainability is the goal. Use LEED to bring those goals to life, and always keep your eye on that triple bottom line prize.

Hard Facts on Soft Costs

(My apologies to those that coined the above title... You know who you are. I'll be sure to return it to you when the paper is written.)

In the last week, I've heard the question "... but what's it gonna cost me?" at least 10 times when discussing green building. Of all the questions I regularly address, that is certainly at the top of the list. Right below "What is LEED?"

The biggest concern among those considering LEED is the costs, and specifically the soft costs. The costs above construction. The "vague" costs. The cost of the unknown.

My standard answer is, "Well, that really depends..." and I still argue that it does. Every project is different and unique like little snowflakes. And each snowflake requires different little snowflake systems and each has it's own little snowflake agendas and ROI expectations on overall snowfall.

The best way to determine what LEED is going to cost for your project is to gather your design and construction team to talk about goals and then talk about potential costs.

Until you have that opportunity, let's talk about some historical data on soft costs.

Colorado is ahead of the curve in terms of Green Building and LEED-certified projects, so they have more data to provide. Peter D'Antiono, LEED AP and PE with PCD Engineering Services in Colorado wrote "Cost and Benefits of Commissioning LEED-NC Buildings" which was presented at the May 2007 National Conference on Building Commissioning. Included in this paper are facts from 11 LEED-certified buildings in his state. He detailed their square footage, construction costs, Energy cost savings, LEED cost premium and the net LEED savings.

Here are some of the overall statistics:

• The cost premium for LEED NC certification ranged from 1% to 6% of construction costs.
  
• Two of the projects noted they were able to achieve LEED certification on schedule and under budget.
  
• Soft costs, including LEED registration and certification, documentation, energy modeling and commissioning averaged 0.8% of the total construction costs, or average $1 per square foot.


• Documentation was difficult to quantify as the basis for reporting was inconsistent across the projects and ranged from $3000 to $35000.


• Energy modeling averaged around $10000 across nine of the eleven projects. Eight projects fell at or below the $10,000 and one was nearly $35000.


• Small projects averaged higher costs per square foot for energy modeling.


• All the projects averaged 20% or better than ASHRAE 90.1-2004 requirements.


• The net present value of the energy savings offset all the LEED soft and hard costs in seven of the nine projects reporting energy savings.


• Commissioning averaged $0.55 per square foot and accounted for roughly 60% of the total soft costs.


• Commissioning costs between $0.19 and $1.50 per square foot

There's some unvarnished truth to start your weekend. Remember, your mileage may vary and these should not be the 'baseline' in which you quote numbers to your client.

Lastly, sometimes it isn't as much about the "cost", it's about the "value". A "cost" for me might be another person's "value". Understanding your client's goals and tailoring a solution provides value. The cost isn't an issue if the client realizes value. That's Sales 101.

Let's start talking about the value of green building.

Have a good weekend!

So What's up with Green Building?

Some of Sustainabuild's faithful followers may have noticed a recent absent from my quasi-obsessive postings on the state of Green here, there, and everywhere. (For those of you that haven't noticed, you need to visit more!) I was fortunate to have spent the better part of last week in Washington DC attending the SMPS Annual Conference. Two of the breakout sessions were specific to marketing Green Building and LEED within the A/E/C industry. Needless to say, I was a front-row-sitting-apple-polisher for these sessions.

The first session was called "From Green to Gold" by Jerry Yudelson, PE, CPSM and Principal at Yudelson Associates. He recently sat on the national board for USGBC and has trained nearly 3000 people on the LEED system. He's authored several books, one of which I picked up on Marketing Green Buildings. He signed it. I bet he felt like a rock star. :-) I'm a total green-groupie.

A few highlights and bits that I found useful:

Registering a LEED project is like getting engaged: It doesn't mean you're going to get married, but you intend to. LEED certification is like the wedding ceremony (and comes with all the inherent planning, headaches, excitement, and relief when it's complete). Your building even gets a shiny bit of metal as proof of the whole thing. Great analogy.

When comparing a Green Building with Traditional Buildings: Turn the tables. "I can build a facility for you which will result in 15% more absenteeism, higher turnover, 25% higher energy cost, 15% more water use, and I can save you 50 cents a square foot. Whaddya think?" No one in their right mind would agree. But when you try to convince someone to build for 50 cents a square foot more with all of those associated benefits, you still get push back. Crazy, isn't it?

Some of the limitations on the growth of green buildings: 1. Design/construction team lack of experience and unwilingness to take risks. 2. Continued perception that green is more expensive. 3. Lack of post-occupancy evaluations to demonstrate green benefits.

The second green sessions was titled "Green Trends and Opportunities in the Marketplace" by Harvey Bernstein, FASCE, VP Industry Analytics and Alliances with McGraw Hill Construction. He is responsible for green initiatives to include studies on green construction trends. He shared some great numbers with us on their recent Green Building study.

What's the impact of buildings? 40% total energy use, 38% carbon dioxide emissions and 36% of all greenhouse gas emissions, 30% waste outpot, 12% potable water consumption.

Changing ethics will result in shift in the market: 89% of polled 13-25 year olds said they are likely to switch brands given equal price and quality to support a cause. 74% are more likely to pay attention to messages of companies deeply committed to a cause. 69% consider a company's social commitment when deciding where to shop. These are our future (and current!) employees. They're also our future owners, developers, end-users.

The Dow Jones Sustainability Index is continually outperforming the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

The tipping point for the green market is expected within three years.

47% believe that government will eventually require green building which may influence their support for green building.

40% of corporate leaders agree that ignoring green building will lead to problems with regards to public relations.

36% agree that green building creates an unjustifiable cost premium. 40% have no opinion. So, 76% need more education to overcome that perception.

Increased energy costs are driing 75% of all green building, 40% government regulations and tax incentives, and 26% state global influences.

So, that's what up in the world of green building right now. Those are some of the most recent stats we have on the state of the sustainable union. I encourage those in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction to take those stats to their marketing departments, to their principals, and to heart. As Jerry Yudelson cited in his presentation:

"An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time as come." --Emile Zola 19th c. French Writer

Thanks to Mr. Yudelson and Mr. Bernstein for sharing their abundance of green knowledge with us in DC.

If you're interested in the content of the other sessions at SMPS, be sure to send me an email and I'll share my information with you.

Can Big Boxes Be Green?

Best Buy has announced that all their upcoming new construction will be LEED certified. Their annual report on sustainability recognizes the cost-effectiveness of high-performance building and expects the plan to save the retailer 1/3 on their annual energy costs.

"In its annual sustainability report, the company stated that it's upping its green cred beyond ink-cartridge and cell-phone recycling, to jump into the complicated world of green building. Beginning in early to mid-2008, the company
intends to build only eco-friendly stores, certified by the USGBC through LEED
-- a program approved by many eco-activists for its tough standards and
inspections. " -Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, August 10, 2007

The Internet has been abuzz with talk. Can a "big box" store be green? Can a store that covers thousands of square feet of space, often placed in the midst of suburban sprawl be sustainable?

For another point of view, I refer you to Treehugger and their "Lipstick on a Pig Dept":

"Best Buy's ambition to build with "some combination of energy-efficient lighting, rainwater recycling, recycled or otherwise eco-friendly building materials, a high-efficiency HVAC system and some type of day-lighting system" is laudable, but meaningless. The big box model, with its acres of parking where it is almost impossible to walk to the other stores, let alone the big box farm, is unsustainable and has to be stopped.

There is no such thing as a green big box, period. " --Lloyd Alter, www.treehugger.com, August 15, 2007

Do we give Best Buy a thumbs up for their efforts to green their established business? Or do we give them a permanent thumbs down for not changing their chronically unsustainable building?

Is it the first, noble step towards green? Or is it laughable greenwashing?

Does your opinion count?

Here at Sustainabuild, it does.

In the interest of very informal research, I've added a poll question on the left-hand side of the screen. (Look over there <----- ) Please take a moment to share your opinion on this and upcoming subjects.

You're the voice of Green Building. Hear it roar!

15 Top Green Buildings

Starting the week off with a bit of light-hearted humor is, in my opinion, the best. So, I jumped over to Grist for some playful eco-humor. For those of you not familiar with Grist, from their "About Grist" section:

"Let's face it: Reading environmental journalism too often feels like eating your vegetables. Boiled. With no butter. But at Grist, we believe that news about green issues and sustainable living doesn't have to be predictable, demoralizing, or dull. We butter the vegetables! And add salt! And strain metaphors!"

"Grist: it's gloom and doom with a sense of humor. So laugh now -- or the planet gets it."

Now that's funny. :-)

On August 10th, Grist submitted their 15 Green Buildings List and found some great inspiration for those that are currently working on green buildings. Here's their top five, and I encourage you to head over there and read the rest:

1. Center for Interactive Research on Sustainability, Vancouver, BC, Canada: "Scheduled to open in 2008, it will feature 100% day-lit workspaces, greenhouse-gas neutrality, and on-site treatment of solid and liquid wastes, and it will serve as a state-of-the-art living laboratory where sustainable building systems can be researched and assessed in action."

2. California Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters, Sacramento, CA, US: "Completed in 2001, its eco-aspects range from recycled-content ceiling tiles to under-desk worm-composting bins -- and the savings from its green features amount to a cool $1 Million a year." (Worm composting? Umm... cool. But... eww.)

3. CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Center, Hyderabad, India: "HQ for the Indian Green Building Council, inaugurated in 2004, was the first building outside the US to earn a LEED platinum rating. It collects rainwater, relies on natural lighting, makes use of solar power, and consumes 55% less energy than a conventional structure."

4. Lewis and Clark State Office Building, Jefferson City, MO, US: "Nearly 75% of the materials used to build it came from within a 500-mile radius, and 50% of the construction waste was recycled. The facility collects rainwater and uses it in toilets, and solar PV cells on the roof provide a portion of its power needs."

5. Swiss Re Tower, London, UK: "Europes first green skyscraper features 40 stories of fabulous, pickle-shaped fun. Fondly known as the Gherkin (and, one might assume, a few less-publishable nicknames), the aerodynamic headquarters of reinsurance company Swiss Re uses 50% less energy than a traditional office building and features gardens on every sixth floor for air purification."

If those weren't inspiring enough, be sure to visit Grist for the rest of the list.

And, until next time... Laugh now. Or the planet gets it. :-)

LEED for New Construction Technical Review

The North Florida Chapter of USGBC is hosting a LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations Technical Review Workshop.

October 11, 2007

830am to 500pm

University of North Florida

University Center

Registration for this or any USGBC Workshop is available here.

Why learn about LEED?

Ask any of the 5000 building owners seeking LEED certification right now. Owners and developers are demanding green buildings that save money while protecting the environment and occupant health. The USGBC's LEED Rating System is the nationally recognized rating system for green buildings. LEED is already being used by green building projects in all 50 states, and the market continues to grow.

Who should attend?

Industry professionals seeking to increase their understanding of the LEED for New Construction Rating System and green building strategies, benefits and resources:

• Architects



• Engineers



• Designers



• Developers



• Consultants



• Contractors



• Owners



• Manufacturers

What's covered?

• LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations



• Technical requirements



• Certification process



• Project case studies and strategies



• Green building costs and benefits



• Available tools and resources
  

USGBC workshops are conducted by the top green building practitioners in the country. Currently, Bob Kobet and Paul Shahrari are scheduled to facilite this workshop. Between them, they have significant experience working on LEED projects around the country and promise to be excellent resources.

For information on fees or registration, visit USGBC or shoot me an email.

The Ground Floor

The Urban Land Institute has always been considered a great source of information on responsible land use and development. Now, you can access real-time updates from their blog, The Ground Floor.

One of their most recent posts included this interesting nugget on environmental investing:

Simon Property Group Vice President for Energy George Caraghiaur was also quoted in the New York Times as saying that investor interest in environmentally
conscious building design, construction and operation means "green for the
environment and for your bottom line." Caraghiaur, who is EPAC's vice chairman,
added that optimal energy performance in buildings can be viewed "as a proxy for
management strength. The smart investors of the world have come to conclude that
energy is a tough thing to manage and that those companies that do manage energy
well are seen as those that manage well -- period."

I've added it our blogroll for future access. Good stuff.

Southeast Building Conference

Just got back from the SEBC Conference in Orlando and found several impressive products and vendors. It was especially easy to find Green products because the Conference teamed with Green Trends to highlight venors that offered them. Here are a few I was impressed with:

Green Innovations offers a MODI Porous Paving Grid which allows you to park, drive, and walk on a grass surface. It creates a natural landscape without concrete or asphalt. It's a modular system, made out of 100% recycled and recyclable HDPE. Not only does it have applications for driveways, parking lots, pathways and walkways, they also offer products with vegetative roof applications. I met Walter at the show and he not only knows his stuff, he's a pleasure to chat with (and it's much nicer to buy from people you like than people you don't). :-)

After seeing an episode of Dirty Jobs in which Mike pulls antique wood from rivers to reuse, I've been fascinated with recovered wood. So, when I saw Goodwin Heart Pine Company at SEBC, I was very excited. The nice lady at the Goodwin booth was pleased that I was excited (and probably a little confused by my zeal) but the more we talked, the more she understood. She's just taken a spot on the board for Florida Green Building Coalition, so we spoke a great deal about FGBC and USGBC. Recovered wood is great for green building because the wood is not only super-strong heart pine, but because of the nature of its origin, doesn't require living trees to fall. It's the ultimate in recycle/reduce/reuse. And, you have the benefit of a breathtakingly beautiful antique wood in your space without the guilt. And, they're local. What more could you ask for?

The Zayas booth was one of my first stops and I had a great time chatting with the staff. Not only do they promote alternative energies of all sorts (PV, wind, etc.) but they also have a cool SIP product that offers solutions for energy costs, hurricane winds, moisture and mildew, and fire safety. Not a bad deal, really. And, the time in install is apparently far less than your average walls and trusses. Here's a pretty neat stat: the walls for an 1800 square foot commercial building were set in place and ready for the roof in 4.5 hours. Regarding energy costs, they've got another great stat: a 1200 square foot residence using these SIPs averaged $25 a month in heating andf cooling costs (and, yes... that's in Florida). And, as if it couldn't get any better, they had me construct a wall piece while I was standing there. In the true spirit of "if she can do it, anyone can...."

The guys at Catec had a huge water reclamation system set up, which definitely got my attention. Obviously, water reclamation is one of those "dream points" for LEED when you're working on smaller size projects, but according to these guys, there's a water reclamation system for almost anyone out there. When he started quoting dollar figures, I was surprised to say they weren't as huge as I expected. I would definitely recommend visiting their website to learn more about the options. It's exciting to see some of this technology avilable at a significantly lower cost premium than just a few years ago.

I really fell in love with this product. 90% recycled plastics (80% POST consumer, 10% pre-consumer) mainly polystyrene. Basically, it's your packing material with a bright, shiny new future as interior moldings. Timbron produces this interior molding out of old packing material and it works almost exactly like wood, but it withstands moisture a lot better than wood. You can saw it, nail it, glue it, sand it, putty it, paint it. Or, it's lovely enough to be left in its natural white. From a green point of view, I really think this product impressed me the most.

I'm really interested to see how the Sustainable Forestry Initiative integrates itself into USGBC. According to the representative, they're in communication with USGBC to promote their independent certification for wood as a LEED standard. According to their website, their mission is to protect forests while producing the wood and paper products our economy needs. They integrate the perpetual growing and harvesting of trees with the protection of wildlife, plants, soil, water, and air quality. She also told me that it's one of the most rigorous standards in the world. The Nature Consevancy has praised their work, which should count for something. I like the fact that they implement a training program for the landowners and loggers. Check out their website and let me know wha t you think.

Those are some of the highlights. Let me know if you're interested in any of the other vendors at the show and I'm sure I can provide a little bit of insight.

Visit their website: SEBCShow.com