More Sustainable Standards for Furniture

First came LEED certification, next came the CALGREEN requirements (for those of us in California), now we can all breathe a sigh of relief because ANSI (American National Standards Institute) has approved and released the ANSI/BIFMA e3-2010 Furniture Sustainability Standard.

The e3 standard defines the technical requirements of the Level product certification program. The Level program is actually a useful tool, in that it provides the industry a standard benchmark to evaluate whether or not office furniture is manufactured in a sustainable manner using sustainable materials. This separates the truly sustainable products and organizations from the posers.

If past history is guide, the larger manufacturers will conform to the Level product requirements, and the smaller manufacturers (and specifically import manufacturers) will not.

Law suit filed claiming LEED Program is a Fraud

A law-suit was filed last week against the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), claiming that the USGBC LEED certification program is a fraud. The suit was filed by Henry Gifford, a New York City building energy consultant.

The suit centers around the USGBC's claims that LEED-certified buildings use 25 to 30 percent less energy than buildings that are not LEED certified. The suit alleges these claims are fraudulent misrepresentations. The claimants are seeking Class-Action status.

Ouch... this law-suit, in conjunction with the roll out of CAL-GREEN at the start of 2011, could mean a bumpy road ahead for the entire LEED concept.

Insurance Coverage for your Green Building Upgrades

Yet another indication that the "Greening" of corporate America is here to stay; Fireman's Fund Insurance Company, which already offered "green insurance", now offers expanded insurance coverage to property owners for their investments in "green" building upgrades.

Specifically Fireman's Fund now provides "Green Financial Incentive Coverage", which provides protection against the loss of financial incentives linked to green installations or upgrades (i.e., tax incentives, loans, utility rebates). In the case of a building loss, Fireman's Fund would cover any "incentive" losses for two calendar years.

Large corporate users are already on the green bandwagon, however to date we have not seen medium or small businesses put "sustainability" at the top of their priority list (in other words; they like the idea, but don't want to pay the additional 20% for sustainable products).

Impact of Green Office Space on Worker Productivity

Very cool webinar presented by Sustainable Industries on the impact of green office spaces on worker productivity. Panelists include David Pogue, National Director of Sustainability, CB Richard Ellis (San Jose), Clark Brockman, Principal, SERA Architects (Portland), and Kirsten Ritchie, Director of Sustainable Design, Gensler (San Francisco). The panel is moderated by Becky Brun, Editor of Sustainable Industries. You can download the PDF version (HERE).




Human Impact of Green Office Spaces from Sustainable Industries on Vimeo.

Growth Expected in Sustainable Interiors

A recent article on the Contract magazine website focused on why "sustainable" interiors are here to stay.

• Government & Large Institutional Clients: Most state and federal government projects and/or projects performed for large institutional clients require compliance with third party rating systems like LEED.
• New State Regulations: Many states are starting to require that all projects over a certain square foot threshold adhere to a "sustainable" standard (i.e., CAL-GREEN).
• Boom in LEED CI Projects: The total number of LEED CI (Commercial Interiors) projects increased to 1,258 in 2009, up from 766 in 2008.
• LEED as a Marketing Tool: In certain markets landlords are using the fact that their building is LEED certified as a market differentiator to attract tenants.
• Growing Evidence that Sustainable Interiors are More Productive: More independent studies are coming out showing the link between sustainably designed interiors and increased worker productivity and lower absenteeism (click HERE to see a posting with a link to the CBRE study).

Click HERE to read the complete article -

4th Annual Green Building Survey Highlights...

Support for "green building practices" is up, but the number of projects actually seeking and obtaining LEED certification is declining, reported the 4th Annual Green Building Survey. This was just one of the trends highlighted by the survey, which is sponsored by Allen Matkins, The Constructive Technologies group, and the Green Building Insider.

Other highlights from the survey:

• LEED certification is slipping due to a combination of associated costs, and alternative standards being established and accepted
• Saving energy and reduced operating costs are the top reasons given for deciding to build green
• Risks associated with "green" projects are perceived to be slightly higher than risks associated with traditional projects
• The use of "green" leases is increasing
• Costs associated with developing a green project vary based on the experience of the project team
• Carbon credits and offsets have not achieved widespread use

Click (HERE) to download the report.

Top 10 Green Business Stories of 2009

From Greenbiz.com comes The State of Green Business 2010, a comprehensive review of 2009, and outlook for 2010. Specifically related to the office interiors industry, the report noted:

"The recession hit the building market hard. But while observers and experts predicted LEED-certified commercial buildings would take a beating, the reverse happened: Certifications for both new and existing buildings grew faster than ever, and registrations of new projects continued apace."

"Property owners found that tenants clamored for green buildings, so as plummeting rents sent tenants shopping around, a LEED-certified facility added another level of cachet for the spec sheet."

You can download a copy of the report by clicking (HERE).

When Green is not Green Enough...

"California Bolsters Green Building Codes" blared the headlines today, trumpeting the "great" news that the golden state once again was leading the nation. This time California has created the "first in the nation" green building codes. Great news right? Nobody could be upset about this right?? GUESS AGAIN...

LA Times headlines on Tuesday read "Environmental groups try to block parts of California's green building code" Huh?? The USGBC (who control the LEED rating system), along with 6 other environmental groups, sent a letter to Governor Schwarzennegger stating that the state's new code would amount to a "setback for California's leadership in green building..."

Reading between the lines it appears that the state is trying to develop a system that mandates a higher level of conservation than is currently required, but falls well short of the voluntary levels required for LEED certification. The USGBC and their colleagues on the other hand are concerned about confusion in the marketplace, where a building owner would be able to claim that their building is a "California certified" green building - without having to push all the way through the laborious (and expensive) LEED certification process.

Can't we all just get along...

LEED 3.0 - Do you know whats changed?

As Green Building technology and practices rapidly change, the test to become a LEED Accredited Professional (AP) has also changed. The USGBC introduced LEED V3 in April of 2009, with December 31, 2009 as the last day of the free migration period, during which currently registered projects can transition to LEED 2009 and LEED Online v3 without paying a new registration fee.

There are several new categories of LEED professional accreditation:

• AP+: The AP+ Specialty will be a person who has an advanced depth of knowledge in green building practices and specialization in a particular LEED Rating System such as Building Design and Construction (BD+C) or Operations and Maintenance (O+M).
• LEED Green Associate: The LEED Green Associate is a person who possesses the knowledge and skills to understand and support green design, construction, and operations

Individuals who are already certified as LEED AP, and don't wish to become an AP+ Specialty, don't need to do anything. For individuals who wish to become AP+, the USGBC website provides a map of the new requirements.

Information for this posting was taken from the USGBC website, and from an interview of Matt Macko, who helped develop the new LEED exam. To read the complete interview at cleantechies.com click (HERE).

A San Francisco Icon Goes Green...

A landmark building in San Francisco has completed its journey into the 21st century by going green. The iconic Transamerica Pyramid building, long associated with the San Francisco skyline, has acheived LEED-Gold certification.

Image CC licensed by Daniel Schwen.

In 2009, LEED certified square footage in San Francisco increased five-fold, and SF now has more green buildings than New York or Los Angeles.

A report by the San Francisco Existing Commercial Buildings Task Force, which provides "practical solutions to green the city's commercial buildings" has also recently been released.

To download a copy of the report click (HERE).

8 steps to mitigating the risk of Green construction...

Any construction project contains an element of risk. "Green" projects (where LEED certification is a goal) have their own set of "special" challenges. A recent article written by attorney Leonard Goodman posted on Greenerbuildings.com, 8 Steps for Better Management of Green Design and Construction Risks provides some insight into mitigating the risks associated with a green project.

1. Have A Clear Understanding of Your Particular Green Objectives and the Options for Meeting Them Under LEED
2. Engage Experienced A/Es and Contractors Capable of Working Together Collaboratively Early in the Development Process
3. Determine if BIM is Right for Your Project
4. Consider Pursuing the LEED Credit for Enhanced Commissioning
5. If Time Permits, Opt for LEED's Two-Phase Certification Process
6. Do Not Rely on Industry Standard Forms of Agreement
7. Consider Integrated Project Delivery
8. Purchase Property Insurance that Covers Losses Associated with Green Buildings

To view the complete article, click: (HERE).



   

Tips for "Greening" Your Business

The following is taken from an article published on Greenerbuildings.com by Carrie Langford, a "green advisor" at Ecker Green, a business unit of Howard Ecker + Company that focuses on providing green office services to commercial office tenants. The original article A Dozen Tips for the Total Greening of Your Business can be found:  (HERE)

Tips to Green Your Business:

1.The time is now for companies to start thinking about sustainable practices. It isn't something we are going to see coming in the future. It is already happening.


2.Businesses that align their practices with core values, such as sustainability, are often better positioned to recruit and retain employees. 58 percent of people working in office environments are under the age of 44 (bureau of labor statistics), placing them in the Millennial and Gen X demographic categories. A business's sustainability practices are increasingly important to people within this age group.

3.Energy aware real estate strategies, space selection and efficient design can cut energy costs and increase work productivity and employee retention.

4.Reducing total energy use by 40 percent (average Energy Star Building reduction) would net savings of $1 a day per employee.

5.While LEED-certified buildings are designed to perform based on a set of prescriptive data, it's how you live and occupy the space after the building is built that will ultimately decide the buildings performance. How you live and occupy your space also defines and demonstrates your commitment to the environment and the health of your organization.

6.Computers are proliferating and it appears growth will continue to be exponential. Computers use a great deal of power and disposal is a big problem. Server consolidation or cloud computing will reduce a company's carbon footprint and save a lot of money.

7.Employees are often looking for a better work/life balance and telecommuting accomplishes this objective and at the same time improves productivity and the bottom line.

8.Avoid seeking the elusive environmental "silver bullet." It doesn't exist. It's essential to look out for opportunities to use less. If an asset doesn't improve customer service or productivity, get rid of it.

9.Design performance is all about beginning to research strategies on how to measure from four primary drivers: emotional, cultural, economic and environmental. The most important thing to do is to develop an understanding of space utilization and design accordingly.

10.The regulatory environment surrounding green building will change drastically in the next year or two, from a market-driven, locally-regulated environment, to a mandated, federally-regulated one.

11.Cities and counties, armed with federal funding and resources, are adopting climate change plans and regulations and are not waiting for federal direction, but are moving forward with a wide variety of programs and regulations.

12.Developers and building owners who are considering green construction practices or retrofit projects now will be ahead of this regulatory curve.

2nd Annual Report on the Market and Impact of Green Building

The 2009 Green Building Market and Impact Report, authored by Rob Watson Executive Editor of GreenerBuildings.com, and the acknowledged "Father of LEED", is now available to download a copy of report, please click (HERE).

Some highlights from the report:

• LEED certified floor area is expected to grow by 40% versus 2008, and will account for over 7 Billion square feet of space worldwide since 2000.
• Based on average materials costs, green building materials represented approximately $7 billion in cumulative spending through 2009, which is expected to reach a cumulative $230 billion by 2030.
• An average of at least 580,000 employees are currently enjoying improved indoor environments in LEED buildings at present, and the "green building workforce" is expected to approach 29 million by 2020 and almost 64 million by 2030. The productivity benefits from LEED buildings to date range from $230 to $450 million.

This trend is definetely not going anywhere...

Your Next Lease...in black and white AND GREEN

Anyone betting against the staying power of the current going Green trend may want to think twice. The sacrosanct standard form lease document is starting to go green.

The Model Green Lease document which was unveiled this summer by a self-proclaimed "group of savy, commercial real estate professionals" claims to bring the "green building movement to the economic center of commercial real estate - the lease agreement..."

The new lease document claims that it:

1. Resolves the critical financial problem of the split-incentive that has hobbled the progress of greening existing office buildings and constructing new green buildings.
2. Is equitably balanced to meet the financial and operational needs of landlords, lenders, investors, and tenants.
3. Can Cut energy use by 30 to 50 percent over comparable office buildings (with appropriate construction and operating standards)

I can't speak to whether the lease can deliver on all of its promise, but one thing is certain: if the Model Green Lease goes into use on a routine basis, it will "lock-in" and commit the U.S. business community to go Green into the foreseable future.

The Golden State is turning Greener...

The state of California boasts 33 LEED certified state office buildings, within their portfolio of more than 350 buildings totaling more than 32 Million square feet of space. The certified buildings are a mix of LEED for New Construction and LEED for Existing Building, and include two LEED Platinum certifications.

Elihu Harris State of California Office Building, designed by AECOM -- Image courtesy of AECOM Design and Greener Buildings.com.

Under Executive Order S-20-04, The Green Building Initiative,  the state is mandated to bring all existing buildings larger than 50,000 square feet, and design all new buildings larger than 10,000 square feet, to the minimum standard of LEED Silver certification. Buildings under 10,000 square feet must adhere to the LEED Silver design principles, but are not required to be certified.

To see a complete list of California's LEED building efforts, click HERE and for a link to the comprehensive California Green Building Directory, click HERE.

LEED Buildings = Greater Productivity...

A very interesting survey measuring and attempting to quantify productivity increases in green buildings was recently released. The survey titled "Green Buildings and Productivity", is scheduled to be published in the forthcoming Journal of Sustainable Real Estate. The survey was conducted by the University of San Diego and CBRE.

Some of the findings from the study are:

• Healthier buildings reduce sick time and increase productivity
• The steps required to provide a healthier building are not that much of a design and engineering challenge
• Generally natural light, good ventiliation, the absence of organic compounds, provides happier, healthier workers.
• LEED certified buildings tend to require better and safer work environments

The conclusion of the survey is: "there is an economic pay-off to tenants who pay attention to space quality... Consider[ing] the benefits in terms of recruitment, retention of employees, less sick time and greater productivity, tenants should be willing to pay more rent for such space or require a steep discount for less healthy space.

To read the entire survey, click HERE.

The A-B-C's on LEED Certification...

Great article regarding the Bentley Reserve building in San Francisco that also covers the A-B-C's on LEED certification, and how it applies to office projects.

LEED Certified Bentley Reserve Building in San Francisco

Click Here: ( LEED Certification: The Bently Reserve - A Commercial Example) for the article which was originally published on Clean Techies.