The Yudelson Associates Blog: What's New

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Strategic Implications of Sustainable Development

In the McKinsey Quarterly for June/July 2008, Lovins says: “Environmental strategy is not about manipulating regulatory systems to put your competitor at a disadvantage. It’s about redesigning your company’s processes and products so that regulation is relevant only to your competitor, not to yourself. The real leaders are going to be smart companies that see the competitive advantage in leading energy transformation in their sectors.” In my work with the development industry, I find the most difficult part is to get people to look outside of the industry’s mindset of lowest first cost, to get people to realize that it’s the appropriate level of investment that should be looked at. In that context, sustainable design and green buildings should be seen as value adders and risk reducers, with clear economic values ascribable to these functions. For most corporations, sustainability is not about the things that they do today, but it’s about getting and keeping the people who will accomplish major changes over the next three to five years inside the organization. Technology per se is not a competitive advantage; what really counts for a company is a crafting and maintaining a mindset of continuous improvement in sustainable operations; energy savings are a result of this mindset, not the end goal in themselves.

Posted by Jerry on 07/01/2008 at 05:52 PM

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Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Environmental Defense Fund’s new guide to green innovations

The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) recently released their 2008 Innovations Review, which catalogs some of the most promising new green business trends in our country and abroad. Profoundly inspiring, many of the ideas are immediately applicable while others require longer term commitment and financing. The most innovative ideas are labeled as “game-changers”, for example:
• Net Zero Energy / Net Zero Carbon Emissions - Integrated Design Associates, a Silicon-Valley based electrical engineering and lighting design firm performed an energy-efficient / green remodel of its 1960s-era offices. The 7,200-square-foot project cost about $1.8 million, and the company expects a five-year payback just from energy savings, with a 60% reduction in energy use compared with a similar office.
- Integrated PV panels that serve as the roof membrane.
- A geothermal heat pump - water flows through pipes laid in the ground and passes into the building, where a heat pump extracts energy from the water (heating or cooling effect, depending on the season), then sends it through a radiant floor distribution system.
- Windows shaded with roof overhangs or electro-chromic glazing.
- Key office equipment is linked to the security system and gets powered down when the last person leaves and arms the building.
There’s lots more. Take a look at the report by clicking here.

Posted by Jerry on 06/25/2008 at 10:41 AM

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Wednesday, June 11, 2008

LEED 2009 Sets the Stage for Major Upheaval

LEED 2009 makes major changes in the entire rating system for the four most popular project types: New Construction (and Major Retofits), Commercial Interiors, Existing Buildings and Core and Shell Development. Take a look at my analysis, then look at the detailed report from the Mechanical Contractors Association of America and a rating system by rating system analysis from Glumac, a west coast building engineering firm. Start now to make your design and construction teams familiar with the new system. All the details can be found on the US Green Building Council website.

Posted by Jerry on 06/11/2008 at 09:30 AM

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Thursday, February 21, 2008

Land planning critical to Green Buildings and Climate Change

The American Society of Landscape Architects made the following recommendations. For the full report, click here.
�� Encourage sustainable site planning for new communities and buildings of all types. (LEED addresses site planning in several ways, but much more could be done, especially in the area of building orientation for passive design)
�� Require open space and parkland preservation as a component of all public and private development, from small site-specific projects to regional land use plans. (This is addressed, but not very satisfactorily, in the LEED rating system)
�� Encourage the use of native and adapted vegetation in the built environment to take full advantage of the most appropriate plants to increase air quality, conserve water resources, and sequester carbon dioxide. (This is covered in the LEED rating system in several places)
�� Encourage the use of sustainable stormwater management practices that enhance the treatment and increase the infiltration of stormwater. (LEED covers this topic as well)
�� Encourage the use of green roofs on public and private buildings of all types. (LEED addresses green roofs and allows them to be used for multiple purposes)
�� Require comprehensive transportation and utility planning as a component of land use planning, matching infrastructure capacity with current and proposed land uses.
�� Encourage the development of smart growth communities. (LEED for Neighborhood Development will facilitate this development approach)
�� Enact policies that support design of safe transportation routes for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, and those who use wheelchairs.

Site planning is critical to green building’s long-term success. It’s great to see landscape architects stepping up to the plate on the climate change issue.

Posted by Jerry on 02/21/2008 at 10:05 AM

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