Next gen green building

The next generation isn’t just interested in green building, it’s a requirement. It isn’t about having a ‘green building’ expert on the development team, it’s a collaboration of the entire team being knowledgeable on it. As far as people putting money where their mouth is, the US Green Building Council has national standards; the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system for just that. It’s no coincidence that these trends are converging – the demand is there.

So, what are the results?

– The Philip Merrill Center in Chesapeake, MD uses 90% less water than a conventional office of the same size.
– The California Department of Education Building in Sacramento, CA is projected to save $400,000 annually in energy costs.
– A fall 2003 California study found net total financial benefits of green buildings were $50/sf for certified and silver buildings (platinum being highest, certified lowest) and $65/sf for gold buildings more than ten times the average initial investment.
– Employee productivity gains derived from energy-efficient design can be as high as 16%, where an increase of 1% in productivity can generate savings for a company exceeding the entire energy bill, a study found.

There are numerous resources on green building methods and systems. Which ones would you find the most helpful for developers to learn from and follow? We’ll direct them there. Speak your mind below…

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