Seizing The Opportunity: WOC 2011 Starts The Year Off Strong

World of Concrete 2011 returned to the Las Vegas Convention Center January 18-21, 2011; Seminars 17-21, and launched a wide array of new products and equipment, presented a world-class Education and Certification Program, and provided crucial networking opportunities for exhibitors and attendees.

This well-known industry show continued to build upon its reputation as the only annual international commercial construction trade show for the concrete and masonry industry with 48,554 professional registrants in attendance. WOC also showcased just over 1,200 indoor/outdoor exhibitors in more than a half-million square feet of exhibit space.

“WOC is very proud to deliver a quality audience to our exhibitors and a show full of leading industry suppliers, related services, and educational opportunities to our attendees. Even though the numbers are slightly down from 2010, we have found that a majority of our exhibitors are actually getting quality leads and making more sales at the show. Attendees are taking advantage of all the opportunities and finding the information they can’t get anywhere else, all in one place. We consider WOC 2011 to be a very successful event,” said Jackie James, Director, World of Concrete.
“This is the largest annual show that we attend in North America. It’s a good source for new business every year because all the key players in the industry are here,” said Exhibitor Frank Zambotti of Applied Systems Associates, Inc.

“I had never attended WOC before, but a friend recommended that I come to find mixers and check out all the new products. The show is unbelievable! The size and selection are incredible— everything one could possibly need is here,” said first-time attendee John Bernal of Yonkers, NY.
For International Visitors

World of Concrete, for the sixth consecutive year, participated in the 2011 International Buyer Program. World of Concrete Management and the US Commercial Service worked closely in the global promotion of the show to bring international buyers and exhibitors together to expand business both domestically and overseas. As part of the program, over a dozen delegations from all over the globe attended World of Concrete to network with other international visitors as well as connect with U.S. exhibitors interested in exporting goods and services.

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Green Building’s Top Ten Trends for 2011

Green building and sustainability consultant Jerry Yudelson says that the green building industry will rebound in 2011 in spite of the continuing economic difficulties in most developed countries, citing 10 major trends.

Speaking about his annual “Top Ten” list of green building trends, the green building expert and author said, “What we’re seeing is that more people are going green each year, and there is nothing on the horizon that will stop this trend.” Yudelson, who is the principal of Tucson-based green building consulting company, Yudelson Associates continued, “However, in 2010, the slowdown in commercial real estate put a crimp in the start up rate for new green building projects.” He added, “In putting together my Top Ten trends for 2011, I’m taking advantage of conversations I’ve had with green building industry leaders in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Australia as I have given green building keynotes and presentations all over the world during the past year.”

Jerry Yudelson’s Top Ten Green Building Trends for 2011 include:
1.    The worldwide green building movement will continue to accelerate, as more countries begin to create their own green building incentives and developing their own Green Building Councils. More than 70 countries, on all continents, will show considerable green building growth in 2010.

2.    Green building will rebound in 2011, as measured by the new LEED project registrations as a proxy for this growth. “The reduction in commercial real estate building in many countries,” he said, “was not offset by other sectors such as government, and so the growth rate of new green building projects fell dramatically in 2010.”

3.    The focus of the green building industry will continue to switch from new buildings to greening existing buildings. “The fastest growing LEED rating system in 2010 was the LEED for Existing Buildings program, and I expect this trend to continue in 2011,” said Yudelson. “My 2009 book, Greening Existing Buildings, documents the strategic components of this trend.”

4.    Blue will become the New Green. Awareness of the coming global crisis in fresh water supply will continue to grow, leading building designers and managers to take further steps to reduce water consumption to increase sustainability. This will be done in buildings through the use of more conservation-oriented fixtures, rainwater recovery systems and innovative new water technologies. “My latest book, Dry Run: Preventing the Next Urban Water Crisis, shows how to do this in green buildings all over the world.”

5.    Green building in the U.S. will continue to benefit from the Obama presidency with a continued focus on greening the executive branch. New announcements of a commitment to a minimum of LEED Gold for all new federal projects and major renovations confirm and highlight this macro-trend.
6.    Zero-net-energy designs for new buildings become increasingly commonplace, in both residential and commercial sectors, as LEED and ENERGY STAR ratings become too common to confer competitive advantage.

7.    Performance Disclosure will be the fastest emerging trend, highlighted by new requirements in California and other states. Commercial building owners will have to disclose actual building performance to all new tenants and buyers.

8.    Certified Green Schools will grow rapidly as part the LEED System. This trend will accelerate as understanding of the health and educational benefits of green schools grows. Already by mid-year 2010, green schools represented nearly 40% of all new LEED projects in the U.S.

9.    Local and state governments will step up their mandates for green buildings for both themselves and the private sector. We’ll see at least 20 major new cities with commercial sector green building mandates. The desire to reduce carbon emissions by going green will lead more government agencies to require green buildings.

10.    Solar power use in buildings will continue to grow. This trend will be enhanced by the increasing focus of municipal utilities as they need to comply with state-level renewable power standards (RPS) for 2015 and 2020. As before, third-party financing partnerships will continue to grow and provide capital for large rooftop systems such as on warehouses. However, we may very well see a slowing of large solar and wind systems, as federal grant support, in lieu of tax credits, is phased out.

Yudelson added two “bonus picks” to his list: “First, there will be a continually growing use of software and the Internet “cloud” in green building design, construction and operations; S Second, the revolution in sustainable building materials is gaining momentum each year, one that gives higher performance at ever lower costs.”

About Yudelson Associates
Yudelson Associates is a leading international firm in sustainability planning and green building consulting. The founder, Jerry Yudelson, is widely acknowledged as one of the nation’s leading green building and sustainability consultants and keynote speakers. He is the author of 12 green building books and served for two years as Research Scholar for Real Estate Sustainability for the International Council of Shopping Centers, a 70,000-member international trade organization. He is a frequent green building speaker at industry and professional conferences and chaired the country’s largest annual show, Greenbuild, for six years from 2004 through 2009.
For more information please contact Jerry Yudelson, 520-207-9759, info@greenbuildconsult.com or visit http://www.greenbuildconsult.com/.
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Green Cleaners for Concrete Floors

Daimer Industries Inc.®, recognized for its biodegradable Eco-Green® cleaning formulations, has now shipped a duo of concrete cleaners for floors. The first product, Multi-Purpose Hard Surface Cleaner, has been formulated for use on finished and polished surfaces, while the other, Concrete Cleaner with Rust Stain Remover, was designed for use on unfinished concrete and stain cleaning. The products are manufactured for both commercial and industrial environments.

“These two concrete cleaners offer earth-safe alternatives for tough cleaning jobs on heavily trafficked floors,” explained Matthew Baratta, a Daimer.com sustainable stone cleaning products spokesman. “These new green formulations utilize the same plant-derived, proprietary chemistry that forms the basis for all Eco-Green® cleaners and preparations.”

Concrete Cleaners without Toxic Additives

The two new green concrete cleaners were designed for use on a variety common concrete floor surfaces.

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New LEED Program Allows for Certification of Multiple Buildings

Brad Pease had a master’s degree in architecture and a specialty in designing energy-efficient buildings when executives at PNC Bank came to him with a daunting assignment.

They wanted to build 100 branches in the next several years. They wanted each building to be just like the others, assembled from a standard kit of parts.

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Green Home Made From Concrete Converted to Live Classroom

60 Bragg Hill, is Chester County, Pennsylvania’s newest green home currently under construction. The barn-inspired design is being built with Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs), a highly efficient, sustainable system that uses site-poured concrete sandwiched between firm insulated foam. The onsite seminar was entitled “Demystifying Concrete Design and Construction” and enabled the trade professionals to interact with industry experts on ICF techniques and best practices.

Rich Jones, general manager of Foam Form Technologies, provider of the ICF wall forms and Lite-Deck insulated stay-in-place concrete deck forms for 60 Bragg Hill, sponsored the event for trade professionals. Jones spoke to the assembled group and offered them a unique first person exposure to concrete form construction. “For over 40 years, insulated form construction concrete has been available for residential as an alternative to traditional stick construction. Due to the advances in ICF design and manufacturing, we can build smarter, stronger, green homes with concrete than ever before,” said Jones.

Matthew Moger, the architect of 60 Bragg Hill discussed how the ICF system is comprised of concrete and steel, the basic building blocks of the modern architectural movement. “For me,” Mr. Moger added, “ICF construction offers a unique opportunity to design houses that are liberated from residential conventions, i.e. entire corners can be removed and infilled with non-structural glass curtain walls. Floors can be set at any height without breaking the contiguous super insulated shell.” In summary, ICFs allows the designer to create more compelling architecture.

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Gen. Colin Powell's Speech at GreenBuild Now Available On-Line

General Colin Powell delivered an inspiring speech at the USGBC's Green Build Conference and Expo in Chicago yesterday. Powell, a former Secretary of State and Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of staff addressed an audience of over 10,000 people at the annual green building event.

“Leadership has to be passionate. Each person involved must believe they have a purpose,”  said Powell.

In addition to Powell's keynote, the morning session included a discussion between political pundits and husband and wife Mary Matalin and James Carville. USGBC President, CEO and Founding Chair Rick Fedrizzi also addressed the group.
According to Fedrizzi, “The leadership of the green building community is at the heart of Greenbuild,” said Fedrizzi. “This year us all about Generation Green: Redefining Our Future – and today, I see that we are collectively the most important catalysts for the change that will result in the greatest consumer, cultural and market revolution in America."
"Together we deliver through the built environment immediate and measurable improvements in our overall quality of life,” Fedrizzi added.

If you were not at Green Build, you can watch the speech from the USGBC site.
To view Powell's speech, click here.

The Top 50 Green Construction Companies Revealed

New List by Construction Digital Reveals the Top Green Firms


Construction Digital reveals the top 50 green construction companies.

Who are the top 50 global green construction companies? It is revealed in a list of the 50 leaders in green and profile the top five.


1. SKANSKA
Skanska wrote the book on green—literally. The company published Green Thinking, which outlines its green initiative, provides global case studies, delves into the concept of a ‘Green Society’ and provides ways to conserve energy and water and reduce carbon emissions. The Swedish company’s green initiative focuses on three points: 1. Technology is currently available to pursue green construction, 2. It’s the right thing to do and is good for business, and 3. It’s possible to save money by building green. The company provides an interactive view of a Green City, while providing specific case studies of how certain green technologies—from construction materials recycling to green roofs—were incorporated to each project. To improve the overall sustainability of the projects, managers work with local stakeholders and decision makers from concept to completion. With offices in the United States, Europe and South America, Skanska is positioned as the global leader in green construction.

2. BALFOUR BEATTY
Based in the United Kingdom, Balfour Beatty has created a global presence in the construction industry and infrastructure sector over the last century. The company has devised a 2020 Vision to implement its sustainability strategy throughout its global operations by 2020. According to the 2020 Vision, “We believe that profitable markets, healthy communities and environmental limits are not competing interests; they are shared outcomes that closely align with one another. In order to be a successful and profitable company, we need to realise that alignment.” Balfour Beatty sees green building and sustainability as a value-added service to its stakeholders. It has devised a plan to work together with customers, investors and local project stakeholders to ensure that its sustainability vision becomes a reality.

3. TURNER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
The largest green builder in America, Turner is has a long-standing commitment to the environment and sustainability. The company has over 1100 LEED Accredited Professionals on staff and has completed well over $3.1 billion in projects that have been LEED Certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. Additionally, Turner uses an online Construction Waste Recycling Reporting System that not only creates a paperless reporting environment, but has also diverted over 250,000 tons of construction waste from jobsites since 2005.

4. THE HASKELL COMPANY
One of the first members of the United States Green Building Council at its inception in 2000, Haskell has become a leader in the green building industry in all sectors of the business. The company has completed projects at every level of LEED, from base certification to Platinum and employs over 160 LEED Accredited Professionals (APs). Haskell has maintained the top spot as a green industrial and manufacturing design firm and contractor on several lists for multiple consecutive years.

5. THIESS
As Australia’s leading construction services contractor, Thiess takes sustainability and the triple bottom line—people, planet, profit—to heart. With a commitment to energy efficiency, the company signed onto the Australian Greenhouse Challenge Plus program. Though Thiess faces a unique challenge as a construction and mining contractor, it remains committed to reducing its footprint while maintaining its role as an environmental steward, carefully monitoring energy, water, waste, noise and air quality.

6. McCarthy Building Companies
7. VINCI
8. Taisei Corporation
9. The Yates Companies
10. Gilbane Building Co
11. Bechtel Corporation
12. Odebrecht
13. Hunt Construction Group
14. Tutor Perini Corp
15. Webcor Builders
16. Hochtief Construction
17. Mortenson Construction
18. Austin Industries
19. Suffolk construction
20. Kraus-Anderson Construction Co
21. DPR Construction
22. Bovis Lend Lease
23. JE Dunn Construction Group
24. Laing O'Rourke (BMC)
25. Holder Construction Co
26. Structure Tone
27. Swinerton Incorporated
28. Walbridge
29. Manhattan Construction Group
30. The Walsh Group
31. Forrester construction Company
32. McGough Construction
33. Clark Group
34. Hensel Phelps Construction
35. Whiting-Turner Contracting
36. PCL Construction Enterprises
37. HITT Contracting Inc.
38. Hathaway Dinwiddie
39. BAM Construct UK
40. Willmot Dixon Group
41. Carillion PLC
42. Broad Construction Services
43. Hoffman Construction Company
44. Harper Construction
45. Walton Construction
46. WDS Construction, Inc.
47. Mascaro Construction
48. Satterfield & Pontikes Construction, Inc.
49. Nabholz Construction Corp
50. Linbeck Group LLC

Proposed LEED Update Open For Public Comment

Today, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) opened up the proposed update to the LEED green building rating system for its first public comment. The public comment period, which will close on December 31, 2010, is the next step in the continuous improvement process and the on-going development cycle of the LEED program.

“Continuous improvement of LEED is in the DNA of USGBC and its regular evolution is necessary to continue to move market transformation forward.” said Scot Horst, Senior Vice President of LEED, USGBC. “As green building expertise advances and practice evolves, so does LEED, providing innovative solutions to the challenges and opportunities in the building industry. LEED continues to be the catalyst for immediate and measureable improvement.”

The proposed update builds on the foundation of LEED 2009, including the alignment and weighting of credits and further advances the “bookshelf” framework where credits are applied to specific building types. In addition to the continued evolution of ideas, many of which were first captured even as LEED 2009 was being finalized, the draft of LEED that is opening for public comment places increased emphasis on integrated process and building performance.

“Additionally USGBC is enhancing the process we use to collect and respond to stakeholder feedback on the ideas presented in the public comment drafts of LEED,” added Horst.

Besides the usual public comment web pages at www.usgbc.org, USGBC will also take feedback from projects testing pilot credits, use input from the from a moderated forum dedicated to discussing evolution of LEED, and comments from various webinars that will be held with key stakeholders. USGBC intends for this public comment process to be much more generative in nature, and expects a wide-ranging dialog throughout the process.

USGBC will be holding a webcast for media to learn more on Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010, at 3 p.m. EST.

To participate:

1. Go to

https://usgbc.webex.com/usgbc/j.php?ED=126900487&UID=1092117517&PW=NMmNmMTI2MzQz&RT=

MiMxMQ%3D%3D

2. If requested, enter your name and e-mail address.

3. If a password is required, enter the meeting password: Building10

4. Click "Join".

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To join the audio conference only

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Call-in toll-free number (US/Canada): 1-866-469-3239; Access code: 757 604 841

U.S. Green Building Council

The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.

With a community comprising 80 local affiliates, more than 16,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 155,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students.

Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.

LEED

The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system has transformed commercial and residential building practices by providing the leading tool to create buildings that are environmentally and socially responsible, healthy and prosperous. Over 36,000 commercial projects are currently participating in LEED rating systems for the design, construction and operation of green buildings, comprising over 7.1 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries. In addition, some 8,000 homes have been certified under the LEED for Homes rating system, with nearly 30,000 more homes registered. By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.

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Gen. Colin Powell, USA (Ret.) to Give Keynote Address at the Greenbuild Conference

The U.S. Green Building Council announced that former Secretary of State and retired Gen. Colin L. Powell will give the keynote address at USGBC’s annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo being held Nov.17-19, 2010, in Chicago, Ill.

“General Powell has made another career of sharing his lessons of leadership.” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of USGBC. “His keen insights and global perspective are especially relevant to our movement in these times of great challenge and change. He exemplifies that leadership is about more than a title: It’s about taking charge during times of great crisis.”

General Powell is a retired four-star general. He previously served as National Security Advisor under President Ronald Regan and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. In 2001, President George W. Bush appointed General Powell to be Secretary of State, a position he held until 2005. In addition, for the past decade, General Powell has committed his time, energy and leadership to improving the lives of America’s young people as founding Chairman of America’s Promise Alliance — an organization that works with over 400 partner organizations to provide
needed resources that build better lives for America’s youth.

General Powell has demonstrated his exemplary leadership through his public service and private life. He has broken racial barriers as the first African-American Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He has received several distinguished military and civilian honors including two Presidential Medals of Freedom, the Congressional Gold Medal, the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star and the Soldier’s Medal. General Powell also founded the Colin Powell Center for Policy Studies at his alma mater, the City College of New York and has served on the boards of various non-profits.

As a sign of General Powell’s wide-ranging leadership and the powerful message he will bring as Greenbuild’s opening keynote speaker, a LEED Platinum affordable housing building in his childhood neighborhood bears his name. The General Colin L. Powell Apartments in the South Bronx, N.Y., is a cutting-edge 50-unit multifamily project resulting from a partnership between Habitat for Humanity-New York City and Blue Sea Development. General Powell participated in the LEED certification ceremony.

In addition to General Powell’s keynote address, Greenbuild 2010 will feature an array of inspiring speakers and more than 100 education sessions and the world's largest exhibit hall devoted to green building with over 900 exhibiting companies with over 1,800 booths showcasing the latest in innovative, cutting-edge products and services

For more information, visit http://www.greenbuildexpo.org/.

GREENGUARD's Exhibit at HEALTHCARE DESIGN.10 to Help Architects and Designers Specify Healthier Products

Architects and designers who visit the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute's first-ever HEALTHCARE DESIGN.10 exhibit next week will have the opportunity to learn how low-emitting products and materials can help create healthier, more sustainable healing environments.

The GREENGUARD exhibit, which draws attention to the potential health hazards of product emissions and invisible indoor air contaminants, will also identify ways that architects and designers can more easily and efficiently specify low-emitting products.

"Given that many people in healthcare environments suffer from weakened immune systems and/or debilitating respiratory conditions, such as asthma, the need to address indoor air quality in healthcare environments is more critical now than ever before," says Paul Bates, market outreach manager for the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute.  "There's no doubt that airborne chemical exposure from product emissions can exacerbate existing health conditions and can even trigger new problems. If the goal of a healthcare environment is to promote healing, it is incumbent upon architects, designers, and facility managers to ensure that the products they use in those environments are low-emitting."

Hazardous airborne chemicals commonly found in healthcare environments include formaldehyde, benzene, methyl methacrylate, and hexane—all of which can off-gas from healthcare-related products. Many are known or suspected carcinogens, reproductive toxins, developmental toxins, and/or physical irritants, and can be particularly harmful to the sick and the elderly.

Products that have achieved GREENGUARD Certification have been independently, scientifically tested to evaluate their chemical emissions and ensure that they meet some of the world's most stringent health-based requirements. As a result, they're recognized in the Green Guide for Healthcare, the healthcare sector's first quantifiable, sustainable design toolkit that integrates environmental and health-based practices into the planning, design, construction, operations and maintenance of healthcare facilities.

"Why risk exposing patients, doctors, nurses, and staff to potentially dangerous contaminants in a place where they're supposed to be healing?" Bates says. "By choosing the right products—those that have been independently assessed for their impact on indoor air quality—you can be certain that the healing environment you're creating is healthier for everyone involved."

To learn more about GREENGUARD Certified products at HEALTHCARE DESIGN.10, visit Booth Number 258. HCD.10 runs Nov. 13 through Nov. 16. For more information, visit www.hcd10.com.