SUCCESS of GREEN BUILDING

Transcription

1 SUCCESS of GREEN BUILDING The construction market accounts for 13.4% of the U.S. GDP. Source: Department of Commerce (2008). Annual Value of Construction Put in Place. The value of green building construction is projected to increase to $60 billion by Source: McGraw-Hill Construction (2008). Key Trends in the European and U.S. Construction Marketplace: SmartMarket Report. Since 2000, USGBC s membership has more than quadrupled. Source: U.S. Green Building Council,

2 Slide 1 SW1 Presentation on Sustainable Sites Initiative The Sustainable Sites initiative is an effort to quantitatively describe the attributes of a sustainable site so that designers/ engineers can measure their success (or failure) in achieving the goals to maintain or improve the predevelopment ecological integrity of a site. The Sustainable Sites Initiative currently addresses design issues associated with soils, hydrology, vegetation, material selection and human health. The initiative is designing specific measurable benchmarks associated with site selection; soils preservation, restoration, reuse and carbon sequestration; balancing the hydrologic cycle to reduce erosion and water use, provide flood mitigation, improve water quality, and recharge groundwater; using vegetation to provide specific benefits associated with heat reduction, air and water quality improvement, human health benefits, and habitat enhancement; materials selection to minimize embodied energy, toxins, and the waste stream; and using sites generally to decrease human health risks and promote human mental and physical health. Dr. Windhager's presentation will describe the Sustainable Sites Initiative and the efforts underway to implement the program and provide examples of potential metrics which may quantitatively describe a sustainable site, and how these metrics can be used to inform the design of a site.. As currently envisioned, implementation will create voluntary, market-based incentives to aid in climate protection, increase biodiversity, reduce pollution and other types of resource stewardship. Ultimately, the standards developed through Sustainable Sites will be integrated with existing voluntary building rating and credit systems. Ideally, these design concepts would become components of the LEED green building certification process. Steve Windhager, 1/24/2009

3 Jefferson Green Genzyme Center Oregon Health & Science Center 6 CO H 2 O C 6 H 12 O O 2 2

4 GREEN DOES NOT EQUAL SUSTAINABLE LINKING LANDSCAPES TO SUSTAINABILITY 25 to 50% of electricity used by US cities is consumed by municipal i water and wastewater treatment. Waterand Energy Technology Team at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (2007) Water shortages & drought increasing i across US. NASA Earth Observatory (2008) 2009 Sustainable Sites Initiative 3

5 LINKING LANDSCAPES TO SUSTAINABILITY 30% to 65% of water used daily by a family of four is for landscape irrigation. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Outdoor Water Use in the United States, 2007 Combine sewer overflows result in sewage and large volumes of storm water containing pathogens, solids, debris and toxic pollutants being discharged into surface water. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Report to Congress on Impacts and Control of Combines Sewer Overflows and Sanitary Sewer Overflows, 2004 LINKING LANDSCAPES TO SUSTAINABILITY 78 million households in the U.S. use home and garden pesticides. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Pesticides Industry Sales and Usage: 2000 and 2001 Market Estimates. EPA-733-R Soils that are compacted during site preparation and construction lose the ability to absorb storm water and supply plant roots with air and water Breland and Hansen, 1996 Source: James Urban 4

6 LINKING LANDSCAPES TO SUSTAINABILITY Disposing of organic materials in Texas landfills costs more than $150 million a year and consumes more than 15 million cubic yards of space. TCEQ Yardwise - Green Guide to Yard Care Yard and landscape trimmings contribute approximately 32 million tons to the municipal waste stream, representing over 13 percent of total municipal waste in the U.S. U.S. EPA, "Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2005 LINKING LANDSCAPES TO SUSTAINABILITY Scientists estimate that strategically planting vegetation reduces cooling energy consumption by up to 25%. U.S. EPA Heat Island Effect A study of street trees in New York City found that the climate moderating benefits provided by trees resulted in annual energy savings of $27.8 million, or $47.63 per tree. Peper, P.J., McPherson, E.G., Simpson, J.R. et al., "New York City, New York: Municipal Forest Resource Analysis," Technical Report, USDA Forest Service Center for Urban Forest Research, Pacific Southwest Research Station (2007). 5

7 LINKING LANDSCAPES TO SUSTAINABILITY Minneapolis showed savings of $6.8 million in energy costs and $9.1 million in stormwater treatment and increased property values by $7.1 million as a result of street trees. McPherson 2006 Return On Investment from urban forests: New York, NY: $5.60/$1 spent Fort F Collins, CO: $2.18/$1 spent Glendale, AZ: $2.41/$1 spent Charlotte, NC: $3.25/$1 spent Peper et al 2007 LINKING LANDSCAPES TO SUSTAINABILITY Low Impact Development (LID) approaches to stormwater results in improved water quality as well as capital cost reduction between 15 and 80 percent. Environmental Protection Agency, Reducing Stormwater Costs through Low Impact Development (LID) Strategies and Practices, EPA 841-F (2007), 6

8 LINKING LANDSCAPES TO SUSTAINABILITY Beyond cost reductions, these communities also experienced real and significant benefits, including aesthetic amenities, improved quality of life, improved habitat, and enhanced property values. Environmental Protection Agency, Reducing Stormwater Costs through Low Impact Development (LID) Strategies and Practices, EPA 841-F (2007), 7

9 WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY? Maintaining and enhancing ecosystem services Profitable, competitive and enduring businesses Healthy individuals participating in stable institutions Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Brundtland Report, Our Common Future,

10 ECOSYSTEM SERVICES Benefits natural systems provide that support our lives and are often considered free and not a part of conventional accounting methods. $16 - $54 trillion per/yr. Twice the Global GNP Costanza et al

11 ex.html ECOSYSTEM SERVICES Regulate global and local climate Detoxify and cleanse air, soil and water Regulate water supply Control erosion and retain sediment Provide refuge and nursery habitat/ pollination services Decompose, treat, and re-use waste Provide human health h and well-being benefits Provide food and non-food products Provide cultural, educational and aesthetic values Mitigate potential hazards 10

12 SUSTAINABILITY? Increasing Population Expanding Greenfield Development Need for regenerative landscapes Wall Street Journal June

13 Source: New Scientist Source: New Scientist 12

14 110 Carbon Pools and Flows 50 Plants 550 Pg 60 Soil 1500 Pg 62 Atmosphere 750 Pg Fossil Fuel 5000 Pg Oceans Pg Pg = petagrams = 1015 grams = 1 billion tonnes Source Brady and Weil 1996 Plants 0 Pg Atmosphere +4.5 Pg Fossil Fuel -5.5 Pg Soil -2.5 Pg Oceans +3.5 Pg (Pg = petagrams = grams = 1 billion tonnes) Source Brady and Weil

15 Source Tilman, Hill and Lehman. Science (2006) Photo: Cedar Creek LTER Site 14

16 EMBODIED CARBON NEUTRALITY? = 240 metric tons CO2 40, ft2 building On a brownfield Source: The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and Mithun = 220 metric tons CO tons Source: The Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center and Mithun 15

17 = 205 metric tons CO tons -15 tons Source: The Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center and Mithun = 190 metric tons CO tons -15 tons -15 tons Source: The Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center and Mithun 16

18 = -10 metric tons CO tons -15 tons -15 tons -200 tons Source: The Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center and Mithun = -15 metric tons CO tons -20 tons -15 tons -15 tons -200 tons -5 tons Source: The Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center and Mithun 17

19 Source: New Scientist 18

20 Landscapes provide more than carbon sequestration Improve air quality Reduce local temperature Clean, Reduce & Slow stormwater runoff Improve water quality Reduce energy consumption Increased property value Provide wildlife habitat Restoring landscape function is essential to Sustainability 19

21 VISION All site related design construction, operations and maintenance practices link natural and built systems to achieve balanced environmental, social and economic outcomes to improve the quality of life and long term health of communities and the environment 20

22 Free download at POTENTIAL PROJECTS TYPES parks, trails, campgrounds industrial and office parks govt. & medical complexes conservation easements botanical gardens university campuses residential sites streetscapes & plazas 21

23 CURRENT FOCUS OF RESEARCH HYDROLOGY VEGETATION HEALTH & WELL-BEING SOILS MATERIALS Rating System Guidelines & Performance Benchmarks point scale 4 levels of certification 40% - One Star 50% - Two Stars 60% - Three Stars 80% - Four Stars Multiple point levels for many credits 22

24 CREDIT CATEGORIES Guidelines & Performance Benchmarks 2009 Site Selection Pre-Design Assessment Site Design Water Site Design Soil & Vegetation Site Design Materials Site Design Human Health & Well Being Construction Operations and Maintenance Monitoring and Innovation CREDIT LAYOUT Guidelines & Performance Benchmarks 2009 Credit Intent Requirements Submittal Documentation Potential Technologies and Strategies Links to other Credits Resources 23

25 Site Selection Guidelines & Performance Benchmarks 2009 Pre-Design Assessment Guidelines & Performance Benchmarks

26 Site Design - Water Guidelines & Performance Benchmarks

27 Site Design - Ecological Guidelines & Performance Benchmarks

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30 Cayuga Medical Center Tom Watson Photography Site Design Materials Selection Guidelines & Performance Benchmarks

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32 Site Design Human Health Guidelines & Performance Benchmarks

33 Cayuga Medical Center Tom Watson Photography Construction Guidelines & Performance Benchmarks

34 185 Cornell University Mann Library Entrance Before Before After After 33

35 Operations & Maintenance Guidelines & Performance Benchmarks 2009 Monitoring & Innovation Guidelines & Performance Benchmarks

36 PARADIGM CHANGE Water Energy Habitat Materials 1. Conserve 2. Reuse 3. Balance = Regenerate 1. Reduce 2. Renew 3. Offset = Produce 1. Preserve 2. Protect 3. Restore = Regenerate 1. Reduce 2. Reuse 3. Recycle = Upcycle from CONSERVATION to REGENERATION through PERFORMATIVE LANDSCAPES PILOT PROGRAM PROJECT TYPES 25% Open space - Park 20% Institutional/Educational 15% Commercial 13% Residential 9% Transportation /Streetscape 8% Open space Public Garden 6% Government Complex 3% Mixed-use 1% Industrial EXISTING LAND USE 65% Greyfield 20% Greenfield 15% Brownfield PROJECT SIZE 25% Less than one acre 15% Brownfield 26% 1-5 acres 40% acres 8% acres 1% Greater than 500 acres PROJECT LOCATIONS Projects in 34 U.S. States 3% of projects outside U.S. in Canada, Iceland and Spain 35

37 CURRENT STATUS Preliminary Draft Standards and Guidelines released November 2007 (at Sustainable Sites Initiative Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks Draft 2008 released November 2008 Final Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks 2009 released November 5, 2009 Pilot Projects to be selected in Spring 2010 PROJECT TIMELINE Open Enrolment Pilot Projects Guidelines & Benchmarks Reference Guide Form Partnerships & Collaborations 36

38 SUPPORT PROVIDED BY American Society for Landscape Architects The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center United States Botanic Garden The Meadows Foundation Landscape Structures U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Texas Commission on Environmental Quality The Horticultural Research Institute U.S. Forest Service The Nature Conservancy American Society of Civil Engineers General Services Administration U.S. Green Building Council National Recreation and Parks Association National Association of County and City Health Officials FOR MORE INFORMATION or TO GET INVOLVED: 37