USGBC Expands LEED Offerings

USGBC Expands LEED Offerings

New programs announced for 2019

By / Amanda Sawit

Good news: Green building worldwide is poised to grow in the next three years, according to the Dodge Data & Analytics World Green Building Trends 2018 SmartMarket Report, released at the end of 2018. It’s also a good indicator for the continued development of LEED, which for nearly 20 years has helped change the way buildings are designed, constructed, and operated. But while LEED continues to push top performers, it’s equally important for all buildings to get on a path to sustainability and help raise the standard of living for people worldwide.

According to the report, healthier buildings have emerged as an important trigger for global green building trends, and improving occupant health and increasing productivity rank first and third, respectively, among social drivers for green building. Importantly, two thirds of survey respondents said using a rating system allows them to create better performing buildings, and more than half agree rating systems provide essential third-party verification.

Three years ago, when the landmark Paris Agreement was signed at COP21, United States Green Building Council (USGBC) said it would do its part by committing to reaching 5 billion square feet certified to LEED within five years. More than 1.8 billion square feet have achieved LEED certification since the agreement was put in place, and to date, LEED accounts for more than 7.28 billion square feet of green building worldwide.

With the release of LEED v4.1 in 2018, the focus shifted from simply designing for performance to maximizing the benefits of high building performance and lowering the barriers to action. By elevating the world’s existing building stock and prioritizing ongoing verification, building owners, designers, and occupants can be sure their spaces are actually providing the benefits—like improved occupant health and productivity—they desire.

As the global rate of green building grows, rating systems must also adapt. With that in mind, here’s some of the biggest news about LEED to start off 2019:

• LEED Zero — LEED projects can achieve LEED Zero certification when they demonstrate any or one of the following: net zero carbon emissions, net zero energy use, net zero water use, or net zero waste. The program is open to all LEED projects certified under BD+C, ID+C, or O+M rating systems, or registered to pursue LEED O+M certification. Projects pursuing LEED Zero Waste must submit a TRUE Zero Waste Platinum certification. All other LEED Zero projects must provide 12 months of performance data for their desired category.

• LEED Recertification — All LEED projects—past, present, and future—are now eligible for recertification by providing 12 months of data that shows consistent or improved performance using the most recent version of the LEED rating system. This recertification will be valid for three

years and is an important step in ensuring a green building is operating the way it was intended.

• LEED Transit — With LEED Transit, transit owners can reduce their environmental footprints while also educating riders on the importance of sustainability and the opportunity the public transportation sector has in minimizing global greenhouse gas emissions.

• LEED for Cities and Communities fully merges with STAR Communities — The STAR Community Rating System,

which offers certification for sustainable communities, has been fully integrated into USGBC’s LEED for Cities and LEED for Communities programs. All localities previously STAR-certified or pursuing STAR certification will transfer into the family of LEED Cities. For more information or updates, please visit news.usgbc.org▪

Reprinted with permission from Building Operation Management magazine. Read more at facilitiesnet.com/bom/. Author Amanda Sawit is communications project manager, USGBC.

Green Partnerships

SMACNA and SMART are playing key roles in the ongoing evolution of the green building movement

By / Jordan Whitehouse

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, buildings use about 70% of the electricity consumption in the United States and represent almost 50% of total energy usage and carbon dioxide emissions. With numbers like that, it makes sense why sustainable building practices have been a big focus across the construction industry.

It’s also why, back in 1993, Rick Fedrizzi, David Gottfried, and Mike Italiano decided to establish the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). That April, they and representatives from around 60 firms and several non-profits gathered to start an open and balanced coalition spanning the entire building industry. That eventually led to a green building rating system called Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED.

“LEED created a systematic approach to constructing a green building,” says Angie Simon, president of Western Allied Mechanical in Menlo Park, California. “It awards points to a building if certain measures are achieved like minimizing energy usage, indoor pollutants, and the building’s overall impact on the environment.”

Today, LEED is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. It’s in over 165 countries and territories, and every day over 2.4 million square feet of building space gets LEED certified.

The USGBC also has more than 200,000 members worldwide. Perks include exclusive discounts on LEED, Greenbuild, and other green building events, as well as access to educational and credentialing services. One of those members is SMACNA, which joined in 2004. It did so to assist the growing number of members who were working on LEED projects, says Eli Howard, SMACNA’s executive director of technical resources.

SMACNA’s technical department also worked to have aspects of the SMACNA IAQ Guidelines for Occupied Buildings Under Construction included in the LEED rating system. In particular, those related to the control of contaminants during the construction and renovation process.

Additionally, SMACNA worked with the USGBC to ensure that the appropriate requirements were included regarding the use of duct sealants that could produce volatile organic compounds. “Originally, LEED had duct sealant listed as an architectural sealant with a limit of 250 g/l, which basically mandated the use of only water-based duct sealant,” says Howard. “This posed a problem for anyone working in weather below 38 degrees F in that the duct sealant would freeze before properly setting up. SMACNA was able to move duct sealant into the ‘Other Category’ with LEED, thereby permitting 420 g/l for applications below 38 degrees F.”

Individuals can become LEED certified, as well. They just need to be properly trained and take special exams. Western Allied Mechanical has eight LEED certified engineers, for example. Over 50% of the members at Sheet Metal Workers Local 25, out of Carlstadt, New Jersey, are certified.

Local 25 is also a USGBC member itself, and has been since 2012. “We’re right across the river from New York City, where they were light years ahead of us on LEED, and I knew this was going to hit us, and it did,” says Joseph Demark, Jr., Local 25’s president and business manager. “In a lot of cases, you cannot get on the bid list unless you’re heavily involved with LEED.”

And in the end, adds Demark, the value of LEED in itself makes it all worthwhile. “I know the owners strive for their construction to be elevated to the highest standards, and we want to play a part by helping save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It leads to better indoor air quality, too, and just better buildings overall.” ▪

Jordan Whitehouse is a freelance business journalist from Vancouver, British Columbia, who writes for magazines, newspapers and online publications throughout Canada and the United States.