All Articles Tagged Leed

Jason Knott | 03/28 08:24 AM, 0 Comments

The 2012 International Green Construction Code (IgCC) that was released today will increase the energy-efficiency of structures, while providing governments direction and oversight of green design and construction, according to the International Code Council (ICC), the code's author. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), makers of the LEED green building certification system and co-authors of ANSI/ASHRAE/IES/USGBC Standard 189.1, is applauding the new code that will serve as a new policy option for state and local governments looking to codify green building practice. The 2012 IgCC, which incorporates the 2011 version… View this story

Jason Knott | 02/23 10:24 AM, 5 Comments

Will working on a LEED home put your technicians in danger? Yes, says a new study on construction safety that shows there are 50 percent more injuries among construction workers on LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) projects than conventional structures. The study, called “Identification of Safety Risks for High-Performance Sustainable Construction Projects,” from a researcher at the University of Colorado, uses anecdotal evidence to make its conclusion, according to an article from freelance journalist Katie Fraser that appear in the Architectural Record. The most dangerous LEED-related tasks are… View this story

Jason Knott | 10/05 07:33 AM, 0 Comments

For a moment, I was really excited when I read the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) forged "a close collaboration with leading technology companies" for its year-old LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Automation program. Unfortunately, the announcement is nothing more than collaboration with several software companies to make it easier for builders to obtain LEED certification faster and easier. I'm sure the software is necessary to help keep builders from throwing up their hands in frustration over the lengthy certification process. But the announcement reminded me of how… View this story

Jason Knott | 08/29 09:51 AM, 2 Comments

If integrators are looking for more evidence to bring to clients about why to create an energy-efficient home, look no further. Research from the Earth Advantage Institute shows new homes with a LEED for Homes or Energy Star designation sell for 8 percent more than non-certified homes, while existing homes that are converted to meet LEED or Energy Star guidelines sell for a whopping 30 percent more. If that was not enough, the same study shows that these energy efficient homes are on the market 18 days less than their… View this story

Jason Knott | 08/18 08:16 AM, 0 Comments

The United States District Court in New York City has dismissed the $100 million lawsuit brought against the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) by Henry Gifford and others, holding that none of the plaintiffs in the action had alleged or could allege any legal interest to be protected by their lawsuit. In the class-action lawsuitthat was filed in the fall of 2010, Gifford of Gifford Fuel Saving Inc. had claimed that homes that have LEED certification actually use 29 percent more energy vs. traditionally built homes, contending that USGBC's claims… View this story

Steven Castle | 07/20 07:25 AM, 3 Comments

Homebuilder Scott Frankel of Frankel Building Group in Houston understands the value of home automation, building energy-efficient homes that will last, and how the two work together. “The key goal is to be sustainable and last a long time,” says Frankel. “Home automation is one real facet [of that sustainability]. Its fun. It’s neat. It’s cool.” Frankel built 58 LEED-certified homes, priced at $800,000 and up, in a development called ParkGate Reserve in The Woodlands. Crestron home control systems, installed by Premier Technology Group, help the homeowners achieve efficiencies in… View this story

Jason Knott | 07/18 08:43 AM, 0 Comments

The new challenge in green building these days is that consumers are unwilling to pay more to build a LEED home vs. a conventional home. But that limitation was not an issue for Innovative Electronic Systems (IES) in Hurt, Va., as the company undertook the first USGBC LEED Platinum-certified home in central Virginia using the Elk Products’ M1 controller as the “brains.” The Lynchburg residence, called the Eco-House, is intended to be a model home to educate the public regarding new energy efficient systems and green principles, products and services… View this story

Ron Callis | 03/07 09:35 AM, 13 Comments

CE Pro is chronicling the design, build and integration of a 5,500-square-foot home on Miami Beach. After becoming increasingly frustrated with the LEED certification process, Robin Bogle, co-owner of Miami, Fla.-based Advanced Home Theater, decided to "focus less on getting LEED certified and more on simply using the best technologies for an efficient home, inside and out." Last summer, Bogle and his wife began designing and building their dream green home using a best-in-class design team. But Bogle came to the conclusion there is no benefit for having a LEED… View this story

Jason Knott | 03/02 10:37 AM, 0 Comments

The District of Columbia tops a list from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) of the top 10 states (and district) for LEED-certified commercial and institutional green buildings per capita, based on the U.S. 2010 Census. In the District of Columbia, 25 square feet of LEED-certified space per person was built in 2010. Nevada is the leading state, with 10.92 square feet per person in 2010. Other top states include New Mexico, New Hampshire and Oregon with more than 6 and 4 square feet of LEED-certified space per person, respectively.… View this story

Ron Callis | 12/06 07:58 AM, 21 Comments

CE Pro is chronicling the design, build and integration of a 5,500-square-foot LEED-certified home on Miami Beach. "LEED is expensive," quips Robin Bogle when I called to check in on him in mid-November. Bogle was up to his eye balls in LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) criteria and requirements in order to attain his goal of a Silver Status LEED Certification. For the past two weeks Bogle has diligently worked with his LEED consultant, E3 Building Sciences, and Architect, Weber Studios, to work through the maze of requirements… View this story