GreenBuild Blog
Monday, November 20, 2006
USGBC Announces Major Initiatives at Greenbuild Show
The U.S. Green Building Council announced several major initiatives at the Greenbuild show held in Denver last week. These include a requirement, subject to member balloting in early 2007, that all LEED-NC projects acquire at least two energy optimization (EA credit 1.1) points. All new LEED for new construction (LEED-NC) and LEED for Core and Shell (LEED-CS) projects will be automatically registered for the LEED For Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) program, so they will be encouraged to track continuing environmental benefits throughout the life of the building. USGBC’s new “Portfolio Performance” Program will help companies seeking to achieve LEED Certification on multiple buildings of the same prototype, such as bank branches and retail outlets. Further initiatives are in the works to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from LEED buildings, including incentives and requirements to meet the 50% reduction in 2005-average new building energy use by 2010, specified by the policy direction of the American Institute of Architects.
Posted by Jerry Yudelson on 11/20/2006 at 08:06 PM
This entry has been viewed 570 times.
Green Building News • PermalinkGreenbuild Show Draws 13,000 to Denver
The U.S. Green Building Council’s annual “Greenbuild” conference and expo drew more than 13,000 green building professionals to Denver last week. The opening keynote address by architect William McDonough was well received, as was the trade show that showcased 750 exhibit booths from nearly 500 exhibitors. Show organizers (yours truly chairs the Steering Committee) are now planning for more than 20,000 in Los Angeles next October for Greenbuild 2007. Presentation proposals are due December 22nd. At 13,000-plus paid attendees, the 2006 Greenbuild show, in only its fifth year, is already half the size of the annual conference put on by the American Institute of Architects, giving some indication of the strength of the green building movement. One development commented on by several experienced observers was the appearance of a large number of company CEOs at the conference, indicating that the business of green building continues to grow, as companies are using the show for meeting key clients.
Posted by Jerry Yudelson on 11/20/2006 at 03:13 PM
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Green Building News • PermalinkFriday, November 10, 2006
94 percent of Americans want to work in healthy, energy-efficient buildings
According to a recent poll by Mortgage Lenders Network USA (MLN), 94 percent of Americans prefer to work in a building that is designed to be energy efficient and ecologically sound. The poll results showed that women appear to be more environmentally-concerned than men about their workplace. The poll revealed that 72 percent of working women declare a strong preference for green employers, vs. 64 percent of men. And, a larger percentage of Americans ages 45-54 would prefer to work in an eco-friendly building vs. their less eco-minded counterparts ages 25-34 (74 percent vs. 62 percent). This strengthens the business case for green buildings, particularly among developers aiming at large corporations for their tenants. (About the Poll: The environmentally-friendly buildings poll was conducted by Kelton Research on behalf on MLN in July 2006. The sample size was 1,000 Americans ages 18 and older.)
Posted by Jerry Yudelson on 11/10/2006 at 07:22 PM
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Green Building News • PermalinkThursday, November 09, 2006
Thunder along the Potomac
The change in control of the House and Senate to the Democrats bodes well for renewable energy and green building advocates. We can expect to see the 2005 Energy Policy Act, which sunsets at the end of 2007, extended for another three years at least, with expanded tax credits and deductions for solar and wind power systems and for energy conservation in buildings. We can also expect to see expanded Federal attention to upgrading the energy efficiency of buildings, most likely through regulation. There may also be tax credits for green roofs and other more expensive, but environmentally preferable, measures. However, with the Democrats announced “pay as you go” approach to tax law changes, there will be a fight to reduce current incentives and tax benefits for the oil, gas, coal and nuclear industries. Expect also a strong battle to increase fuel efficiency standards for vehicles, with the domestic auto industry fighting this every step of the way, supported, as in the past, by Democratic lawmakers from the Midwest. Increased support for mass transit is also a likely outcome of the change in Congressional control.
Posted by Jerry Yudelson on 11/09/2006 at 11:00 AM
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