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Portola Valley Town Center, Goring & Straja Architects
Siegel & Strain Architects
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April 16, 2009 - Washington, DC
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its Committee on the Environment (COTE) have selected the top ten examples of sustainable architecture and green design solutions that protect and enhance the environment. The 2009 AIA COTE Top Ten Green Projects were announced celebrating beautiful, efficient building designs. The program recognizes projects that make a positive contribution to their communities, improve comfort for building occupants and reduce environmental impacts through strategies such as reuse of existing structures, connection to transit systems, low-impact and regenerative site development, energy and water conservation, use of sustainable or renewable construction materials, and design that improves indoor air quality.
These winning entries will be displayed at the upcoming AIA national convention in San Francisco, April 30-May 2 at the Moscone Convention Center.
AIA COTE TOP TEN 2009
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2009 TOP TEN Green Product Earth Day Awards |
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April, 2009 - Green Building Pages Earth Day Awards
Raising the bar, rewarding transparency and product manufacturers' achievements in reducing the global environmental impacts of their products, and creating a more sustainable world, every Earth Day the Green Building Pages announces it's top ten products.
This year's lineup ranges from one-man-shops to international manufacturing. These product manufacturers have achieved exemplary performance against comprehensive Green Building Pages Benchmarking Sustainability evaluation criteria, in alignment with the ASTM-E2129 and the Sustainable Materials Rating Technology (SMaRT) building product consensus standard recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council.
For more information:
2009 Green Building Pages Top Ten Earth Day Awards
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SBIC 2008 Beyond Green Awards - Nationals Park |
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February 26 , 2009 - Washington, DC
The winners of the 2008 Beyond GreenTM High-Performance Building Awards presented their projects on Capitol Hill on February 26, 2009, as part of an educational briefing for lawmakers and the public. Through a series of presentations and a poster session, the winners addressed the challenges and opportunities for delivering better buildings. The briefing was held in conjunction with the High-Performance Buildings Congressional Caucus (HPBCC).
SBIC delivered the message to the more than 100 attendees from the House of Representatives, architectural firms, and many other organizations, that buildings that are energy efficient, safe, cost-effective, aesthetically pleasing, and very productive places to work and live, are possible now.
For more information:
Sustainable Buildings Industry Council
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Green California Summit, Sacramento |
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March 17, 2009 - Los Angeles, CA
Green Technology magazine has awarded the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) its 2009 Green California Leadership Award for Green Building. The project cited by the magazine is the new Allied Health and Science Center at Los Angeles Valley College.
The award, given to LACCD officials at a ceremony in Sacramento, marks another significant honor the District has received for its $5.7 billion green building program, one of the nation's largest sustainable construction efforts.
The $49 million Allied Health and Science Center is a 100,000 square foot, three-story facility with an advanced laboratory, classrooms, and a rooftop solar farm with 300 power-generating panels. It also has a greenhouse, an animal habitat facility, a botanical research area, and four retention ponds included in the landscaping.
The project has achieved the U.S. Green Building Council's Gold LEED rating.
Green Building Pages Blog
Green California Summit
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Architecture 2030 |
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February 26, 2009
Edward Mazria was called before the United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources to give expert testimony on reducing energy consumption in buildings.
"The situation we find ourselves in today, with three major crises converging at the same time - foreign energy dependence, climate change, and a deep economic recession - is very different from anything we have ever experienced before." -Mazria
He states that to truely promote energy efficiency, business and industry need to look to innovate and deliver alternatives to the marketplace, while governments deliver market incentives, new building codes, and fund R&D and technology transfer through universities, research institutions and national laboratories.
He goes to discuss the success of the 2030 challenge and other green strategies.
Download Mazria's full Testimony - complete with charts and graphs
Architecture 2030
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Architecture 2030 |
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The Two-Year, Nine-Million-Jobs Investment Plan
President-elect Obama has committed to economic recovery, energy independence, carbon-neutral buildings by 2030 and an 80% reduction in US greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
This powerful and comprehensive Plan benefits all Americans, no matter what income level or location in the country. The new demand for energy efficiency upgrades and infusion of capital will create over 9 million new jobs, including a new $1.77 trillion renovation market that will put the construction industry back to work immediately.
In addition, the $132 to 208 billion in consumer mortage and energy savings will provide much-needed disposable income to fuel economic growth. Also, the reductions in energy consumption, CO2 emissions, natural gas, and oil will put the country on the path to energy independence and signal our commitment to addressing climate change.
Architecture 2030
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U.S. Department of Energy |
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What do you get when you combine the nation's top scientists with 11 commercial property firms and more than $1 billion in federal funds?
The Zero-Net Energy Commercial Building Initiative (CBI), a Department of Energy (DOE) program that was launched this year to accelerate the development of cost-effective, zero-net engery buildings -- those that produce as much energy as they consume.
The program will examine new approaches to renewable energy, which can be difficult and costly for building owners to employ but is essential to net-zero energy buildings.
Commercial Buildings Initiative
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Sustianable Buildings Industry Council |
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High-performance buildings are healthy and productive places to live and work, cost-effective to operate and maintain, and good for the environment.
At this educational briefing, the winners of SBIC's Beyond Green High-Performance Building Awards presented selected projects that describe challenges and opportunities.
The case studies, which represent a wide variety of building types from across the country, address the successful integration of sustainability and energy-efficiency with cost effectiveness, safety and security, accessibility, historic preservation, and aesthetics.
SBIC Beyond Green Awards
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U.S. Conference of Mayors |
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The U.S. conference of Mayors adopted Resolution of Support for the Sustainable Investment Initiative of the Capital markets Partnership (CMP) at the June 2008, 76th annual meeting. CMP unanimously approved its Green Building Underwriting Standards.
The Sustainable Investment Initiative is facilitating both equity and debt investment opportunities in certified green buildings and sustainable products through these Underwriting Standards and green building financing with the Council of Development Financing Agencies.
The Initiative's concensus standards cover buildings and products across the global supply chain.
U.S. Conference of Mayors
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Project FROG unveiled at Greenbuild, Boston, Nov., 2008
FROG Zero -- The Classroom of the Future -- incorporates the ideal learning environment into the greenest, most sustainable commercial building solution available. Ever. The 1,280-sf smart building features 75 percent energy demand reduction, abundant natural light and glare control, superior air quality, fungible user technology, microclimate customization and advanced climate controls in an easy to configure package. Constructed of renewable or recyclable materials, the FROG Zero generates more energy within its footprint than is required to operate its systems.
More Information: www.projectfrog.com/gozero/frogzero |
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Green Technology Magazine |
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A growing body of research shows that a poor school environment is detrimental to a children's health and learning. Chilrdren in the U.S. now spend approximately 90% of their time indoors - and a large portion of that at school.
American schools get very poor grades in environmental toxicity, indoor air quality, sustainable resource use, and nutrition. All of these are linked to soaring asthma and childhood obesity rates, exposure to carcinogens, and broader community environmental problems.
The Green Schools Initiative uses a comprehensive framework to define a "green" school, which focuses on four interrelated "pillars." Their four pillars encourage schools to: strive to be toxic free; use resources sustainability; create green school yards and healthy lunches; and teach stewardship.
Green Technology Magazine
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Green Technology Magazine |
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Who would have thought that simple measures, such as turning off lights and equipment at night and on weekends, could save so much money?
In nine months, the District, which serves 21,000 students in 18 schools, shaved $145,000 off its electric bill. Normally, electricity costs the District just under $3 million per year, so this represents a savings of about 6.5 percent. According to Jeff Boone, energy resource manager at the Murrieta Valley Unified School District, they are only getting started with ferreting out the unnecessary watts.
A green team of teachers, custodial staff, administrators and students cary out the program. They create a plan for saving energy at the school level, teach about energy and create school-wide energy awareness campaigns. This awareness is expected to also impact students' homes and communities. Typically, schools participating in the Green Schools program save between 5 and 15 percent on electric costs.
Powerful Savings from Green Technology Magazine
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Western Governors Association |
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November 20, 2008
The Western Governors Association (WGA) wrote a letter to President-elect Barack Obama urging him to quickly adopt and implement an energy plan that will provide affordable, clean energy and reduce greenhoue gas emissions, among other goals.
The letter states that "We must have the collective will and resolve to create and implement a long-term comprehensive energy policy despite short-term political and market fluctuations. The future of our nation depends upon it."
The WGA urged President-elect Obama to implement seven key policy initiatives within the first 100 days of his administration.
WGA call for Immediate Enery Plan
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Build Green Schools
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September 4, 2008 - Washington, DC
Today, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) kicked off its "Fifty for Fifty" initiative working with state lawmakers in all 50 states to promote green school buildings. The Council's goal is for every state legislature in the nation to have its own caucus or working group of lawmakers advancing green schools for kids. Inspired by the sucessess of the Congressional Green Schools Caucus, the initiative will build on widespread participation in USGBC's LEED for schools program, which has over 1,000 green schools registered across the U.S.
The "Fifty for Fifty Initiative provides state legislatures with:
- Up-to-date information and developments in green building, including trends, cost benifit studies and incentives offered by localities to advance and promote green building
- Networking opportunities with like-minded legislators across the country
- Opportunities for partnerships with experts in their communities, from architects to engineers to contractors
- Opportunities to present best practices and successes in regional and national forums
USGBC Launches Nationwide Green Schools Effort
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Photo provided by LACCD
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November 7, 2008
With the passing of Measure J (for jobs) in the past election, LA Community College District (LACCD) added $3.5 billion to the bonds the school already had from previous years to bring the total budget up to $6.5 billion. The money will go towards 50 new buildings and modernizing hundreds of others up to LEED Platnum standards.
LACCD is the largest community college district in the nation, serving 226,000 students annually. The creation of these buildings brings purpose and mission together. Students learning about sustainable practices for their green job classes can touch and experience the very products that they may be working with later after they graduate.
Green Building Pages has joined this exciting effort. It will provide the evaluation system for the buyers and specifiers of the building materials used in these buildings. It is a unique site that is free to the public, comprehensive in its sustainable information, and rewards performance vs. advertising dollars.
More in greenbuildingproductsblog & LACCD BlipTV
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Picture provided by GlobeSt.com
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October 16, 2008 - Washington, DC
Mayor Manny Diaz of Miami and Mayor Greg Nickels of Seattle today announced the formation of the Mayor's Alliance for Green Schools, a coalition of mayors seeking to strategically harness the leadership and creativity of mayors accross the country to promote the benifits of green schools in their communities.
Developed in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the alliance will work to accelerate implementation of programs supporting the 2007 U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) resolution calling for green schools for all children within a generation.
For more information, visit USGBC
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CoStar Group Demand in Marketplace for Sustainability Creates Higher Occupancy Rates, Stronger Rents and Sale Prices in 'Green' Buildings
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March 26, 2008 - CoStar Study Finds Energy Star, LEED Bldgs. Outperform Peers
A new study by CoStar Group has found that sustainable "green" buildings outperform their non-green peer assets in key areas such as occupancy, sale price and rental rates, sometimes by wide margins.
The results indicate a broader demand by property investors and tenants for buildings that have earned either LEED® certification or the Energy Star® label and strengthen the "business case" for green buildings, which proponents have increasingly cast as financially sound investments.
According to the CoStar study, LEED buildings command rent premiums of $11.33 per square foot over their non-LEED peers and have 4.1 percent higher occupancy. Rental rates in Energy Star buildings represent a $2.40 per square foot premium over comparable non-Energy Star buildings and have 3.6 percent higher occupancy.
USGBC In The News
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NAHB Green Building Guidelines |
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ORLANDO, FL--The new National Green Building Standard will maintain the flexibility of green building practices while providing a common national benchmark for builders, remodelers and developers - another big step for the green building movement, said panelists at a news conference at the International Builder's Show.
The first and only true consensus-based standard for residential green building is in its final comment period and almost ready for prime time, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
The National Green Building Standard is expected to be approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and published by NAHB and the International Code Council (ICC) early this spring, a panel of builders and those involved in the standards process told reporters. The ANSI process
ensures that the best technical reviews were used to create the standard.
NAHB Green Building Standards
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www.climate.yale.edu/seeforyourself/index.php |
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YALE University - 2007
The average surface temperature of the world rose by about 1 degree Fahrenheit during the last century. The latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts a further increase of 2 to 6 degrees in this century, even if greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere are stabilized at twice the pre-industrial level. This warming would be accompanied by rising sea levels, more intense storms and droughts, heat waves, melting glaciers and other effects. , the potential cost of such policies to the American economy again becomes a critical issue.
Robert Repetto has developed a website where users can test various assumptions and scenarios for the effects of global warming.
See for yourself!
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Benchmarking Sustainability 2007 Awards-RainTube
Photo Credit: Jacob Feldman |
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GREENBUILD, Chicago - November 7, 2007. Green Building Pages announced the Benchmarking Sustainability 2007 Building Product Awards recognizing products and manufacturers for achievements in minimizing global environmental impacts creating a more sustainable building industry and world.
Twenty building products were recognized in 7 product lifecycle award categories. GLI Systems RainTube received the highest Sustainable Product Award achieving 554/800 Benchmarking Sustainability credits, also receiving the first Gold Shade of Green designation.
View all Benchmarking Sustainability 2007 Product Awards
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U.S. Green Building Council Greenbuild 365 Website
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GREENBUILD, Chicago - November 2007. With record numbers in attendance and distinguished dignataries such as former President Bill Clinton and visionary Paul Hawkin addressing the green building industry, green is clearly mainstream. The USGBC officially launched its LEED for Homes certification program, announced its 'No Child Left Behind' support for the new Green Schools Caucus and unveiled its new website Greenbuild 365, making conference proceedings, including keynote speeches available to the public.
The Playbook, another website unveiled at Greenbuild, provides strategies, tips, and tools that cities and counties can use to take immediate action on climate change through green building, green neighborhoods, and sustainable infrastructure.
For more information visit: www.usgbc.org
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, Washington, D.C. September, 2007. Estimating the carbon footprint of commercial buildings has just become easier. EPA's on-line energy rating system for commercial buildings has been updated to include greenhouse gas emission factors, enabling users to estimate the carbon footprint of their commercial buildings. The updated rating-system (Portfolio Manager) shows that ENERGY STAR buildings not only use 35% less energy than their typical counterparts but also contribute 35% less carbon dioxide emissions.
For more information:
• EPA Press Release
• More information on Portfolio Manager
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U.S. Green Building Council
Photo Credit: U.S. Green Building Council |
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As of January 1, 2007, USGBC will fully rebate the certification fees for any project that earns LEED Platinum certification. The rebate currently applies to projects that certify using LEED for New Construction, LEED for Existing Buildings, LEED for Commercial Interiors or LEED for Core and Shell. Projects that certify under future versions of the LEED rating system (excluding pilot projects) will also be eligible.
LEED Platinum buildings are highly energy and resource efficient; provide superior indoor comfort for the building's occupants; and dramatically reduce CO2 emissions.
For more information on LEED rebates visit:
www.usgbc.org
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Buying Into the Green Movement
Alex Williams
New York Times, July 1, 2007
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Some 35 million Americans regularly buy products that claim to be earth-friendly, according to one report, everything from organic beeswax lipstick from the west Zambian rain forest to Toyota Priuses. With baby steps, more and more shoppers browse among the 60,000 products available under Home Depot's new Eco Options program.
Such choices are rendered fashionable as celebrities worried about global warming appear on the cover of Vanity Fair's "green issue," and pop stars like Kelly Clarkson and Lenny Kravitz prepare to be headline acts on July 7 at the Live Earth concerts at sites around the world.
Consumers have embraced living green, and for the most part the mainstream green movement has embraced green consumerism. But even at this moment of high visibility and impact for environmental activists, a splinter wing of the movement has begun to critique what is sometimes calls "light greens."
Read the full New York Times article
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Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy |
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Are you aware of the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE) website? This is a great resource describing federal, state, and local incentives applying to commercial, utility and residential categories. Check to make sure you are taking advantage of all of the incentives available to you and increase your energy efficiency!
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A Greener and Healthier Future for California Schools
Ariel Dekovic
Green Technology Magazine
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Created in 1999 in response to skyrocketing energy rates and rolling blackouts, the Collaborative for High Performance Schools has since expanded beyond energy efficiency to address an array of issues that make up healthy and environmentally conscious school environments. Involving a diverse group of 150 government agencies, utility companies, school districts, non-profit organizations and private companies, as well as seven other states, in 2002, CHPS published the CHPS Criteria, establishing the nation's first building rating program created to specifically facilitate the design of school learning environments that are healthy, comfortable, energy, resource and water efficient, safe, secure, adaptable, and easy to operate and maintain.
CHPS has a six volume Best Practices Manual that supports the CHPS Criteria as well as a recently introduced new third-party verification program, called CHPS Verified, which adds project management and an independent review to the process.
These days, convincing school boards and facilities managers of the benefits of green schools is not hard. In his "Greening America's Schools" report, Greg Katz found that although the average cost premium was about per square foot, the total energy cost savings from a green school as compared with a conventional school ranged from $7 to $9 per square foot.
Read the full Green Technology article
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Davis Langdon, July 2007
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The Cost of Green Revisited examines the recent developments in the cost of incorporating sustainable design features into projects, building upon the 2004 report "Costing Green: A Comprehensive Cost Database and Budget Methodology." This paper looks at a larger sampling of buildings and building types, using the USGBC's LEED rating system as a parameter for determining level of sustainable design. The study shows that there is no significant difference in average costs of green buildings as compared to non-green buildings.
View full report: (0.5 MB PDF)
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Time Magazine, June 14, 2007
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The New Action Heroes - TIME Magazine
Mayors of more than 30 of world's largest cities pledge "to enlist their 250 million constituents in the fight against global warming." "Cities can't wait any longer for national governments to act," New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced, highlighting his plan to cut New York's carbon emissions 30% by 2030. Meanwhile on the other coast, Governor Schwarzenegger, leading California's 36.5 million people, has signed the first U.S. cap on greenhouse gases, leading the nation in enacting fuel efficiency standards for automobiles.
To read entire article go to:
www.time.com
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U.S. Green Building Council
Photo Credit: U.S. Green Building Council |
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The U.S. Green Building Council is will announce the selection of 120 participants for the pilot program of the LEED for Neighborhood Developments (LEED-ND) rating system from 370 applications received. LEED-ND was created through collaboration between USGBC, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU). A final rating system is expected to be launched in 2009, after the conclusion of the pilot program in 2008.
For more information on LEED-ND please visit:
(www.usgbc.org/leed/nd)
(www.nrdc.org/smartgrowth)
(www.cnu.org/initiatives)
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iiSBE Sustainable Building Challenge for 2007-2008 |
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(USGBC, May 7, 2007) - Call for Expressions of Interest closes on September 15, 2007! "The Sustainable Building Challenge is a process that forms an integral part of the Sixth World Sustainable Building Conference (SB08), which is to be held in Melbourne Australia in September 2008 (www.sb08melbourne.org). The SB08 conference will include oral presentatons and display space for assessed case studies, in addition to normal technical paper presentations. The SBC08Challenge will enhance the development of an international co-operative process to compare existing performance assessment tools, guide the development of new ones, and promote innovative sustainable builing design concepts and techniques."
To read the full announcement please visit: (www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=2686)
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(Building.com, May 4, 2007) - Wachovia and Bank of America's Charlotte banks are seeking green building status for new construction projects and are greening existing buildings to gain certification as environmentally freindly. "While companies and building managers say they are striving to do the right thing for the environment, they also see business advantages, such as energy savings and improved employee productivity."
To read the full article please visit: (www.buildings.com/Articles/detail2.asp?ArticleID=101267)
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Healthy Building Network,
Photo Credit: The State Journal-Register |
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(March 23, 2007) - the federal Chemical Safety Board (CSB) found vinyl chloride killed 5 workers for a Formosa Plastics PVC factory in Illiopolis, Illinois. Workers were killed by an explosion set by a discharge of the substance on April 23, 2004. Healthy Building News points out the significance of the findings due to the recent release of the "USGBC Technical Science Advisory Committee determined that the PVC was one of the most unhealthy building materials..."
To read the full article please visit: (www.healthybuilding.net/news)
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New York Times, March 14, 2007
Photo Credit: Chris Pilaro |
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Communities Uniting for Climate Action Now!
Let April 14th, 2007 be an inspiration for you and your community to call for action on climate change. Bill McKibben invites communities to join his nationwide movement to "reshape the future" by cutting carbon 80% by 2050. (www.stepitup2007.org)
Visit the Step It Up website and join an action or start your own call for action. The Step It Up Headquarters documents actions nationwide stating the same quote "Step it up, Congress! Cut Carbon 80% by 2050."
Visit the website www.stepitup2007.org for more information. |
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Photo credit: Peter Aaron / Esto Photographics |
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The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its Committee on the Environment (COTE) have selected the top ten examples of sustainable architecture and green design solutions that protect and enhance the environment. The projects will be honored on May 3rd at the AIA 2007 National Convention and Design Exposition in San Antonio.
For more information: AIA/COTE
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California Green Building Initiative (Executive Order S-20-04) creates goals for reducing energy consumption |
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California Adopts LCCA Model for Green Products
"The Governor's Green Building Initiative (Executive Order S-20-04) requires that the state of California implement all cost effective energy conservation measures (ECM) as identified to achieve the goal of reducing energy consumption 20 percent by the year 2015."
For more information:
www.green.ca.gov/LCCA/default.htm
For more information on measures for greening the golden state, attend the upcoming Green California Summit, March 13 & 14, 2007. "The Green California Summit and Exposition was created to support efforts made by state and local government to implement to implement effective and innovative services, products and solutions." |
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NAHB & ICC announce collaboration for green building standards |
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NAHB & ICC Opens Application Process for Consensus Committee Membership
ORLANDO, FL. (February 7, 2007) - In order to advance the Green Home Building Guidelines voluntary program set forth by the NAHB, the NAHB & ICC groups announced a joint collaboration to standardize green building practices. A Consensus Committee is forming for further development of these guidelines into the ANSI green building standards.
Applications for consideration are due by March 10, 2007. Please visit the NAHB website www.nahbrc.org/GBStandard
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Ecological literacy must become a central tenet of design education. |
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2010 Imperative offers actions for public and private sectors
People from all over the world logged into the 2010 Imperative Web-cast on Friday, February 20, 2007. Susan Szenasy, Dr. James Hansen, Edward Mazria, Chris Luebkeman spoke addressed the urgency to take action on global warming.
To listen to the archived web-cast:
www.2010imperative.org/webcast.html
For more information on the 2010 Imperative and 2030 Challenge, read the interview with Edward Mazria, AIA, founder of the Architecture 2030: Edward Mazria, AIA
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GBI becomes first to develop LCA for public |
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GBI makes LCA software available to public
PORTLAND, OR.(February 27, 2007) - "Last month, the Green Building Initiative (GBI) became the first organization in North America to develop a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tool for integrating the evaluation of building assemblies in green building rating systems. Today, GBI is announcing its intention to grant permission to its consulting team to offer a generic version, free of charge, to the entire sustainable construction community." Green Building Initiative Press Release
For more information:
www.thegbi.org/gbi/news_022607_LCATool.asp |
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The USGBC, in response to the current global climate change urgency, developed a Climate Change Action Plan to reduce the organizations negative contribution. The plan incorporates eight strategies to focus their impact on the environment. By the end of 2007 the USGBC, as an organization, will be carbon neutral. The USGBC hosted Greenbuild Expo and Conference just completed it's fifth year of carbon neutrality.
"Eliminating the built environment's negative contribtuion to climate change is not just a strategic priority; it's our collective responsibility to generations to come...urgent action is required." USGBC Press Release, December 1, 2006
For more information please visit the USGBC press release: http://www.usgbc.org/News/ |
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Side by side comparisons of sea ice from 1979
and 2003. Arctic perennial sea ice has been decreasing
at a rate of 9% per decade. NASA |
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In an
open
letter to the architecture, planning and building
community Edward Mazria AIA, a Santa Fe architect,
warns about the effects of global warming and proposes
meeting a number of targets in order to prevent
a disaster.
"We are in a race against time. Global warming,
caused by a man-made blanket of greenhouse gasses
(mainly carbon dioxide) that surrounds the earth
and traps in heat, is well underway and if allowed
to intensify over the coming years will seriously
threaten our planet" (Edward Mazria AIA).
Specially created Architecture
2030 "web site will report on the activities
and progress in the building sector around the
globe and critical information will be updated
regularly" (AIArchitect).
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President Bush
Photo Credit: White House photo by Eric Draper |
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Executive Order 13423.
President Bush signed an executive order on January 24th that mandates an increased use of energy efficiency and renewable fuels throughout the federal government. Executive Order 13423 calls for federal agencies to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by cutting their energy intensity 30 percent, relative to their energy use in 2003, by 2015.(Executive Order 13423)
Visit the U.S. Department of Energy Daily News Archives for more information: (January 31, 2007) |
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The Seattle Audubon Society and the Natural Resources Council of Maine have demanded the Sustainable Forestry Board revoke SFI certification from two companies until they comply with standards.
For more information see
Washington Post Article by Blaine Harden
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The requests mark the first time that mainstream environmental groups have publicly attempted to turn the forest industry's green certification process against big timber companies by insisting that they be suspended from the program, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), said William H. Banzhaf, president of the forestry board, which oversees certification.
Green labeling is a major marketing tool in the timber industry. It allows companies to reach a bigger marketplace while assuring increasingly sophisticated consumers that their purchases are not harming the environment. The competing certification regimes are usually referred to by initialisms -- SFI and FSC -- that can be easily confused. Unlike the industry-created SFI program, FSC rules allow virtually no cutting of old-growth forests, nor do they allow operators to log off a diverse stand of trees and replace it with a plantation forest dominated by a single species, which is often done to enhance the commercial value of forestland. Home Depot, Ikea and Williams-Sonoma are among the major retailers that have announced their preference for FSC-certified lumber or paper. The U.S. Green Building Council, which oversees green standards for construction in the District and Montgomery County, among other places, credits only builders that use FSC lumber. |
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Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Lewis and Clark State Office Building
BNIM Architects
Photo Credit: Mike Sinclair |
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""Environmental
Design + Construction magazine’s Fourth Annual
Excellence in Design Awards recognize commercial
spaces and offices, institutional facilities, government
buildings, multi-use residential buildings and single-family
residential homes that clearly demonstrate a commitment
to green building and sustainable design."
(ED+C).
Read
ED+C's
cover story |
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""Harmful
buildup of toxic chemicals in humans is a real and
growing problem. A 2003 CDC study found an average
of 91 (of 116 tested) toxic chemicals in the human
body, and recent research points to the overlooked
danger and adverse health effects that can result
from combined chemicals that are otherwise considered
to have low toxicity. Read what simple steps you
can take to help detox your projects" (Stefani
Hines).
Green Builder
Magazine October 2006 p. 16-17. |
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"The
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
and the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
recently published this year's Annual Market Review,
2005-2006. The publication provides general statistical
information on forest product markets and related
policies in Europe, North America and the Commonwealth
of Independent States. It also includes interesting
information on FSC certification. These are the
highlights:
FSC is the world's fastest growing forest certification
scheme. Over the last year it increased by one
third. In comparison, PEFC grew by 5% over the
same period of time. In real numbers this equals
a growth of 20 million hectares for FSC and 10
million hectares for PEFC" (FSC News).
FSC
News
Forest
Products Annual Market Review |
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The BigHorn Home Improvement Center,
Silverthorne, Colo.
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"U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman
today announced more than $13 million to fund new
research in solar technologies. This funding, part
of President Bush's $148 million Solar America Initiative,
will support the development of more efficient solar
panels, known as photovoltaic devices" (energy.gov/news/4354.htm)
For more information, visit: energy.gov/news/4354.htm
"The BigHorn Center is one of the nation's
first commercial buildings to integrate extensive
high-performance design into a retail space. It
is expected to reduce energy costs by 62% compared
to similar conventionally designed retail buildings"
(www.nrel.gov).
Read more about BigHorn
Center. |
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"Green
building, one of the most significant developments
in new home construction in the past three decades,
is nothing less than a quiet revolution in the way
that new homes and communities are planned and constructed"
(NAHB).
NAHB's publication
Building
Greener: Building Better: The Quiet Revolution
is available for download as PDF (Acrobat Reader
required). |
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The Royal Institute of British Architects - USA
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Life in the Balance
The Royal Institute of British Architects - USA
announces a new international competition ‘Building
A Sustainable World: Life in the Balance.’
First Prize $10,000. Main Sponsor Autodesk, Special
prize for best use of Autodesk BIM software although
entries may use any appropriate medium including
freehand and collage.
read more about RIBA-USA
Competition
Call For Concept Proposals:
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GREENGUARD
Environmental Institute (GEI) announced that its
Children & Schools certification has been officially
recognized in the CHPS
Best Practices Manual Volume III as criteria
for low-emitting materials (EQ2.2). "The CHPS
EQ2.2 criteria addresses the following types of
products: all flooring, adhesives, sealants, and
concrete sealants; carpet; resilient flooring; wood
flooring; paints; thermal insulation; gypsum board;
acoustical ceilings and wall panels; cabinetry;
desk and chairs; and composite wood products"
(greengurad.org
news release).
GEENGUARD
The Collaborative
for High Performance Schools |
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Solar Tube House
photo: James Morris |
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The
Green House: New Directions in Sustainable Architecture
and Design
An Exhibition at the
National Building Museum
May 20, 2006–June 3, 2007
"Stacked three floors high on a small wooded
lot, the Solar Tube has special glazing that allows
warm sunlight to enter while deflecting damaging
UV rays. The house’s central core of reinforced
concrete absorbs and stores the sun’s warmth,
keeping the temperature of the living spaces within
a comfortable range (aia.org/aiarchitect)."
For more building green examples visit the exhibition
website: "Green
House" Exhibition |
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2006
Top Ten: Alberici Corporate Headquarters,
Overland, MO
Photo Credit: Debbie Franke |
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"In
celebration of Earth Day 2006, April 22, the AIA
and its Committee on the Environment announced their
selection of the top 10 examples of green design
that protects and enhances the environment."
(aia.org/aiarchitect).
For the list and full description of 2006 Top Ten
Green Projects visit the AIA COTE website at: aiatopten.org/hpb/
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The
AIA Chicago Young Architect's Forum announced
winners for its reThink/reDesign/reCycle, a two-phase
juried competition that saught proposals for an
ecologically intelligent, urban recycling receptacle.
http://www.aiachicago.org/redesign/ |
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Second Place: re Constructing
Cardboard Comfort:
Joseph Lyman, Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo |
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The
American Institute of Architecture Students
(AIAS) announced the winners of the 2006 corrugated
cardboard chair design competition. This event was
sponsored by the International Corrugated Packaging
Foundation (ICPF).
"The program is intended to challenge students,
working individually or in teams, to explore a variety
of issues related to the use of corrugated cardboard
(a non-traditional building material) in design
and construction (aias.org)."
For the list and images of winning designs visit
the AIAS website at: aias.org/chairaffair |
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During
the first Holcim Forum, held in
Zurich, Switzerland this last July, over 100 prominent
engineers, business leaders, and architects responded
to "What does sustainable construction mean
to you?" Find
out what they said. |
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(PDF,
1.3MB) |
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Green Remodeling:
Changing the World One Room at a Time
David Johnston and Kim Master
"David
Johnston was named one of the top 50 remodelers
in the U.S. in 1990. He developed the first green
remodeling program in the U.S. and is creating a
national green certification program for the National
Association of the Remodeling Industry. Kim
Master is a green building consultant. Both are
from Boulder, Colorado." (amazon.com)
amazon.com
listing |
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So why would anyone want to build green?
The article examines reasons and provides explanations for 46 benefits for building green.
Read the article |
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www.buildinggreen.com |
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A resource
for anyone "advocating for school buildings that
are cost-effective, sustainable, and "healthy and
productive" for students, teachers, and staff" (SBIC).
Read
more about high-performance schools. |
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Learn more about the economics of building green in this article by Gil Friend.
Read the article
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More green news at:
GreenerBuildings.com |
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With more than 220,000 members nationwide, and over 95,000 in attendance in Orlando, this represents about 80% of the more than 1.84 million new housing units projected for 2005. Ray Tonjes, a home builder from Austin, Texas and chair of NAHB’s Green Building Subcommittee, stated that “NAHB’s Model Green Home Building Guidelines are a milestone in our efforts to provide safe, decent, affordable housing for all Americans and to help conserve our environment” and “are revolutionary because they will help all builders, not just niche builders, construct more energy-efficient, environmentally sensitive new homes in different price ranges and climate conditions.” |
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The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the one of the nation’s largest and most powerful building industry trade organization, unveiled their new NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines at its International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Orlando Florida. A new organization, the Green Building Initiative (GBI), was also created to help implement the guidelines in markets across the country. |
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NAHB’s Model Green Home Building Guidelines are available online at www.nahb.org/gbg |
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© 2002 Green Building
Pages. All rights reserved.
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