Green Building Update -- February 21, 2013

Allen Matkins
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Green Building Focus

GSA may abandon LEED certification

Building Green Blog - Feb 6

Following up on a 2012 report, the U.S. General Services Administration is requesting public comments on its long-awaited recommendations about green building certification systems. The new policy would abandon a single endorsement of a rating system and leave federal agencies with the task of making a choice.

Green roof on California university dorm

Sustainable Business General News - Feb 8

The green roof on a LEED-Platinum University of California dormitory in San Diego is the first of its kind for the state's university system. Home to more than 4,000 drought-tolerant succulents, flowering plants, and low-spreading shrubs, the green roof reduces heating and cooling costs for the 158,000-square-foot, 500-bed building.

CA nonresidential energy use disclosure rules take effect

Allen Matkins - Feb 19

More than five years following the enactment of the governing legislation, the first phase of the Energy Use Disclosure Requirements will commence July 1, 2013. Assembly Bills 1103 and 531 require owners of nonresidential buildings located in California to disclose energy usage of such buildings in advance of any sale, lease, or financing of the entire building.

Boston Properties acquires 535 Mission Street in S.F.

The Registry Press Releases - Feb 7

Boston Properties, Inc. acquired 535 Mission Street, a development site in San Francisco, for approximately $71 million. 535 Mission Street, which should be complete in 2014, will be a 27-story, 378 foot tall Class A office tower with around 307,000 rentable square feet of office and retail space and an expected LEED Gold certification.

Why wind power doesn't make sense everywhere

Building Green Blog - Feb 7

Certain applications of wind power, such as wind turbines on buildings and home-scale wind power operations, may not make sense due to poor performance and economics.

Building infrastructures slower to go green

Green Building Elements - Feb 7

Regardless of the recent increase in sustainable residential and commercial construction, large parts of the old-style building infrastructure will dominate the landscape for the next 100 years at least, with the raw materials and machinery used in green building projects often overlooked.

ULI honors "BoB" in sustainability

ULI Orange County/Inland Empire - Feb 7

The ULI Orange County/Inland Empire recognizes sustainable community development projects, programs, and policies of exceptional value in Orange County and the Inland Empire at the annual Best of the Best “BoB” Awards. Awards will be presented at a ceremony on April 18 in Irvine.

Chicago architect demolishing ideas of Frank Lloyd Wright

Bloomberg News - Feb 6

Architect Jeanne Gang and her firm, Studio Gang Architects, are pioneers in ecological urbanism, a field of design that considers rising populations and dwindling resources. Gang embraces urban density, rejecting the visions of Frank Lloyd Wright who promoted single homes on suburban lots.

Coming soon: the NESEA conference in Boston

Green Building Advisor - Feb 11

The Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) will host its annual conference in Boston on March 5-7, 2013. The conference and trade show will feature 80 accredited sessions and workshops on renewable energy and green building.

USGBC recognizes Nevada as top green building state

Las Vegas Review Journal - Business News - Feb 5

Nevada is ranked No. 10 in the nation with 3.74 million square feet of LEED-certified green building completed in 2012, or 1.39 square feet per capita, according to the USGBC.

Green Building Projects

San Jose affordable apartments earn LEED Platinum

USGBC Official Blog - Feb 7

The Fourth Street Family Apartments affordable housing development in San Jose was awarded LEED for Homes Multi-Family Mid-Rise Platinum certification by the USGBC.

UW-Milwaukee building earns LEED Gold

Green Building News - Feb 6

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee received LEED Gold certification for its new Zilber School of Public Health.

Green student housing at University of Rhode Island

ArchDaily - Feb 6

The 429-bed Hillside Hall at the University of Rhode Island is a new model for student housing, featuring numerous sustainable elements including a solar hot water system, exterior sun shading and sun screens, operable windows for maximized natural ventilation, and light reflecting roofing materials with a demonstration green roof.

 

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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