Green certification adds 9% to home sales prices in California

Having a green certified home adds 9% to its appraised sales value in California, according to a new study. Reviewing sales data from 1.6 million home sales in California, the study is the first rigorous, large-scale economic analysis of the value of green home labels in California.

Tumult grows over LEED rating system update

Members of the buildings sector are applauding the U.S. Green Building Council's decision to delay the release of the next version of LEED, as debate continues to rage over the content of the draft revisions.

NY passes property tax exemption for green buildings

Governor Cuomo signed legislation that authorizes local governments and school districts to provide a real property tax exemption for new green building and renovation projects constructed after January 1, 2013.

LEED program growing in San Antonio

There are currently 62 LEED certified buildings in San Antonio, and another 161 projects are in the pipeline that will be applying for LEED certification

NREL helps cut large building energy use by 50%

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Commercial Buildings Program and the DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are working with the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and the building industry to find ways to reduce the energy intensity of large hospitals, schools, and retail buildings by 50%.

Seesmart picked for huge LED lighting retrofit project

Seesmart Technologies, Inc. was selected by SL Green Realty Corp., New York City’s largest commercial property owner, to install LED lighting products throughout 21 commercial office properties as part of one of the nation’s largest LED lighting efficiency projects.

Briefing on LEED at the Capitol

Forty-eight companies in the Fortune 100 use LEED certification, and nearly 1,300 product manufacturers are USGBC members. Recently, three key LEED users from Hines, Interface, and Yates Construction spoke at the U.S. Capitol regarding LEED and how it impacts their business operations.

South Carolina Congressman promotes clean energy plan

Former South Carolina Congressman Bob Inglis is proposing a nationwide campaign to change US energy policy to promote a level energy playing field and a faster, more intensive effort to shift away from fossil fuels and toward greater renewable energy use and energy efficiency efforts.

USGBC bites back with letter to GSA

Lobbying from the plastics and chemical industries continues as the General Services Administration is reevaluating which green building rating system to use. The USGBC recently sent a letter to the GSA that includes more than 1,200 signatures praising the GSA for its use of LEED, and pushing the GSA to continue using the LEED rating system.

Factory-built micro-homes in San Francisco

SmartSpace SoMa, a new infill project in San Francisco, will have 23 micro-dwellings, each with around 300 square feet of living area, 300 cubic feet of storage, and nine-foot ceilings. The project will aim for LEED Platinum certification and near net-zero energy.

First net-zero building in NYC to open this week

Voltaic Solaire's Delta building is the first building in New York City to run entirely on energy it produces.

The White Roof Project reduces carbon emissions in New York

The White Roof Project recently painted the roof of the building that houses the La MaMa theater in New York white, adding another 7,000 square feet of solar-reflective white roof to the neighborhood in an ongoing effort to reduce carbon emissions and encourage energy efficiency.

Retrofitting existing buildings with green roofs

About 70% of Canada’s commercial and institutional buildings were constructed before 1980, and these older buildings consume more energy than their newer counterparts. Retrofitting these older building with energy-efficient technologies such as green roofs can have a significant impact on the building sector’s overall energy profile.

University of Oregon announces climate action plan

Two years after adopting a Climate Action Plan aimed at net-zero greenhouse emissions on campus by 2050, University of Oregon officials recently announced that they've developed a framework of objectives to reach that ambitious goal.

GSA signs 20-Year lease at 1 World Trade Center

The U.S. General Services Administration signed a 20-year, 270,000-square-foot lease at the LEED Gold-hopeful 1 World Trade Center in New York.

Northwest Energy Angels invests in six cleantech companies

Northwest Energy Angels has invested a total of $1,132,000 in six clean technology companies during the first half of 2012.

LinkedIn expands space at Empire State Building

A year ago, the Empire State Building’s green features and capital improvement program were “key” to LinkedIn’s leasing of 25,000 square feet lease on the Building’s 25th floor. Now, LinkedIn is expanding by an additional 10,000 square feet into the floor below.

Portland Community College's new net zero building

In Oregon, Portland Community College (PCC) joins the honor roll of green schools with the Newberg Center, the first higher education building in the state to hit the net zero mark.

Verizon stores pre-certified for LEED Volume Program

Verizon Wireless today announced that its green retail store design has achieved pre-certification in LEED’s Volume Program. Verizon Wireless is one of only eight retailers in the United States and the only wireless company to achieve such pre-certification.

Citrix plans LEED Gold facility in Raleigh

Citrix aims to remake an old steel warehouse in Raleigh, North Carolina into LEED Gold certified headquarters for its Data Sharing Product Group.

Maryland housing complex wins USGBC Award of Excellence

The Blair Towns townhouse development in Silver Spring, Maryland was awarded the US Green Building Council’s 2012 Award of Excellence for Project of the Year in the Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance.

Three groundbreaking new green buildings

Chicago’s Aqua Tower, the Natural History Museum of Utah, and New England Environmental's headquarters are three of the nation's greenest buildings, as determined by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system.

USGBC's New Mexico office downsizes

The U.S. Green Building Council’s New Mexico office is downsizing amid a construction slowdown in New Mexico.

Skylab designs green office building in Portland

Designed by Skylab Architecture to be certified at the LEED Gold level, the new 11,490 square-foot Columbia Boulevard Wastewater Treatment Support Facility in Portland, Oregon will blend open office and shared workspaces with small meeting spaces and large conference rooms, video conference areas, and a training facility.

San Antonio office building wins USGBC EBie Award

The San Antonio office building, Fountainhead Business Park II, has won an award from the U.S. Green Building Council for having one of the best lighting retrofit projects in the country.