It s green. It s dynamic. It s all about the

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "It s green. It s dynamic. It s all about the"

Alexander Bryan
5 years ago
Views:

1 Understanding Sustainability ROBERT G. RYAN EDITORIAL AWARDS 2006 Tim Petersen 2nd Place Technical The entire building industry is being shaped by this change It s green. It s dynamic. It s all about the education. Remember when positive pressure first hit the scene? What a confusing time, but all of us in the openings industry seemed to work our way through it. Just like positive pressure, this change will affect us all, whether we are in doors, frames, hardware, distribution or installation. We are just in the beginning phases of this transition to a more environmentally friendly building process. As much as this transition is difficult, in actuality it is a good thing. By Tim Petersen P doing a good job in the construction industry of building sustainable structures. With that being said, there is a lot of third party verification taking place in the construction industry, and our environment will come out ahead because of it. So we all need to jump on board. There is an entirely new industry focused on environmental topics, and third party verification is being required on more and more construction projects. The entire building industry is being shaped by this change. L A C E Sustainable design As part of the transition, the name has already changed. The new catch phrase is sustainable design. Sustainable design is actually a much more encompassing term than the well-known term, Green. Sustainable design is an integrated, synergistic approach, in which all phases of the facility lifecycle are considered. Many architects have practiced sustainable design for years. The focus is on reducing the impact of the building process on the environment, and it can be practiced without the need for third party verification or the assigning of points. It does not require limited product sources from certified chains of custody, or paper trails of additional documentation. Environmental sustainability has been defined as meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Again, just as with sustainable design the worthy goal of building environmentally sustainable buildings can be achieved without the involvement of added red tape and paperwork associated with third party verification. Some architectural firms and contractors have been building sustainable for years achieving these goals without any fanfare. However, there seems to come a time when we all need more regulation in our lives to assure someone we are LEED-ing organizations As an industry, we need to take a very proactive approach to sustainable design. If we don t, we will be dictated to by well-intentioned organizations that don t necessarily understand our products or processes. Environmental organizations like the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) do not allow input from industry groups like the Window & Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) or the Doors and Hardware Institute (DHI), and yet they are setting standards for our industry. For all the good they do on the environmental front, their limited perspective regarding wood usage is radically changing the direction of the openings industry. The USGBC s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is the leading program in the construction industry. LEED is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. LEED is by far ahead of the curve among environmental trend setting organizations and is recognized by more environmentally concerned architects, contractors, and government organizations than any other group. We all need to be aware of LEED and understand its direction. According to the USGBC, Green building design includes all players in an integrated development process, 46

2 from design team (building owners, architects, engineers, and consultants), the construction team (materials manufacturers, contractors, and waste haulers), maintenance staff, and building occupants. LEED was created to: n define green building by establishing a common standard of measurement n promote i nteg rated, whole - building design practices n recognize environmental leadership in the building industry n stimulate green competition n raise consumer awareness of green building benefits n transform the building market Building-specific standards LEED standards are currently available or under development for several building types including: n New commercial construction and major renovation projects (LEED- NC) n Existing building operations (LEED-EB) n Commercial interiors projects (LEED-CI) n Core and shell projects (LEED-CS) n Homes (LEED-H) n Neighborhood Deve lopment (LEED-ND) LEED-NC is for new construction and major renovation projects. It is a measurement system designed for rating commercial and institutional buildings, with a focus on office buildings. LEED-EB is a set of performance standards for the sustainable operation of existing buildings. The LEED-EB criteria cover building operations and system upgrades in existing buildings where the majority of interior or exterior surfaces remain unchanged. LEED-CI is for Commercial Interiors, and addresses the specifics of tenant spaces in office, retail and institutional buildings. LEED-CI is part of a comprehensive suite of LEED green building rating tools USGBC is developing to promote green design, construction and operations practices in buildings nationwide. LEED-CS is for designers, builders, developers and new building owners who address sustainable design for new core and shell construction. Broadly defined, core and shell construction covers base building elements, such as the structure, envelope and building-level systems, such as central HVAC. The CS product recognizes that the division between owner and tenant responsibility for certain elements of the building varies between markets. LEED-H is being developed by the USGBC with input from local and national stakeholder groups. It is a voluntary initiative promoting the transformation of the mainstream home-building industry toward more sustainable practices. It will provide a much-needed tool for homebuilders, homeowners, and local governments for building environmentally sound, healthy and resourceefficient places to live. LEED-ND would emphasize smart growth aspects of development while still incorporating a selection of the most important green building practices. The scope of what would be considered smart growth design would be guided by the Smart Growth Network s 10 principles of smart growth, and would include density, proximity to transit, mixed use, mixed housing type, and pedestrian- and bicycle friendly design. LEED-ND would then provide an objective basis on which to certify developments as smart growth. LEED-NC is still the driving force in the commercial opening industry. Keep in mind that within the LEED- NC rating system there are six categories where the building can earn up to 69 possible points. LEED-NC Rating System (possible points) Sustainable Sites 14 Water Efficiency 5 Energy & Atmosphere 17 Materials & Resources (M&R) 13 Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) 15 Innovation and Design Process 5 Making an impact In the openings industry we have the greatest points impact in the Materials & Resources and Indoor Environmental Quality categories. Points are assigned according to the overall impact of products or processes on the entire building. Architectural wood doors typically only assist the building in achieving points in these categories. For instance, most major wood door manufacturers can assist a building in achieving from four to six points, depending on a number of variables typically dependant on what the architect or end user is looking for. The end user may want certified wood or recycled product, and most manufacturers can assist with either of these categories, but not with both in the same door. However, it is possible to assist with both categories on the same job depending on the combination of products. The points are then used to assist the entire building to reach a certification level. Other LEED categories (EB, CI, CS) have different NOVEMBER 2006 DOORS AND HARDWARE 47

3 credit categories and point levels. It is important to understand what the expectations are for the jobs you are working on. LEED-NC Achievement Levels Certified points Silver points Gold points Platinum Other Sustainable Organizations If this wasn t enough to make you want to go back to school, remember LEED is the most well-known sustainable program, but it is not the only one. Some of the others include SPiRiT, BEES and the newest - Green Globe. These organizations differ from LEED in their approach, but they are all focused on the same outcome a more sustainable building. Sustainable Project Rating Tool (SPiRiT) was developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is responsible for military construction and civil works projects. Under a Department of Army policy, architects, engineers and contractors doing business with the Army are required to use SPiRiT for all project types. Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability (BEES), provides a balanced approach to selecting environmentally responsible building products based on the belief that all stages in the life of a product generate environmental impacts an approach known as life-cycle assessment, or LCA. BEES was developed in the United States by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Building and Fire Research Laboratory with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Program. The Green Building Initiative (GBI) Green Globes System is a Green management tool that provides developers, architects, builders and others in the construction community with an assessment protocol, rating system and guide for integrating an environmentally friendly design into commercial structures. Like other building rating systems, Green Globes is rigorous and provides significant environmental benefits. Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) is one of the LEED categories that is really stirring a lot of interest with architects, owners, and end-users. The focus on a clean and healthy work environment and building is becoming more and more of a focal point in the construction industry. An organization focused on this topic is the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI). GEI is an independent, non-profit organization that oversees the GREENGUARD Certification Program, including the establishment of acceptable standards for indoor products and testing. GREENGUARD provides a guide to third-party certified low emitting interior products and building materials. The mission of the GEI is to improve public health and quality of life through low-emitting products. This is accomplished by helping manufacturers make low-emitting products in conjunction with raising awareness for indoor air quality among design/specifying professionals. Nationwide requirements So why should we all continue to educate ourselves on environmental sustainability? As of February 2005, according to the USGBC LEED Users Summary, 41 U.S. city and county governments have adopted some form of LEED certification for their municipal facilities being constructed or renovated. Chicago and Bos- Municipalities Requiring Certification Alberta, Canada Calgary Arizona Scottsdale British Columbia, Canada Vancouver Alameda County, Berkeley, Los Angeles, California Oakland, Pleasanton, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Mateo County, Santa Barbara Colorado Boulder Georgia Atlanta Illinois Chicago, Cook County Massachusetts Boston Minnesota Hennepin County Missouri Kansas City Oregon Eugene, Portland Texas Austin, Dallas, Houston Virginia Arlington County Washington Kitsap County, Seattle 48

DHI s 2006 conference sponsors Lunch on the Tradeshow Floor Opening Reception Awards/Keynote Breakfast > DHI s 2006 conference sponsors Badge Lanyards Conference Pocket Guide Keynote Speaker Hotel

4 DHI s 2006 conference sponsors Lunch on the Tradeshow Floor Opening Reception Awards/Keynote Breakfast > DHI s 2006 conference sponsors Badge Lanyards Conference Pocket Guide Keynote Speaker Hotel Room Key Cards Conference Attendee List Massage Therapy & Foundation Golf Tournament Beverage Cart Conference Tote Bags DHI would like to thank all sponsors for their continued support of the 31 st Annual Conference and Exposition! Thank You 2006 ConferenCe SponSorS

ton have made front page news with their recently announced sustainable building programs. This list shows some of the other municipalities that require some type of certification.

For example, the state of Washington recently passed a new law requiring state-funded buildings to be built to high-performance standards.

This includes all higher education buildings, and K-12 schools must either meet LEED Silver certification ratings or the Washington state Sustainable Schools Design Protocol.

5 ton have made front page news with their recently announced sustainable building programs. This list shows some of the other municipalities that require some type of certification. Even entire states are requiring environmental building standards. For example, the state of Washington recently passed a new law requiring state-funded buildings to be built to high-performance standards. Buildings that are state funded and larger than 5,000 square feet need to A be LEED Silver certified. This includes all higher education buildings, and K-12 schools must either meet LEED Silver certification ratings or the Washington state Sustainable Schools Design Protocol. Other states that require some type of certification are: California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. T he Federa l gover nment has a lso set stand a rds for severa l different Federal agencies requiring some type of LEED certification. Those agencies include: Government Services Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Park Ser vice, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Defense, Department of the Navy, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Army. At this point, the key to understanding Environmental Sustainability is education. This is an entirely new direction for the construction industry and is wrapped around the environmental movement. As an industry, we need to embrace these changes in our industry but also understand the need for these changes and be part of the organization that drives these changes. Sustainability is the future of construction! List of Environmental Web Sites US Green Building Council USGBC.com Green Globe thegbi.org SPiRiT cecer.army.mil/ SustDesign/SPiRiT.cfm BEES Greenguard Green Seal bfrl.nist.gov/oae/ bees.html greenguard.org greenseal.org Environmentally Preferable Purchasing US EPA epa.gov/opptintr/epp B C A: Doors with 100 percent FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Smartwood certified wood can assist with sustainable design. B: The Cleveland Environmental Center was among the first historic renovations in the Midwest to receive the LEED Silver rating. C: Architectural wood doors assisted the Alberici corporate headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri achieve a LEED Platinum rating. Tim Petersen, LEED A P, national sales manager at VT Industries Inc., has over 26 years experience in the openings industry, and is a LEED accredited professional. 50

What is Green Building?

What is Green Building? The design, construction and operation of buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable, and healthy places to live and work. Benefits of a Green Building Energy expenses