The other day I was listening to National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered.” As the program was airing the benefits of building green, it occurred to me how mainstream this environmentally friendly concept was becoming. This is not a new concept to Architects. Since the Roman architect Vetruvius (70BC) authored The Ten Books on Architecture, architects have been aware of the benefits of designing buildings with an emphasis on orientation to the sun and to the wind, availability of local materials, and minimizing the impact to the environment. What had suddenly changed in the marketplace to pique the public interest in building green?
As you know, much of the real estate market has “tanked” recently. However, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, one area that is seeing an increase in activity is that of building green. Nearly one third of all new construction in the U.S. is considered green. I give a lot of credit to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for creating this new demand. The USGBC, founded in 1993, created the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. This has become the de facto “Green Building Code.” LEED has created a rating system for building green. Five key areas of sustainable design are rated and credit points are given for buildings using strategies intended to improve performance in the areas of energy savings, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, materials selection and stewardship of the building site. Buildings can qualify for four levels of certification based on the number of credit points earned. The four levels of LEED Certification are:
* Certified
* Silver
* Gold
* Platinum
A request for LEED Certification is on a voluntary basis.
The USGBC has been ingenious in their marketing of LEED. This non- profit organization has been able to convince building owners that LEED Certification is simply the right thing to do. It has become cachet to have one’s building Certified. It has also become marketable. LEED Certified Buildings provide healthier work environments, which in turn contribute to higher productivity and improved employee health. This is a benefit to not only building owners and their occupants but to society as a whole. It is a fact that environmentally responsible buildings initially cost more. However, these higher initial costs are mitigated by the savings incurred in operational costs of a LEED Certified Building. It is reported that an initial investment of 2% extra will yield over ten times that investment over the life cycle of a LEED Certified Building. It has become “we can’t afford to not do it.”
Three recently completed Texas schools deserve special recognition for achieving LEED Accreditation.
· Boerne ISD- Champion High School
· Borger ISD – Elementary School
· Dallas ISD - Hector Garcia Middle School
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| Boerne ISD |
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| Borger ISD |
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| Dallas ISD |
Research shows there is a direct correlation between the quality of school buildings and student achievement. In a landmark study titled “Greening America’s Schools,” the findings conclude that significant improvement in student test scores in reading and math were evident in green schools. There was a reduction in absenteeism. On average there was a 41% reduction in health related costs. There were fewer teacher sick days and an improvement in teacher retention. Kudos go to these school boards for investing in building green. By achieving LEED Certification, they are sending the message that their District’s environmental priorities are important.
The LEED program has grown from one standard for new construction to a comprehensive rating system covering all aspects of the development and construction process. Recently, Neighborhood Development was introduced into the LEED Rating System. This system integrates the principles of smart growth, urbanism and green building into the first national program for neighborhood development. The land developers are responding to public demand. As more and more material manufacturers enter the competitive green market, the momentum of the green movement will strengthen and continue to flourish in an industry which traditionally has been slow to change. After all, Vetruvius gave us the playbook about 2100 years ago.
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