Sustainable Land Development Today - October 2008 - (Page 38)

BUILDING SMART Sorting Through Green Building Myths and Facts Sustainable buildings don’t have to cost more to construct as major corporations and the government are discovering. By Martin Melaver Everyone wants to spend money wisely and do what’s best for their family or business, and “green,” sustainable buildings do just that. Major corporations and stuffy federal bureaucrats alike are on board with green building. The cost difference is slim to none. It’s just good sense, really – make smart choices in the design, building or renovation phases and then enjoy the benefits, such as lower utility bills. There are many benefits to green buildings besides lower operating costs. Green buildings are recognized as better investments than non-green buildings – two recent studies show that green certified buildings outperform peers in occupancy rates, sale price and rental rates. Green buildings can add up to huge environmental changes, since energy use by buildings makes up more than a third of the energy consumed in the U.S. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification is the internationally-recognized standard for high performance, low-water and energy-use buildings awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council. With rising energy prices and interstate fights over water, green building looks like an even smarter choice for the future. The average LEED-certified building uses 32 percent less electricity and 36 percent less total energy than regular new buildings, with energy savings in the highest level LEED buildings approaching 50 percent. Water usage in LEED-certified buildings is on average 30 percent less than non-LEED buildings. Despite the mainstream embrace of green building, green building concepts 38 October 2008 Sustainable Land Development Today remain new to some consumers and businesses. Many are mislead by myths related to these sustainable practices, so let’s take a look at some facts. MYTH: Only tree-hugging, tiedye wearing, Grateful Dead-listening hippies are into this stuff. FACT: Federal, state and local governments, educational institutions and nonprofit organizations are developing green buildings. LEED initiatives are finding their way into legislation, executive orders, resolutions, ordinances, policies, and incentives in 77 cities, 24 counties, 19 towns, 28 states, twelve federal agencies, twelve public school jurisdictions and 36 institutions of higher education across the United States. Over 40 percent of Real Estate Investment Trusts in the United States are actively pursuing energy efficiency and green building upgrades with another 30 percent planning to do so. MYTH: Green buildings cost more. (Hint – they don’t. * If you’re about to stop reading and skip to another article, stick with us for three or four more sentences – this is a crucial point: green buildings don’t cost more.) FACT: Study after study has shown a slim to non-existent cost premium for building high performance green buildings. In 2003, Gregory Kats, of Capital E energy consultants, released a study showing that the average construction premium for a sample of 33 LEED buildings across the country was 1.84 percent. In 2004, the U.S. General Services Administration (the agency that builds or leases millions of square feet for federal offices, courthouses and special facilities) reported that the anticipated construction premium for new federal courthouses would range from a negative 0.4 percent for a “low-cost” LEED-Certified facility, to a high of 8.1 percent for a “high cost” LEED-Gold facility. In 2005, Turner Construction’s Market Barometer study found that the average estimated cost premium for sustainable building is only 0.8 percent for a basic LEED certification. In 2006, real estate consultant Davis Langdon compared the cost of 83 buildings seeking LEED certification against 138 conventional buildings. Their analysis concluded that “the cost per square foot for buildings seeking LEED certification falls into the existing range of costs for buildings of similar program type.” The following list is a sampling of the major corporations that have built one or more LEED certified buildings Adobe Systems Bank of America Delta Airlines Gap, Inc. Home Depot IBM JP Morgan Microsoft Nike REI Sony Starbucks Target U.S. Steel Wachovia Wal-Mart

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Sustainable Land Development Today - October 2008 Contents Our Voice Editorial Board SLDT Resources Dynamic Duo Holding Your Ground Technology Low Impact Stormwater Management Seeking Your Feedback Preferred Providers Bookstore Back from the Brink Finance Transportation Building Smart Industry News Advertiser Index Products/Services Showcase Marketplace Last Word

Sustainable Land Development Today - October 2008

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