A Big Picture Overview of the what, why and how of sustainable building.

1. nicole ferrini, asid, rid, leed ap
© 2009 Copyright Uncommon LLC
big picture basics…
© 2009 Copyright Uncommon LLC
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2. the what if scenario…
Possible Action / Reaction
Global Warming
“Yes” “No”
Possibilities
Cost
False $$$$$
Economic Depression
Global Disaster
Economic
True Environmental
Social
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three fold impact…
triple bottom line:
• environment
how we
impact the
planet
• society
how we
impact each
other
• economy
how we impact
resources and
capital
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3. impact categories…
Source: Impact Categories Graphic, USGBC
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for every action…
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4. climate change…
• What is climate change?
– any distinct change in measures of climate “The observed
lasting for a long period of time. widespread warming of
the atmosphere and
• What is global warming? ocean, together with ice
mass loss, support the
– an average increase in temperatures near conclusion that it is
the Earth’s surface and in the lowest layer of extremely unlikely that
the atmosphere. global climate change of
the past 50 years can be
– Increases in temperatures in our Earth’s explained without
atmosphere can contribute to changes in external forcing, and
global climate patterns. very likely that it is not
due to known natural
• Impacts: causes alone.”
– Temperature, precipitation and sea level Energy and the Environment
Explained—Energy
– Which in turn impacts: Information Administration
• Human health
• Agriculture
• Forest composition, health and
productivity
• Water resources
• Coastal areas
• Wildlife
Source: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/downloads/Climate_Basics.pdf
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climate change + greenhouse gases…
• What are greenhouse gases (GHG)?
– carbon dioxide (CO2)
– methane (CH4)
– nitrous oxide (N2O)
– hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
– perfluorocarbons (PFCs)
– sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)
• Energy generated by fossil fuels account for 84% of
carbon dioxide emissions in the US.
• Carbon Neutral
– achieving net zero carbon emissions by balancing a
measured amount of carbon released with an
equivalent amount sequestered or offset.
• Climate Neutral
– Extends to include other GHG regulated by the
Kyoto Protocol
– Carbon Dioxide Equivalence (CDE or CO2e)
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5. indoor environmental quality…
• Indoor Environmental Quality vs. Indoor Air Quality “IEQ encompasses
indoor air quality (IAQ),
– Air Quality addresses: which focuses on
airborne contaminants,
• Presence of contaminants in the air as well as other health,
safety, and comfort
• Movement of air in a space—ventilation issues such as
aesthetics, potable
• Humidity and Temperature water surveillance,
– Environmental Quality addresses Air Quality ergonomics, acoustics,
lighting, and
issues AND: electromagnetic
frequency levels. ”
• Access to Daylight
Whole Building Design Guide,
• Appropriate Lighting Solutions Sustainable Committee
• Access to Views
• Acoustic Quality—privacy and comfort
• Ergonomics
Source: national institute of building sciences
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resource depletion…
• What is a natural resource?
– Economically referred to as land or raw materials
– occur naturally within environments that exist “The conservation of
relatively undisturbed by mankind, in a natural natural resources is
form the fundamental
• Renewable vs. Non‐Renewable problem. Unless we
– Renewable: Can be replenished or reproduced solve that problem,
easily it will avail us little
• Sunlight, air or wind, agricultural crops, etc to solve all others.”
– Non renewable: formed over long geological
Theodore Roosevelt,
periods
Address to the Deep
• Minerals and fossils Waterway Convention,
October 4, 1907
REDUCE R E‐ U S E R ECYCL E
rainforest glacier oceans
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6. human health criteria—air, water + materials contact
impact of environmental toxicity on human health
• Air Pollution
– Six Common Air Pollutants
• Particle Pollution
• Ground level O‐Zone
• Carbon Monoxide
• Sulfur Oxides
• Nitrogen Oxides
• Lead
– EPA Clean Air Act of 1970
– Primary Standards are set based on Human Health
Criteria
– Attainment + Non Attainment Areas
• El Paso, Texas—Non Attainment
• Anthony, New Mexico—Non Attainment
© 2009 Copyright Uncommon LLC Source: www.epa.gov/air
human health criteria—air, water + materials contact
impact of environmental toxicity on human health
• Water Contamination
– Every minute, 7 people die from bad water or no water
– 884 million people, lack access to safe water supplies, approximately one in eight people.
– Lack of sanitation is the worlds biggest cause of infection
– Various causes including:
• Pesticides
• Household waste
• Industrial waste
• Poor Sanitation
© 2009 Copyright Uncommon LLC Image Source: www.waterwise.com
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7. human health criteria—air, water + materials contact
impact of environmental toxicity on human health
• Number of firefighters on
• Materials Emissions leave for respiratory
problems by January
– Off Gassing 2002: 300
• VOCs—Volatile Organic Compounds
• Tons of asbestos used in
– Eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches, loss of the construction of the
coordination, nausea; damage to liver, kidney, and towers: 1,000
central nervous system. Some organics can cause
cancer in animals; some are suspected or known to • Tons of debris generated
cause cancer in humans. from WTC: 1 Million
• Common Substances to avoid…just to name a few
• Other contaminants
– Formaldehyde, Vinyl Chloride, Styrene, Lead, Mercury, found at ground zero:
Cadmium, Chromium, Acetone radionuclides, benzene.
– Toxic Chemicals dioxins, PCBs, fibreglass.
mercury, lead, silicon,
and sulphuric acid
© 2009 Copyright Uncommon LLC Picture Source: www.wtceo.org
water…the world’s forgotten crisis
• We use water for:
– Agricultural "There is a water
– Domestic crisis today. But the
– Industrial crisis is not about
– Environmental having too little
water to satisfy our
• Water Stress
needs. It is a crisis of
– An imbalance between water consumption and available managing water so
resources badly that billions of
• Impacts of Global Warming: people ‐ and the
– Increased evaporation environment ‐ suffer
badly."
– Rising Sea Levels cause saltwater infiltration of fresh water
supply World Water Vision
– Water: “Too much, too little or too suddenly” (World Water Council) Report
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8. water intake
© 2009 Copyright Uncommon LLC Source: www.worldwatercouncil.org
the facts…
• In the United States buildings represent
– 38.9% of U.S. primary energy use
The overall green
– 38% of all CO2 Emissions building market is
likely to more than
– 13.6% of potable water usage (15 trillion gallons per year) double from today’s
$36‐49 billion to
– 40% of raw materials usage globally
$96‐140 billion by
– 13.2% of the $13.2 trillion dollar GDP 2013.
Green Outlook 2009:
Trends Driving Change
McGraw Hill
Construction
Source: USGBC Green Building Facts
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9. the results…
Sustainable buildings:
– Save money
• Operating costs decrease
• Building value increases
• Return on investment improves
• Occupancy ratio increases
• Rent ratio increases
– Consume less energy and fewer resources
• 26% less energy
• 33% less greenhouse gas emissions
– Have healthier more productive occupants
• IEQ improvements are estimated to
save $17‐48 billion in total health gains
and $20‐160 billion in worker
performance
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built in sustainability…
green projects benefit:
• owner
• end user
• community
• design team
• construction team
• environment
• economy
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10. building a TEAM + holding it together…
“The key is to
gang up on the
problem rather
than each other.”
Thomas Stalkamp
Director of Baxter
International
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stakeholder buy in…
• identify the stakeholders
• identify the real benefits of building sustainable—for YOUR
project “Management is
doing things
• this doesn’t work if you’re just checking boxes!!! right—leadership
is doing the right
• responsibility, accountability and trust things.”
Peter F. Druker
writer, management
consultant, and self‐
described “social ecologist
*Source: The Commercial Real Estate Revolution; 2009
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11. collaborative communication…
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the tools in the box…
• BIM—Building Information Modeling • LCA—Life Cycle Assessment
• green building rating systems • third party oversight
• local, state and national standards • common sense + smart design
• creative thinking + innovation
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12. process and innovation…
“We believe that
innovation is
essential and
design makes a
difference.”
David Thurm
Senior Vice President
of Operations
New York Times
Corporation*
*Source: The Commercial Real Estate Revolution; 2009
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process and innovation…
Minimize
Waste
Maximize
Value
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13. Decision Making…
the old decision making model
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Brace yourselves, this means change…
the new decision making model
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14. Does sustainable building have to cost more…
Cost is variable and dependent on three
major factors:
• Compare apples
to apples
• Team Experience
• Planning
• Communication
• Accuracy
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building information modeling, have you joined the race…
• What is building information modeling (BIM) ?1
– the process of generating and managing building data during
its life cycle
– Typically it uses three‐dimensional, real‐time, dynamic 3D
building modeling software to increase productivity in
building design and construction • Visualization:
– The process produces the Building Information Model (also Static + Dynamic
abbreviated BIM), which encompasses building geometry,
spatial relationships, geographic information, and quantities 4D
and properties of building components. • Time Factor:
• Reported Advantages: Sequence +
– The spreadsheet analogy Schedule
– Feedback early in the design process = better decisions
5D
– Lower cost through better coordination and fewer changes
– Can assist in documentation for the purposes of certification • Quantity Takeoffs
+ Cost Analysis
1Source: Wikipedia; 2Source: The Commercial Real Estate Revolution; 2009
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15. LCA—life cycle assessment…
• LCA is a technique for assessing
the environmental aspects and
potential impacts associated
with a product or process over
the course of its life.
– raw materials acquisition
– manufacturing
– product fabrication
– filling, packaging and
distribution
– use, reuse, and
maintenance
– recycle, waste
management
Source: www.epa.gov
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green rating systems—what’s out there…
• USGBC—United States Green Building Council
– LEED for New Construction
– LEED for Commercial Interiors
– LEED for Maintenance + Operations
– LEED for Schools
– LEED for Homes
• GBI—Green Building Initiative
– Green Globes
• US DOE—United State Department of Energy
– Energy Star
• NAHB—National Association of Home Builders
• State of California
– CHPS (California High Performance Schools)
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16. my top ten favorite rating system comments
by : nicole ferrini
10. “I couldn’t figure out the template, so I just guessed”
9. “Do I really have to put our actual numbers into the template?”
8. “How much does X number of points cost?”
7. “But I don’t want to provide actual materials cost?”
6. “Can we don’t and say we did?”
5. “Are they going to come back and check that we really
implemented these strategies?”
4. “Phew, 75% construction completion, almost done…can we do
LEEDS now?
3. “We’ve been designing sustainable buildings for years, we don’t
need a checklist.”
2. “How many points do I need to get a plaque?”
1. “I don’t need a rating system to build sustainable”
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additional resources…
internet print
• www.buildinggreen.com • the HOK Guidebook to
Sustainable Design
• www.usgbc.org
• Natural Capitalism: The New
• www.epa.gov Industrial Revolution
• www.energystar.gov • The Commercial Real Estate
• www.eia.doe.gov Revolution
• www.architecture2030.org • Green Building A to Z:
Understanding the Language of
• www.ipcc.ch Green Building
• www.greenbuildinginstitute.org • LEED Reference Guide for
• www.wbdg.org Building Design and
• www.nationalgeographic.com Construction
• www.informedesign.umn.edu • Nature—International Weekly
Journal of Science
• www.nature.com • National Geographic
* for more information about sustainable practices in this region,
contact the USGBC Chihuahuan Desert Chapter
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