The term LEED means:

The leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating System™, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria. AGL has been utilizing green technology for many years, and in June 2009 Architect Carl E Winnekins was certified as a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP).

 

Having a LEED AP on staff is highly beneficial in designing and constructing a LEED-certified project, as the process needs to be properly designed and developed in the early planning stages, as well as throughout the entire construction process. A knowledgeable LEED project team is key to the implementation of the LEED process.

 

LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability and energy efficiency by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings energy efficiency, materials selection and indoors environmental quality. How does it benefit you?

·         Long-term cost savings outweigh initial building costs.

·         Efficient use of energy.

·         Increased use of renewable energy resources.

·         Improved conservation of material and resources.

·         Better indoor air and environment quality.

·         Enhanced occupant comfort and health.

 

So, what is LEED/Green Building really all about? A green building is a structure that is designed, built, renovated, operated or reused in an environmentally efficient manner, but is designed to meet the benefits above.

 

Typically, green buildings involve the recycling of new construction and demolition debris. Materials that fall into the recycling category are lumber, drywall, metals, masonry (which includes brick and concrete), carpet, plastic, ceiling tile, pipe, rocks, dirt, paper and cardboard.

 

When it's time for demolition, consider deconstructing parts of the building instead of complete demolition, which only creates more debris for the landfill. Proper planning is required for managing materials through deconstruction, demolition and construction.

 

The economic benefits of building green are best realized when they are incorporated at the beginning of a project's design phase. If your goal is a LEED-certified project, AGL will work with you during the pre-construction stage to incorporate the design requirements needed to achieve the desired level of certification. You may be interested in implementing green technology and practices on your project, but not seeking LEED certification. AGL will assist you with that also.

 

Some items to consider when building green are:

·         For your landscaping, select plants that are native to the area, have low or no water or pesticide needs and require minimum of care, use compost and mulches. All of this will help save water and time.

·         To make the building energy efficient, use natural light whenever possible. Studies have proven that natural light has a positive impact on productivity. Install high efficiency lighting systems with advance controls; include motion sensors with dimmable light controls and when possible, use task lighting.

·         Also, building with good overall environmental quality can reduce the rate of respiratory disease, allergies, asthma, Sick Building Syndrome and enhance worker performance.

 

 

References      

·         D.M. Roodman and N. Lenssen, "A Building Revolution: How Ecology and Health Concerns are Transforming Construction," World Paper #124, March 1995, Worldwatch Institute, Washington, D.C.

·         Environmental Building News. "Building Green on a Budget," Volume 8, No. 5, May 1999.