January 16, 2009
by Environmental Building Strategies
in Green Building, Uncategorized
Tags: Community, Consulting, Green Building
Being from Connecticut I appreciate when one of my own takes on the responsibility of educating the sustainability movement. Living there for most of my life has shown me the true meaning of the word pretentious.
That being said – I wanted to highlight someone from CT who is anything but the “P” word and make sure that his message is as clear as ours is.
Barry Katz is a CGP, LEED AP and his company Greenworks Consulting is one of Connecticut’s leading authorities on green building.
His experience is extensive – a home builder with more than twenty years experience in new construction and remodeling, he now works exclusively on green design and construction projects.
The company offers sustainability consulting services for residential and commercial projects and he is the recipient of the 2007 HOBI Award for Best Green House from the Connecticut Association of Homebuilders.
Barry has spoke at San Diego’s “Reinvention 2006,” sponsored by Residential Architect magazine, and at the Boston Society of Architects’ Residential Design Conference (2007, 2008, & 2009 – upcoming)
(P.S. I think he’s available for other speaking engagements…)
With a more streamline title than the book I’ve been highlighting (100 Ways to Continue F&*$ing the Future) Barry is currently at working on his own rendition called, “Practical Green Remodeling: Down-to-Earth Solutions for Every Day Homes,” due out from Taunton Press in early 2010.
Hands down my favorite is the blog. The Future is Green is a great resource for witty commentary and important updates on green topics (you have to check out this one).
Ok so enough promoting – its getting a little ridiculous but seriously if you want to read another great blog and if you are on the east coast and need green building advice Barry Katz is the man.
Barry Katz, CGP, LEED AP
8 Canterbury Close
Westport, CT 06880
Tel: 203-454-2941
email: bk@katzhome.com
Barry Katz Homebuilding web site: www.katzhome.com
Greenworks Consulting web site: www.greenworksco.com
blog: http://TheFutureIsGreenBlog.com
January 7, 2009
by Environmental Building Strategies
in Green Building
Tags: Community, Consulting, energy, Green Retrofit, Social Equity
Green retrofits are on the same pace as new construction was five years ago. The general thought was that it was too expensive to go green, but after five years of research and experience with new construction, green building construction prices have proven to be a very comparable. Benefits are wide spread with increased energy and water efficiency, better indoor air quality, less demand of
virgin resources, lower operating cost, better brand equity and more.
Five years later the same argument for why we should go green for new construction is finally going main stream with our existing stock. Building owners are looking beyond the cost premium for green and extending their definition of value added to items such as productivity increases, better employee comfort, health and retention, and higher resale value. All showing that it is actually cheaper to go green.
A survey from Deloitte’s, released on July 29, 2008, The Dollars and sense of Green Retrofits, states that “Existing commercial real estate that does not undergo a ‘green retrofit’ will relinquish market leadership within three years in terms of higher operating costs, lower productivity, declining attractiveness to workers and negative brand image.” Now many progressive companies are insisting that there buildings take part in this sustainability movement because they realize it is better for their business’s public perception and their bottom line.
A great example of a successful green retrofit is the Adobe buildings which cost them $1.4 million. Since the retrofit Adobe’s electricity consumption has dropped by 35%, natural gas by 41%, domestic potable water consumption by 22%, and landscaping irrigation water by 76%. The green retrofit saves Adobe $1.2 million a year in operating cost. Adobe also received grants and equipment purchase rebates from the city, state, and local utilities for the newly installed energy-conserving technologies were $389,000 making their return on investment less than 10 months.
The time has come that if you want to keep your class A status you better make some green improvements to your building. Tenants are demanding that they are in healthier building and building owners are seeing a financial benefit so it is clear that in order to be perceived as the top of the existing building crop you must do a green retrofit soon.
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