Green Building Update -- April 26, 2012

Allen Matkins
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NACo's green building incentives report

NACo - Apr 12

The National Association of Counties (NACo) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) studied incentives for greening communities and found the most effective programs were (1) tax incentives, (2) density/floor area ratio bonuses, and (3) expedited permitting. Also, the report found the most effective incentives were simple and focused on the desired green impact.

AltBuild Expo coming to Santa Monica

USGBC-Los Angeles - Apr 16

The 9th annual Alternative Building Materials & Design Expo (AltBuild) is considered the largest and most-respected green design and building expo in Southern California. Presented by Santa Monica and USGBC-Los Angeles with programming added by AIA|LA COTE, BIA Ventura/LA County Chapter and Build It Green, AltBuild features over 40 speakers and 150 exhibitors. Free CEUs available for the majority of the programming.
 

GSA lists 30 fed. buildings for deep energy retrofits

DOE - Apr 11

Using performance based contracts, the GSA wants energy service companies to provide the maximum energy performance savings possible for 30 federal buildings. In Dec. 2011, President Obama directed federal agencies to enter into at least $2 billion in performance-based contracts to achieve substantial energy savings and create jobs.

Cities with the most Energy Star buildings in the U.S.

EPA - Apr 11

The EPA released the annual list of U.S. metropolitan areas with the most Energy Star-certified buildings for 2011. The list of 25 cities is headed by Los Angeles (659), Washington, D.C. (404), Atlanta (359), Chicago (294), San Francisco (270), New York (261), Houston (231), Dallas (178), Riverside, Calif. (164), and Boston (161). By the end of 2011, the nearly 16,500 Energy Star-certified buildings across the U.S. have helped save nearly $2.3 billion in annual utility bills and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equal to emissions from the annual energy use of more than 1.5 million homes.

$26M in financing for SDSU green housing project

San Diego Business Journal - Apr 10

Wells Fargo provided $26 million in financing for Village Lindo Paseo, a 287-unit student housing complex at San Diego State University. The facility will generate all on-site electricity through solar panels and fuel cells.

ULI's "Best of the Best" award winners

Urban Land Institute Orange County/Inland Empire - Apr 19

The ULI Orange County/Inland Empire “Best of the Best” winners are (1) for Community Development Projects -- Vista Dunes Courtyard Homes in La Quinta; (2) for Organizational Leadership -- Western Riverside Council of Governments Regional Energy and Environmental Programs; and (3) for Vision is Seizing our Destiny in Riverside. Congratulations! For more, click here.

UC Riverside -- $2M grant for clean energy

SustainableBusiness.com - Apr 11

The University of California at Riverside is getting a clean energy face lift thanks to a $2-million grant. Under the two-year project, the school is getting solar arrays, advanced battery storage, vehicle charging stations, an electric trolley, and a grid management system that charges vehicles with solar energy. Two megawatts of solar and 2MW hours of lithium battery storage systems are being installed at three locations on and near campus. The solar energy will charge vehicles on campus and throughout Riverside. The University's Center for Environmental Research and Technology at Bourns College of Engineering, which does research on clean technologies, won the award.

SFI: will USGBC recognize forest certification?

SFI - Apr 11

Sustainable Forestry Initiative President Kathy Abusow sent a letter to the USGBC with ten reasons why LEED should recognize forest certification standards including the following: (1) say "Yes" to healthy working forests; (2) say "No" to discrimination against domestic forests; (3) follow the lead provided by USGBC sister organizations in Australia, Italy and Spain; (4) support North America's forest communities and workers; (5) base LEED on science, not slogans; (6) recognize forest communities and their contributions; (7) reward sound harvesting practices; (8) consider the wider impact of its actions; (9) heed the calls of 100 elected officials; and (10) let competition prevail.

Builders go paperless to meet consumer demand

PR Web / AxisPointe - Apr 11

AxisPointe announced the release of customizable, electronic templates for Homeowner Maintenance and Performance Standards for builders and contractors to use to meet consumers' demands for instant, electronic documentation of their homes, and to comply with the CALGreen building code. Under the code, all new homes in California are required to have a comprehensive homeowner maintenance guide, which must include operation and maintenance instructions for major systems and components. Builders complying with the various energy and green building programs must also provide documentation on building operations and be able to verify the origin of various green building products in their homes.

Green Code Pro offers online CALGreen course

PR Web / Green Code Pro - Apr 15

Green Code Pro launched an online course covering the Residential Mandatory sections of the California Green Building Standards Code. The course is targeted to architects, contractors, engineers, landscape architects, and other industry professionals. The course materials are updated for the 2012 modifications to the 2010 CALGreen code. The course offers: (1) an overview; (2) video lectures on each section in Code Chapter 4; (3) rationale behind each code section and the associated sustainability benefits; (4) quizzes; (5) a Certificate; and (6) continuing education credits.

LA County offers rebates on GreenPoint Rated homes

Business Wire / GreenPoint Rated - Apr 10

With 10,000 California homes now bearing the GreenPoint Rated label, Energy Upgrade California is offering rebates to help more homeowners go green. Through the end of 2012, homeowners can receive up to $2,000 from L.A. County to cover the cost of getting a GreenPoint Rated label for their home. To date, California's GreenPoint Rated homes have saved over 112 million gallons of water and avoided nearly 9,000 tons of greenhouse gases.

Green Building Projects

Camp Pendleton -- two LEED Platinum awards!

San Diego Business Journal - Apr 11

Two new buildings at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California have earned LEED Platinum. The two new buildings include Wounded Warrior Headquarters and Hope and Care Center. Both facilities abide by a host of green principles. Use of water and energy saving measures lead to a fall of more than 84,000 gallons in annual water consumption and energy cost cuts of over $52,000 per year.

Orchard City Banquet Hall earns LEED Gold

Campbell Patch - Apr 10

The Orchard City Banquet Hall in Campbell, Calif., received LEED Gold certification and features (1) a water reduction rate of 50% over a conventional facility; (2) a "cool" roof; (3) high-performing window glass; (4) low-energy lighting; (5) a building energy management system; and (6) contracted purchase of green renewable power credits equal to 100% of the facility's energy needs for the first two years.

Foremost building earns LEED Gold

World Interior Design Network - Apr 12

The Foremost building in Tacoma, Wash. earned LEED Gold and features (1) upgrades to the quality of indoor air; (2) use of salvaged, repurposed and reclaimed material; (3) use of procuring materials via regional sources; (4) diversion of 99% of construction debris from reaching the landfill; and (5) implemented plan to monitor and meter future consumption of energy.

Texas Library earns LEED Gold

World Interior Design Network - Apr 10

The Parman Branch of the San Antonio Public Library in Texas has secured LEED Gold, and features (1) energy-saving features; (2) water-saving features; (3) regional materials; and (4) preservation of the ecosystem that surrounds the building.

George Washington U earns LEED Gold

GW Today - Apr 12

George Washington University's Charles E. Smith Center in Washington, D.C., earned LEED Gold and features (1) insulated exterior wall systems; (2) energy-efficient windows; (3) an Energy Star white roof; (4) low-flow plumbing fixtures; (5) plant materials that are native or adaptive; and (6) use of low-VOC paints, adhesives, coatings, sealants and carpets.

Bryan C. Jackson
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Construction | Real Estate | Energy & Cleantech | Infrastructure
Los Angeles
(213) 955-5575
(213) 620-8816 (fax)

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DISCLAIMER: Because of the generality of this update, the information provided herein may not be applicable in all situations and should not be acted upon without specific legal advice based on particular situations.

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