ConstructionAdvisorToday

DOE Awards Nearly $14 Million to 22 States for Improving Building Energy Efficiency

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently awarded roughly $14 million to 22 states and territories to conduct energy-efficiency upgrades in public facilities and develop local policies and programs to help reduce energy waste. These State Energy Program grants will support whole-building energy-efficiency upgrades "across hundreds of public buildings, saving millions for state and local governments and creating new local jobs for energy auditors, architects, engineers, and construction workers," according to the federal agency.

Building Owners with Green Workspaces Have Something New to Smile About

The results of a recent survey should put smiles on the faces of building owners who are thinking about charging hefty premiums for the use of their green workspaces. Overall, tenants responding to Kingsley Associates’ survey expressed more satisfaction being in buildings with a BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association) 360 designation -- which includes standards for indoor air quality, building management, and other environmentally impactful factors -- than traditional buildings.

Energy-Saving Performance Contracts Reportedly Gaining �?Renewed Interest’

Washington, D.C. -- Energy-saving performance contracts (ESPCs) “are getting a lot of renewed interest right now” for helping the federal government achieve its energy-efficiency goals, Federal Performance Contracting Coalition Executive Director Jennifer Schafer told attendees of the 15th Annual Congressional Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Expo + Forum last week. In addition to a resurgence in ESPC popularity, other news coming out of the conference involves the progress of two federal facilities that are expected to serve as models for green design and operation, a prediction concerning Building Performance Institute Inc.’s (BPI) certification program for home performance, and the market outlook for energy-efficient light-emitting-diode (LED) technology. Here is a summary of each development:

Dependence on Energy Efficiency Skyrockets

A combination of several factors has led to an increased reliance on energy efficiency among building owners and operators, according to new research findings from Johnson Controls (JC). The multinational Fortune 500 company believes that a heightened awareness of energy efficiency’s financial payback, a proliferation of government incentives for going green, and the increasingly appealing prospect of bolstering property values and positive publicity all have contributed to the following startling result from a recently conducted JC survey: 85 percent of building owners and operators globally depend on energy management to drive operational efficiency, a 34 percent increase in the last two years.

4 Techniques for Mitigating Risks in Green Building Projects Outlined During WPL Publishing Webinar

There are four key ways to mitigate risks that may arise in green building projects, Christopher Nutter, an associate director in Navigant Consulting Inc.’s Global Construction Practice, told a group of construction professionals attending a WPL Publishing webinar, entitled “Emerging Risk in Green Design and Construction,” earlier this month. The strategies “really are the same types of risk-mitigation techniques that would be used for any design or construction project.” Such risks can be mitigated through the following actions, he said:

How Long Will it Take for Widespread Adoption of the International Green Construction Code to Occur?

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has unveiled a guide to help architects implement the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) in their practices, but how long will it take for widespread adoption of the code across the United States to occur? Although the organization announced that it has “taken a leadership role” in promoting the code to policymakers, most architects apparently will have plenty of time to prepare for the IgCC.

Could New Advances in Photovoltaics Make the Technology More Appealing to Construction Professionals?

Could a pair of new developments in the photovoltaics (PV) industry make owners, architects, and others in the construction community more receptive of the technology when it comes time to plan their building projects?

Case for Increasing Funding for DOE’s �?Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge’ Program Gets Boost

Could a recent accomplishment in the Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge (BBBPC) justify the funding increases that President Obama (D) has proposed for this and other activities within the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Market Barriers subprogram? After just one year’s participation in BBBPC, Legrand last week reported that it is already four-fifths of the way toward meeting its 10-year goal for reducing energy use at its facilities, perhaps making the president’s requested 75 percent increase in funding for Market Barriers more palatable for congressional lawmakers. 

Could Congressional Spending Legislation Impede Development of New Energy-Efficient Materials, Techniques, and Technologies?

Spending legislation currently undergoing congressional consideration threatens to thwart certain key requirements for reducing energy use in federal buildings, but could the proposal additionally impede progress toward developing new materials, techniques, and technologies that make buildings more energy efficient? At least one group is fearful of such a double whammy.

GSA Not Alarmed by the Results of Its Initial Review of Green Building Certification Systems

There is no need to be alarmed by the initial findings of a U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) review to determine how best the federal government can meet its goals for maintaining and constructing more sustainable and efficient buildings, agency spokesperson Adam Elkington told Green Building Insider. At first blush, the following results of GSA’s review could give green building advocates cause for concern: only three certification systems out of more than 180 met the agency’s “screening criteria,” and none of those three building certification systems were found to cover all federal building requirements for new construction, major renovations, or existing buildings.