Leadership Forum: LEED Buildings ~ Going Green Can Save Green
Traditionally, buildings in the U.S. represent 39% of primary energy usage and 70% of electricity consumption.
The Chamber’s recent Leadership Forum* focused attention on “Green Building in the Region.”
The U.S. Green Building Council developed seven years ago the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system—a nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance “green” buildings.
Today, the LEED approach is taking root, according to panelists Lisa Daniels, communications manager, SCA Americas; Bill Decker, president & COO, The Hub Cira Centre; and Peter Levasseur, director of sustainable design, EwingCole.
There are LEED projects in all 50 states and 24 countries; with 572 LEED-certified buildings in the U.S., 46 of which are in Pennsylvania, including SCA Americas Headquarters in Philadelphia, Comcast Center, and One Crescent Drive at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
Getting LEED-certified can cost as little as 1% of the total new construction cost. With an explosion of green buildings, especially in Center City, Pennsylvania is among the top 5 states going green.
The goal of the program is to promote a voluntary whole-building approach to sustainability by improving practices in five areas of human and environmental health: site planning, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. A sixth category encompasses innovation and the design process.
Building projects must meet certain prerequisites and performance benchmarks in each category and are awarded Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum certification based on the number of credits achieved. There are different systems for a variety of projects from new construction and commercial interiors to pilot programs for homes and neighborhood development.
While the initial intent was for new buildings, existing buildings can use the rating system as an outline to use less energy, water and natural resources; improve the indoor environment; and ascertain operating inefficiencies.
Advantages for both new construction and building renovations include reducing operating costs and conserving energy (i.e., automatic light dimmers); reducing a building’s negative environmental impact; creating healthier, more productive employee workspaces (i.e., temperature controls in each room); and providing public recognition for leadership in sustainability.
For more information, contact lmaybrown@greaterphilachamber.org or call 215-790-3815, or visit these Web Sites:
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