USGBC Nevada Blog

International Green Construction Code

Steve Rypka — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:19:07 GMT

U.S. Green Building Council Applauds Newly Released International Green Construction Code
IgCC offers a new code baseline for greener building construction that is complementary to LEED

Washington, D.C. (March 28, 2012) - The 2012 International Green Construction Code (IgCC), released today, will increase the energy-efficiency of structures, while providing governments direction and oversight of green design and construction, according to the International Code Council (ICC) the code's author and one of several U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) partners in the effort. USGBC, makers of the LEED green building certification system and co-authors of ANSI/ASHRAE/IES/USGBC Standard 189.1, applauds this new model code that serves as an important new policy option for state and local governments looking to codify green building practice.

"The IgCC and Standard 189.1 draw from more than a decade of national and regional leadership programs that road-tested green building practices, methods and materials," said Brendan Owens, vice president of LEED Technical Development, USGBC. "These pioneering efforts broke important new ground that has enabled the IgCC to mainstream green building practices that were previously considered innovative in a foundation intended for minimum code language."

LEED is the world's foremost program for the design, construction, maintenance and operations of green buildings. More than 45,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems, comprising 8.4 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 120 countries. In addition, nearly 19,000 residential units have been certified under the LEED for Homes rating system, with over 75,500 more homes registered.

The 2012 IgCC, which incorporates the 2011 version of Standard 189.1 as an optional path to compliance, offers a new code baseline that can be tailored by state and local governments to share many of the benefits of green buildings with the millions of buildings that are designed, constructed and renovated to meet minimum code, whether or not they are engaged in the LEED program.

"As the IgCC begins to inform building codes and building practice across the country, LEED is evolving to reward greater thresholds of green building leadership," said Roger Platt, senior vice president of Global Policy & Law, USGBC. "We need public policy that rewards this beyond-code leadership alongside codes that redefine what we should expect of our buildings. The IgCC and Standard 189.1 are an important and intentional complement to LEED."

The 2012 version of the IgCC - authored by ICC in partnership with the American Institute of Architects (AIA), ASTM international (ASTM), ASHRAE, the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), and USGBC - is an important first step for the partner organizations and the building community in a long, but important journey to mainstream healthier, lower impact, more efficient and responsible building practice.

"The IgCC published today was developed during the last three years with input from code and construction industry professionals, environmental organizations, policy makers and the public," said Richard P. Weiland, CEO of the ICC that developed the new code. "Our community was diligent in developing a code that is not only adoptable, usable and enforceable, but also flexible and adaptable. We expect this new model code, like the family of other ICC Codes, to be adopted across the country and used globally."

For more than 100 years, building codes in the United States have evolved to incorporate critical safeguards for building occupants based on the most current building science. More recently, communities have been calling for a regulatory tool that complements voluntary rating systems by offering jurisdictions minimum safeguards to protect against building-related risks to human and environmental health. Several state and local jurisdictions are already moving in this direction by putting into place early versions of the IgCC that were released during the development of the code.

As building codes broaden their scope and establish a higher floor, USGBC continues to raise the ceiling through advances and refinements to LEED and associated programs. LEED version 2012 will be released in November 2012.

The Home Depot and U.S. Green Building Council Launch New Database of Green Building Products

Steve Rypka — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:57:20 GMT

leedhomedepot.com offers information on products that may contribute to the requirements of the LEED® for Homes program

(Washington, D.C.) Mar. 7, 2012 - The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), in conjunction with The Home Depot®, has launched an online green home products database. The database: leed.homedepot.com is a special microsite within homedepot.com that features products geared toward green home building, many of which may contribute towards earning LEED® points and prerequisites for the LEED for Homes program, making it easier for homeowners and builders to find the products they need.

Currently, more than 2,500 products sold at The Home Depot are listed on the website.

“The LEED green building program helps homeowners measure green home performance across a range of categories, and products play an important role in achieving certification,” said Nate Kredich, vice president of Residential Development at USGBC. “This database represents just one of the many ways in which The Home Depot is advancing sustainable, efficient and healthy homes by supporting green building and green products.”
“As the world’s largest home improvement retailer, we want to show our customers that building green can be easy and affordable,” said Lindsay Chason, senior manager of Environmental Innovation at The Home Depot. “We have innovative, environmentally-friendly products that make LEED certification simpler. Now through our partnership with U.S. Green Building Council and their LEED for Homes program, we are simplifying the process of bringing healthier, greener homes to reality.”

The green housing market is growing rapidly, having tripled since 2008. Green homes, which comprised 17% of new residential construction last year, are expected to increase by 29% to 38% of the market by 2016, according to a report last week by McGraw-Hill Construction, a part of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

LEED-certified homes are energy efficient, conserve water and vital resources, and integrate environmentally preferred products into the design and construction of a home. Nearly 18,000 housing units have received LEED for Homes certification, a number that has seen significant growth in recent years. Fifty percent of LEED for Homes projects are classified in the affordable housing sector, echoing a trend found in last week’s report from The National Association of Home Builders and the Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI). The data shows that nationwide housing affordability rose to a record level during the fourth quarter of 2011.

The USGBC and The Home Depot product database was a subject of intense interest during Modernism Week in California last month and debuted as part of the TED Conference during which Steve Glenn, CEO of LivingHomes, a LEED home builder since 2006 and the builder of the first LEED Platinum home in the nation, showcased LivingHome C6. C6 is the first affordable housing line from the pre-fabricated builder. Once sited in their final locations, C6 homes are designed to meet the requirements of the LEED for Homes rating system. The home was designed as part of a new partnership with Make It Right, a nonprofit founded by Brad Pitt and renowned architect William McDonough to build 150, Cradle to Cradle® inspired LEED Platinum homes in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each C6 will help support the efforts of Make It Right.

USGBC strives to integrate the principles and practices of social and economic justice within those of sustainable building - ensuring that low-income families will maintain access to decent, safe, and affordable housing, even as society’s standards for what is decent and safe continue to rise.

Green building offers opportunities to reduce energy and resource consumption, enabling lower utility costs and critical savings for owners, funding agencies and residents alike. Green developments are also designed to offer superior indoor air quality to protect residents’ health and reduce health-care costs, and often provide better access to public transit and local amenities, decreasing the financial burden of transportation. The green home product database released with Home Depot will assist homeowners and green building professional to achieve these tenants of sustainability, health and affordability in their housing projects.

Northern Nevada Leadership awards

Dave Ray — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 15:05:43 GMT

Last Thursday we celebrated the leadership awards at the Gui Denby building. Lee Harris, current Board member, John Sagebiel and Karen McGinley all were a great help. The event attracted 35 attendees and the celebration of sustainability filled the room. Great event, great people, great mission. Thanks Reno!

LEED 2012 Update

Steve Rypka — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 20:58:52 GMT

New and Updated Credits Introduced into LEED Pilot Credit Library

Library provides a proving ground for LEED users to guide the improvement of LEED rating system

Washington, DC - (Mar. 2, 2012) - The U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) next update to the LEED green building program, LEED 2012, will include various updates to credits within the LEED Pilot Credit Library. As a flexible, interactive mechanism for testing proposed credits in the marketplace, the Pilot Credit Library gathers real-time feedback on credit usability and ability to meet a credit's intent.

The Pilot Credit Library was established to facilitate the introduction of new prerequisites and credits to LEED through stakeholder engagement and collaboration on the testing and analysis of proposed requirements. This process allows USGBC to refine credits through LEED project evaluations before being introduced into LEED.

"The LEED Pilot Credit Library has been widely embraced by LEED users and has successfully created a forum for discussing the strengths and weaknesses of new and innovative credits," said Brendan Owens, Vice President, LEED Technical Development. "The LEED user community has actively engaged in pilot testing the existing credits and these new and updated credits incorporate their valuable feedback and help make LEED more dynamic and effective."

LEED 2012, which opened yesterday for third public comment, is the next step towards a global, performance-based application. The current LEED 2012 draft focuses on increasing the technical rigor of the rating system, improving the user experience and providing measurement and performance tools. Along with the opening of the public comment period, several key changes within the Pilot Credit Library will be presented.

"As part of the larger evolution of the Materials & Resources credit category, the new pilot credits shift focus towards a more integrated decision making framework based on life cycle assessment," continued Owens. "When considered as an integrated system, the credits encourage actions that move us towards a products universe focused on transparency and multi-attribute life cycle optimization."

Under the heading of Materials & Resources (MR), Pilot Credits 2 and 11, will combine to form a more encompassing chemical avoidance credit. Pilot Credit 54: Avoidance of Chemicals of Concern in Building Materials, encourages LEED project teams to avoid building materials that contain chemicals that are known to negatively impact human health, specifically in regards to cancer and reproductive toxicity.

In addition to these two credits becoming one, an additional credit will be added, Disclosure of Chemicals of Concern (Pilot Credit 62) and it addresses product transparency. Both newly added pilot credits, 54 and 62, will progress to LEED 2012. A pilot credit that addresses alternatives assessments is under development.

Another notable change within MR is a pilot credit split to more directly address product transparency and performance. Pilot Credit 43 is now divided into two credits - Pilot Credit 61: Material Disclosure and Assessment and Pilot Credit 52: Material Multi-Attribute Assessment.

A new Energy Jumpstart concept under the Energy & Atmosphere heading addresses the huge opportunity to reduce carbon emissions and building operational expenses by reaching the 75 percent of the market that the existing buildings energy performance prerequisite excludes.

"The pilot credit creates an on-ramp for these buildings and we hope to use it to engage project teams and building owners who demonstrate leadership by drastically improving the energy performance of their buildings," continued Owens.

Pilot Credit 67: Energy & Atmosphere Prerequisite 2 Alternative Compliance Path, or Energy Jumpstart, rewards significant improvement in building energy performance. It enables projects that have documented substantial energy performance improvement to satisfy the requirements of the Energy & Atmosphere Prerequisite 2: Minimum Energy Efficiency Performance and pursue LEED at the Certified level.

Ten additional pilot credits have been introduced into the library, and can be viewed online via usgbc.org/pilotcreditlibrary. The library currently contains 36 credits exploring everything from the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of building assemblies to bird collision deterrence.

The third public comment documents for LEED 2012 include technical refinements, scorecards and responses to comments from the previous public comment period and are currently available. Additional we have provided a list of pilot credits that have recently been added, revised, or closed.. Members of the public can comment on any substantive changes made since the second public comment period until public comment closes on Mar. 20. To learn more about LEED 2012, visit usgbc.org/LEED2012.

USGBC Nevada - 2012 Leadership Award Recipients

Steve Rypka — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 16:48:27 GMT

On March 1, 2012, USGBC Nevada Chapter recognized leaders in sustainable design from Northern Nevada. The annual Leadership Awards recognizes our dedicated members, Friends of the Chapter, and green building leaders.

Southern Nevada's leadership award recipients were recognized at a separate event in December.

Congratulations to the all 2012 Leadership Award recipients!

Northern Nevada

Advocacy
- Individual: Bob Tregilus
- Organization: NV Energy, Electric Vehicle program
LEED
- Individual: Kimberly Phipps-Nichol
- Organization: Schluter Systems Nevada
Education
- Individual: Mehdi Etezadi, UNR Electrical Engineering Dept Chair
- Organization: Envirolution
Research
- Organization: DRI Net Zero Building
Community
- Individual: Councilman Dave Aiazzi
- Organization: Black Rock Solar
Organizational Excellence
- New 2 U Computers, electronics recycling events

Southern Nevada

Advocacy
- Individual: Monica Brett
- Organization: Green Revolver LLC
LEED
- Individual: Lance Kirk
- Organization: City of Las Vegas
Education
- Individual: Jack Webb
- Organization: Las Vegas Valley Water District
Research
- Steve Rypka
- Organization: Clean Energy Project
Community
- Individual: Monica Gresser and Sarah Mojzer
- Organization: City of Henderson
Organizational Excellence
- Individual: Gary Wood
- Organization: Southern Nevada Regional Planning Commission

Public Comment Period for LEED Opens in March

Steve Rypka — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:39:19 GMT

LEED 2012 draft focuses on providing a simple-to-use, technically advanced and more robust system

Washington, DC - (Feb. 13, 2012) - The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) today announced that the third public comment period for the proposed 2012 update to its LEED green building program will open Mar. 1, 2012. The comment period, which will close on Mar. 20, marks the start of the LEED 2012 program delivery process.

"LEED sits at the core of the green building movement, and is critical in realizing our collective mission," said Scot Horst, Senior Vice President of LEED, USGBC. "LEED's strength comes from its continuous evolution. This continuous improvement is the outcome of thousands of technical volunteers working to develop the program and the adaptability of the program to technological and market changes."

This third draft of LEED has been refined to address technical stringency and rigor, measurement and performance tools, and an enhanced user experience. The technical changes have been informed by market data, stakeholder-generated ideas, expert engagement and advances in technology. Additional performance-based management features will help projects measure and manage energy and water usage, site and building material selection, and indoor environmental quality.

"LEED 2012 is the next step towards a global, performance-based application," continued Horst. "In LEED 2012, a project's engagement with LEED will represent an ongoing commitment that is supported by a suite of performance management tools."

LEED 2012 extends itself as a long-term engagement tool for organizations and projects, enabling a focus on continuous improvement. Programs aimed at helping organizations use LEED to benchmark building performance in preparation for certification and for tracking performance of their buildings post-certification provide opportunities for ongoing engagement between project teams and USGBC both before certification and after the plaque is awarded.

For LEED projects outside of the U.S., LEED 2012 will offer a new global perspective. Through modified language, new requirements and options that increase flexibility, LEED 2012 makes it easier for the international community to engage.

In an effort to redefine and enhance the user experience, LEED credit requirements have been rewritten to better align with documentation already required by the architecture and construction fields. Improvements to submittals, documentation paths and LEED Online improve LEED usability.

As the LEED program evolves to address the dynamic needs of the building industry, the development process is based on principles of transparency, openness, and inclusiveness, and includes multiple comment periods where input received is incorporated into LEED. The third public comment documents, including technical refinements, scorecards, and responses to comments from the previous public comment period, will be available on usgbc.org/LEED2012 beginning Mar. 1. Members of the public can comment on any substantive changes made since the second public comment period, which ran from Aug. 1 through Sept. 14, 2011.

Once the comment period process concludes, LEED 2012 will be balloted in June and launch in November. To vote in the ballot, USGBC members must opt-in to the Consensus Body beginning Apr. 2. The Consensus Body is made up of employees of USGBC national member organizations in good standing, and ensures ballot participation from the full diversity of members who are using LEED in the marketplace. To be eligible to join the Consensus Body and vote in the LEED 2012 ballot, members must be in good standing by Mar. 1, and be maintained throughout the balloting period.

Rick Van Diepen's message to the Chapter

Steve Rypka — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:14:25 GMT

2011 Outgoing President’s Message

Rick's year-end message looks forward to 2012. This is Rick's last message as Chapter president, as we welcome Dave Ray to lead us through 2012 and 2013.

December 14, 2011

Dear Friends and Green Colleagues,

For those of you who missed the December USGBC Nevada Leadership Awards & Holiday Celebration I can honestly say it was our best event ever and I want to recognize Dave Ray, Jennifer Turchin and the other volunteers for their hard work. It was a good time and I was proud to recognize the many dedicated chapter members who have volunteered countless hours to making the Nevada Chapter stronger and more organized as we go into 2012 with our sights on even bigger goals for making our community more livable and sustainable. The 2011 Leadership award winners once again represented the best of the best of the individuals and organizations leading the way for sustainability in Southern Nevada. We were pleased to have all the 2010 Leadership award winners on hand as well and we thank them for presenting this year’s awards and for continuing to do great things for our community. A list of all the winners and presenters is included in this newsletter.

I am eager to see where our chapter will go from here; under Dave Ray’s leadership I am sure it will be great. I am extremely proud of our board members for putting their trust in me over the past two years and for having the courage to make the tough decisions that continue to be critical to the growth and impact of our mission going forward.

For a volunteer organization it is truly impressive that we have managed to stay energetic and focused on our strategic plan and goals without much turnover or (noticeable) volunteer burnout. I think the biggest part of this success is making our volunteer work as fun and as manageable as possible. We honestly try not to overload anyone but for the sake of our mission we also have to hold each other accountable, which isn’t always easy with volunteers. The great thing is we are happy to accept help from anyone and we always seem to find something meaningful for each volunteer to help with regardless of their available time.

As we take on even more important projects and advocacy efforts in the coming months and years we will need to reach out to our membership (and probably beyond) to recruit the next wave of chapter/community leaders if we want to continue to make a lasting impact. We encourage new ideas and are constantly looking for leaders from fields beyond the design and construction industries. Our chapter leadership needs to be a reflection of our community and promoting diversity on our board and committees will certainly help foster this.

I am probably most proud of the many strategic partnerships we have forged with various affiliated agencies, business groups and community-based organizations. Through numerous shared events and collaborative educational programs we have developed ongoing and mutually beneficial working relationships with groups from AIA, AGC and NAIOP to UNLV and Nevada Industry Excellence. As a board member with Greenchips, I am also very proud of our chapter’s involvement in the first ever regional sustainability summit, ‘Convene For Green’ and excited to see how these two mission-driven organizations will continue to work together to promote sustainability through community awareness and inter-agency cooperation. One of the biggest collaborative efforts that is just starting is with Western High School and I am optimistic about working with the member agencies at Greenchips to promote green schools and sustainable educational programs throughout the state.

It has been an honor to serve as president and I can say honestly that this has been by far the most meaningful growing experience as a professional and as a person, second only to my marriage and my children. This experience has truly been eye-opening and instead of being burned out (like I truly thought I would be) it has instead inspired and energized me to be even more involved with the green movement because I have seen how much impact a few committed individuals can have on our community and on our state.

I thank everyone for their kindness, encouragement and patience with me (and with my obvious Type-B personality and associated lack of organizational skills). I particularly want to thank Deepika and Pam for placing their faith in me and also to Kathy Wilson for putting her faith in the form of a check- you are not just a true Friend of the Chapter but also a true friend. I will continue to be involved with the strategic planning of the chapter in my role as past-president on the Executive Committee and I will continue to be a regular fixture at our meetings to lend a hand wherever I am needed. But more than anything I’m looking forward to actually relaxing a bit and enjoying the breakfast & socializing part of our meetings for a change…!

Best Wishes,

Rick Van Diepen, LEED AP
2010-2011 President
U.S. Green Building Council - Nevada Chapter

USGBC Call for Education Session Proposals

Steve Rypka — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:24:07 GMT

The U.S. Green Building Council is now accepting proposals for potential presenters and topics for Greenbuild
2012. This conference features educational sessions covering all aspects of sustainable design, construction,
and operations practices for buildings and communities, including their impact on people, the environment, and
the economy. As a member-based organization, these educational programs are generated from an annual call
for proposals.

Full details are available to download in PDF format.

Submittal Deadline: Friday, January 13, 2012, 4:59 p.m. EST

2011 Community Challenge Planning Grant Award

Steve Rypka — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:04:15 GMT

The City of Henderson Department of Community Development, on behalf of the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition (SNRPC), in Clark County, NV, has been awarded $3,488,000 to conduct the Southern Nevada Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Initiative.

The Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition serves as the Strategic Planning Authority for local governments in the greater Las Vegas Metropolitan Area region. SNRPC is organized to promote regional collaboration and planning for quality of life issues transcending governmental jurisdictional boundaries. A ten member governing Board, guided by a Technical Committee, focuses on planning for balanced economic, social, physical, environmental and fiscal development and orderly management of the region‘s growth.

Anticipated Project Benefits:

Provide an integrated platform from which to work with local jurisdictions, citizens‘ groups, and policy experts in the region to garner the resources needed to fully implement plan recommendations

Develop strategies to strengthen and sustain the economic and social fabric of Southern Nevada communities

Core Partners:

Southern Nevada Housing Authority
Southern Nevada Water Authority
RTC of Southern Nevada
Conservation District of Southern Nevada
Boulder City
City of Las Vegas
City of Henderson
Clark County
City of North Las Vegas
Clark County School District
UNLV-Brookings Mountain West/Lincy Institute

Funding Amount: $ 3,488,000

Center for Green Schools at U.S. Green Building Council Releases "Best of Green Schools 2011"

Steve Rypka — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:59:21 GMT

Center for Green Schools at U.S. Green Building Council Releases "Best of Green Schools 2011" List Recognizing Leadership in Creating Sustainable Learning Environments

From net-zero schools to game-changing policies, recipients recognized for efforts to green U.S. school infrastructure

The U.S. Green Building Council's Center for Green Schools, working in conjunction with its founding sponsor, United Technologies Corp., today released its inaugural Best of Green Schools 2011 list recognizing school administrators and government leaders in 10 categories for their efforts to create sustainable learning environments.

Recipient schools and regions from across the nation - from K-12 to higher education - were recognized for a variety of sustainable, cost-cutting measures, including energy conservation, record numbers of LEED® certified buildings and collaborative platforms and policies to green U.S. school infrastructure. Their commitments to measurable and innovative sustainable building goals serve as models for schools and campuses everywhere.

"The Best Of Green Schools 2011 recipients represent high notes for the green pschools movement over the past year and were selected from the thousands of examples of leadership we have seen from schools, districts, campuses, cities and states," said Rachel Gutter, director of the Center for Green Schools at USGBC. "Tomorrow's future leaders are in school today. This year's designees recognize the importance of educating high-performing, 21st century leaders in high-performing, 21st century classrooms. Why green our schools? Three words: education, sustainability and jobs."

According to published reports, green schools save on average $100,000 per year on operating costs - enough to hire two new teachers, buy 200 new computers, or purchase 5,000 textbooks. On average, green schools use 33 percent less energy and 32 percent less water than conventionally constructed schools, and if all new U.S. school construction and renovation went green today, the total energy savings alone would be $20 billion over the next 10 years.

"Our commitment to green schools is a reflection of our belief in the importance of energy efficiency, sustainability and education," said Sandy Diehl, Vice President, Integrated Building Solutions, United Technologies Corp., and a Center for Green Schools advisory board member. "These leaders are taking action today to help improve our schools by saving energy and tax dollars and by creating healthier environments for students and teachers."

The recipients include:

Moment for the Movement - U.S. Department of Education, Green Ribbon Schools: Green Ribbon Schools is the first comprehensive and coordinated federal initiative to focus on the intersection of environment, health and education.

Region - Sacramento area: Mayor Kevin Johnson has led the charge to bring together mayors and superintendents from across the Northern California region to create a $100 million revolving loan fund for green school retrofits.

State - Ohio: With 315 LEED registered and certified projects, including 19 schools registered in 2011, Ohio leads the nation with more green school projects underway than any other state.

City - Philadelphia: The School District of Philadelphia made significant steps in 2011 toward the greening of the city's 291 public schools.

School - Lake Mills Middle School (Lake Mills, WI): In March 2011, Lake Mills Middle School became the first public school in the nation to achieve LEED Platinum certification.

Higher Ed Innovator - University of Texas at Dallas: The University's new LEED Platinum Student Services Building, which was the recipient of this year's Innovation in Green Building Award, was designed to improve departmental efficiency and interaction, includes terra-cotta shades on the building's exterior to provide a unique energy efficient shading strategy and was built $1.1 million under budget.

Collaborators - Kentucky Reps. Jim DeCesare (R) and Mary Lou Marzian (D): This bipartisan team has led Kentucky's green school efforts and is a model for teaming on green school collaboration. Together, they've worked with their colleagues in the Kentucky General Assembly to unanimously adopt resolutions in support of green schools, and have encouraged other states to work across party lines on similar efforts.

Convener - Boston: In September 2011, Mayor Menino hosted the Research Summit on Childhood Health and School Buildings, which brought together a team of interdisciplinary researchers to explore the connection between school facilities and student health. Boston's public school district is also home to one of the first Center for Green Schools Fellows - a sustainability coordinator who will work within the school district for three years, bringing together faculty, administration, facilities staff, teachers and students to advance whole-district sustainability initiatives.

Policy makers - District of Columbia City Council: In May 2010, the Washington, D.C. council unanimously passed the Healthy Schools Act of 2010, building upon the District's existing LEED Silver requirement and encouraging schools to achieve LEED Gold certification. 2011 updates to the bill included participation in the U.S. Department of Education's Green Ribbon Schools program, making D.C. the first - before any state - to sign up for the voluntary federal program.

K-12 Innovation - Public-Private partnership in Illinois: A report outlining a plan to green all K-12 schools in Illinois was released in March 2011 as a result of a public-private partnership commissioned by the Illinois' General Assembly's October 2009 adoption of House Joint Resolution 45.

Please visit centerforgreenschools.org/bestof2011 for more information on each of this year's recipients.

About the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
The U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprising 79 local affiliates, nearly 16,000 member organizations, and more than 167,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. GDP from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org, on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council
The Center for Green Schools is how USGBC is making sure every student has the opportunity to attend a green school within this generation. From the kindergartner entering the classroom, to the Ph.D. student performing research in a lab, the Center provides the resources and support to elevate dialogue, accelerate policy and institute innovation toward green schools and campuses. High-performing schools result in high-performing students, and the Center works directly with staff, teachers, faculty, students, administrators, elected officials and communities to drive the transformation of all schools into sustainable places to live and learn, work and play. For more information, visit www.centerforgreenschools.org, or on Twitter and Facebook.

USGBC Nevada Chapter recognizes leaders in green building

Steve Rypka — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:48:48 GMT

The Chapter's annual celebration awards individuals and organizations whose dedication to green building advances USGBC Nevada Chapter's mission to advocate adoption of sustainable codes, implementation of sustainable construction practices for existing and new buildings, and access to sustainable education throughout the state.

The Chapter welcomed last year's award winners and 2011 award winners at our annual holiday and awards celebration. Many thanks to the winners for their hard work!

Monica Brett, Individual award for Advocacy
Green Revolver LLC, Organization award for Advocacy
Lance Kirk, Individual award for LEED
City of Las Vegas, Organization award for LEED
Jack Webb, Individual award for Education
Las Vegas Valley Water District, Organization award for Education
Steve Rypka, Individual award for Research
Clean Energy Project, Organization award for Research
Monica Gresser and Sarah Mojzer, Individual award for Community
City of Henderson, Organization award for Community
Gary Wood, Individual award for Organizational Excellence
Southern Nevada Regional Planning Commission, Organizational Excellence

Nevada Tops the List for LEED in U.S.

Steve Rypka — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 03:57:29 GMT

List of Top 10 States for LEED Green Buildings

U.S. Green Building Council releases list of top states in the U.S. for LEED-certified projects in 2010

Washington,DC – (March 2,2011) – The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) today released its 2010 list of top 10 states for LEED-certified commercial and institutional green buildings per capita,based on the U.S. 2010 Census information. Nevada is the leading state, with 10.92 square feet per person in 2010.

Other top states include New Mexico,New Hampshire and Oregon with more than 6 and 4 square feet of LEED-certified space per person,respectively.

“Using per capita,versus the more traditional numbers of projects,or pure square footage,is a reminder to all of us that the people who live and work,learn and play in buildings should be what we care about most,” said USGBC SVP of LEED,Scot Horst. “2010 was a difficult year for most of the building industry,but in many areas,the hunger for sustainable development kept the markets moving.”

The top LEED states per capita:

Nevada:10.92 sf
New Mexico:6.35 sf
New Hampshire:4.49 sf
Oregon:4.07 sf
South Carolina:3.19 sf
Washington:3.16 sf
Illinois:3.09 sf
Arkansas:2.9 sf
Colorado:2.85 sf
Minnesota:2.77 sf

USGBC’s LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design,construction,operation and maintenance of green buildings. Over 40,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems,comprising over 7.9 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 117 countries. In addition,nearly 10,000 homes have been certified under the LEED for Homes rating system,with nearly 45,000 more homes registered.

Notable newly certified projects in 2010 include the Susitna Valley Jr./Sr. High School in Talkeetna,Ark.;the Wells Fargo Center in Denver,Colo.;the two International Monetary Fund (IMF) headquarters buildings in downtown Washington,D.C,which earned LEED certification for the operations and maintenance of an existing building;Parc Huron multi-use residential property in Chicago,Ill.;the Edina Crosstown Medical Building in Edina,Minn.;Barcelona Elementary School in Albuquerque,N.M.;Centennial Hills Library in Las Vegas,Nev.;The Allison Inn &Spa in Newberg,Ore.;KPMG:Greenville in S.C.;and multiple fire stations and the Bank of America Fifth Avenue Plaza in Seattle,Wash.

Of the projects represented on the list,the most-common project type was commercial office and the most-common owner type was for-profit organization. The cities most represented in the list were Chicago and Washington,D.C.

The Nevada Chapter maintains a list of LEED certified projects in Nevada on their website and a national list of LEED-certified projects is also available online.

###

U.S. Green Building Council

The U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.

With a community comprising 79 local affiliates,16,000 member companies and organizations,and more than 162,000 LEED Professional Credential holders,USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads a diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists,corporations and nonprofit organizations,elected officials and concerned citizens,and teachers and students.

Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions,40% of energy consumption,13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year,making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy,and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.

LEED

The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design,construction,operation and maintenance of green buildings. Over 40,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems,comprising over 7.9 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 117 countries. In addition,nearly 10,000 homes have been certified under the LEED for Homes rating system,with nearly 45,000 more homes registered.

By using less energy,LEED-certified buildings save money for families,businesses and taxpayers;reduce greenhouse gas emissions;and contribute to a healthier environment for residents,workers and the larger community. For more information,visit www.usgbc.org.

First National Green Building Code Approved!

Steve Rypka — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:57:58 GMT

From:SustainableBusiness.com News

For the first time,the U.S. has a national green building code.

The International Green Construction Code (IgCC), approved last week after two years of development,applies to all new and renovated commercial buildings and residential buildings over three stories high.

The historic code sets mandatory baseline standards for all aspects of building design and construction,including energy and water efficiency, site impacts, building waste and materials.

Although the final code won’t be published until March 2012, many local and state governments have begun to officially adopt it.

“It represents a change in the standard of construction,”says Jessyca Henderson Director of Sustainability Advocacy at the American Institute of Architects. “It will effect everyone that touches buildings… it will be a big leap.”

How it Differs From LEED

The new code creates a mandatory “floor” – enforceable minimum standards on every aspect of building design and construction that now must be reached.

LEED certification, on the other hand, is voluntary. Although many buildings now strive for it, there are more that do not. The new code will thus raise the standards for ALL buildings.

Also to qualify for LEED, designers choose from a menu of options. They may choose to address certain aspects of energy efficiency,such as lighting,for example,while leaving others out.

Setting a “floor” through the code, creates the opportunity for LEED-certifications to push toward higher “ceilings,” where buildings are awarded for truly reaching greater levels of performance, rather than receiving awards for what are increasingly expected standards.

Mandatory Requirements:

Site Development, Land Use: It pretty much eliminates development on greenfields (undeveloped land), although there are exceptions based on existing infrastructure. It includes clear guidelines for site disturbance, irrigation, erosion control, transportation, heat island mitigation, graywater systems, habitat protection and site restoration.
Materials: A minimum of 50% of construction waste must be diverted from landfills and at least 55% of building materials must be salvaged, recycled-content, recyclable, biobased, or indigenous. Buildings must be designed for at least 60 years of life and must have a service plan that justifies that.
Energy Efficiency: Total efficiency must be “51% of the energy allowable in the 2000 International Energy Conservation Code” (IECC), and building envelope performance must exceed that by 10%. It sets minimum standards for lighting and mechanical systems and requires certain levels of submetering and demand-response automation.
Water Efficiency: it establishes maximum consumption of fixtures and appliances and sets standards for rainwater storage and graywater systems.
Indoor Air Quality: It addresses radon, asbestos, VOCs, sound transmission and daylighting.
Commissioning,Operations: it requires extensive pre- and post-occupancy commissioning and education of building owners and maintenance employees.

Every project is also required to choose an additional “elective,”which pushes the envelope for the developer further. Once they choose it, it’s enforceable. There’s a long menu of elective choices, including whole-building life-cycle assessment to more stringent recycled-content.

Local governments and states have the choice of adopting the code, but once they do, it’s enforceable. They can add their own requirements on top of the code that address local concerns such as stormwater management or lighting pollution control.

To help implement the code, IgCC includes a “cookbook” approach for smaller buildings to follow and a more flexible approach for large buildings.

To develop the code, the International Code Council worked with many stakeholders, with the American Institute of Architects, US Green Building Council, and the American Society of Heating,Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), foremost among them.

Share your energy independence strategies here!

Steve Rypka — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 19:27:03 GMT

To celebrate Independence Day week, let’s share some of the things we’ve changed in our every day lives to get greener and be more energy independent. Post a reply to tell us what you’re up to!

Legal Issues in Sustainability: Architect Standard of Care

Steve Rypka — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:18:20 GMT

Developer Diego Garcia and his attorney, Gordon Andrews, were discussing legal issues that were likely to arise in relation to the design and construction of the LEED Gold registered, mixed-use project that Diego was planning to construct in downtown Las Vegas. In particular, Diego wanted to learn about the standard of care that would be imposed on the architect who he intended to hire to design the project. He knew that he should hire someone who had experience with similar LEED projects, but he wanted to know more about the extent to which the architect would be liable in the event that any claims or damages arose out of the architect’s design documents.

In Nevada, as a general rule, an architect’s standard of care is defined by the contract between the architect and the owner. Thus, because Diego intended to utilize the AIA B101-2007 standard form contract, the architect’s standard of care would be set out in Section 2.2:

The Architect shall perform its services with a standard of care consistent with the professional skill and care ordinarily provided by sophisticated architects with experience similar to the Project, practicing in the same or similar locality, under the same or similar circumstances. The Architect shall perform its services as expeditiously as is consistent with such professional skill and care and the orderly progress of the Project.

Gordon explained that because LEED projects typically incorporate high-performance, energy efficient components, new ‘green’ products and/or materials that may not have been tested in a climate with extreme temperatures like Las Vegas has, an architect who incorporates such features in the design documents would be judged against the following standards (among others):

Would other architects with experience constructing similar LEED projects in Las Vegas have incorporated the same components?

Would they have recommended different products or materials?

Would they have utilized the same basis of design information?

Would they have utilized Building Information Modeling?

Based on Gordon’s advice, Diego realized that although a certain amount of variation is permissible, the further an architect strays from the standard of professional skill and care that sophisticated architects with experience designing LEED projects in Las Vegas would have exercised,the more likely he or she will be liable for certain damages resulting from deficiencies in the design documents.

Next month, Diego and Gordon will continue to discuss legal issues pertaining to the standard of care that is applicable to a LEED architect.

Patrick Murch is an attorney with McDonald Carano Wilson LLP, a full-service law firm committed to business and economic development in Nevada since 1949. He is the only attorney in Nevada to have earned the LEED AP BD+C credential, and he is focusing his practice on issues pertaining to LEED and sustainability.

Intro to Legal Issues in Sustainability

Steve Rypka — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:26:02 GMT

This is the first in a series of blog posts by Patrick Murch, LEED AP, a USGBC - Nevada Chapter member and attorney with McDonald Carano Wilson LLP in Las Vegas, NV. His series of fictional accounts of a developer pursuing LEED Gold will put the legal side of sustainable design in context.

Diego Garcia, an experienced developer, decided to renovate an abandoned office building and construct some additional improvements on a run-down lot in downtown Las Vegas. His vision was to create a mixed-use project that incorporated commercial, residential and open space components. He believed that the downtown area would be undergoing significant positive changes over the next decade, and he wanted to be a leader in the revitalization of the community. He also wanted to do his part to further the mayor’s sustainability efforts, so he decided that his project would obtain LEED Gold certification.

Diego went to see his attorney, Gordon Andrews, to discuss the project and the legal issues that were likely to arise before, during and after the construction of the project. Gordon commended Diego for his vision and reminded him that in most respects, the project would face the same legal issues as a “normal” construction project: preparing design and construction contracts; allocation of risk related to delays, financing and workmanship; payment concerns; liens; construction schedules; and other similar issues with which Gordon was familiar.

In addition, Gordon advised Diego that there were numerous “green” legal issues about which Diego should be aware: the design and construction contracts would need to address and assign responsibility for preparing and submitting LEED paperwork and guaranteeing LEED certification; there were additional insurance requirements; and there might be potential delays resulting from governmental approvals and/or installation of new or untested products. Gordon also told Diego that he needed to consider product warranties, tax incentives, financing, permitting and licensing, and other issues that are unique to the sustainable building arena.

Gordon could tell that Diego was becoming overwhelmed with all of the information, so he told Diego that they could address one topic at a time. Tune in next month, when Diego and Gordon discuss the standard of care that is applicable to architects who create sustainable building designs.

Patrick Murch is an attorney with McDonald Carano Wilson LLP,a full-service law firm committed to business and economic development in Nevada since 1949. He is the only attorney in Nevada to have earned the LEED AP BD+C credential,and he is focusing his practice on issues pertaining to LEED and sustainability.