Global green building alliance releases guide for $35 trillion investment to achieve net zero, meet global energy transition goals

The international alliance of UK-based Building Research Establishment (BRE), the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC), the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the Alliance HQE-GBC France developed the guide, Financing Transformation: A Guide to Green Building for Green Bonds and Green Loans, to strengthen global cooperation between the finance and real estate sectors.

Sustainability

5 ways ESG can influence design and create opportunities

Gensler sustainability leaders Stacey Olson, Anthony Brower, and Audrey Handelman share five ways they're rethinking designing for ESG, using a science-based approach that can impact the ESG value chain.

Sustainability

CBRE to use Climate X platform to help clients calculate climate-related risks

CBRE will use risk analysis platform Climate X to provide climate risk data to commercial renters and property owners. The agreement will help clients calculate climate-related risks and return on investments for retrofits or acquisitions that can boost resiliency.

Building Technology

Could ‘smart’ building facades heat and cool buildings?

A promising research project looks at the possibilities for thermoelectric systems to thermally condition buildings, writes Mahsa Farid Mohajer, Sustainable Building Analyst with Stantec.

May 25, 2011

Low Impact Development: Managing Stormwater Runoff

Earn 1.0 AIA/CES HSW/SD learning units by studying this article and successfully passing the online exam.

May 25, 2011

Smithsonian building $45 million green lab

Thanks to a $45 million federal appropriation to the Smithsonian Institution, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Md., has broken ground on what is expected to be one of the most energy-efficient laboratories in the country. The 69,000-sf lab is targeting LEED Gold and is expected to use 37% less energy and emit 37% less carbon dioxide than a similar building.

May 20, 2011

Chicago leads the nation in LEED-certified square footage

The U.S. Green Building Council reports that Chicago has the highest number of square feet of LEED-certified green building projects nationally with 71 million square feet.

May 18, 2011

Eco-friendly San Antonio school combines history and sustainability

The 113,000-sf Rolling Meadows Elementary School in San Antonio is the Judson Independent School District’s first sustainable facility, with green features such as vented roofs for rainwater collection and regionally sourced materials.

May 16, 2011

USGBC and AIA unveil report for greening K-12 schools

The U.S. Green Building Council and the American Institute of Architects unveiled "Local Leaders in Sustainability: A Special Report from Sundance," which outlines a five-point national action plan that mayors and local leaders can use as a framework to develop and implement green schools initiatives.

May 16, 2011

Virtual tour: See U.S. Green Building Council’s new LEED Platinum HQ—and earn CE credits

A virtual tour of the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Platinum HQ is available. The tour features embedded videos, audio podcasts, and information on building materials and products used throughout the space. By taking the virtual tour, professionals can earn GBCI Continuing Education hours for the LEED AP with specialty and LEED Green Associate credentials.

May 16, 2011

Seattle unveils program to boost building efficiency

Seattle launched a new program that will help commercial property owners and managers assess and improve building energy efficiency. Under the program, all commercial and multifamily buildings larger than 10,000 sq. ft. will be measured for their energy performance using the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.

May 10, 2011

Cascadia Green Building Council report urges net-zero water systems for multifamily and commercial buildings

A new report from the Cascadia Green Building Council offers best management practices for designing safe, efficient, and effective net-zero water systems for the multifamily, commercial, single-family, and neighborhood market segments.

May 10, 2011

Greenest buildings: K-12 and commercial markets

Can you name the nation’s greenest K-12 school? How about the greenest commercial building? If you drew a blank, don’t worry because our friends at EarthTechling have all the information on those two projects. Check out the Hawai’i Preparatory Academy’s Energy Lab on the Big Island and Cascadia Green Building Council’s new Seattle headquarters.

May 10, 2011

Solar installations on multifamily rooftops aid social change

The Los Angeles Business Council's study on the feasibility of installing solar panels on the city’s multifamily buildings shows there's tremendous rooftop capacity, and that a significant portion of that rooftop capacity comes from buildings in economically depressed neighborhoods. Solar installations could therefore be used to create jobs, lower utility costs, and improve conditions for residents in these neighborhood.