Southern California Industrial Real Estate Blog

INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY TERMINOLOGY

Edited by Jodi Summers

Industrial Ecology is one of the finest concepts to come out of the green revolution. It also has some terminology that is uniquely its own…so we looked all the relevant terms up on Wikipedia (thank you http://en.wikipedia.org/) and would now like to share them with you…

Industrial Ecology - Industrial Ecology has been defined as a “systems-based, multidisciplinary discourse that seeks to understand emergent behavior of complex integrated human/natural systems”. The field approaches issues of sustainability by examining problems from multiple perspectives, usually involving aspects of sociology, the environment, economy and technology. The name comes from the idea that we should use the analogy of natural systems as an aid in understanding how to design sustainable industrial systems.

Circular Economy - Circular Economy is an evolving term that emphasizes strategies which a circular flow of materials and energy for environmental and monetary gain. An example of Circular Economy would be selling waste heat from one process to run another process that requires a lower temperature, thus maximizing energy efficiency by circulating emissions from one business to another.

Closed system - A closed system is a system in the “state of being isolated from its surrounding environment.” The term often refers to an idealized system in which closure is perfect. In reality no system can be completely closed; there are only varying degrees of closure.

Isolated system - In the natural sciences an isolated system, as contrasted with an open system, is a physical system that does not interact with its surroundings. It obeys a number of conservation laws: its total energy and mass stay constant. They cannot enter or exit, but can only move around inside.

Open system - Open system (systems theory), a system where matter or energy can flow into and/or out of the system, in contrast to a closed system, where energy can enter or leave but matter may not.

Eco-Industrial Park - An eco-industrial park (EIP) is an industrial park in which businesses cooperate with each other and with the local community in an attempt to reduce waste and pollution, efficiently share resources (such as information, materials, water, energy, infrastructure, and natural resources), and help achieve sustainable development, with the intention of increasing economic gains and improving environmental quality. An EIP may also be planned, designed, and built in such a way that it makes it easier for businesses to co-operate, and that results in a more financially sound, environmentally friendly project for the developer.

**

http://en.wikipedia.org/

http://greeneconomypost.com/retrofitting-industrial-ecology-for-increased-profitability-and-environmental-improvement-7663.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheGreenEconomyPost+%28The+Green+Economy+Post%29

http://www.bsdglobal.com/viewcasestudy.asp?id=77

http://www.enviroscopy.com/uploads/ESYOffer/industrial.s.jpg

http://amassthetruth.com/images/closed-system1.jpg

http://i.treehugger.com/images/2007/10/24/water%20cycle-jj-001.jpg

LOS ANGELES NEEDS AN INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGIST

By Jodi Summers

Industrial Ecologist > the job description would be: To ascertain, catalog and cross reference the inflow and outflow of materials involved in manufacturing conducted in a given geographic area and figure out how one manufacturer’s excretion becomes another manufacturer’s production components. Low temperature steam anyone?

Industrial Ecology is based on the ideology of nature. It claims that industrial ecosystem may behave similar to the natural ecosystem where everything gets recycled. It involves the shifting of industrial processes from open systems to closed systems. The difference? An open system is “a system where matter or energy can flow into and/or out of the system, in contrast to a closed system, where energy can enter or leave but matter may not.”

Industrial open systems may involve the sharing of information, services, utility, and stem by-product resources > the outcome is always intended to add value, reduce costs and improve the environment. This flow is called industrial symbiosis - a type of eco-industrial development which expounds upon the theory industrial ecology.

The most traditional form of industrial ecology is the inflow and emission of materials - energy, water, by-products, finished goods, waste.

Geographic proximity is an obvious factor – which is why warehousing near LAX (in areas like Inglewood + Lennox) + the ports (Long Beach, San Pedro, Torrance, Carson), will always be valuable.

An area offering a superior example of a closed industrial system is the municipality of Kalundborg, Denmark. There is an industrial co-operation taking place between a number of companies and Kalundborg Municipality which mutually exploits each other’s by-products. The brilliant industrial symbiosis of Kalundborg has evolved over several decades, and has grown to encompass some 20 projects. All projects are environmentally and financially sustainable.

It is a beautiful example of industrial recycling which could perhaps be implemented in nearby industrial regions around L.A. As environmental regulations became stricter, firms will become more motivated reduce the cost of compliance, and turn their by-products into economic products.

An added benefit - rekeying industrial usage is a great way to cost justify the expense of greening an industrial property and tapping into those government benefits.

**

http://greeneconomypost.com/retrofitting-industrial-ecology-for-increased-profitability-and-environmental-improvement-7663.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheGreenEconomyPost+%28The+Green+Economy+Post%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_system

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_symbiosis

http://www.symbiosis.dk/industrial-symbiosis.aspx

http://www.bsdglobal.com/viewcasestudy.asp?id=77

http://www.industrialecologyinpractice.com/msc-programme

CALGREEN – > CALIFORNIA NOW HAS THE COUNTRY’S GREENEST BUILDING STANDARD

By Jodi Summers

Bravo to us! California has adopted the greenest building standards in the United States…and the world.

The new code, called Calgreen, goes into effect next January 2011. It requires all builders to:

v Install plumbing that cuts indoor water use.

Mary Nichols, chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board, said the new building code would require developers to slash water use in their buildings by 20%, using more efficient toilets, shower heads and faucets.

v Divert 50 percent of construction waste from landfills to recycling.

v Use low-pollutant paints, carpets and floorings

v Buildings will be given certificates of occupancy occupied only after strict energy standards were verified.

In addition, for non residential buildings:

v Install separate water meters for different uses.

v Mandates the inspection of energy systems by local officials to ensure that heaters, air conditioners and other mechanical equipment in nonresidential buildings are working efficiently.

v It allows local jurisdictions, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, to retain their stricter existing green building standards, or adopt more stringent versions of the state code if they choose.

“California should be proud… These are simple, cost-effective green practices. …” notes Tom Sheehy, acting secretary of the state Consumer Services Agency and chair of the California Building Standards Commission, which approved the standards. “This is (something) no other state in the country has done - integrating green construction practices into the very fabric of the construction code.”

While California’s largest metropolitan areas have adopted their own green building standards, these new regulations will be particularly useful for smaller jurisdictions that have been unable to develop their own green construction guidelines.

This is a positive alternative to LEED construction standards. Sites Sandra Boyle, an executive vice president of Glenborough, a developer, “The cost for owners to go through this rating system is astronomical — in a very challenging commercial real estate market.”

“You will have a whole bunch of cities that never would have included this in their building doing it, and doing it in a way that won’t kill the economy,” observes Matthew Hargrove, a vice president with the California Business Properties Association. “Outside the coastal areas it will be helpful - like in West Sacramento, where they looked into creating a green building code but balked because it’s cumbersome to develop and they didn’t have the resources.”

Buildings currently account for about one-quarter of the state’s total greenhouse gas emissions. These new standards are applauded as an important step in helping California meet its goal in reducing the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2020.

**

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2010/01/13/MNDR1BH9SA.DTL#ixzz0dJ9grkaW

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2010/01/13/MNDR1BH9SA.DTL

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-green-building11-2010jan11,0,1841989.story

http://www.thedailygreen.com/cm/thedailygreen/images/WA/Kohler-DualFlush-BR08-lg.jpg

RECYCLE L.A. TELEPHONE NUMBERS

RECYCLE L.A. TELEPHONE NUMBERS

by the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Bureau of Sanitation

edited by Jodi Summers

Have something beyond the usual household refuse you’d like to recycle?

Here’s who you need to contact:

RECYCLE L.A. TELEPHONE NUMBERS

Alley Clean Up 800-996-2489

Animal Services 888-452-7381

Bulky Item Pick Up 800-773-2489

Bureau of Sanitation Customer Service Center 800-773-2489

Dead Animal Pick Up 800-996-2489

Drop Off Yards 800-773-2489

Household Toxics/SAFE Centers 800-988-6942

Illegal Dumping 800-996-2489

Multi-Family Residential Recycling Program Hotline 800-773-2489

Pot Holes 800-996-2489

Sewer & Storm Drain Issues 800-996-2489

Stormwater Hotline 800-974-9794

Street Lighting 800-996-2489

Street Tree Trimming 800-996-2489

Toll-free City Information 3-1-1

Used Oil Disposal 800-988-6942

Vacant Lot Clean Up 800-996-2489

City of Los Angeles Neighborhood Drop-Off Yards

Drop Off Yards accept materials such as bulky items, furniture and up to 4 tires per year. All Collection yards are open from 8am-2pm, Monday through Friday. For more information call 800-773-2489.

Bulky Item Collection

The City of Los Angeles (City) will pick up your large or bulky household items, such as mattresses, couches and other furniture. To make arrangements to have these items removed from your curbside, please call 800-773-2489 or 3-1-1.

Unrequested Advertising or Unwanted Mail

You can reduce unrequested advertising or unwanted mail by visiting their website (www.dmaconsumers.org) or writing to:

Direct Marketing Association

Mail Preference Service

P.O. Box 9008

Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008

For additional program information visit the Multi-Family Residential Recycling website at www.larecycles.org or Email us at multifamily@lacity.org. Call the Hotline at 800-773-2489 or 3-1-1

THAT’S IT! IT’S EASY!

**

http://www.larecycles.org/pdf/Resorce_Card_english.pdf

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/emeraldcity/2008/02/does-the-trash.html

http://www.ecotrashbin.com/20%20yard.JPG

YALE PICKS THE TEN MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY COUNTRIES

YALE PICKS THE TEN MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY COUNTRIES

Edited by Jodi Summers

Every year, Yale University releases an Environmental Performance Index (EPI), calculating national environmental factors such as a country’s environmental health, air pollution, water resources and productive natural resources. So let us present to you the most recent top 10 winning countries who can boast the title of the most eco-friendly nations in the world.

1 - Switzerland

Switzerland’s hard-line legislation on pollution makes it one of the world’s most eco-friendly nations. Switzerland’s strategy is to continue to foster cooperation between organizations and individuals. To make sure everyone is acutely aware of how precious the environment can be, Switzerland charges for their water and waste management services as well as establishing severe environmental taxes. Prevention is the third key tenet, shown by the 2006 development of the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), to sustain natural resources and develop safety measures for natural hazards.

2 - Norway

Overcast Norway is the home of the world’s largest solar production plant, owned by REC Group. Norway has also taken emissions seriously, and is now planning on becoming carbon neutral by 2030, not 2050 as originally expected. The change in anticipated timing has been reduced because of what Norway has learned by funding green projects abroad and reducing at-home driving and flying.

3 - Sweden

Sweden’s mandate for a country free of fossil fuels by 2020 puts it as the third most eco-friendly country on the planet. Already, a majority of Sweden’s power is either nuclear or hydroelectric. Solutions for automobile and flight transport include ethanol and animal waste conversion. Additionally, Sweden is one of the world leaders working on harnessing the power of waves. At the University of Uppsala, Sweden is developing “wave power” which converts waves into 4x as much energy as solar power in the same amount of time, with no waste and no emissions.

4 - Finland

Finland is experiencing a remarkable recovery from industrialization, using initiatives to clean up water and air quality in industrial areas, and practicing land preservation. Bravo as Finland has managed to reverse deforestation. The country’s forests are now growing at a greater rate than they are being deforested, showing an environmental gain even with the annual timber harvest. Finland can also be attributed with starting the United Nation’s Environmental Program (UNEP) Task Force for Sustainable Building and Construction, which looks not only at the sustainability of the building, but of the resources and process used to construct it.

5 - Costa Rica

With 5% of the world’s biodiversity contained in one country, Costa Rica has always been on the forefront of environmental conservation. Did you know that a full quarter of the nation is devoted to park preservation? That helps the country score high on the EPI list. Couple their conservation efforts with the fact that Costa Rica uses hydroelectric power in 80% of the country, and add on their 5% gas tax which funds environmental programs, and Costa Rica comes in fifth.

6 - Austria

It’s very impressive that Austria’s environmental conservation measures are enforced by all levels of government, from federal to municipal authorities. For example, waste disposal is a highly regulated department encompassing everything from individual waste to corporate chemical, air and agricultural pesticide pollution. Water quality and forest preservation, are extremely high on Austria’s list of priorities, thus the quality level for Austria’s lakes and rivers is among the highest in the world. The development of Austria’s National Protective Forest Plan has also helped in keeping the nation’s natural beauty pristine.

7 - New Zealand

New Zealand‘s relatively small population in relation to land mass has helped preserve this nation’s natural resources. While automotive emissions and industrial pollutants are still problematic, New Zealand is working hard to develop restrictive legislation and alternative energy sources. The nation was host to the 2008 World Environment Day, and has developed the Environmental Risk Management Authority, which regulates the introduction of non-native species and environmental components so as not to threaten New Zealand’s pristine atmosphere.

8 - Latvia

The Baltics weigh in. By monitoring and reducing water pollution, Latvia’s salmon crop and freshwater bodies are all in the range of “good.” Taken steps toward improvement, Lativia has begun dismantling pollutive farms to reduce fertilizer and insecticide chemicals and allow room for the return of natural forests. Since obtaining freedom from the Soviet Union 1990, Lativa has decreased stationary pollution by 46% and wastewater by 44%, devoting a major portion of environmental funds to water treatment and energy conservation techniques.

9 - Colombia

Beating Costa Rica, Colombia is home to 10% of the world’s species, giving the country a wealth of ecological diversity. While Colombia has had problems in the past concerning deforestation, the detrimental effects of the coca trade, and political strife involving their natural oil deposits, these factors have served to motivate Colombia towards energy conservation and new, less politically tumultuous resources. Colombia has also begun programs for the cultivation of natural parks that support the growth of native medicinal plants with preserves such as the Orito Igni-Ande Medicinal Flora Sanctuary, a 10,626 hectare preserve.

10 - France

The French government is very aware of the problem of climate change. Their strict environmental protection measures are incorporated into the national Constitution and reviewed every year with the eventual goal of 54 million tons of saved C02 by 2010. France is one of the few in the Kyoto agreement to cut such a large amount of emissions so quickly. The country’s laws are comprehensive, covering every layer of production from supplier to producer to consumer. This has helped make France the number one producer of renewable energy sources in the EU, 78% of its energy being nuclear powered, which in turn has reduced nitrogen oxide and other hazardous emissions by 70%.

**

Sources:

http://epi.yale.edu/Home

http://epi.yale.edu/CountryScores

http://www.bemoreeco.com/2009/03/top-10-eco-friendly-countries/

http://www.sussex.ac.uk/International/europe/Sweden.jpg

http://greenferret.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/switzerland-mountain-lake.jpg

http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/tag/norway

http://www.ippnw-students.org/Chapters/Finland/finland.jpg

http://www.unitedplanet.org/volunteer-in-costa-rica-long-term/images/costa-rica-ocean-view.jpg

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0510/photos/Jpegs/NewZealand.jpg

http://www.austria-trips.com/images/Austria-Mountains.jpg

http://www.e-architect.co.uk/riga/jpgs/jurmala_latvia_hoskins_m06.jpg

http://img5.travelblog.org/Photos/61720/335583/p/f/1781.jpg

http://i40.tinypic.com/2qncqxi.jpg

http://www.bargesinfrance.com/premier-burgundy-countryside.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3115/2352156385_c389b09b15_b.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/pj48/image/45644972/original.jpg

Sustainable Industries’ Top 10 Green Building Products of 2009

Sustainable Industries’ Top 10 Green Building Products of 2009

Edited by Jodi Summers

Not to be outdone by other trends, Sustainable Industries magazine
has made their choices for the 2009 Top 10 Green Building Products.
These industry-leading green building products winners were
selected by a panel of expert judges and the Sustainable
Industries editorial team based on their environmental
performance, scalability/market impact, innovation,design
aesthetic, value and compatibility with the U.S. Green Building 
Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
rating system. 

The 2009 Top 10 Green Building Product winners are:

Acadia Combined Heating and Cooling System

Made by Hallowell International

(www.gotohallowell.com)

The Acadia is not just another heating and cooling system. It maintains 200 percent efficiency even when outdoor temperatures drop well below zero..should global climate change ever affect us that severely. Acadia users can save up to 70 percent of their home heating energy costs.

ec-H20

Made by Tennant Co.

(www.tennantco.com)

Requiring no chemicals, ec-H2O uses tap water to clean most any surface of most any substance. Each machine reduces water usage by 70 to 80 percent, and the potential of 245 million gallons of water each year if it were installed in all new floor-cleaning machines.

InSpire Wall

Made by ATAS International

(www.atas.com)

This simple technology uses the power of the sun to heat outdoor air before sending it indoors, thereby slashing energy use while boosting indoor air quality. Depending on what kind of heating fuel is being replaced, this product can reduce heating costs by up to $5 for each square foot of InSpire Wall installed.

kama EEBS Structural Systems

Made by kama Energy Efficient Building Systems Inc.

(www.kama-eebs.com)

kama EEBS Structural Systems integrate light gauge metal stud framing system with expanded polystyrene insulation in a proprietary design that eliminates thermal bridging and helps to create a tight, energy-efficient building envelope.

PlybooPure Bamboo Plywood

Made by Smith & Fong Co.

(www.plyboo.com)

Because it’s technically a grass, bamboo had not previously been eligible for FSC certification. But in January 2008, after two years of lobbying, Smith & Fong achieved this first that propelled it to recognition on this year’s Top 10 list.

RainTube

Made by GLI Systems Inc.

(www.raintube.com)

This product received more Top 10 nominations than any other product this year. RainTube is a rain gutter filter made of 100 percent post-consumer high-density polyethylene – old milk jugs, in other words. This product is also Cradle to Cradle-certified, meaning that GLI Systems Inc had to develop a Post-Use Recovery Plan that goes out with every product.

Separett Villa

Made by Separett

(www.ecovita.net/villa)

This urine-diverting composting toilet – which is 100 percent PVC fee –uses no water and keeps solids separate from liquids, reducing odor and making it possible to reuse waste and urine for composting and fertilizing. The Separett Villa can be deployed where no plumbing exists, allowing for a greater reach of the technology.

Serious Windows

Made by Serious Materials

(www.seriouswindows.com)

Serious Windows are so efficient they have the potential to allow for the elimination of a building’s heating system, allowing waste heat from building appliances to serve as the main heat source in some applications. The windows have a full-frame R value of at least five and up to 11, which can cut a building’s energy bills by up to 50 percent per month.

Solatube Daylighting Systems

Made by Solatube International

(www.solatube.com)

This patented technology catches direct sunlight and redirects it down an adjustable-length tube, bringing daylight to parts of buildings that would not otherwise have access to natural light. The Vista, Calif.-based company recently launched a product specifically designed for commercial applications, making it ideal for large-roofed warehouses and manufacturing facilities, as well as retail stores and schools – allplaces that have been shown to benefit from increased daylight, as daylight is linked to higher worker productivity, decreased absenteeism and better retail sales.

Your Old Light Fixture

Made by Eleek

(www.eleekinc.com)

Eleek is the only business to make the Top 10 Green Building Products list all four years. Though not a product, Eleek’s lighting restoration service speaks to the important concept of the re-use of existing goods. When Eleek restores a light fixture, every piece of a fixture is taken apart, repaired and restored to its original splendor. Its wiring is updated to comply with modern codes and standards and a new lamp base is installed so it works with energy-efficient lamps such as CFLs and LEDs.

Original article @ http://www.sustainableindustries.com/greenbuilding/49012336.html

THE GREENEST BUILDING IS THE ONE THAT’S ALREADY BUILT

By Jodi Summers

We love this website http://www.thegreenestbuilding.org/. The Greenest Building website is based on the premise of “the Greenest Building is the One Already Built,” and they have the calculators to support that claim.

The goal is to get developers to rehab existing buildings as opposed to tearing them down and building new structures.

For example, the embodied energy calculator will figure out the total energy spent in the production of a building, from the manufacture of materials to their delivery to construction.

The demolition energy calculator is to calculate the amount of energy “needed to raze, load, and haul away construction materials.”

Convert energy to gasoline, figure out BTU usage…http://www.thegreenestbuilding.org/ is fascinating.

SUPERMARKETS GO GREEN

SUPERMARKETS GO GREEN

By Jodi Summers

In SoCal, we think we’re so green with Whole Foods and other green grocers, but the Cub Foods in St. Paul, MN, is going for LEED Gold certification from the US Green Building Council – making Cub Foods the second LEED Gold grocery store in the United States–to do so. (Giant Eagle in Columbus, Ohio is the first.)

The 62,900-square-foot Cub Foods store boasts 44 skylights that will illuminate 75% of regularly occupied spaces, using a solar-powered GPS system that redirects sunlight as needed. LED lights are used exclusively in the parking lot.

“We never intended for this story to be green,” says Lee Ann Jorgenson, a community relations manager of Stillwater, MN-based Cub Foods. But President Brian Huff suggested the possibility and the process took off from there, she noted.

Other techniques used at the store include recycling half the waste from demolished buildings on the site, a water-saving landscape irrigation system, and recycling of building construction materials. But those technologies can be used at many other building types.

Because they sell food and other perishable items, supermarkets have special needs require adaptation to be ‘green’. Cub Foods has received an award from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) GreenChill Partnership at Gold-Level Certification. The award is given for outstanding use of environmentally friendly refrigeration technology. Even lighting refrigerated cases can be managed.

“Our cases use lights that are triggered by motion,” Jorgenson says. The result for all initiatives is a 35% savings on energy.

Packaging is also another important area for sustainability. Johnson Diversey is producing a highly concentrated sanitizer for sinks that automatically dispenses the proper amount of cleaner while reducing the amount of plastic in the store.

Cub Foods is not alone in pursuing sustainability. Corporate parent Supervalu also is building sustainable stores among its other banners, including testing a natural-gas powered fuel cell for its refrigeration system in a Star Market in Newton, MA. Stop & Shop, too, is building sustainable stores, and Fred Meyer hopes to achieve LEED Silver status for a unit in southeast Portland, OR. If it succeeds, the store would be the first grocer in Oregon and parent Kroger’s first unit to do so.

“There is certainly a great deal of interest in building green stores,” says Jeanne von Zastrow, a senior director overseeing sustainability efforts of the Food Marketing Institute, Arlington, VA. “About two years ago, we saw that our member companies wanted assistance to understand this issue.”

The notoriously tight-margin business must carefully track each expenditure, so FMI has created materials for executives to justify the return on investment of green building.

These include simplified carbon calculators to allow companies to assess their energy usage and emissions over a portfolio.

If your grocery store would like consultation, please contact us.

http://www.greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/10/17/giant-eagle

http://www.globest.com/news/1278_1278/insider/175032-1.html

http://www.thefoodtrust.org/…/green.grocery/index.php

http:// www.inspiro.com.au/about_non-woven_fabric.html

http://www.instablogsimages.com/images/2008/02/26/recycled-plastic-clothing_5965.jpg

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/article19414.ece

BRAVO! LEED v3.0 LOOKS AT THE BIG PICTURE IN GREEN BUILDINGS + LETS YOU LOOK TOO

BRAVO! LEED v3.0 LOOKS AT THE BIG PICTURE IN GREEN BUILDINGS + LETS YOU LOOK TOO

By Jodi Summers

LEED v3.0 – the U.S. Green Building Council’s latest green buildings rating system, has a brave new focus – saving energy on the long term.

“This version reflects the rapid advancements in building science and technology and provides incentives for strategies that have greater positive impacts on energy efficiency and CO2 emissions reductions, among other priorities,” notes treehugger.com.

Known around town as LEED 2009, what’s piquing the interest of the saving-money-thru-green-minded is a new requirement that focuses on facility maintenance during the life span of the building. The new rules mandate that energy and water usage for buildings seeking LEED certification now has to be reported for at least five years.

“One of the major differences with the new rating system is that sharing and reporting this energy use data is now required, as it was optional in the previous rating system,” observed property manager Michael Martz.

USGBC will allow projects to comply with the requirement in any of three ways:

1. To renew LEED certification every two years using LEED for Existing Buildings: Operation and Maintenance.

2. Provide energy and water usage data for the building on an ongoing basis annually.

3. The owner of the property authorizes USGBC to access the building’s energy and water usage data directly from the building’s utility provider.

With LEED v3.0, the USGBC offers a more savvy point rating system. The LEED rating system is increasing from a total of 69 points to 100 points – with an emphasis on what matters most from an environmental standpoint – energy efficiency and CO2 reductions. It the early days, a building could earn the same number of points for installing a commuter bike rack as optimizing energy by 10% or reducing water usage by 20%. Now credits are weighed based on how the course of action improves environmental and sapient health.

The LEED v3.0 vision also does a superior job of calculating the value of refurbishing the value of existing buildings. LEED v3.0 looks at the BIG picture.

Part of USGBC’s goal is to help owners and operators optimize building performance over the building’s lifetime. LEED v3.0 goes with the theory that collecting data is the best way to identify and help correct the common gap between energy modeling during the design phase and the building’s actual energy usage.

For those already constructing or managing LEED-certified buildings, the new requirements won’t be much of a change. Add-ons to current building systems will increase front-end costs a bit, but the big upside is that owners can now micromonitor energy usage. This investment will offer a significant savings in energy usage over the life of the building.

“They can see when the energy use has peaked, when it’s at the low, when it’s at the mean, and then they can adjust their programs or their overall systems,” explains Martz.

With LEED v3.Going forward, small businesses will be able to monitor their energy usage with the sophistication of institutions that consume a lot of energy, such as universities, skyscrapers and industrial manufacturers.

**

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/05/leed-30-is-launched.php

http://blogs.nationaltrust.org/preservationnation/?p=525

http://www.socalindustrialrealestateblog.com/?p=407

http://www.usgbc.org/News/USGBCInTheNewsDetails.aspx?ID=2628

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2009/08/leed_reporting_requirement_goo.html

http://www.constructionweekonline.com/pictures/gallery/Stock/green.buildings.jpg

http://www.eco-structure.com/Images/FBI1_tcm26-123089.jpg

http://www.ischool.washington.edu/lewis-hall/greenbuilding.aspx

http://www.fullscalearchitecture.com/press/wp-content/gallery/trevvett-images/trevvett_02.jpg

http://www.dennislawgroup.com/Green_Building_Laws_LEED.html

http://twgi.com/images/picIAMUenergyChartLarge.jpg

http://movetolakenorman.wordpress.com/2008/10/17/lake-norman-real-estate-leed-certification-may-add-value-to-your-home/

California Recycles is offering FREE pick ups in October

California Recycles is offering FREE pick ups in October

Today’s public service announcement…

It’s good to be green, everyone wants to do nice things for you. California Recycles is offering free pick ups for businesses and residence during the month of October in the following areas:

October 13
Downtown LA
Please RSVP by noon on October 9th to be included on our schedule.October 15
Santa Monica and West Los Angeles
Please RSVP by noon on October 13th to be included on our schedule.

October 21
Woodland Hills and Calabasas
Please RSVP by noon on October 17th to be included on our schedule.

October 24
Beverly Hills and West Hollywood
Please RSVP by noon on October 22th to be included on our schedule.

All Items need to be together and ready for pick up.

To be included in the Free Pick Up please RSVP by sending your completed pick up request form http://www.californiarecycles.com/request.htm via email to info@californiarecycles.com of by fax to 310-478-3005.