July 11, 2011
by macko
in EBS News
Tags: Green Building, LEED
On June 8th our team participated at the Greener Builder 2011 Conference, at the South SF Conference Center.
Environmental Building Strategies is now very well known in San Francisco and the Bay Area. And we are working to only strengthen this trend as well as to go further. We want to promote ourselves all over the US and beyond! According to McGraw-Hill Construction’s Green Outlook 2011 Report, the green building market comprised a third of all new nonresidential construction in 2010, and it is expected to continue growth to represent up to 48% of new nonresidential buildings in five years! Not only do we want EBS to take this huge opportunity but we also want it to be a shaper of this trend. We would like to share our vision and innovation with this growing market. The Greener Builder Conference is exactly the kind of event we are looking for!
This year, the US Green Building Council teamed with leading Architect/Engineer/Contractor firms in Northern California to present Greener Builder 2011. This time, the aim was to focus on the future of the Green Building Industry: Where is LEED going? What are the Green Tech trends? Commissioning Beyond Green etc. Our team had a really exciting and full day, as the event was very well attended with actors coming from the whole industry: architects, general contractors, sub-contractors, engineers, LEED Project managers and even aspiring green builders. The conference schedule was jam-packed, starting with a really interesting opening session: McGraw-Hill 2011 Green Outlook Report, great speakers, tons of educational sessions, lots of ongoing networking and the latest technology and trends presented in the expo hall.
Our booth was really well attended all throughout the day, with professionals particularly interested in our services (not mentioning our amazing beer-sponsored quiz game). People were particularly impressed by our approach and how much we do in particular regarding our commissioning AND contracting services. This is part of our vision here at EBS: all encompassing, as the way to optimize sustainability. Yes, we like to aim high!
September 17, 2009
by Environmental Building Strategies
in Energy, Green Building, LEED, Uncategorized
Tags: Green Retrofit, LEED
In another bold move by the president, he recently uttered the words LEED when referring to a Certification for the White House. Is this even possible? I mean I realize it is, but can we just take a step back for a minute and reflect on where we came from and what was happening in this country two years ago?
The test below is republished from greenerbuildings.com who posted the news on Sept 14th 2009. It’s funny… I didn’t see the Wall Street Journal mention anything about it…
“Going far beyond the organic vegetable garden and playground made from recycled materials, President Barack Obama intends to get the White House LEED certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.
That’s the word from an article on Sierra Club’s Green Home website. From the article:
White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) spokesperson, Christine Glunz, says the effort to get the White House to LEED certification includes energy and water systems as well as waste. She believes it is vital to consider toxicity and life-cycle when making purchases for facilities. CEQ is looking to reduce the carbon footprint of the White House by implementing computerized energy management systems, automatic light sensors that turn off in unoccupied rooms and low-flow water valves. Paints and sealers with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs), biodegradable cleaners and recycled equipment will all be used by White House groundskeepers and engineers, according to a White House spokesperson. Window films that will lower UV rays and save energy will also be added.
According to an article on the National Geographic website, any leftover materials from White House renovations and demolitions will be donated to local reuse organizations. If President Obama continues to enforce such eco-friendly changes throughout his term, he will be on the right track to making the White House more of a “green house,” proving with a LEED certification that he can lead Americans to a greener world.
We regularly report on the benefits and importance of retrofitting existing buildings as one of the keys to cutting the country’s energy dependence. Even if greening the White House itself would have just a small impact on the nation’s capital, its symbolic importance would be considerably greater.”
The EBS Team
June 29, 2009
by Environmental Building Strategies
in Commissioning, Green Building, LEED
Tags: Commissioning, Green Building, LEED, Real Estate
Contractors and bidders need to know what they are up against throughout the entire building process. By putting the requirements of commissioning and information about LEED Documentation in the bid packages, owners or project managers will get a much better understanding of what is entailed. It will also separate those who have experience with LEED from those who don’t – in general if a party has had good experience with LEED and is ready for its implementation then their bid should reflect that experience.
Make sure the requirements are in the drawings – this should prevent any mis-communications and avoid having to re-do or correct mistakes. In addition these mistakes will add costs and scheduling issues to the project. Unfortunately this is becoming more and more important as our litigious society continues to sue people for everything. Integrated Project Delivery is a new field that is emerging and becoming a strong idea. The concept that everyone is responsible for seeing the project until the end and must work as a team through its completion holds all accountable and provides a greater framework for success.
The Autodesk space in San Francisco used DPR construction and was one of the first LEED Platinum CI projects here. That team used IPD and they realized huge successes as a result.
–The EBS Team–
June 7, 2009
by Environmental Building Strategies
in Green Building, LEED, Uncategorized
Tags: Education, Green Building, LEED, Training
Following our recent posts, the 7th Step in the 12 Steps to a Successful LEED Project requires team members to attend LEED workshops
7. Attend LEED Training workshops
Make sure everyone on the team has a copy of the LEED reference guide and their pages are highlighted. The LEED Consultant should provide the teams with the technical details and any specifications such as VOC limits and such but at the end of the day it is the responsibility of the project team members to be up to speed with LEED.
Attending these workshops is a great way for everyone to get on the same page and understand the system to a more comprehensive extent. In fact attending together can hash out conflict areas and will allow the team the ability to ask questions affecting each team members responsibilities as they pertain to LEED.
GreenStep Education is a great resource for team members. Alex Spilger is a seasoned sustainability professional who has the tools to get any team up to speed.
Another great resource is Pass the LEED which is an online resource for all things LEED. They provide LEED Exam Prep Training as well as Project Training courses designed for all project types.
–The EBS Team–
June 1, 2009
by Environmental Building Strategies
in LEED
Tags: Consulting, Green Building, LEED, USGBC
Lighting (especially Daylighting), energy modeling, LEED Documentation, and sustainability experts are just a few crucial aspects of a successful LEED project. Hiring a firm that can provide expertise in a package is often your best bet. They will understand how energy modeling affects LEED EA credits and even better they will be able to advise on the several synergies that exist within LEED.
For instance, Increasing Fenestration with the appropriate glass can increase thermal resistance, allow for Daylighting, allow thermal comfort for occupants, reduce electrical lighting requirements, reduce HVAC demand, and increase credit for EA all the while reducing operating costs for the building which in turn will affect the Net Operating Income (NOI) of the property.
Be careful when choosing a LEED Consultant – there are so many out there these days however many of them aren’t sustainability experts and few offer the full breadth of services. Being able to Document a LEED project isn’t enough – often a good question to ask is something like, “How will the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient of my West Facing Fenestration affect my tenants and which Tvis value would you recommend as a result?” If they can’t answer a more challenging question like that one then they shouldn’t be hired.
Also, with the launch of LEED 2009, your consultant should be able to communicate the affects of the transition from older LEED Versions to the new 100 Point scale under LEED 2009 and how urban projects are more greatly impacted.
–The EBS Team–
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