Build Green IQ

LEED 2009: Should You Upgrade Your Project?

BuildingGreen.com LIVE — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:59:00 +0000

LEEDuser, still in its free beta release, is already proving to be a tremendous resource. The Credit Browser, with its increasingly deep pool of information, is much more than just handy — and Strategies section is starting to reveal its potent...

The Future of LEED: Re-certification

Chris Cheatham — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:22:22 +0000

I found a YouTube video of a green roof being set on fire that I planned to post today. You know another topic would have to be very important to pre-empt a green roof fire video.

Such a topic has revealed itself.

On Wednesday, we started talking about the New York Times LEED energy performance article. Many who understand the LEED rating system know that there has been some problems with LEED buildings not performing as anticipated in terms of energy consumption. What interests me most is what the USGBC plans to do to resolve these problems going forward. Scot Horst, USGBC senior vice president, revealed some important plans in the article:

Mr. Horst, the LEED executive, said that LEED may eventually move toward the E.P.A.’s Energy Star model, which attests to energy efficiency only for the year the label was given, similar to restaurant ratings.

“Ultimately, where we want to be is, once you’re performing at a certain level, you continue to be recertified,” Mr. Horst said.

For regular readers of Green Building Law Update, the concept of re-certification may sound familiar. Here's what I had to say on the topic back in July:

I guess it is prediction time. At the very least, the next version of LEED will require more post-construction, post-substantial completion strategies for certification.

Or the USGBC could simply merge two rating systems: LEED for New Construction with LEED for Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance (LEED EBOM). With LEED 2009, the two rating systems are already on the same point scale. And one of the ways to comply with Minimum Project Requirements is to achieve LEED EBOM certification every two years.

I wish I had simply had the guts to say the USGBC will require LEED re-certification for future projects. Because it is going to happen.

Links

Some Buildings Not Living Up to Green Label (NYT)

Could LEED NC and LEED EBOM Join Forces? (GBLU)

Photo: suttonhoo

Wash. considers urban planning district

Sustainable Industries: Green Building — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:02:01 +0000

Climate Benefit Districts would use planning toolboxes, not planning tools.

There goes the [‘fossil-fuel] neighborhood

Sustainable Industries: Green Building — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 23:01:58 +0000

Colorado could be the home to a large-scale net zero neighborhood.

Smart urban density requires smart lighting

Sustainable Industries: Green Building — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:02:11 +0000

Sustainable lighting technologies can make our cities feel safer after dark.

BuildingGreen Bulletin: Climate-Changed World — August EBN

BuildingGreen.com LIVE — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:29:00 +0000

Twice each month, BuildingGreen publishes an email news bulletin with current news and product information briefs. Sign up here — it's free. We will never share or sell your email address, and you may unsubscribe at any time. Here's an unfor...

Developer plans Colo. net zero neighborhood

Sustainable Industries: Green Building — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:02:00 +0000

In Colorado, a net zero energy neighborhood is planned.

New York Times, USGBC Address LEED Performance Gap

Chris Cheatham — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:34:25 +0000

You may have recently read the New York Times article about the gap between LEED building designs and actual energy performance. If not, I would recommend reading the article. You may have also noticed a reference to "construction lawyers":

"Already, some construction lawyers have said that owners might face additional risk of lawsuits if buildings are found to under-perform."

In May 2009, I spoke with Ms. Navarro about legal issues that could arise from under-performing green buildings. I told her that under-performing green buildings might result in unhappy owners when energy performance promises were not met. Even worse, owners might interpret a green building energy performance design as a promise and be disappointed when actual performance does not match. Finally, I pointed Ms. Navarro to Malcolm Lewis of CTG Energetics, who actually corrects energy performance gaps that occur in new buildings.

A lot has happened since my conversation with Ms. Navarro. The USGBC has taken big steps to address the energy performance gap, which the article covers. Remember when we discussed the USGBC's new requirement for reporting of energy data from LEED buildings? Remember how the USGBC threatened to de-certify buildings that do not report energy savings? These actions mean the USGBC is addressing the energy performance gap head on.

Want more proof of how seriously the USGBC is taking this issue? This is from a June 2009 press release from the USGBC:

The U.S. Green Building Council announced this week that Christopher Pyke, Ph. D. has been appointed Research Director. Dr. Pyke joins USGBC from CTG Energetics in Irvine, Calif., where he was National Director of Climate Change Services. He brings a strong background of leadership in green building research to USGBC, underscoring its commitment to raising the bar on research related to green building science and technology, including the performance of LEED-certified buildings. This research will be vital to the ongoing development of the LEED green building certification program.

CTG Energetics is one of the leading building energy performance companies. In hiring Dr. Pyke, the USGBC is investing significant resources into researching energy performance.

Of course, this is all old news. Friday we will discuss new information revealed by the USGBC's Scot Horst that has enormous ramifications for LEED.

Photo: Geoff Livingston

Links:

Some Buildings Not Living Up to Green Label (NYT)

Malcolm Lewis (CTG)

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love LEED De-Certificaiton (GBLU)

This Post is Really Important and Is Not For the Faint of Heart (GBLU)

More Toilet Flushing Fun

BuildingGreen.com LIVE — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:13:00 +0000

Regular readers might remember the toilet-flushing video from March that showed ridiculous quantities of carrots, chess pieces, Gummi bears, hot dogs, plastic letters and numbers, grapes, golf balls, and dog food getting flushed. Fun, but it didn't q...

Greenbuild 2009 Expo Hall: Some Math

BuildingGreen.com LIVE — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:11:00 +0000

I tend to spend a lot of time in the Expo Hall at Greenbuild. On the Greenbuild 2009 website, the Greenbuild International Expo page says: This year's expo hall in Phoenix boasts over 1,800 exhibit booths showcasing the latest in innovative produ...