Brown Roofs, Blue Dorms and Platinum Condos: Emerging Trends in Green

Building

Bryn Nelsonbdnelson@nasw.org

Twitter: @SeattleBryn

I. Put a “Green” Lid on It: What green (and brown) roofs can teach us

II. Follow the LEED-er: Labels as a departure point, not the destination

III. Forever in Blue Jeans? Insulation wars & other adventures in building materials

IV. Extreme “Green” Makeovers: Where do we go from here?

I. Put a “Green” Lid on It

•Movement began in Europe (most studies in German!)

•Growing medium = NOT dirt

•THEN: runoff, energy consumption and temperatures

•NOW: property values and occupancy, tourism, agriculture, education, conservation, sense of community

California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco

Photo credit: Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (www.greenroofs.org) and Rana Creek Living Architecture

Green Roof Posterchild: Innovation, Conservation, Education & Tourism

•9 indigenous plants; conc. of wildflowers in SF

•LEED Platinum

•2.5 acres

•Roof slopes help ventilate and cool

•Cooling effect: 10 °F

•Prevents 70% of runoff

FEATURES:

California Academy of Sciences, San Fran.

Photo credit: Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (www.greenroofs.org) and Barrett Company

O’Hare Airport, Building 607 (17,800 sq. ft or 0.4 acre)

•Native grasses; growing medium: 6 in.

•Water requirements: 1 in/week in summer

Extensive Roofs: Low-Maintenance

CLAIM: Easier & cheaper)retrofit of buildings

BUT: Limited plant choice; not as visually pleasing

FEATURES:

Green & Brown Roofs: Providing/Restoring Habitat

Photo credit: Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (www.greenroofs.org) and Fred Ballerini

Big Sur guesthouse & garage in California

•Habitat for endangered Smith’s blue butterfly

•Habitat also supports plants, birds, reptiles

POLITICS: residence / commercial building as “natural” habitat?

BROWN roofs in London = black redstart habitat

FEATURES:

Photo credit: Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (www.greenroofs.org) and Green Living Technologies, LLC

Green Walls: Urban Gardens

•Tomatoes, strawberries, hot peppers, sugar baby watermelon, lettuce, radishes & legumes

•4 locations in downtown LA (750 sq. feet)

FEATURES:

Intensive Green Roofs: Ag., Ed., Social ServicesGary Comer Youth Center in Chicago

Photo credits: Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (www.greenroofs.org) and John Ronan Architect

•Central garden: 8,160 sq.-feet; growing depth of 18 to 24 in.•Green roof garden manager in educational programs

FEATURES:

Green Roofs as $elling Points: By Land

South Boston condos with two-tiered intensive green roof•LEED Gold Certified

•Upper roof: 8 in.Rec. tier: 6-60 in.

Photo credit: Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (www.greenroofs.org) and Landworks Studio, Inc.

•Focal point for neighborhood

•Pool, green space – with hills!

•Picnic area

FEATURES:

Green Roofs as $elling Points: By Sea!Celebrity Solstice Cruise Ship

•15,000 sq. foot “Lawn Club” green roof for recreation

REQUIREMENTS:•Arctic, N. European, Mediterranean &tropical weather•Resist 100 mph winds(gusts over 120 mph)•Withstand sliding (up to 12° or 27%)•Highly salt-tolerant

Photo credit: Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (www.greenroofs.org) and Green Roof Service LLC

•H2O runoff tanks and solar panels

FEATURES:

Can a White Roof Be “Green”?Metal RoofsCLAIM: Durability = more environmentally friendlyCLAIM: Made from 95% recycled aluminumCLAIM: Reflective pigments = attic heat by up to 34%; energy savings by 20% or more

Source: Classic Metal Roofing Systems; www.classicmetalroofingsystems.com

White Roofs (2000 Florida Solar Energy Center Study) CONCLUSION: White, highly reflective roofs cooling energy savings by 18-26%(white flat ceramic tile, white S-shaped tiles, white metal) CONCLUSION: “White metal had the best cooling related performance” in South Florida

Sources: www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/html/fsec-cr-1220-00; “White roofs back on agenda,”keynews.com, Jan. 12, 2010, http://keysnews.com/node/19948

BUT: Battle over historic preservation vs. energy conservation in Key West; Historic Architectural Review Commission denied homeowner’s request to painthis metal roof white to save energy

BUT: More expensive

II. Follow the LEED-er

100-point scale + 10 bonus points•Certified = 40+•Silver = 50+•Gold = 60+•Platinum = 80+

•Voluntary green building rating system U.S. Green Building Council; www.usgbc.org

Measures: sustainable sites, H2O efficiency, energy & atmosphere, materials & resources, indoor environmental quality, locations & linkages, awareness & education, innovation, regional priority

“Put simply, a building’s LEED rating is more like a snapshot taken at its opening, not a promise of performance. Unless local, state and federal agencies do their part to ensure long-term compliance with the program’s ideals, it could end up putting a shiny green stamp on a generation of unsustainable buildings.”

-Alec Apelbaum, “Don’t LEED Us Astray,” NYT May 19, 2010

LEED: A Point of Departure, No Longer the Destination

Common Labels (too easily attained?):•ENERGY STAR www.energystar.gov•WaterSense www.epa.gov/watersense

Criticisms: Other certifications & awards don’t consider context(Mass transit nearby? Proper siting of building on property? Contributing to sprawl?)

Other Considerations

Bottom line: building codes are the key•New standard: International Green Construction Code www.iccsafe.org/cs/IGCC/Pages/default.aspx

Next Stop: Code Green

Building sector: 50% of U.S. energy consumption•42% operational costs; 8% building materials Source: Ed Mazria, Architecture 2030 www.architecture2030.org

Virtual Tools of the Trade

Pharos: “Offers green building professionals the most comprehensive view of the environmental health impacts of specific products available anywhere.”www.healthybuilding.net

Athena Institute’s Impact Estimator for buildings: www.athenasmi.org/tools/impactEstimator/index.html

The Natural Step’s Sustainability Life Cycle Assessment:www.thenaturalstep.org/en/sustainability-life-cycle-assessment-slca

GreenBlue’s Green2Green comparison of green building products:www.green2green.org

Amicus Green Building Center: An “online green hardware store” for the Baltimore-DC region www.amicusgreen.com

G2N Smart Energy Suite: “Provides the ability to track, manage, and reduce Energy consumption for medium to large buildings http://green20now.com

Names, Names, Names

Credit: word cloud created with Wordl

[Green arrow up; Sprecken zie Greenish?

Spreckenzie Greenish?

Photo Credit: dangoat, via Flickr Creative Commons

HUH? I’m installing a photovoltaic systemAHA! The sun will generate electricity for you

HUH? I’m installing a geothermal pumpAHA! The ground’s stored warmth will help heat your home in winter

HUH? Your building envelope is inefficientAHA! Your walls, roof, doors, & windowsare leaking energy

HUH? I’m installing a variable frequency driveAHA! This will ensure you’re only cooling the areas of the building that you need to

•Either an independent service or an add-on to home inspections

Ex: Cleveland-based Pro Energy Consultants founded in 2008, now 54 franchises www.proenergyconsultants.com

YES! Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010 (HR5019) passed House & pending in Senate; $6 billion for energy efficiency retrofits

NO! Could the risk of scams

Source: Deniene Husted, SDR Consulting, dhusted@sdrpr.com

Growth Industries: Energy Auditors

•Metering, monitoring, audits & analysis for “green” businesses solutions

Ex: New York-based Ecological www.ecologicalgroup.comPhoenix-based Rider Levett Bucknall www.rlb.com

STICK: “Last year saw the first of what will likely be countless successful lawsuits where building occupants were able to prove that their offices made them sick, and start winning large sums from landlords, builders, architects and developers for negligence relating to occupant health and welfare.”- Kimberly Phipps-Nichol, www.bluewaterstudio.us (emphasis mine)

CARROT: Green 20 Now: improve efficiency & cut energy usage http://green20now.com/cms/

Growth Industries: Commercial Property Consultants

Green Roof Nursery Specialists: Sedum and ice plant succulents, modular trays,and region-specific ornamentals •Princeton, Ontario-based Sedum Master www.sedummaster.com•Street, Maryland-based Emory Knoll Farms www.greenroofplants.com•Nebo, NC-based Carolina Stonecrops www.greenroofplants4u.com

Architectural Salvage Yards: For renovations and new homes•Second Use www.seconduse.com•Earthwise www.earthwise-salvage.com•The RE Store www.re-store.org

Photo credit: gilintx via Flickr Creative Commons

III. Forever in Blue Jeans? (the green housing materials industry wants your pants)

KEY INTERVENTION POINTS for efficiency in existing homes:•New sale•Renovation•Refinancing

BUT: How do you decide which materials to use (cost, effectiveness, green cred)?

OTHER TOP CONSIDERATIONS: Insulation, building design, H2O conservation, using sustainable (local) products

“If everything claims to be green and most everything has some sort of green label, it can be difficult to discern green from greenwash.”- Paul Bogart, Director of Programs for Healthy Building Network www.healthybuilding.net

“People often have more good information about a car, or cell phone, or laptop purchase than [about] their homes.”-B. Brian Phillips, Interface Studio Architects LLCbrian@is-architects.com

Information, Please

Insulation Wars!“Among all the choices out there for insulation, cellulose is by far the most environmentally-responsible.”YES! 83% recycled materialsYES! 40% in energy costs (when installed properly)Source: Natalie Hoch, National Fiber www.nationalfiber.com

NO! Insulating value similar to fiberglass (less than other new materials)

Photo credits: Bryn Nelson

Spray foam insulationNO! Petroleum-based productYES! Inert once applied, tight seal provides great air-sealing properties

Soy-based insulationYES! More environmentally-friendlyNO! Not always locally available, in WI must be shipped from 3 states awayPhoto credit: Kanko* via Flickr Creative Commons

Photo credit: resourcerobin.com

Photo credits: jeans courtesy of jerryonlife via Flickr Creative Commons; insulation courtesy of resourcerobin.com

Recycled denim insulationYES! 85-90% recycled content, easy to work withNO! Insulating value to similar to fiberglass (less than other new materials)

Other Surfaces: The “Bamboo Floor” Issue

BUT: Bamboo means China(6,900 miles from WI)

•Hardwoods can be sourcedfrom sustainable forests 200 miles from WI(3 different certifications)

CLAIM: Bamboo is eco-friendly, cheap (up to 50% less), attractive

Source: Robin Pharo (Director, Wisconsin Green Built Home Program); www.resourcerobin.com

Photo credit: bunnicula, via Flickr Creative CommonsSO WHICH IS BETTER?

•Most have formaldehyde binders in adhesives (EPA: gas is irritant & maycause cancer)

Eco-Eucalyptus?

BUT: Lyptus is grown in Brazil(3,200 miles from WI)

CLAIM: Lyptus looks like cherry or mahogany;10 to 40% cheaper

CLAIM: Forests grow rapidly, 11x moreproductive than temperate forest

CLAIM: Lyptus forests = 30x more lumber than unmanaged temperate forest

“Beautiful. Exotic. Eco-Aware.” Source: Weyerhaeuser www.lyptus.com

Photo credits: Lyptus.com

Rice to the Rescue?

GeoDeck: Major type of composite wood alternative Source: Green Bay Decking www.geodeck.com

CLAIM: Less fading, low-maintenance, low H2O absorption, long-lasting

BUT: Reports of “crumbling & bowing” on DIY forums; unclear if = to hi-density wood in performance

CLAIM: 25+% recycled rice hulls; 25+% reclaimed paper waste, & “prime virgin polymer”

Source: www.xomreviews.com/geodeck.com

Photo credit: Green Bay Decking (www.geodeck.com)

The Sward and the Stones: Permeable Paving

•An old technique, reinvented

CLAIM: Permeable surfaces = runoff = stress on city sewers CLAIM: Can incorporate recycled materials, like concrete & rubber CLAIM: Removes pollutants by filtering water

BUT: More expensive & time-consuming to install

Photo credit: Miles Chafee, Milestone Imports; www.milestoneimports.com

“As the green building industry matures, people are starting to realize that there’s no perfect product and there’s no perfect solution. What’s right for one client and one project isn’t necessarily right for the next one.”-Robin Pharo www.resourcerobin.com

In other words, ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL, BUT...

“There are very few absolutely wrong choices. If you’re putting any basic thought into, ‘Let’s make this a more sustainable choice,’ you’ve taken a good first step.”-Robin Pharo

How to Choose?

IV. Extreme “Green” Makeovers: Where Do We Go From Here?

•Key drivers in greening of commercial buildings: -Federal government-Corporate and nonprofit HQ-Higher education

•Other important sectors:-Healthcare-Hotels-Restaurant Industries

•States, counties & cities enacting sticks and carrots

Federal Government Example: U.S. Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria

REQUIREMENTS: After 1998 bombings of African embassies, newcompounds demanded more security

Credit: U.S. Department of State

FEATURES:

•1st U.S. embassy to win LEED certification

•1st LEED-certified building in Bulgaria

•30% in energy costs; 21% in water use

•Security setback requirement = 4 acres of wildlife habitat

•Model for 15+ more embassy compounds

Source: U.S. Green Building Council (pdf available at www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=3381)

U.S. Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria

Nonprofit Sector Example: National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kauai, Hawaii

REQUIREMENTS: Bug-proof, humidity-controlled “clean” lab;can withstand Category 5 hurricane (155 mph winds)

Photo credit: Bryn Nelson

FEATURES:

•1st LEED-certified on Kauai

•Bullet-proof glass

•Wind-resistant solar panels integrated into roof

•Rainwater catchment (25,000 gallons)

•Stairs & walls = reclaimed wood from Indonesian ships

•30% in energy use

National Tropical Botanical GardenJuliet Rice Wichman Botanical Research Center

2008 blog on building’s features:http://ntbgfellows.wordpress.com/scientific-research-and-education

“Kids have grown up with this. I don’t think that this generationwould stand for a wasteful building.” - Julie Taylor, Taylor & Company (www.taylor-pr.com)

Higher Education Raises the Green Bar

2 Ithaca College Dorms in upstate NY receive “Energy Star” ratingSource: “At Upstate Campus, Saving Energy Is Part of Dorm Life” NYT, April 16, 2010

•Rise of the “eco-reps:” the ultimate in green peer-pressure

•Energy STAR’s blue label not just for refrigerators and A/Cs anymore

Colonial Residence Hall, Emerson College, Boston

Photo credit: Architect/Interior Designer: Steffian Bradley Architects; Photographer: Robert Benson Photography

•Daylighting

•Recycled rubber flooring

•Low-flow plumbing

•Sculpted ceilings (Forest Stewardship Councilcertified wood)

•LEED Silver

•Conversion of historic office building to dormitory

Reclaiming Buildings: “Old is the New Green”

FEATURES:

Unity House: President’s Residence, Unity College, ME

Nothing for Something: Net-Zero BuildingsFEATURES:•0 net carbon emissions

•LEED Platinum

•Solar-powered hot H2O

•Daylighting

•Super-insulation heating requirements

•Energy meter in LR

•Prototype for “Unity House” linePhoto credit: Bensonwood Homes www.bensonwood.com/unity

Net-Zero High: LA Unified School District South Region High School #15 (San Pedro neighborhood)

Credit: CO Architects www.coarchitects.com

OTHER FEATURES:

•Solar panels (70% of electricity)

•36 wind turbines (30% of electricity)

•Green roof

•Daylighting

•Landscaping w/ drought-tolerant natives

•$85 million; scheduled completion: 2012

Net-Zero High

Building Healthier Hospitals

“How can we consider designing a sick building for a medicalfacility where people are seeking to get healthy?” - D. Dawnia Bell, www.dailygreendiva.com

Health Care Without Harm www.noharm.org

Practice Greenhealth www.practicegreenhealth.org

Credit: CO Architects www.coarchitects.com

Palomar Medical Center WestNorth San Diego County

FEATURES:

•Follows Green Guide for Healthcare recommendations

•Main exposures face N & S, allows for max. daylight but heat and glare

•Green roof w/ garden (designed to be therapeutic)

•Landscaping w/ drought-tolerant natives

•360-bed hospital

Palomar Medical Center West

Restaurants Serving Up a Slice of Green?Revd UP Pi in Manhattan- “Leading the Pizza Revolution”

•Retrofit of drug store, applied for LEED Platinum

•Exterior drywall is product of wastewater treatment industry

•Insulation: recycled denim

•LED light fixtures; solar panels/wind turbines on roof

•Interior features from reclaimed/ reused items

Source: Rob Nichols, Berkshire Consulting www.nicholsinternationalllc.com

FEATURES:

•Rooftop herb garden; microherbs in the windows

•Organic pizza, some with added nutraceuticals

•Heat from pizza oven will help heat building and water

Revd UP Pi in Manhattan

•Highly filtered air and water

BUT: Is the pizza any good?

“Our pizza here will be one of the top three in Manhattan.”- Rob Nichols, Berkshire Consulting www.nicholsinternationalllc.com

MORE FEATURES:

Photo credit: Puck777 via Flickr Creative Commons

APPRAISALS: Real estate appraisals haven’t caught up to consumer demand for green add-ons. For many green products, no agreed-upon market value, forcing consumers to pay cash upfront.

INSURANCE: Some net-zero homes = trouble w/ insurance (“No external heat source?”)

One owner lied & said he had oil heat.

Not Everyone Is Up To Speed

Photo credit: Bryn Nelson

Montgomery County, MD: "RainScapes Rewards” offers max. subsidy of $1,200 for converting driveway from impermeable to permeablewww.montgomerycountymd.gov/dectmpl.asp?url=/content/dep/water/rainscapes.asp

New Jersey: New Jersey Clean Energy offers financial incentives, programs & services www.njcleanenergy.com

California: California Solar Initiative, via PG&E, offers variable incentivesfor installing solar panels.www.pge.com/myhome/saveenergymoney/solarenergy/csi/index.shtml

Photo credit: Robert Couse-Baker via Flickr Creative Commons

BUT: States and cities struggling financially; temp. measures can create “boom and bust” cycles

Philadelphia: Passed new stormwater requirements, w/ impending stormwater tax. Result: More green roofsSource: B. Brian Phillips, Interface Studio Architects LLC (brian@is-architects.com)

Austin: New mandate requiresenergy audit before home is soldResult: Boon for energy auditors,boom in energy efficiencySource: Jon Boggiano, www.everblueenergy.com

San Francisco: New legislation (Green Landscaping Ordinance) requires 50% of surface area in new front yards to be permeableResult: Less runoff?Source: Jill Phillips, www.fishmanpr.com

Photo credit: Victoria Williams via Flickr Creative Commons

LIGHTS: Installing a dimmer can output by 5% and savings, especially for commercial buildings.

THERMOSTAT: Adjustable thermostat could keep you from getting overheated by the bill

WINDOWS: Opening your windows can lessen the need for A/C and improve indoor air quality

What Consumers Need: More Gain

“If you design a building without air conditioning and operable windows, how can you be sure occupants will do the right thing?”- Marti Mueller, Stantec www.stantec.com

What Consumers Want: Less Pain

Saving energy requires awareness, understanding, and investment – NOT necessarily scratchy briefs

(but hang onto them; they could make great insulation)

Photo credit: resourcerobin.com