An Update on Environmentally Sustainable Design, Construction and Maintenance News for Commercial Real Estate
GREEN LEAD is a CoStar News column on environmental and sustainable design and construction, best practices for green building maintenance and operations, economic impact on developers and owners, new LEED and Energy Star building certifications, and trends in the Green Building movement.
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USGBC Postpones, Renames New LEED Standard
By Randyl Drummer
The long-awaited and much debated new version of LEED, in planning for more than three years through four complete drafts, won't go into effect until as late as June of next year.
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced it will delay a ballot to approve the next version of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) until as late as June 1, 2013, in response to rising concerns raised by building industry professionals who say they need more time to fully vet and prepare for the changes.
"This is 100% in response to our members? desire that we give them a bit more time to absorb the changes in this next version of the rating system," said Fedrizzi, who outlined the changes in a blog post this week. "We want to do everything we can to ensure that the market can fully embrace LEED v4 because it represents significant progress on carbon reduction and human health."
In addition to the ballot date change and extension of the current standard, the council will continue to ask for the market?s help in testing LEED v4 and incorporating improvements into the new system before the start date.
The council also agreed to commit to a fifth public comment period that will open on Oct. 2 and run through Dec. 10, 2012 to take advantage of the Greenbuild conference in San Francisco, where the USGBC will hold public forums and educational sessions on the new requirements and any final changes to the new draft. Greenbuild will also serve as a platform to debut new forms, submittal documents and LEED Online enhancements that will help improve and enhance the new measures.
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Financing Green: An In-Depth Look at Financing Options and Obstacles for Green Improvements in the CRE Industry
A Three-Part Series on Overcoming Uncertainty in Funding Green Improvements
 Current Trends in Green Real Estate - The Cost of Green CoStar Webinar Registration Tue, Jun 19, 2012 3:00 PM ET Summer 2012 Update Over the last few years, there have been many studies that speak to the cost of going green. Our panel of green professionals and authors have contributed to some of the research. This quarter, we welcome:
In a live, fast-paced, 45-minute webinar our panel will address your questions plus provide expert insight on the cost of green real estate. |
AI Issues Guidance on Green RE Valuation
2nd Edition of Valuation Guide Released at ACEEE's EEFF
The Appraisal Institute, with the Institute for Market Transformation, has issued its "Recognition of Energy Costs and Energy Performance in Real Property Valuation," a comprehensive guide appraisers should use to assess energy cost and energy performance in buildings.
An update from the first edition published in 2000, it was unveiled at the American Council for Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE)'s Energy Efficiency Finance Forum in Boston. Some of the methods for appraisers that are outlined in the guide include: billing analysis, identification of equipment and components, and examination of results from engineering simulations.
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Energy Sector Leading the Charge in New Facilities Spending
By Mark Heschmeyer
Companies continue to invest in the U.S. economy and businesses show strong levels of investment in new and upgraded facilities, according to the 2012 U.S. Investment Monitor prepared by the Quantitative Economics and Statistics (Quest) practice of Ernst & Young LLP.
The report analyzes major U.S. business investment projects in each state and focuses on mobile capital investments.
E&Y found capital investments were highest in states with substantial energy sectors, primarily Louisiana, Texas and Pennsylvania. The Gulf and East Coast had the highest number of announced new jobs, led by Texas, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Investment in solar energy installations experienced record growth, more than doubling from 2010. Investment in wind and solar power generation projects, wind and solar component manufacturing, energy efficient battery manufacturing, and other green industries accounted for nearly 20% of all announced mobile capital investment in 2011
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Gurfel Heads ULI Greenprint Center for Building Performance
By Brandon Coffer
Helen A. Gurfel joined ULI as executive director of Urban Land Institute Greenprint Center for Building Performance.
Gurfel will be responsible for the overall management and executive leadership of the center and the implementation of its work program. She will also direct the production of the center?s annual Greenprint Performance Report.
Formerly a director of GE Capital Real Estate?s global sustainability program, Gurfel specializes in real estate investment and sustainability practices.
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Avidan Unveils 2.2-MW Solar Array
Project to Reduce Energy Costs at Dry & Freezer Storage Industrial Bldg
In a ribbon cutting ceremony held Thursday morning, Avidan Management revealed its brand new, 2.2-megawatt solar electric system at 180 Raritan Center Parkway, the industrial owner's 350,000-square-foot dry and freezer storage facility in Edison, NJ.
The setup will be able to provide more than 90 percent of the facility's power needs, reducing carbon emissions by almost 50,000 tons over the system's lifespan. The energy savings are equivalent to planting more than 1.9 million trees, and the power generated could supply energy to more than 235 homes.
This project comes on the heels of another of Avidan's solar installations. Last year Avidan completed a 4.26-megawatt installation at 145 Talmadge Rd. in Edison. The 17,745 solar panels reduced electrical costs at the building by 70 percent in the first month. At the time, it was the largest rooftop-mounted solar panel installation in the country. The project received BOMA NJ's Energy Reduction Award in May 2012.
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ACEEE Names Baum to COO
Rogers to Lead Industrial Research Program
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) has named Naomi Baum as its chief operating officer, and has hired Ethan Rogers as a senior manager to run its research program on industrial energy efficiency.
Baum most recently served as executive director of the Congressional Oversight Panel charged with overseeing the Treasury Department's Troubled Asset Relief Program. She has more than 20 years of experience in the US Senate working on a wide range of policy issues, working with four US senators and serving on two senate committees. She graduated from Wellesley College, and earned a Master in Public Administration from Harvard University.
ACEEE's industry program analyzes energy use and efficiency investments in manufacturing, agriculture and construction. Policy makers and other stakeholders rely on the program's research and publications to understand sector trends and to identify policy and program strategies. ACEEE acts as a catalyst to advance energy efficiency policies, programs, technologies investments and behaviors.
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USGBC Awards LEED-CI Platinum to Integral Group, BuildingWise
Plaque Presented by Rick Fedrizzi at Oakland HQ
Integral Group and BuildingWise have been awarded the highest honor by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)'s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Building Rating System in the category of commercial interiors. The LEED-CI Platinum designation was awarded for receiving a remarkable 102 out of 110 possible points.
The Integral Group's Deep Green Oakland office team received an official plaque, presented in-person by USGBC president, CEO and founding chairman Rick Fedrizzi, at a ceremony hosted by Integral Group's founder and CEO Kevin Hydes and managing director Peter Rumsey, alongside BuildingWise founder, Barry Giles.
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