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  LEEDS

  Finally a LEEDS article that express truths I'm a general contractor in AR, this last year 2006-07 I was involved in two Leeds project. It was my first two and extremely amazing. My first project I was only a subcontractor I did the concrete work for an addition to a county building, i.e. drilled piers, spread footings, stem walls etc. what a dose of reality. When the LEEDS consultant gave the speech to the subs of how good and how much energy the building would save every sub was amazed at the stupidity of his assertions he might have been able to fool the county that was paying this enormous fee for compiling a rain forest worth of paper work, but he sure didn't fool any of the construction worker, I watched the other trades there supervision, his LEEDS inspection. Being a general contractor I new more then most and understood more then most. I seen the duct work set on the ground exposed to the dust, but when it was up the consultant takes pictures of the duct work with covering over the end showing proving that the job was protecting the duct work from contaminates, when in reality it was holding the contaminated duct in. all through out the building has duct work were I wrote in the dust "Commission this" it always got a laugh from the construction workers, when I told the architect about this he said that's why they have the two week blow out period. I confronted him and said you don't clean much house do you? The explained how the dust will be there forever the galvanized duct has a greasy residue and these sarcastic "commission this" written in the dust will be there forever. How about water proofing a concrete with no seems and crakes just to get a point, I asked the construction manager why are you water proofing I installed water stop at the bottom? First he said he thought it needed it, I explained concrete is water proof or septic tank people would be out of business I built a good wall no cracks no seems it would not have leaked. I finally got him to admit they were after that point! And the stupidity goes own and own and that's just the first job. Did not mention the consultant's comments when he was praising Leeds he said studies show xx % savings. I said STUDYS how did the studies? He said they were independent studies and right, I snapped back INDEPENDANT no body paid them? Turns out he was reading of the LEEDS web sight. Then I go be a general on a new building oh how stupid, the list could go on for days, two outside lights switched by electric eye and an astronomical time clock was added because they were worried about there point, so for 1500 dollars they have a switched light, or how about a day light sensor that's supposed to cut of the hall lights when the sun gets bright but it never gets bright enough because of the translucent panels installed instead of glass, they got a point for that. I asked the architect about the land scrapping and said what about the a sprinkler system he proudly said we got a point for picking plants that don't need water, I said WHAT are you from New York City? All plants need water. Would be so bad but 25' away in an existing building they have a pee trough that drips water 24/7 water the plants would toughly love. Chain of custody wood? How ridicules it comes from Prescott AR is shipped to Texas to be treated and I have to by it from a Leeds acceptable person from Chicago, cost 25% more then what I could have got from 1 mile away and seen before I bought this was bought and paid for before I could get. To top it off when cut its treated about a 1/4 inch deep the inside never got a drop. That vendor just had full intentions of screwing anyone that called cause he new the paper work was needed. Oh and the list could go on there's a story behind every point they attempted. I never was a single person worried about the planet they were only worried about their points! The first architect had done several Leeds job they made a killing both Leeds consultants did less work then the architect and the contractor and made buckets of money. It was the first LEEDS for the second architect he was excited at first and convinced LEEDS was the wave of the future he has since changed his mind. One day we were talking I told him this is BS I only put 2000.00 in here for this Leeds paper work and I'm going to over spend that then he said "you put money in for it? I wished I would have" to sum it up there ripping off the taxpayer. The professionals are not going to say anything because they are making good money for little work they don't care if its stupid work, they don't care what it cost, they don't care if its going to save the earth. OH and another thing blow out period were the VOCs are gone before they move in? That's BS are they saying that an office workers life is more important then a construction workers we breath the VOC, oh yes I no some one will say your supposed to have a mask? Would be more cost effective to have the office workers were a mask for two weeks then have the ac run wide open at 66 degrees for two weeks both ideals are a joke.
  As a professional, well-respected contractor LEEDS is a government sanctioned lie with facts being manipulated to benefit the certain few
  It is broken, as long as they're trying to get points instead of trying to do the right thing it will stay broken. How can it be so stupid is there no leadership, maybe an old FEMA person is running it. What happen to just doing the right thing. Oh yea the beginning of the article it said something about the only person that use to be green were some bead wearing hippies. I didn't have beads but I was worried about the earth long before LEEDS was ever dreamed of.
  On LEED green-building program confronts critics and growing pains posted 2 years, 5 months ago 11 Responses

• Click here to view comment in original post

  LEEDS

  Finally a LEEDS article that express truths I'm a general contractor in AR, this last year 2006-07 I was involved in two Leeds project. It was my first two and extremely amazing. My first project I was only a subcontractor I did the concrete work for an addition to a county building, i.e. drilled piers, spread footings, stem walls etc. what a dose of reality. When the LEEDS consultant gave the speech to the subs of how good and how much energy the building would save every sub was amazed at the stupidity of his assertions he might have been able to fool the county that was paying this enormous fee for compiling a rain forest worth of paper work, but he sure didn't fool any of the construction worker, I watched the other trades there supervision, his LEEDS inspection. Being a general contractor I new more then most and understood more then most. I seen the duct work set on the ground exposed to the dust, but when it was up the consultant takes pictures of the duct work with covering over the end showing proving that the job was protecting the duct work from contaminates, when in reality it was holding the contaminated duct in. all through out the building has duct work were I wrote in the dust "Commission this" it always got a laugh from the construction workers, when I told the architect about this he said that's why they have the two week blow out period. I confronted him and said you don't clean much house do you? The explained how the dust will be there forever the galvanized duct has a greasy residue and these sarcastic "commission this" written in the dust will be there forever. How about water proofing a concrete with no seems and crakes just to get a point, I asked the construction manager why are you water proofing I installed water stop at the bottom? First he said he thought it needed it, I explained concrete is water proof or septic tank people would be out of business I built a good wall no cracks no seems it would not have leaked. I finally got him to admit they were after that point! And the stupidity goes own and own and that's just the first job. Did not mention the consultant's comments when he was praising Leeds he said studies show xx % savings. I said STUDYS how did the studies? He said they were independent studies and right, I snapped back INDEPENDANT no body paid them? Turns out he was reading of the LEEDS web sight. Then I go be a general on a new building oh how stupid, the list could go on for days, two outside lights switched by electric eye and an astronomical time clock was added because they were worried about there point, so for 1500 dollars they have a switched light, or how about a day light sensor that's supposed to cut of the hall lights when the sun gets bright but it never gets bright enough because of the translucent panels installed instead of glass, they got a point for that. I asked the architect about the land scrapping and said what about the a sprinkler system he proudly said we got a point for picking plants that don't need water, I said WHAT are you from New York City? All plants need water. Would be so bad but 25' away in an existing building they have a pee trough that drips water 24/7 water the plants would toughly love. Chain of custody wood? How ridicules it comes from Prescott AR is shipped to Texas to be treated and I have to by it from a Leeds acceptable person from Chicago, cost 25% more then what I could have got from 1 mile away and seen before I bought this was bought and paid for before I could get. To top it off when cut its treated about a 1/4 inch deep the inside never got a drop. That vendor just had full intentions of screwing anyone that called cause he new the paper work was needed. Oh and the list could go on there's a story behind every point they attempted. I never was a single person worried about the planet they were only worried about their points! The first architect had done several Leeds job they made a killing both Leeds consultants did less work then the architect and the contractor and made buckets of money. It was the first LEEDS for the second architect he was excited at first and convinced LEEDS was the wave of the future he has since changed his mind. One day we were talking I told him this is BS I only put 2000.00 in here for this Leeds paper work and I'm going to over spend that then he said "you put money in for it? I wished I would have" to sum it up there ripping off the taxpayer. The professionals are not going to say anything because they are making good money for little work they don't care if its stupid work, they don't care what it cost, they don't care if its going to save the earth. OH and another thing blow out period were the VOCs are gone before they move in? That's BS are they saying that an office workers life is more important then a construction workers we breath the VOC, oh yes I no some one will say your supposed to have a mask? Would be more cost effective to have the office workers were a mask for two weeks then have the ac run wide open at 66 degrees for two weeks both ideals are a joke.
  As a professional, well-respected contractor LEEDS is a government sanctioned lie with facts being manipulated to benefit the certain few
  It is broken, as long as they're trying to get points instead of trying to do the right thing it will stay broken. How can it be so stupid is there no leadership, maybe an old FEMA person is running it. What happen to just doing the right thing. Oh yea the beginning of the article it said something about the only person that use to be green were some bead wearing hippies. I didn't have beads but I was worried about the earth long before LEEDS was ever dreamed of.
  On Top green-building system is in desperate need of repair posted 2 years, 5 months ago 11 Responses