The District of Columbia has more green buildings than other large U.S. cities on a per capita basis, according to the 2012 Green Building Report. D.C.’s policies have made it a leader in highly efficient building construction and renovation.
New goals will likely prompt the District to raise the efficiency bar even higher. To help guide policies for a new era of green design, D.C.’s Department of the Environment commissioned a study to assess costs and benefits associated with net zero energy, net zero water, and Living Buildings.
The Net Zero and Living Building Challenge Financial Study: A Cost Comparison Report for Buildings in the District of Columbia was conducted by International Living Future Institute, New Buildings Institute, and Skanska. The team’s analysis identified incremental cost premiums for deep energy and water conservation as well as for photovoltaic and water reuse systems that would bring a project to net zero.
The cost premium for energy efficiency was 1%-12% depending on building type, and rose to 5%-19% for net zero energy. “If the owner has sufficient tax appetite, tax credits and renewable energy credits make the return on investment approximately 30%, whereas the return on investment for energy efficiency alone was in the range of 5-12%,” the report says.
Read the full report at: http://newbuildings.org/net-zero-living-building-challenge-financial-study
Related Stories
| Jun 14, 2012
USGBC co-founder launches rating system for building product manufacturers
U.S. Green Building Council co-founder David Gottfried’s new venture, Regenerative Ventures, has established a rating system for building product manufacturers.
| Jun 14, 2012
Green standard set for single-ply roofing membrane
A sustainability standard has been established for single-ply roofing membranes used on commercial buildings.
| Jun 14, 2012
Minnesota Vikings stadium plan gets legislative go-ahead
Legislation that approved the construction of a new billion dollar stadium for the Minnesota Vikings passed the Minnesota legislature.
| Jun 14, 2012
Report alleges New York’s prevailing construction wages are miscalculated, costing billions
A miscalculation in how prevailing wages are calculated in New York reportedly costs the state $3 billion a year in public-infrastructure projects.
| Jun 14, 2012
AGC, other business groups oppose hiring rules for disabled
Business groups have asked the U.S. Department of Labor to reconsider a proposed hiring quota aimed at federal contractors pertaining to people with disabilities.
| Jun 5, 2012
HP Labs aims for net-zero energy data centers
Building sustainable data centers is one of the goals of HP Labs, and it believes technology, combined with the right building techniques, could result in the construction of energy-efficient data centers.
| Jun 5, 2012
USGBC delays LEED 2012; renames it LEED v4
In response to concerns by LEED users, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that it will delay the ballot on LEED 2012 until June 1, 2013.
| Jun 5, 2012
Baltimore officials vow to block $1.8 billion urban renewal project
Baltimore officials want to block a $1.8 billion urban renewal project until more neighborhood residents and minority contractors are hired and displaced residents can benefit from the revitalization.
| Jun 5, 2012
OSHA launches campaign to warn of heat dangers in outdoor work
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has begun a campaign to warn outdoor workers about the dangers of heat exposure.