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Handbook of Green Building Design, and Construction - LEED®, BREEAM®, and Green Globes® PDF

835 Pages·2012·16.36 MB·English
by  SamKubba
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Handbook of Green Building Design, and Construction LEEDW, BREEAMW, and Green GlobesW Sam Kubba, Ph.D., LEED AP AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON NEW YORK • OXFORD • PARIS • SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO Butterworth-Heinemann is an imprint of Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann is an imprint of Elsevier 225 Wyman Street, Waltham, MA 02451, USA The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1GB, UK # 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Details on how to seek permission, further information about the Publisher’s permissions policies and our arrangements with organizations such as the Copyright Clearance Center and the Copyright Licensing Agency, can be found at our website: www.elsevier.com/permissions This book and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by the Publisher (other than as may be noted herein). Notices Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary. Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility. To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Kubba, Sam. Handbook of green building design and construction : LEED�, BREEAM�, and Green Globes� / Sam Kubba, PhD, LEED AP. pages cm ISBN 978-0-12-385128-4 (hardback) 1. Sustainable buildings—Design and construction—Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Buildings—Specifications—Handbooks, manuals, etc. 3. Sustainable construction—Handbooks, manuals, etc. 4. Sustainable construction—Standards. I. Title. TH880.K8395 2012 720’.47–dc23 British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. For information on all Butterworth–Heinemann publications visit our website at http://store.elsevier.com Printed in the United States 12 13 14 15 16 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Introduction The Green Movement—Myths, History, and Overview One of the hottest topics over the last decade in the field of property development is the concept of sustainable development and green building. Yet, it is not easy to give a precise definition of what makes a building green. One definition offered by the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (OFEE) for green building is: [T]he practice of (1) increasing the efficiency with which buildings and their sites use energy, water, and materials, and (2) reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal—the complete building life cycle. The EPA defines green building as, “the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life cycle from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and deconstruction.” So essentially when correctly applied, green building is meant to improve design and construction practices so that the buildings we build last longer, cost less to operate, and facilitate increased productivity and better working environ- ments for workers or residents. But even more than that, it is also about protect- ing our natural resources and improving the built environment so that the planet’s ecosystems, people, enterprises, and communities can live a healthier and more prosperous life. The general perception of the green movement has been considerably trans- formed since its early formative days and is today sweeping across the United States and much of the world. Furthermore, sustainable development principles are taking on an increasingly important role in real estate applications, partic- ularly by forward-looking developers. In fact, many contractors are now seek- ing green certification and, with this in mind, the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABC) has recently initiated a program that would certify “Green Contractors.” Nevertheless, some developers refuse to jump on the environment-friendly, or “green” building, bandwagon mainly due to the mis- placed notion that green buildings cost more or that they are impractical to construct. 1 GREEN BUILDING: MYTHS AND REALITIES There are many myths about sustainability floating in the ether. One example is the myth that sustainability costs more, which ignores recent research as well as the reality that for any society to thrive and prosper, it must seek to create a healthy balance between its environmental, social, and economic dimensions. Sustainability is not just about building green but about building a healthy com- munity and sustaining a quality way of life. As reminded often by President Obama and his cabinet, as a community we cannot afford to continue delaying the pursuit of new sources of energy such as wind, solar, and geothermal. With the state of the economy being what it is, these efforts would help create new jobs, attract new businesses, reduce our energy costs, and create a healthy envi- ronment. Although green building has made tremendous strides in the past few years, there remain many who are still unconvinced of its benefits due to the numerous myths and misconceptions floating around the mainstream construc- tion and real estate industries, as described next. Myth 1: Green/sustainable buildings cost much more than conventional buildings Reality check: This is a very common misconception that continues to linger on even though it has been debunked many times over. Although on a price per square foot basis, building green may incur marginally greater upfront costs, in the long run a green home is more affordable and cost effective because the operational costs are lower when compared with conventional buildings. It is surprising therefore that some developers still believe that building with green materials or renovating to green specifications is cost-prohibitive. In addi- tion to this, there are various strategies and approaches that can be employed to achieve inexpensive green building. These include reducing waste, optimal value engineering, right-sizing the structure to using solar panels, low-e win- dows, and energy-saving appliances, and more—all of which can help qualify the project for federal tax credits. Moreover, when green thinking becomes an integral part of the initial building plans, it is easier to design and incorporate green elements into the project. Myth 2: It’s just another fad and therefore not particularly important Reality check: Over the last decade, we have witnessed an increasing interest in sustainability and a continuous growth in green building and green building certification—so much so that it has now become more than an integral part of the mainstream in the construction industry, and it is becoming the preferred building method. Furthermore, creating a healthy environment where green building does not exist cannot be considered a fad. Introduction: The Green Movement—Myths, History, and Overview 2 Myth 3: Green buildings are often “unattractive” or “ugly” and lack the aesthetic quality of conventional buildings Reality check: A green/sustainable building doesn’t have to look any different from a conventional building. In fact many of today’s green buildings are vir- tually indistinguishable from traditional buildings. Moreover, green renova- tions of existing buildings should respect its character and if well designed, most likely won’t be noticeable from either the interior or exterior. Thus, wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) looks essentially the same as other types of wood, and when using a vegetated roof, for example, it would not typically be visible from ground level. Moreover, one does not have to mount continuous rows of unattractive solar panels to be green or be obligated to go with solar power, although there are numerous ways to creatively integrate pho- tovoltaic (PV) panels into a project that are both attractive and effective. Like- wise, eco-friendly shingles are actually more attractive than the common asphalt versions and some renovations are actually invisible (e.g., extra insula- tion or a new energy-efficient HVAC system). Myth 4: Green building is essentially about eco-friendly material selection Reality check: Not at all. Green building is mainly concerned with how you design and orient your building, site selection, water conservation, energy per- formance, window location, and so on. However, making smart decisions regarding eco-friendly building materials (e.g., those possessing a high recycled content, low embodied energy, minimal VOCs) is an important aspect of green building, but they are only a small part of the overall equation. Alex Wilson, president of BuildingGreen Inc. and executive editor of Environmental Building News, says: “People are beginning to gain a greater understanding that green building is a systems approach to the entire construction process.” Myth 5: Green buildings do not fetch higher rental rates or capital compared with traditional buildings Reality check: Recent surveys consistently show that there is a growing market demand for green buildings because they achieve much higher rentals, thus cap- ital, as a result of reduced operation costs and higher productivity of employees. For example, a recent Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) survey in Seattle concluded that 61% of real estate leaders opine that green buildings enhance their corporate image and more than two-thirds of those sur- veyed believe that over the next five years tenants will make the “greenness” of property a significant factor in choosing space. Tenants and developers there- fore do care about green and healthier environments and are willing to pay for it. Green Building: Myths and Realities 3 This trend is already particularly evident in high-end residential projects and flagship corporate office projects and is very likely to become widespread. Myth 6: Green buildings do not provide the comfort levels that many of today’s tenants demand Reality check: On the contrary, green buildings are typically more comfortable and healthier than conventional buildings. In fact, one of the chief characteris- tics of sustainable design is to support the well-being of building occupants by reducing indoor air pollution from exposure to contaminants (e.g., asbestos, radon, and lead), therefore avoiding complaints such as sick building syndrome (SBS) and building-related illness (BRI). This can normally be achieved by selecting materials with low off-gassing potential; proper ventilation strategies; adequate access to daylight and views; and optimum comfort through control of lighting, humidity and temperature levels. This is not the case with traditional building environs. Myth 7: Green building products are often difficult to find Reality check: This may have been true a decade or so ago when it may some- times have been difficult to find eco-friendly or energy-saving materials at a reasonable price; today, green building materials are more popular than ever and have become much more accessible. Where green building products are not readily accessible, it may be because they are not manufactured nationwide or they may be difficult to find in certain parts of the country; in such cases, it is usually possible to find satisfactory alternatives. Indeed, the number of green products and systems that are now readily available on the market has dramat- ically increased during recent years and is growing continually. So much so that green building products are now in the thousands and have become part of the mainstream. Much information—including performance data and contact details—can also be obtained from the various green product directories on the market such as the two comprehensive directories published by Building- Green Inc. (GreenSpecW Directory and Green Building Products). Myth 8: Green building uses traditional tools and techniques and not cutting-edge technology Reality check: The most successful green building design projects generally use a multidisciplinary and integrated design approach, where a number of consul- tants and the owner’s representative participate as a team and the architect typ- ically takes on the role of team leader rather than sole decision maker. In most cases, locally available materials and techniques are used in addition to the latest technology. This is reinforced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s website, which clearly states that “green building research is being done by Introduction: The Green Movement—Myths, History, and Overview 4 national laboratories, private companies, universities, and industry.” According to a recent U.S. Green Building Council (USGBCW) report, in excess of 70% of the green building research is focused on energy and atmosphere research. Myth 9: Green building products don’t work as well as traditional ones Reality check: Examples of typical products that frequently get a bad rap include double-flush and low-flow toilets. It may be true that when first intro- duced, low-flow toilets did not function that well, and some people are still of the opinion that 1.6 gallon-per-flush toilets don’t work as well as traditional toi- lets, even though these fixtures have been mandated for all new construction for more than a decade. Moreover, recent surveys show that when customers are asked to comment on their satisfaction with their new 1.6-gal., high-efficiency toilet fixtures, the majority say they double-flush the same number of times or fewer with their new efficient fixture than with their old water waster. The “don’t work as well” myth was reinforced with the introduction of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), which gave off harsh color, didn’t last as long as claimed, and took too long to light up. Another green building product myth often cited relates to fiberglass insulation in that inhaling fiberglass fibers can lead to cancer, which is obviously false. It is therefore important to research unfamiliar products and seek accurate information to back up any efficiency claims prior to formulating a final opinion regarding its suitability or lack thereof. However, generally speaking, most modern new green products work as well, if not better than traditional ones, and green products have been vastly improved in recent years. It should be noted that green materials like traditional building materials also have to meet strict quality-control standards, and as the green market grows, new upgrades will undoubtedly take place to improve quality and reliability. Myth 10: Building green is too difficult and complicated Reality check: Nothing is further from the truth; in fact many builders consider green building to be very easy and compares favorably with conventional build- ing. Building green is a business that can be simple, uses common sense, and does not require a rocket sciencist to implement. Basically, build it smaller, use quality materials chosen for sustainability and efficiency, not for the fad of the month. Myth 11: It is not possible to build a high-rise green building Reality check: Green concepts do not generally inhibit or restrict building design or space usability. Furthermore, all modern techniques that apply to con- ventional building can be employed when building green. A good example of this is the Conde´ Nast Building (officially 4 Times Square) located in Midtown Green Building: Myths and Realities 5 Manhattan. The building boasts 48 stories and rises to 809 feet (247 m). It is environmentally friendly with gas-fired absorption chillers, and a high- performing insulating and shading curtain wall, which keeps the building’s energy costs down by not requiring heating or cooling for most of the year. In addition, the building uses solar and fuel-cell technology, making it the first project of its size to incorporate these features in construction. Myth 12: It is difficult or not possible to convert existing conventional buildings into energy efficient buildings Reality check: It is not really difficult to convert existing buildings into green/ sustainable buildings. Actually, there are numerous scientific ratings and check- lists that builders can use to redesign and realign traditional buildings to meet modern green standards. Likewise, many rating systems, such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEEDW) for existing buildings, Canada’s Go Green Plus, and the Japanese CASBEE certification system, all encourage such conversions. To this end, President Obama after becoming president com- mitted his administration to retrofitting 75% of all existing federal buildings. It is important therefore to increase public awareness of how baseless these myths are and to do all that is possible to eliminate them. Myth 13: Building green requires signing up for a green program or third-party certification Reality check: This is definitely not a normal requirement for building green, although certification programs, such as Green GlobesW and the U.S. Green Build- ing Council’s LEED, are excellent vehicles for increasing exposure and furthering the green movement and, it must be said, that without third-party certification, much of the value of “green” is lost. In addition, keep in mind that the LEED Rat- ing System is, in most cases, a totally voluntary program: You pay your fees, fol- low the LEED guidelines, and ultimately receive a plaque or certificate stating your building has achieved a Silver, Gold, or whichever status. More important, however, remember that there are many financial and other government incentives to attain certification. Moreover, building owners and developers can reap the financial benefits of the “greenness” of their building projects by taking advantage of the various tax credits and private and public non-tax financial incentives avail- able, as well as tenant monetization of reduced operations and maintenance costs and carbon and renewable energy tradable credits. Myth 14: Going green is an all-or-nothing proposition Reality check: Many developers and construction professionals have the mis- conception that going green with existing buildings involves large-scale remo- deling. In fact, the degree and scale of incorporating green into a building is Introduction: The Green Movement—Myths, History, and Overview 6 wholly up to the owner, depending on the individual lifestyle and budget. Many builders and designers often use green concepts and green products intuitively without being fully aware of them. This is rapidly changing with increased awareness and demand for green products, and many manufacturers and the construction industry find themselves moving in this direction. GREEN BUILDING AND THE GREEN MOVEMENT: ITS HISTORY For an in-depth and more comprehensive understanding of the modern green movement, it helps to try and trace its origins back to the beginning. However, it is almost impossible to determine precisely when a movement may have started. Long before the arrival of the industrial revolution and electrically pow- ered heating and cooling systems, ancient and primitive populations were com- pelled to improvise using basic tools and natural materials to construct buildings that protected them from the harsh elements and extremes in temperature. Par- ticularly, as the ancients had few other options at their disposal, these builders incorporated passive design that took advantage of the resources provided by nature, namely the sun and climate to heat, cool, and light their buildings. The Babylonians and Egyptians, for example, used adobe as their prime build- ing material and built badgeer (wind shafts) into their palaces and houses. They took advantage of courtyards and narrow alleyways for shade. These are simple examples of how the ancients overcame the many challenges of climate that faced them. More recently however, we find scholars like Mark Wilson who believe that the concept of green building first appeared in America more than a century ago. According to Wilson: The revolutionary design philosophy known as First Bay Tradition had its roots in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1890s. Indeed, the leading practitioners of this environ- mentally sensitive organic movement, Bernard Maybeck and Julia Morgan, developed a design philosophy that incorporated most of the concepts that are embraced by today’s green movement in architecture. Some historians associate its beginning with Rachel Carson’s (1907�1964) book, Silent Spring, and the legislative fervor of the 1970s, or with Henry David Thoreau who in his book, Marine Woods, advocates for the respecting of nature and also for an awakening to the need for conservation and federal preservation of virgin forests. Many believe that the green movement had its roots in the energy crises of the 1970s and the creative approaches to saving energy that emanated from it, such as smaller building envelopes and the use of active and passive solar design. When the 1973 OPEC oil crisis erupted, it brought the cost of energy into sharp focus and reminded us that our future prosperity and security was in the hands of a very small number of petroleum-producing countries. This catalyz- ing event effectively highlighted the need for diversified sources of energy and Green Building and the Green Movement: Its History 7 encouraged corporate and government investment in solar, wind, water, and geothermal sources of power. The energy crises artificially created by the impo- sition of an oil embargo by OPEC in 1973 caused an upward spike in gasoline prices and, for the first time, long lines of vehicles at gas stations around the coun- try. This had a dramatic effect on a small group of enlightened and forward- thinking architects, environmentalists, and ecologists, who began questioning the wisdom of conventional building techniques and inspired them to seek new solutions to the problem of sustainability. This nascent “environmental movement,” which was partly inspired by Victor Olgyay’s Design with Climate, Ralph Knowles’s Form and Stability, and Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, served notice of the emergence of a new era in environmental design. It also captured the attention and imagination of the general public and caused many to clamor for a broader reexamination of the wisdom of our reliance on fossil fuels for transportation and buildings. Indeed, a number of legislative steps were initiated to clean up the environment, including the Clean Air Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Water Pollution Control Act, the banning of DDT, the Endangered Species Act, and the institution of Earth Day. The response of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) to the energy crisis of 1973 was to form an energy task force to study energy-efficient design strategies, and in 1977 President Carter’s administration founded what became the U.S. Department of Energy; one of its principal tasks was to focus on energy usage and conservation. The energy task force was later to become the AIA Committee on Energy. The energy committee prepared several papers, includ- ing “A Nation of Energy Efficient Buildings,” which became effective AIA tools for lobbying Capitol Hill. Among the more active committee members in the late 1970s were Donald Watson, FAIA, and Greg Franta, FAIA, when the AIA was also advocating building energy research. The committee also collaborated with government and other organizations for more than a decade. According to committee member Dan Williams, the Committee on Energy formed two main groups: the first researched mainly passive systems (e.g., reflective roofing materials and environmentally beneficial siting of buildings) to achieve its goal of energy savings. The second group primarily concentrated on solutions employing new technologies such as the use of triple-glazed win- dows. This was transformed into a more broadly scaled AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) in 1989, and the following year the AIA (through COTE), and the AIA Scientific Advisory Committee on the Environment, managed to obtain funding from the then recently created U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to embark on the development of a building products guide, which was published in 1992, based on life cycle analysis. As the energy concerns began to subside in the years that followed, partially due to lower energy prices, the momentum for green building and energy- related issues, in general, also gradually weakened but was not stamped out Introduction: The Green Movement—Myths, History, and Overview 8 due to the dedication of a core group of pioneering architects who continued to advance their green building energy conservation concept. Several notable buildings were constructed during the 1970s that utilized green design concepts: the Willis Faber and Dumas Headquarters in England, with a grass roof, day- lighted atrium, and mirrored windows, and the Gregory Bateson Building in California, with energy-sensitive photovoltaic (solar cells), under-floor rock- store cooling systems, and area climate control devices). During the 1980s, we witnessed numerous oil spills (e.g., the Exxon Valdez in 1989, among others), and while the industry presented significant opposition against environmental strictures, the various energy-related Acts remained in force. We also witnessed during the 1980s and early 1990s global conserva- tion efforts by sustainability proponents such as Robert Berkebile who was a driving force in starting the AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE); William McDonough (Ford Motor Company’s River Rouge Plant in Michigan), Sim Van der Ryn (Gregory Bateson Building in Sacramento, CA), and Sandra Mendler (World Resources Institute Headquarters Office, Washington, DC) in the United States. Other countries’ proponents include Thomas Herzog of Germany (Design Center in Linz, Austria), British architects Norman Foster (Commerzbank Headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany) and Richard Rogers (The Pompidou Centre in Paris, France), and Malaysian architect Kenneth Yeang (Menara Mesiniaga in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia). In 1987, the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development, under Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Bruntland, suggested a definition for the term “sustainable development,” as that which “meets the needs of the present without compro- mising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” In 1991, President George H.W. Bush issued a National Energy Policy, and AIA president James Lawler convened an advisory group to issue a response and resolution. The resolution, which the board passed a month later, called on all AIA members to undertake environmental reforms within their practices, including the immediate cessation of ozone-depleting refrigerants. A United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (also known as the “Earth Summit”), hosted by Brazil in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, proved to be a spectacular success, drawing 17,000 attendees and boasting del- egations from 172 governments and 2400 representatives of nongovernmental organizations. The conference witnessed the passage of Agenda 21 that pro- vided a blueprint for achieving global sustainability. This resulted in the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, the Statement of Forest Princi- ples, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. Following on the heels of the Rio de Janeiro summit, the American Institute of Architects chose sustainability as its theme for the June 1993 UIA/AIA World Congress of Archi- tects held in Chicago; an estimated 10,000 architects and design professionals from around the world attended the event. Today, this convention is recognized as a milestone in the history of the green building movement. Green Building and the Green Movement: Its History 9 Encouraged by Bill Clinton’s election to the presidency in November 1992, a number of proponents of sustainability began to circulate the grandiose idea of “greening” the White House itself. On Earth Day, April 21, 1993, President Bill Clinton announced his ambitious plans for “greening the White House” and to make the presidential mansion “a model for efficiency and waste reduction.” To put this plan into effect, the President’s Council on Environmental Quality assembled a team of experts that included members of the AIA, the U.S. Depart- ment of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), the EPA, the General Services Administration, the National Parks Service, the White House Office of Administration, and the Potomac Electric Power Company. The “Greening the White House” initiative created a saving of more than $1.4 million in its first six years, primarily from improvements made to the lighting, heating, air conditioning, water sprinklers, insulation, and energy and water consumption reduction. Among other things, the initiative included a 600,000 sq. ft. Old Executive Office Building that was located across from the White House. Likewise, there was an energy audit by the Department of Energy (DOE), an environmental audit led by the EPA, and a series of well-attended design charettes consisting of design professionals, engineers, government offi- cials, and environmentalists; the aim was to formulate sustainable energy- conservation strategies using available technologies. Within three years, the strategies resulted in significant improvements to the nearly 200-year-old man- sion, including reducing its annual atmospheric emissions by an estimated 845 metric tons of carbon and an estimated $300,000 in annual energy and water savings. Bill Browning, Hon. AIA says that “the process pioneered by the Greening of the White House charette has become an integral part of the green building movement.” However, the deluge of federal greening projects was among sev- eral forces that drove the sustainability movement in the 1990s. To accelerate this process, former President Clinton issued a number of executive orders, the first being in September 1998, that directed the federal government to improve its use of recycled and eco-friendly products, including building products. A second executive order was issued in June 1999 to encourage government agencies to improve energy management and reduce emissions in federal buildings through the application of better design, construction, and operation techniques. Clinton issued a third executive order in April 2000 requiring federal agencies to integrate environmental accountability into their daily deci- sion making as well as into their long-term planning. The team assembled by the President’s Council on Environmental Quality produced important recommen- dations to preserve the historical presence of the structure as well as to maintain and improve comfort and productivity. George W. Bush followed in his father’s footsteps and during the eight years of his presidency, greening the White House was taken a little further with the installation of three solar systems, including a thermal setup on the pool cabana to heat water for the pool and showers, and photovoltaic panels to supplement Introduction: The Green Movement—Myths, History, and Overview 10 the mansion’s electrical supply. The White House greening approaches fit under several main headings: l Building Envelope: Realizing that a significant amount of energy is lost through building elements, such as the roof and windows, an effort was made to analyze these and find solutions to increase their efficiency. l Lighting: Energy-saving light bulbs were used wherever possible and the use of natural light was maximized. Steps were also taken to ensure lights were turned off in empty rooms. l Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC): HVAC measures were used to reduce the amount of energy needed to heat and cool the buildings while simultaneously increasing occupant comfort. Correct ventilation is necessary to help achieve this. l Plug Loads: The installation of energy-saving office equipment and replace- ment of refrigerators and coolers with more energy-efficient models. l Waste: Initiation of a comprehensive recycling program for aluminum, glass, paper, newsprint, furniture, fluorescent lamps, paint solvents, batte- ries, laser printer cartridges, and organic yard waste. l Vehicles: A program was initiated to lease vehicles that accept cleaner- burning alternative fuels, and the White House participates in a pilot program to test electric vehicles. Many employees are encouraged to use public transportation to decrease the use of automobiles. l Landscaping: White House upgrades include methods to reduce unneces- sary water and pesticide use, and the increased use of organic fertilizers on the grounds of the complex were studied. The greening of the White House proved to be such a success that it created an underlying demand to green other properties in the extensive federal portfolio—for example, the Pentagon, the Presidio, and the DOE headquarters, as well as three national parks: Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Alaska’s Denali. In 1996, the AIA/COTE and the DOE signed a Memorandum of Under- standing to cooperate on research and development, the objective being to for- mulate a program consisting of a series of road maps for the construction and development of sustainable buildings during the twenty-first century. The onslaught of green activity facilitated individual federal departments to also make significant headway. Thus, the Navy became emboldened and under- took eight pilot projects, including the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) headquarters at the Washington Navy Yard. In 1997, the Navy also initiated development of an online resource, the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG), the main mission of which is to incorporate sustainability require- ments into mainstream specifications and guidelines. A number of other federal agencies have now joined this project, which is now managed by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS). The green movement’s emergence as a significant force was mainly a con- sequence of many forward-looking individuals and groups from all walks of Green Building and the Green Movement: Its History 11 life. As mentioned earlier, visionaries and innovative thinkers (e.g., Robert K. Watson—the father of LEED) have for decades recognized the challenges and need for serious changes in how we react to and treat our environment. The championing of green issues by forward-thinking politicians and celebrities played a pivotal role in addressing some of the environmental concerns that cap- tivated the public’s imagination during the early years of this century. Holly- wood celebrities like Robert Redford were among the earlier true believers; he has been promoting solar energy since the 1970s. Redford has spent some 30 years on the board of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which is described by The New York Times as “one of the nation’s most pow- erful environmental groups.” Redford also avidly lobbied Congress in support of environmental legislation and has energetically campaigned on behalf of local initiatives to address climate change and wilderness preservation. Other Hollywood environment-friendly celebrities who embraced green building and environmental causes include Brad Pitt, Daryl Hannah, Ed Begley Jr., Ed Norton, Cameron Diaz, and Leonardo DiCaprio. This has led to a wide array of stars following suit and who make it an avocation to champion their favorite environmental and green causes. The green movement was further helped by “green politicians” from mayors to governors to heads of state in the United States and worldwide. An excellent example of this is former Vice President Al Gore whose release in May 2006 of his academy award-winning documentary film, An Inconvenient Truth, is cred- ited with projecting global warming and climate change into the popular con- sciousness; it raised public awareness of many issues including that our quality of life is endangered, that our water is contaminated with toxic chemicals, and our natural resources are running out. Another eco-friendly politician is former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger who made the state a global leader on climate change when he signed into law the historical milestone Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006; it commited the state to reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions by 80% below the 1990 levels by 2050. Other eco-friendly politicians include Ralph Nadar, former presidential candidate and a key leader of the U.S. Green Party; the left-wing mayor of London, Ken Livingstone; Angela Merkel, German chancellor and current leader of the G8, former environment minister, and an outspoken advocate for action against climate change; New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Helen Clark; former European Union environment minister Margot Wallstro¨m (1999�2004); and Xie Zhenhua, China’s vice minister of state development and reform and former environment minister. When President-elect, Barack Obama was always an outspoken, vocal advo- cate for sustainability with regard to both the environment and the economic stimulus. He also frequently stresses the need to build a green economy to main- tain America’s competitive edge in the global labor market, while reducing our impact on the environment. For example, investments in a smart electric grid and energy-efficient homes, offices, and appliances will go a long way to Introduction: The Green Movement—Myths, History, and Overview 12 reducing the overall energy consumption as a nation. This partially explains why, after taking office, President Obama put green building at the fore- front of his sustainability agenda and proposed expanding federal grants that assist states and municipalities in building LEED-certified public buildings. Jerry Yudelson, a well-known green activist, believes that, “the impact of the Obama administration on green building is going to be to make it a permanent part of the economic, cultural, and financial landscape.” The President is making great strides toward changing our energy future. One of his first acts was endorsing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This was to pump more than $825 billion into the U.S. economy via tax cuts, publicly funded investments in infrastructure, and work force devel- opment. This ambitious Recovery Act, which Obama constituted, is an unprec- edented and historic investment in the clean energy economy, and is primarily designed to bolster clean technologies. President Obama believes that invest- ments in clean energy today will lead to the industries of the future and will help put America back in the lead of the global clean energy economy in addition to creating millions of new green jobs. A new report by from climate change consultants ICF International (ICFI) commissioned by Greenpeace, reports that the proposed “Green New Deal” environmental measures included in President Obama’s $800 billion economic stimulus package is calculated to deliver minimum greenhouse-gas emissions savings of 61 million tonnes a year, which if correct is very significant as it is the equivalent of taking approximately 13 million cars off the road—and pos- sibly more. Well-known green movement activist Lindsay McDuff says: When politicians create or formulate policies, the business industries are consequently affected. With the rise in green policy, business executives from every arena are jumping on the green movement bandwagon, basically out of the growing market demand. Being green has become a selling advantage in the business world, and eager companies are starting to jump at the chance to get ahead. According to an NPR report, the construction industry was expected to spend an estimated $10 billion dollars in 2006 on office buildings, apartment buildings, and smaller homes that are certified to be environmentally sound. The green movement today has become global and consists of miscellaneous individuals, activist groups, and diverse organizations seeking eco-friendly solutions to environmental concerns plaguing the planet. GREEN BUILDING: AN OVERVIEW Some scholars consider the green building movement to be primarily a reaction to the energy crises that came into being as a result of this, nurtured by efforts to make buildings more efficient and revamp the way energy, water, and mate- rials are used. It should be noted that “green building” and “sustainable archi- tecture” are relatively new terms in our vocabulary; they essentially represent a Green Building: An Overview 13

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