1. Certified Green Buildings: Why and How
Kristin Heinemeier, Ph.D, P.E.
Technical Director
Brooks Energy and Sustainability Lab

2. What is “Sustainability”?
“We are not inheriting this world from our parents, we are borrowing it from our children.”
Will we leave our children more than our parents left us?

3. Impact of Buildings 1/3 of energy use, 2/3 of electricity
12% of fresh water supplies
88% of potable water supplies
40% of raw materials
1/3 of municipal solid waste
36% of anthropogenic CO2
46% of SO2, 19% of NOx
20% of US Economy
Plus…
health effects on occupants
manufacturing of bldg components, appliances, paper, computers, …
transportation to and from bldgs: auto manufacturing, oil (foreign policy?), pollution, land use (streets, highways, parking lots, gas stations…)

4. Manhattan Open Space

5. What are bldg professionals to do?
Question: Are we part of the problem or part of the solution?
Answer: More and more, the latter.

6. Bldg Sustainability Considerations
Energy efficiency
Water efficiency
Indoor environmental quality
Recycling
Local or recycled building materials
Construction processes
Landscaping
Transportation

7. Costs and Financial Benefits
Report to California Sustainable Building Task Force, 10/03
Study of 33 Sustainable buildings
about $4/sqft premium in cost, mostly due to increased A/E costs for integration
Net Present Value significantly higher:
Energy: $6/sqft
Emissions: $1/sqft
O&M: $8/sqft
Productivity and Health: $37/sqft
Cost Premium: ($4/sqft)
Total NPV: $49/sqft

8. Need for a Rating System
To assist in specifying sustainability
To provide a guide for designing and assessing buildings
To recognize those who build sustainable buildings
To avoid “greenwashing”
To educate building owners and the industry

9. Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED)
Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (a non-profit coalition of individuals, businesses, and other organizations representing the building industry)
Consensus-based Point System
Certified, Silver, Gold, Platinum
Self-Assessing
No “LEED Police”, no inspections
High production-value documentation
Some calculations, modeling, plans, certification

10. LEED Family of Products
New Construction and Major Renovation (v 2.1)
Existing Buildings (pilot)
Core and Shell (pilot)
Commercial Interiors (pilot)
Homes (in progress)
Multiple Buildings (in progress)
Lab Buildings (in progress)

11. Status of LEED Rating System
To date
126 Total Certified Projects
1534 Total Registered Projects
50 States with Projects
12 Countries with Projects
187,364,398 Gross Square Feet of Projects
As of last October
51 certified
~500 registered

12. Status of LEED in Texas
5 certified
59 registered (6.6M sqft)

13. Five Categories in the Rating
Indoor Environmental Quality
Water Efficiency
Sustainable Sites
Materials and Resources
Energy and Atmosphere

14. Project Checklist

15. Sustainable Sites Prerequisites: Credits:
Erosion & Sedimentation Control
Credits:
Site Selection
Development Density
Brownfield Redevelopment
Alternative Transportation
Reduced Site Disturbance
Stormwater Management
Heat Island Effect
Light Pollution Reduction

16. Water Efficiency Credits: Water Efficient Landscaping
Innovative Wastewater Technologies
Water Use Reduction

17. Materials & Resources Prerequisites: Credits:
Storage & Collection of Recyclables
Credits:
Building Reuse
Construction Waste Management
Resource Reuse
Recycled Content
Local/Regional Materials
Rapidly Renewable Materials
Certified Wood

18. Indoor Environmental Quality
Prerequisites:
Minimum IAQ Performance
Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Control
Credits:
Carbon Dioxide (CO2 ) Monitoring
Ventilation Effectiveness
Construction IAQ Management Plan
Low-Emitting Materials
Indoor Chemical & Pollutant Source Control
Controllability of Systems
Thermal Comfort
Daylight & Views

19. Energy & Atmosphere Prerequisites: Credits:
Fundamental Building Systems Commissioning
Minimum Energy Performance
CFC Reduction in HVAC&R Equipment
Credits:
Optimize Energy Performance
Renewable Energy
Additional Commissioning
Ozone Depletion
Measurement & Verification
Green Power

20. the Role of HVAC&R Professionals
Energy and Atmosphere Credits
Energy efficient design
Certification of compliance with energy codes (ASHRAE Std. 90)
Energy modeling
Measurement and Verification
Commissioning
Refrigerants
Renewable Energy
Indoor Air
CO2 Monitoring
Ventilation Effectiveness
Consulting, Research, Policy
Education of Owners

21. Local Organizations Metropolitan Partnership for Energy USGBC
USGBC
Meets irregularly
Association of Energy Engineers
Meets 4th Tuesday at lunch in San Marcos
World Energy Engineering Congress in Austin, Sept 22-24
ASHRAE
Meets 3rd Tuesday in San Antonio
San Antonio Women Energy Associates
Meets 1st Thursday at lunch in Alamo Heights

22. Resources www.usgbc.org www.aiatopten.org/hpb/ www.buildinggreen.com/
highperformance/
maven.gtri.gatech.edu/sfi/

23. Thank you!
Questions?