Category Archives: LEED
03
Aug
Aug
Used in a wide variety of ways in the building construction market, aluminum is a very versatile green building material, especially when it’s recycled. Everything from huge external building structures to delicate window blinds can be manufactured from this lightweight, durable, and corrosion-resistant metal. Doors, windows, and awnings are popular products made from this material,…
31
May
May
We have enjoyed following the vision and ensuing work leading to the development of US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, now scheduled to open this August. Here is the most important item to keep in mind about this project: we’re not just looking at a new Minnesota Vikings football stadium replacing the old Hubert Humphrey Metrodome. Here…
01
Feb
Feb
A study recently published in the Journal of the American Planning Association (JAPA) by Nicola Szibbo, PhD, a planner with the City and County of Honolulu, found that only 40 percent of LEED-ND certified projects included affordable housing. With very little incentive in the credit structure, many developers choose not to include affordable housing, and there…
20
Nov
Nov
3.0 University Place will feature 50,000 square feet of SageGlass electrochromic glass from St. Gobain. The glass will help reduce cooling costs by 50%.
27
Oct
Oct
Delta, a global specialist in power and thermal management solutions, announced opening its new Americas headquarters in Fremont, California. The facility was designed to meet LEED Platinum and net zero standards. According to press information, this 180,000 square-foot facility is a testament to Delta’s commitment to sustainability. Over 1,000 MWh of electricity is expected to…
30
Sep
Sep
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) has been recognized by green building rating system BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) for its ability to allow the construction industry to responsibly source forest products. Their efforts to make one of the greenest building elements- wood!- even greener are definitely worth taking notice of! According to the…
22
Sep
Sep
Second Major Breakthrough – Solar Architecture and Solar Cities The second major breakthrough in solar occurred when the Chinese began to apply their knowledge of the changing position of the sun during the year, as discussed in the first installment to this series, to consciously build with the sun in mind for warmth in winter…
26
Aug
Aug
Composite Panel Building Systems announced the introduction of a new sheathing system that can improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings and homes, as well as new construction projects. Â The C-SIS exterior sheathing system combines insulation, an air/water barrier, structural components, and a water drainage plane into a compact panel that can be installed easily…
23
Aug
Aug
As cities re-develop and re-define themselves in new urban and sustainable ways, mixed-used mini-cities are becoming popular oasises in the midst of traditional metropolitan areas. In Houston, Texas, one of such, ‘city-with-in-a-city’ exists and is called Memorial City. It is 7.6 million SF of a place that intertwines the living, shopping, working and play parts…
07
Aug
Aug
We are happy to report the Dow line of solar shingles is now available in two more states. Dow Solar announced today that the availability of DOW POWERHOUSE Solar Shingles, an award-winning residential solar roofing system, is expanding to Delaware and Hawaii. Delaware and Hawaii are among the smaller states in the nation, both in…
24
Jul
Jul
I have had the pleasure of writing about this Colorado company before and its skilled use of beetle-killed pine in some of the homes it builds. For those interested in log homes, or issues involving beetle-kill pine, this is a company worth following. What follows is taken from an old post, just to whet the…
18
Jul
Jul
This post is part of the Green Materials Report series. GBE is providing information on various building materials and what makes them green. Each post focuses on one material. We will be looking at the ingredients in the material, how it is used, what makes it green, and any green product certifications that it has earned. We…
13
Jun
Jun
This article concerning driving factors affecting performance on green building and design projects has been written by Bhushan Avsatthi, associate director for Hi-Tech Outsourcing Services. Sustainable building design and construction has been highly acclaimed in recent times. We witness lots of architects opting for green building design and construction, considering the environmental essentials and social responsibility towards…
05
Jun
Jun
A press release from the Green Building Initiative announces the results of an independent study, funded by GBI, comparing the costs for certifying the same building under Green Globes and LEED. Green Globes Certification is Less Expensive to Achieve than LEED, On Same Project, Drexel University Study Reveals Portland, OR – May 13, 2014 –…
28
Apr
Apr
I would like to thank Kenny Myers for this guest contribution about the trend toward sustainability. –Â GM According to some so-called experts, green building and sustainable technologies are nothing more than a fad and fossil fuels will undoubtedly make a return. However, it’s hard to believe that rhetoric when so many businesses and homeowners are…
11
Apr
Apr
AIA Top 10 Continues – Multifamily Housing & Specialized Housing The American Institute of Architects has selected 10 top new American homes for the 2014 Housing Awards. Yesterday we focused on single-family homes. Today the awards we feature the multifamily and specialized housing categories. These brief descriptions from AIA provide a view of the projects….
31
Mar
Mar
This is an eye-turning passive house design, thanks to the design from Marie Ljubojevic and Lauren McCunney at NK Architects. Of note, this home uses 75 to 80 percent less energy than homes built to current code standards. Read words from the architects below this photograph. From the architect. Park Passive is Seattle’s first certified Passive…
31
Mar
Mar
Log homes are great examples of sustainable homes. The wood used to build the home, when properly managed, can be grown again. The abundance of beetle-killed pine, coupled with potential fire dangers, make log homes a good option for building materials. And who isn’t drawn in by the beauty of a log home. This guest…