Tag Archives: LEED/green design

Sleep, perchance to get LEED credit? (Tue Tip)

Posted on by

dog sleeping on the job

Sleep.  A subject dear to my heart.  I currently have a coffee mug at work that says: “Eat. Sleep. Read.”  Seriously; that’s what it says.  (h/t to Malaprop’s Bookstore in Asheville for the mug).  What does sleep have to do with the subject of construction law besides, that is, the potential of any legalese to cure insomnia?  LEED-sanctioned nap rooms.

What is that you say? Never heard of such a thing?  Well, now you have.  There is a move afoot to get the USGBC to give LEED credit (that is, green design credit) for buildings that utilize nap rooms.  According to Rob Freeman of green-buildings.com, such nap-specific spaces might qualify in future LEED rating systems based on the proven benefits of napping on employee productivity.

I knew there was as reason I loved my naps….. productivity, of course!

Seriously, do you think a “nap room credit” should become part of a future LEED rating system?  What about the issue raised by a commenter to the article, that the use of the room might change over time, negating the positive impacts?  Share your thoughts below. 

———————————-

Photo:  Sleeping on the Job by SEO via Flickr/Creative Commons license.

Should You Be a LEED Green Associate? (Tue Tip)

Posted on by

LEED Green Associate

Those of you who follow my twitter stream know that I recently passed the exam to become accredited as a LEED Green Associate.  The LEED Green Associate is a new credential, and the first level of credentialing that also includes the LEED-Accredited Professional + Specialty.

Why did I do it?  I wanted to have a better understanding of the various LEED requirements and sustainability issues when working with my architect and engineering clients.  Many of my A/E clients are AP certified — most before the new burdensomedetailed requirements were issued (not that I’m bitter or anything!).   I, on the other hand, knew just enough about green design to be dangerous.

While I’m ready not exactly ready to go out and leap tall (green) buildings (no doubt complete with vegetated roof) in a single bound, I do have a much broader understanding of the intricacies of complying with not just Code issues but also LEED issues in mind.

So, to return to the title, should YOU get a LEED Green Associate accreditation?  Yes.  If you are reading here, then you probably would benefit.  (Unless you StumbleUpon’d your way here, in which case, not necessarily!)  If you work with architects and engineers, and certainly if you are an A/E and haven’t yet gotten green credentialing, get your Green Associate credential.   You will learn about a wide cross-section of green issues, including sustainable sites (SS), water efficiency (WE), energy & atmosphere (EA), materials & resources (MR), indoor environmental quality (EQ), innovation in design (ID), and regional priority issues.

Are you interested in becoming a Green Associate?  Let me know and I can share some study tips. 

Or, are you already accredited with the USGBC?  Under the old or new system?  What has it taught you?  Share in the comment section below.

  ———————–

“LEED Green Associate” and the LEED Green Associate logo are trademarks owned by the U.S. Green Building Council and are awarded to individuals under license by the Green Building Certification Institute.

Case Studies for Sustainable Landscapes (Tue Tip)

Posted on by

stormwater treatment basin with aquatic plants

Interested in incorporating sustainable landscape solutions into your projects?  The Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) has a database of case studies just for you!

LAF’s Landscape Performance Series is an online interactive set of resources to demonstrate the value of sustainable landscapes to agencies, owners, advocates, and others.

The Performance Series includes:

  • Case Study Briefs
  • Benefits Toolkit
  • Factoid Library
  • Scholarly Works

Check it out!

Do you have a favorite resource on the web for your design practice?  If so, drop me a line so I can share your find with your fellow architects, engineers, and construction professionals. 

————————-

Photo: from LAF’s Performance Series Case Study Brief: Kroon Hall, Yale School of Forestry

Free Passive Solar House Plans (Tue Tip)

Posted on by

NC Energy Alliance Logo

Are you familiar with the North Carolina Energy Efficiency Alliance (NCEEA)?  The Alliance is a non-profit organization (funded by a federal grant through the NC State Energy Office) which “aims to educate all stakeholders in the home building industry about the benefits of ENERGY STAR homes.”

Among the resources on its website, the NCEEA offers a downloadable 59 page white paper entitled “Affordable Passive Solar Handbook for North Carolina“, which includes 12 different house plans that incorporate passive solar concepts.  Some of the plans are converted from a variety of sources including Habitat for Humanity; others are original designs.

Solar Features include:

  • 6-11% of floor area is south facing glazing
  • 2 foot overhangs
  • slab on grade construction with incorporated thermal mass
  • main living areas on south side of home

Affordable Features include:

  • even exterior dimensions, to eliminate construction waste
  • 900-1300 square feet footprints
  • simple roof lines than can be built with trusses

According to the white paper, full sets of working drawings are available for free online at www.energync.net  or www.ncenergystar.org.  However, if you can find the applicable link at either of those sites, you are better than I am.   I’m sure that if you contact the NCEEA they will point you in the right direction.  (And if you do, please drop me a line as to where they can be found).

Have you reviewed the white paper?  What do you think of their design concepts?  Share in the comments below.  And, if you are new here, be sure to sign up for regular email delivery of blog posts to your inbox so you never miss anything.

Photo:  NCEEA Logo

New Sustainability Rating System Set to Launch

Posted on by

Design sustainability ISI logo

Are you aware of the new sustainability system being developed for infrastructure?

The non-profit Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) is developing an infrastructure ranking tool called envISIon.   The new  ISI rating system will be founded on the “triple bottom line” concept of sustainability, which includes environmental, economic and social considerations.  It will include an option for third-party verification, and will be applicable to a wide range of infrastructure projects, from roads and bridges to energy and water systems.

As of earlier this week, Version 1.0 of the sustainable infrastructure ranking tool has been accepted by the ISI Board and, after  a sixty day technical review, will be placed on the ISI website for public comment starting in July 2011.

Following the public comment period, which will last as long as six months, envISIon will be made available as a commercial product. In the meantime, ISI and its Founding Organizations, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the American Public Works Association (APWA) and the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), will be focusing on identifying and certifying assessors.   

By the end of 2012, projects assessed as “sustainable” will be eligible for public recognition by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure.

Are you interested in the new sustainability system? If so, check back with ISI in July to obtain your copy of Version 1.0 to review.  If you would like to share your comments with blog readers here, just give me a shout out.