ConstructionAdvisorToday

Construction Professionals Urged to Watch Out for the Risks of Building Green

There are several risks to look out for when entering into a green building project, building forensics expert George DuBose warned attendees of a webinar that WPL Publishing held last week. During the 90-minute interactive event, “What Happens When Green Becomes Code: Do Buildings Get Better or Do Lawyers Get Richer?,” he advised a target audience of public and private owners, design professionals, engineers, architects, contractors, subcontractors, manufacturers, suppliers, and construction law attorneys to beware of the following four risks associated with green building projects:

Grants on the Way for Getting Habitat for Humanity Homes Green-Certified

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) will provide funding to get 25 Habitat for Humanity Homes green-certified. The NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) Research Center will use funds coming from SFI’s Conservation and Community Partnerships Grant Program to support Habitat affiliates in Delaware Georgia, Iowa, North Carolina, and elsewhere. All of the homes are expected to meet the NAHB’s ANSI/ICC 700-2008 National Green Building Standard. 

IFMA Reports Increased Emphasis on Energy Efficiency

Three out of five surveyed International Facility Management Association (IFMA) members have reported that they are paying more attention to energy efficiency than they did a year ago. This finding and others indicating an increased emphasis on energy efficiency among executives and buildings owners who have a hand in energy management and investment decisions are included in the fifth-annual Energy Efficiency Indicator report that IFMA recently released.

Green Construction Is Here to Stay: Bidgood

Green construction is here to stay, James Bidgood, a partner at Smith, Currie & Hancock LLP, told attendees of “The Hidden Risks of Green Building,” an interactive webinar that WPL Publishing held Oct. 26. “Notwithstanding the fact that the construction industry is very depressed right now, we continue to see more and more green building requirements finding their way into legislation [and] local codes, and I don’t see any indication that those are going to go away for any reason. I believe that green construction is going to continue to increase.”

Intelligent Software Planned for the ‘Greenest Building’ in the Federal Government

Engineers at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffet Field, Calif., are planning to install intelligent system software in a new structure that is expected to become the greenest, highest-peforming building in the federal government. Collaborating with Ames is the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL).

Agriculture Secretary Urges U.S. Builders to Prioritize Wood in Green Buildings

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has urged U.S. builders to prioritize wood in green buildings. He made the recommendation after the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Forest Service concluded in a new report that using wood in building products yields fewer greenhouse gases than using common materials. The report and certain statements made in the wake of its release have not eluded criticism, as evidenced during an interview that Green Building Insider (GBI) conducted earlier this week with the American Institute of Steel Construction’s (AISC) president.

Most Americans Support Federal Investment in Green Schools: Survey

The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Center for Green Schools has released new polling data suggesting that most Americans support federal investment in green schools. Approximately 75 percent of survey respondents indicated that they favor federal investment in school building improvements that focus on creating healthier learning environments, saving tax dollars, or lowering carbon emissions. About one in six respondents believe that U.S. schools are in excellent shape.

Energy-Efficiency Loan Financing Carries Low Investment Risk: ACEEE Report

Energy-efficiency loan financing is proving to be a stable, low-risk investment with low default rates and large-scale potential, according to a report that the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released late last month.

Energy Star Homes Grabs Increasing Share of Market for Single-Family Residences

One-quarter of all single-family homes built nationally in 2010 earned the federal Energy Star designation, up from 21 percent the previous year. To earn the designation, a home must meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for energy efficiency, be at least 15 percent more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20–30 percent more efficient than standard homes.

LEED 2012 to Include Changes to Materials & Resources Credit Category

“LEED 2012,” the next update to the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building program, will include revisions to the Materials & Resources (MR) credit category. The organization, which closed the second public comment period for the update Sept. 14, hopes to launch LEED 2012 in early November of next year, USGBC spokesperson Ashley Katz told Green Building Insider.