GreenBuilt’s Recent Comments

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  Name One Thing that is PERFECT from the Start...

  Is the LEED Standard perfect?  Of course not!  Nothing is perfect from the start. LEED has only been in existence for 5 years.  It is evolving into an improved standard.  

  Constructive criticism is vital to improving LEED, but I recommend that we all must also focus on the positives.  LEED is the best market transformation tool that I've seen in two decades of green design work.  Over 2100 buildings have commited to it.  This is significant!

  Let's talk specifics - LEED has impact.  I am leading the "greening" effort on a 630,000 SF convention center expansion in the southwest.  We started our greening effort late in the process - at 60% through Construction Documents Phase.  While we are targeting LEED Certified, we may yet earn LEED Silver. The actual environmental impacts are far more important:
  (1) Our plumbing fixture selections will save over 2,100 acre-feet (689 MILLION Gallons) of water EACH YEAR compared to the fixtures that were previously specified.  This would fill over 27,000 average-sized pools annually.
  (2) So far, we have diverted 3,100 tons of construction waste from the landfill - equal in weight to 2,000 Honda Accords.
  (3) Our energy-efficient design measures (energy recovery units that weren't previously specified, more efficient chiller, better lighting and controls, daylighting, etc.), coupled with the solar electricity that will be produced on-site and the energy that will not be needed to pump and treat the saved 2100 acre-feet of water result in 2.2 MILLION kWh of electricity that will NOT be generated by the local utility.  This is equal to the energy consumed by 211 average U.S. households EVERY YEAR.
  (4) The saved energy means that 3.2 MILLION pounds of CO2 WILL NOT be emitted into the atmosphere at fossil fuel power plants EACH YEAR.

  LEED served as the blueprint for the Owner and the Design Team to drive these results late in the design for a 2% increase in budget.  

  Is LEED perfect?  No - but it works! Get involved.  Use it and improve it, because we ARE making an impact - and that is the most valuable LEED point yet.On LEED green-building program confronts critics and growing pains posted 4 years ago 11 Responses

• Click here to view comment in original post

  Name One Thing that is PERFECT from the Start...

  Is the LEED Standard perfect?  Of course not!  Nothing is perfect from the start. LEED has only been in existence for 5 years.  It is evolving into an improved standard.  

  Constructive criticism is vital to improving LEED, but I recommend that we all must also focus on the positives.  LEED is the best market transformation tool that I've seen in two decades of green design work.  Over 2100 buildings have commited to it.  This is significant!

  Let's talk specifics - LEED has impact.  I am leading the "greening" effort on a 630,000 SF convention center expansion in the southwest.  We started our greening effort late in the process - at 60% through Construction Documents Phase.  While we are targeting LEED Certified, we may yet earn LEED Silver. The actual environmental impacts are far more important:
  (1) Our plumbing fixture selections will save over 2,100 acre-feet (689 MILLION Gallons) of water EACH YEAR compared to the fixtures that were previously specified.  This would fill over 27,000 average-sized pools annually.
  (2) So far, we have diverted 3,100 tons of construction waste from the landfill - equal in weight to 2,000 Honda Accords.
  (3) Our energy-efficient design measures (energy recovery units that weren't previously specified, more efficient chiller, better lighting and controls, daylighting, etc.), coupled with the solar electricity that will be produced on-site and the energy that will not be needed to pump and treat the saved 2100 acre-feet of water result in 2.2 MILLION kWh of electricity that will NOT be generated by the local utility.  This is equal to the energy consumed by 211 average U.S. households EVERY YEAR.
  (4) The saved energy means that 3.2 MILLION pounds of CO2 WILL NOT be emitted into the atmosphere at fossil fuel power plants EACH YEAR.

  LEED served as the blueprint for the Owner and the Design Team to drive these results late in the design for a 2% increase in budget.  

  Is LEED perfect?  No - but it works! Get involved.  Use it and improve it, because we ARE making an impact - and that is the most valuable LEED point yet.On Top green-building system is in desperate need of repair posted 4 years ago 11 Responses