New Orleans, La. (May 12, 2011) -- The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) today announced that the virtual tour of its LEED Platinum headquarters is now available online at www.usgbc.org. 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 (CE) hours for the LEED AP with specialty and LEED Green Associate credentials. The tour went live online concurrently with the AIA 2011 National Convention and Design Exposition in New Orleans.
“Our headquarters was envisioned to serve as an educational learning lab to professionals yearning for real-world examples of successful green practices,” said Richard Graves, USGBC’s SVP for Education and Community. “The virtual tour allows us to reach professionals in every corner of the globe, using an interactive, cutting-edge medium.”
Modeled after live tours given at its D.C. headquarters to members of the green building community worldwide, the three-dimensional tour explores the integrated design approach fundamental to the LEED green building rating system, and integrated throughout the offices.
Several educational courses offered by USGBC’s broad network of education providers are linked throughout the tour, including Excel Dryer Inc./Sloan Valve Company, The Mohawk Group, National Gypsum, USG Corporation, IceStone and Wilsonart International, Inc. These courses qualify for continuing education units (CEUs) for several industry organizations and professional development requirements, including AIA/SD LU's in addition to GBCI CE hours.
The virtual tour was developed by Igloo Studios using Google SketchUp and Google Earth, and continuing educational credit for the tour was made possible by AEC Daily Corp. Take the virtual tour.
About U.S. Green Building Council
The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprising 79 local affiliates, nearly 16,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 162,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students.
Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.
About AEC Daily
AEC Daily is the largest provider of FREE online continuing education to construction professionals. Over 300 courses are available online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and provide credits that are either registered or meet the requirements of over two dozen professional institutions. Architects, engineers, interior designers and other construction professionals rely on AEC Daily to maintain their accreditation with ease.
About Igloo Studios
Igloo Studios, an official Google SketchUp™ partner, develops 3D building product models and related productivity applications for design industry professionals. Having converted thousands of real-world products into Google SketchUp-enabled 3D models, Igloo Studios has collectively generated over 1.7 million product downloads to date from the Google 3D Warehouse for its manufacturing clients. Igloo Studios also offers the design industry custom SketchUp-based applications and training designed to assist in the finding, presenting and selling of projects and integrated products. Through the School brand, Igloo Studios provides worldwide training and consulting on 3D design software. Established in March 2005, Igloo Studios is headquartered in San Francisco, CA with an office in Los Angeles, CA.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
New air-conditioning design standard allows for increased air speed to cool building interiors
Building occupants, who may soon feel cooler from increased air movement, can thank a committee of building science specialists. The committee in charge of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55 - Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy—after months of study and discussion--has voted recently to allow increased air speed as an option for cooling building interiors. In lay terms, increased air speed is the equivalent of turning up the fan.
| Aug 11, 2010
PCA partners with MIT on concrete research center
MIT today announced the creation of the Concrete Sustainability Hub, a research center established at MIT in collaboration with the Portland Cement Association (PCA) and Ready Mixed Concrete (RMC) Research & Education Foundation.
| Aug 11, 2010
Study explains the financial value of green commercial buildings
Green building may be booming, especially in the Northwest, but the claims made for high-performance buildings have been slow to gain traction in the financial community. Appraisers, lenders, investors and brokers have found it difficult to confirm the value of high-performance green features and related savings. A new study of office buildings identifies how high-performance green features and systems can increase the value of commercial buildings.
| Aug 11, 2010
Architecture Billings Index flat in May, according to AIA
After a slight decline in April, the Architecture Billings Index was up a tenth of a point to 42.9 in May. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. Any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings.
| Aug 11, 2010
Free-span solar energy system installed at REM Eyewear headquarters
The first cable-suspended free-span solar energy system was completed today over the REM Eyewear headquarters parking lot in Sun Valley, Calif. The patented, cable-supported photovoltaic system created by P4P Energy is expected to generate 40,877 kilowatt-hours of renewable electricity per year, enough to power five to six single family homes and to prevent 1.5 million pounds of carbon from being released into the atmosphere.
| Aug 11, 2010
Construction employment declined in 333 of 352 metro areas in June
Construction employment declined in all but 19 communities nationwide this June as compared to June-2008, according to a new analysis of metropolitan-area employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. The analysis shows that few places in America have been spared the widespread downturn in construction employment over the past year.
| Aug 11, 2010
Jacobs, Hensel Phelps among the nation's 50 largest design-build contractors
A ranking of the Top 50 Design-Build Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
CHPS debuts high-performance building products database
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) made a new tool available to product manufacturers to help customers identify building products that contribute to sustainable, healthy, built environments. The tool is an online, searchable database where manufacturers can list products that have met certain environmental or health standards ranging from recycled content to materials that contribute to improved indoor air quality.
