Summary
Motivated by the prospect of increased property values, reduced utility bills, and an interest in jumping on the sustainability bandwagon, a noted upturn in green building upgrades is helping designers and real estate developers stay busy while waiting for the economy to recover. In fact, many of the larger property management outfits have set up teams to undertake projects seeking LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED-EBOM, also referred to as LEED-EB), a certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. For these companies, going certifiably green—without major renovations—is an added client service that mirrors growing tenant and end-user interest in green building measures.
What you will learn
By reading this article, you should be able to:
- Explain the benefits and challenges of green building renovation and retrofit projects, including the use of LEED-EBOM.
- List candidate building systems and materials that can contribute to a LEED-certified or otherwise sustainable renovation project.
- Describe the differences between LEED-EB and LEED-NC.
- Evaluate renovation strategies based on their impact in terms of energy savings, water conservation, occupant health benefits, and other green building attributes.
Related Stories
| Jan 29, 2014
Notre Dame to expand football stadium in largest project in school history
The $400 million Campus Crossroads Project will add more than 750,000 sf of academic, student life, and athletic space in three new buildings attached to the school's iconic football stadium.
| Jan 29, 2014
AIA honors 18 with 2014 Young Architects Award
Three recent BD+C "40 Under 40" winners are among the outstanding young architects recognized by the AIA.
| Jan 28, 2014
White Paper: How metal buildings deliver long-term value to schools
A new white paper from Star Building Systems outlines the benefits of metal buildings for public and private school building projects.
| Jan 28, 2014
First Look: BIG's Honeycomb building for Bahamas resort [slideshow]
BIG + HKS + MDA have unveiled the design for the new Honeycomb building and adjacent plaza in The Bahamas – a 175,000-sf residential facility with a private pool on each balcony.
| Jan 28, 2014
2014 predictions for skyscraper construction: More twisting towers, mega-tall projects, and 'superslim' designs
Experts from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat release their 2014 construction forecast for the worldwide high-rise industry.
| Jan 28, 2014
16 awe-inspiring interior designs from around the world [slideshow]
The International Interior Design Association released the winners of its 4th Annual Global Excellence Awards. Here's a recap of the winning projects.
| Jan 28, 2014
Big Ten Conference opens swanky HQ and museum [slideshow]
The new mixed-use headquarters includes a museum, broadcast studios, conference facilities, office spaces, and, oh yeah, a Brazilian steakhouse.
| Jan 27, 2014
A climber's dream: Rock climbing hall planned near Iran's highest peak
Forget the rock climbing wall. A developer in Iran is building a rock climbing hall. That's right, an entire building dedicated to the sport, with more than 48,000 sf of program space.
| Jan 24, 2014
First look: Foster + Partners' new home for Yale School of Management [slideshow]
Edward P. Evans Hall, the new home of the Yale School of Management, has opened for business. The 242,000-sf facility was designed by Foster + Partners, with Gruzen Samton as architect of record.
| Jan 24, 2014
Reed Expansion Index predicts widespread economic improvement for the year
Reed's December Expansion Index stood at 1.48, indicating overall construction in the United States is expected to grow over the next 12 months.
