Environmental Design + Construction - December 2008 - (Page 42)

INDUSTRY LEADERS ADDRESS THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF GREEN BUILDING ISSUES. From Green Building to Living Buildings By Dennis Wilde , President, Gerding Edlen Sustainable Solutions When Gerding Edlen Development began to focus on green building 10 years ago, many of our peers thought we were wasting money and time — that sustainable development was a fad with little chance of being profitable. We had a different view, believing we could create buildings that retain their value, conserve resources, are more hospitable to their residents, and have less impact on the earth. Today, 39 LEED projects later, our once revolutionary vision is becoming standard, and many of the early naysayers now see sustainable development as a smart business decision. We continue to push for buildings and neighborhoods that not only conserve but also generate resources, and know that collaboration with our peers is the best way for all of us to advance sustainable development. For so long, LEED has defined green building and set a great standard, giving us the language and establishing the guidelines that got us all on the same page. But to truly impact our collective carbon footprint and reduce our use of natural resources, our building habits must change even more. At Gerding Edlen, we now use a measure called the Livable Place Index, which measures a project’s impact on people, profit and planet. Our definition of green building has expanded to include 20-minute living and sustainable neighborhoods that enrich lives by incorporating mass transit, retail and housing, green spaces and public art, innovative energy and water solutions, and even greener lifestyle options. Cyan/PDX in Portland, Ore., is a great example (visit www.cyanpdx.com). A full host of green building features will shrink its carbon footprint, but what really adds to its appeal are its proximity to streetcar, bus, light rail and bike routes, and small-scale homes that encourage residents to live more efficiently and use city amenities as an extension of their home. As we continue to explore and refine the possibilities before us, several things WE COULD CREATE BUILDINGS THAT RETAIN THEIR VALUE, CONSERVE RESOURCES, ARE MORE HOSPITABLE TO THEIR RESIDENTS, AND HAVE LESS IMPACT ON THE EARTH. 42 ed+c D E C E MBE R 08 http://www.cyanpdx.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Environmental Design + Construction - December 2008

Environmental Design %2B Construction - December 2008 Contents Web TOC Editor's Note Newsline Living Lab Sustainable Perspectives Resources Products Trade Names Suppliers 2008 Top Products Shedding Light on Energy Advertiser's Index Marketplace %2B Classifieds Parting Shot

Environmental Design + Construction - December 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.