Consulting-Specifying Engineer - December 2007 - (Page 9) In The News NEWS AND TRENDS Benefits of green office buildings Briefly… • “Construction Outlook: Fourth Quarter 2007” is available from FMI, Raleigh, N.C. FMI’s outlook for 2008 has been revised slightly downward since the third quarter, but certain segments, such as nonresidential and nonbuilding, will remain strong. www.fminet.com. Combat Climate Change (3C), a coalition of 46 international companies advocating for action on climate change, released its roadmap and call for action at a seminar in Washington, D.C. in November. www .combatclimatechange.org The thirteenth Vital Signs survey by the National Assn. of Industrial and Office Properties found that strong industrial markets, strong rent gains and a growing interest toward medical office buildings brought an upbeat perspective from commercial developers. www.naiop.org The U.S. Green Building Council announced in November that the William J. Clinton Presidential Library has earned platinum certification under the LEED EB rating system. www.usgbc.org • The Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate buildings. Also, green buildings observed at the University of San Diego and CoStar Group, higher rental rates by almost $2 per sq. ft per Bethesda, Md., have produced a comprehensive year net in the second quarter of 2007 and nationwide analysis on the financial benefits of $2.65 higher in the third quarter of 2007. green office buildings. The study Finally, green buildings command focuses on green buildings that sales prices of 30% more on averGreen buildings have carry the Energy Star rating, proage when compared with other higher rental rates vided by the U.S. Environmental buildings, specifically, $352 per and occupancy rates. Protection Agency. Some of the sq. ft versus $270 per sq. ft for buildings are also USGBC LEEDlast year’s transactions. certified. The research also concludes that new office The research focuses on 435 green and buildings that are not trying to achieve sub238,808 other Class A Office Buildings. The stantial energy savings and improved envibuildings were drawn from CoStar’s nationwide ronments for occupants are likely to become database and controlled for size, floors, class, obsolete quicker than their green counterand age. parts. Less than 1% of all buildings are green, Study findings include the following: Green although the numbers are increasing. For the buildings have higher occupancy rates and full study and a glossary of green terms, go to lower operating expenses than non-green www.usdrealestate.com. • An ISO for sustainability A new International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard, ISO 21930:2007, Sustainability in Building Construction—environmental declaration of building products, intends to promote sustainable construction. ISO officials describe the standard as a tool for the designers of buildings, manufacturers of building products, users of buildings, owners of buildings, and others active in the building and construction sector who “are increasingly demanding information that enables them address environmental impacts of buildings and other construction works,” said Jacques Lair, leader of the team of ISO experts that developed the standard. The overall goal is to encourage the demand for, and supply of, building products that cause less stress on the environment. Events January - February 2008 • 01/20 - 01/23 ASHRAE Winter Meeting New York www.ashrae.org • 01/22 - 01/24 AHR Expo New York www.ahrexpo.com • • 02/19 - 02/21 POWER-GEN Renewable Energy & Fuels Las Vegas pgre08.events.pennnet.com/fl/index.cfm For a complete listing of events go to www.csemag.com and click Events. FOR MORE NEWS STORIES GO TO: WWW.CSEMAG.COM Consulting-Specifying Engineer • DECEMBER 2007 9 http://www.fminet.com http://www.usdrealestate.com http://www.combatclimatechange.org http://www.combatclimatechange.org http://www.ashrae.org http://www.naiop.org http://www.ahrexpo.com http://www.usgbc.org http://pgre08.events.pennnet.com/fl/index.cfm http://www.csemag.com http://www.csemag.com
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