AIA Selects 6 Communities for Community Assistance Program to Promote Long-term Sustainability

For immediate release:
Washington, D.C., March 2011 – The American Institute of Architects (AIA) today announced it has selected 6 communities throughout the country to receive technical assistance under the Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT) program in 2011. The communities selected are Shelburne, Vt., Apple Valley, Mn., Pikes Peak Region, Co., Southwest DeKalb County, Ga., Bastrop, Tx., and Santa Rosa, Ca.

You can see this press release online here: http://www.aia.org/press/releases/AIAB087830

The AIA also announced that the City of New Orleans had also been selected to receive technical assistance under the Design Assistance Team program, a project that will occur in conjunction with the commencement of the AIA’s annual convention in New Orleans in May.

The SDAT program represents a significant institutional investment by the AIA in public service work to assist communities in developing policy frameworks and long term sustainability plans. Since 2005, the AIA has provided technical assistance to 47 communities across more than 30 states.

“As the SDAT program has evolved, communities all over the country have embraced and implemented the detailed solutions for neighborhood revitalization, transportation infrastructure challenges and economic development that our volunteer teams have provided after conducting background research and an intensive design and planning charette,” said Erin Simmons, director, AIA Design Assistance.

The collaborative SDAT brings together architects and other professionals assembled from across the country to provide a roadmap for communities seeking to improve their sustainability – as defined by a community’s ability to meet the environmental, economic, and social equity needs of today without reducing the ability of future generations to meet their needs.  The SDAT will work with local stakeholders to help the community create a plan for its sustainable future. To provide the most objective assessment, team members volunteer their time and expertise and are selected from areas outside the project communities.

“This year’s SDAT recipients present a full range of community types and geographic settings, from urban and suburban settings to rural communities,” said Simmons. “Each of these jurisdictions has demonstrated a unique commitment to building civic partnerships and engaging the community in a vision for a more sustainable future.”
 

SDAT program elements

The communities were selected after submitting an application to the Center for Communities by Design outlining the economic, environmental, and social equity challenges facing their region. The SDAT community assistance program provides the selected communities with these components:
 

·         Preliminary/scoping visit

·         Three-day visit from a multidisciplinary team

·         A report highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the community with regards to sustainability, along with the opportunities and obstacles to change

·         Consultations after the three-day visit (typically by phone or email)

·         To learn more about the AIA Center for Communities by Design or the SDAT program visit:

·         http://www.aia.org/about/initiatives/AIAS075425.

About the AIA Center for Communities by Design
The Center for Communities by Design is the clearinghouse for the American Institute of Architects' many activities—from promoting sustainable design to leading design based technical assistance projects in communities—that influence the quality of life in our nation's communities. The center is a nonpartisan forum that provides information, develops policy, creates partnerships, and assists in advocacy efforts to facilitate discussions of community design and inform choices for neighborhoods, cities, regions, and the nation.

About The American Institute of Architects
For over 150 years, members of the American Institute of Architects have worked with each other and their communities to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings and cityscapes. Members adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct to ensure the highest standards in professional practice. Embracing their responsibility to serve society, AIA members engage civic and government leaders and the public in helping find needed solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation and world. Visit www.aia.org.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/AIA_Media

The City of Beverly Hills Goes Solar

Solar Dedication Event held on March 1 for the Main Library, Police Station and Civic Center Parking Carport Structure

March 1 (Beverly Hills, CA) – The solar dedication and ribbon-cutting event for the new solar installations serving the city of Beverly Hills was on held March 1 at Room 280A of the City Hall at 455 Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills.

Multiple public buildings in the City of Beverly Hills Civic Center Complex will soon be generating clean power via a solar system thanks to the expertise of installer Sun Light & Power. Particulate attention was given to analyzing the city’s budget, energy loads and the newest programs offered by Southern California Edison in order to create the most savings from the available space.  The approximately 450 kW DC system design that was chosen is comprised of over 1,600 Suntech modules and will be mounted on three separate structures: the main library, police station and the Civic Center parking carport structure.  The installation sites include retrofits for the library and police station arrays and a new steel structure for the Civic Center parking garage.

 

Beverly Hills chooses solar modules that will be recycled

Working with Sun Light & Power, the City of Beverly Hills chose Suntech modules for these buildings for good, green reasons.  Suntech recently opened a manufacturing facility in Arizona, 

which provides for American jobs and significantly reduces the module transportation footprint.  

 

Unlike some solar modules, Suntech modules are made without Cadmium.  Perhaps even more significantly, Suntech is making a focused effort to insure that their modules do not become a toxic or hazardous waste burden at the end of their 25 + years productive life cycle.  Unlike some solar modules, Suntech modules do not contain any Cadmium.  Rather than disposal into our overburdened landfills, Suntech has developed a Recycling Program with a 100% take back policy.  At the end of the system’s useful life Suntech will take back the modules at any of their U.S. warehouses.

 

Offsetting 453 metric tons of CO2 while reducing the

Civic Center’s operating costs

 

The system is expected to produce approximately 630,272 kWh of electricity every year.  That is electricity the City will not have to buy, so those other funds can be used for other civic projects.  In addition it will offset approximately 453 metric tons of CO₂ equal to the emissions of 87 cars or the electricity for 40 average homes. 

 

Once completed this system will significantly reduce the City’s Civic Center’s operating costs and will be a visible example of civic fiscal and environmental responsibility.  A Data Acquisition System will track and report production.  A monitor will be mounted in the library or in city hall to show what the system is producing at the moment, daily, weekly, yearly, and over its lifetime.  The monitor will become a valuable educational tool for interested citizens.

About Sun Light & Power

Sun Light & Power is a design/build solar firm based in Berkeley, CA with 34 years of leadership in alternative energy systems and innovative designs for homes and businesses. The company is committed to creating living environments that serve people's intrinsic needs, supporting the human spirit and preserving the planet’s resources for future generations.

 

Founded in 1976 by Gary Gerber (who is also the 2008-2011 President of the California Solar Energy Industries Association - CALSEIA), Sun Light & Power is the first renewable energy contractor to be certified by the Alameda County Green Business Program, and among the first in the nation to qualify as a B Corporation.

 

The company’s professional staff includes specialists in engineering, system installation, project management, electrical system design, financing and contract administration, including: 5 Professional Engineers, 7 LEED AP Green Building professionals, 3 Electrical Contractors  (C-10) and 7 NABCEP Certified Professionals.  Sun Light & Power is licensed as both a General Contractor (B) and Solar Contractor (C-46).

 

More information is available at: www.sunlightandpower.com

New MI children?s Hospital Highlights Natural Environment

Helen DeVos Children's Hospital new facility promotes family-friendly environment, highlights the natural environment

Wausau, Wis. -- The new Helen DeVos Children's Hospital by Spectrum Health has dramatically altered the skyline on Michigan Street's "Medical Mile" in Grand Rapids, and announced its intention to transform health care for children. Sharing this vision, the children of Rich and Helen DeVos plus more than 6,000 donors contributed to the $286 million facility.

Opened on January 11, 2011, this state-of-the-art facility encompasses 440,000 square feet of dedicated, pediatric operation rooms, a pediatric emergency department and pediatric radiology department. The new 206-bed, 14-story hospital nearly quadruples the size of its predecessor to serve more than one million children throughout Michigan.

Designed to meet the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED® Rating System™ criteria, this healing environment highlights natural elements such as land, sky, sun and water. Like undulating, gentle waves, the exterior's metal panels interweave and shimmer in blue and silver. Architectural Metals Inc. of Portland, Mich., manufactured the custom-fabricated panel system and Linetec finished the material in large, continuous sections at its factory in Wausau, Wis.

"There were 746 individual 'wave' panels on the project ranging from 5- to 10-feet long and 6-inches to 6-feet tall. The waves were made from 3/8-inch-thick aluminum plate," recalled Chad Comps, vice president of Architectural Metals Inc. "As I compared finishing suppliers, Linetec was recommended as the 'best of the best.' After an on-site tour of the facility, I could tell why [they] have a great reputation. Everyone there, from the plant floor to the vice president, really cared about doing a quality job for the customer."

"Finishing the material in our shop allows us to ensure consistent color, optimal performance and environmentally-responsible application," explained Linetec's senior marketing specialist, Tammy Schroeder, LEED® Green Associate.

Linetec's finishing facility safely and efficiently captures and destroys the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in liquid solvent-based paints. "VOCs can be of special concern to projects pursuing sustainable, green design goals and to health care facilities with sensitive medical equipment and patients with compromised immune systems," emphasized Schroeder. "We use specialized equipment to safely capture 100% of the VOCs released in the painting process, and to destroy these captured VOCs with 98.5% efficiency at the factory - before the materials' arrival to the building site."

Linetec finished and shipped the aluminum panels in scheduled phases to Architectural Glass and Metals, Inc. of Byron Center, Mich.. The field team installed approximately 50,000 square feet of finished panels and integrated aluminum louvers as part of the hospital's overall, high-performance, unitized, aluminum curtainwall system.

Wolverine Building Group of Grand Rapids, Mich., served as the project's construction manager. Wolverine's vice president Bruce Burgess praised the many members of the building team: "It is a huge success. The Helen DeVos Children's Hospital is a beautiful facility and the quality and pride taken by all of the trades is exceptional."

Adding his appreciation, Comps shared, "A special thanks to Rob Seils who went above and beyond the level of customer service expected. Working with Linetec was a very enjoyable experience from beginning to end. The finished product looks great and when I need a finisher again, I will look to Linetec for another enjoyable experience."

Community-wide gratitude and recognition was shared at the January opening of the new Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. "Today, we celebrate a new era in children's health care for the region that begins with the opening of the new Helen DeVos Children's Hospital on 1-11-11," said Helen DeVos Children's Hospital's president Bob Connors, M.D. "Our 20-year dream has come true: a hospital dedicated exclusively to children's health, transforming pediatric medical and surgical care for children in Michigan and beyond."

In 1993, Helen DeVos Children's Hospital first opened and has grown steadily to meet the community's needs. Each year 7,600 children are admitted for inpatient care, 9,000 surgeries are performed and 39,000 children are treated in the emergency department. More than 190,000 outpatient visits to pediatric specialists occur annually. A team of more than 150 pediatric physicians in 40 pediatric specialties works with nurses, therapists and allied health specialists who have devoted their careers to caring for children. As a teaching hospital, training the next generation of pediatric experts is performed in collaboration with the Michigan State College of Human Medicine.

"Today culminates a vision turned reality as we celebrate a new home for children's health care that will house programs and services that are among the best in the country," said Richard C. Breon, president and CEO of Spectrum Health. "This facility brings together physicians, researchers and staff whose entire focus is taking care of children and their families. Spectrum Health is proud to offer these services in West Michigan."

Some of the hospital's services, features and accomplishments include:
*A dedicated, pediatric emergency department caring for more than 100 children each day
*Six operating rooms, a heart catheterization laboratory and a pediatric radiology department
*One of the largest children's cancer and blood disorders programs in the nation, with more than 700 patient visits monthly, and West Michigan's only blood and bone marrow transplantation program
*The only pediatric radiology department in West Michigan, with nearly 75,000 visits a year
*The only extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machine in West Michigan for life-saving treatment of babies with acute lung disease
*The nation's 10th largest neonatal center, with more than 1,200 babies admitted each year
*Spacious, 330-square-foot, private patient rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows and accommodations for parents to stay overnight
*Quiet spaces throughout the building and a chapel for all faiths
*Special amenities for families such as laundry and kitchenette facilities, overnight rooms for those in crisis situations, a computer lab and a resource library

In addition to the pediatric specialists and medical equipment in the hospital, the new building also caters to the non-medical needs of a child. An outdoor garden is accessible through the main lobby restaurant, which features fresh salads, pizza cooked in a stone-hearth oven, and locally-made ice cream. Areas for play and entertainment throughout the building also add to the child-friendly environment.

The hospital is filled with more than 1,500 pieces of artwork made by more than 8,000 children and teens throughout Michigan. LaFontsee Galleries of Grand Rapids coordinated the art project to create a warm, welcoming environment for children of all ages.

"It is such a joy to see the completion of the new children's hospital as a place that provides exceptional health care for children and a comfortable stay for them and their families," said the hospital's namesake, Helen DeVos. "I've been able to see first-hand, when my grandchildren and I visit patients, the quality of care and compassion that the staff consistently provide, and I'm thrilled the new facility will provide such a supportive environment."

"Helen DeVos Children's Hospital is a regional resource and a destination that families travel to from all directions to get care for their ill or injured children," concluded Matt Van Vranken, executive vice president, Spectrum Health System, and president, Spectrum Health Systems Hospital Group. "The children's hospital already serves most of the counties in Michigan because of our specialists and the programs we have pioneered. Spectrum Health, along with the entire community, has made a significant investment in children's health care for generations to come."


Helen DeVos Children's Hospital by Spectrum Health; 100 Michigan St. NE, Grand Rapids, Mich.
* Owner: Spectrum Health Systems; Grand Rapids, Mich.
* Architects:
- Jonathan Bailey Design, LLC; Dallas
- Rockwell Group; New York
* Consulting Architect, MEP Engineer of Record: URS Corporation; New York
* General contractor: Turner Construction Company; Detroit
* Construction Management: Wolverine Building Group; Grand Rapids, Mich.
* Specialty contractor – glazing and metal panels: Architectural Glass and Metals, Inc.; Byron Center, Mich.
* Metal panel system - manufacturer: Architectural Metals Inc.; Portland, Mich.
* Metal panel system – finisher: Linetec; Wausau, Wis.
* Photographer: Eric De Witt, Lucid Architecture; Zeeland, Mich.


Learn more about Linetec and its finishing services at www.linetec.com or calling 888-717-1472. Linetec will be exhibiting in booth #2230 at the AIA 2011 National Convention and Design Exposition.

Linetec is one of the nation’s largest paint and anodize finishers, and the largest independent architectural finisher. Located in Wisconsin, the company serves customers across the country through a national trucking network and offers 500,000-square-feet of capacity for finishing such products as aluminum windows, wall systems, doors, hardware and other architectural metal components, as well as automotive, marine and manufactured consumer goods.
 
Linetec's media contact: Heather West, 612-724-8760, heather@heatherwestpr.com

Procter & Gamble Pledges to Pursue LEED Certification for All New Sites Globally

Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) today announces its commitment to pursue LEED certification for all new sites.  P&G's Taicang plant in China – which is breaking ground today – is the first P&G manufacturing site to pursue LEED certification, with several additional new P&G sites currently working toward the same distinction globally.

"Pursuing LEED certification for all new sites including offices, innovation centers, and our manufacturing and distribution centers is the next evolution in our facility eco-design process that will ensure excellence in sustainable design," said Keith Harrison, P&G global product supply officer. "Having all of our new sites LEED certified will help us make progress toward our long-term sustainability vision which includes powering our plants with 100% renewable energy and zero manufacturing waste to landfill."

Established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED is the nation's preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.  

"LEED certified green buildings contribute to saving energy, water and money," said Doug Gatlin, Vice President, U.S. Green Building Council. "P&G pursuing LEED certification represents a firm commitment to improving our environment for future generations."

The Taicang plant, the first P&G site to register for LEED certification, features notable environmental aspects such as:

• Water: Maximizing beneficial water re-use while minimizing water consumption through efforts such as recovering steam condensate for domestic water needs and harvesting rainwater to replenish on-site landscaping water.  
• Energy :Features an outdoor lighting system powered by a combination of solar energy and use of high efficiency mechanical equipment.
• Waste: Operational design to maximize waste recycling and ultimately achieve zero waste to landfill.

All new P&G sites, including those in the U.S., that are currently in design phase or early construction are working toward achieving LEED certification.  In countries where equivalent programs are available, P&G is also committing to meet all local certification standards.  This effort amplifies P&G's approach to ensure holistic end-to-end sustainability considerations, including P&G's environmental supplier scorecard.

About Procter & Gamble

Four billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Fusion®. The P&G community includes approximately 127,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.  For more information on P&G's commitment to sustainability, visit: www.pg.com/sustainability.

The U.S. Green Concrete Council Releases “The Sustainable Concrete Guide”

The U.S. Green Concrete Council (USGCC) has released its new book, “The Sustainable Concrete Guide – Strategies and Examples,” available for purchase through the American Concrete Institute (ACI).

The first-ever comprehensive resource on concrete and sustainability, “The Sustainable Concrete Guide – Strategies and Examples” provides insight on specific strategies for the best use of concrete in high-performance, long-lasting, green buildings. Included in the guide are case studies, technical data and references, and numerous practices that can be implemented immediately. The guide is divided into three parts.

Part 1 of the guide includes information on “Concrete Basics for Sustainability,” which outlines the uses of concrete as the most widely used building material in the world.

Part 2 of the guide is titled “Considerations for Best Use of Concrete for Sustainable Structures,” and it contains 11 chapters on specific uses of concrete for sustainable structures. Topics include:

• Chapter 1 – Carbon footprint
• Chapter 2 – Thermal transmission
• Chapter 3 – Thermal mass and storage
• Chapter 4 – Longevity and service life
• Chapter 5 – Stormwater management
• Chapter 6 – Human factors and the living/working environment
• Chapter 7 – Safety and security
• Chapter 8 – Reduce, reuse, recycle
• Chapter 9 – Economic impact
• Chapter 10 – Resilience with climate change
• Chapter 11 – Compatibility with other innovative sustainability strategies

Part 3 of the guide, titled “Beyond Sustainable Rating Systems: Project Profiles,” features 12 specific construction projects throughout the U.S.; all of which utilize sustainable concrete practices and techniques. Included are profiles of three specific types of structures: parking structures and parking lots; single-family and multi-family residential structures; and commercial, institutional, and industrial structures.

The book is authored by Andrea J. Schokker, professor and head of the civil engineering department at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Schokker is a member of the Board of Direction for the American Concrete Institute (ACI) and is active in many ACI committees including Joint ACI-ASCE Committee 423, Prestressed Concrete, and a subcommittee of Committee 318, Structural Concrete Building Code. She is the chair of ACI Committee 130, Sustainability of Concrete.

Schokker has received awards for both her technical contributions and her educational efforts, including the ACI Young Member Award for Professional Achievement (2004); the ACI Outstanding Educational Committee Member Award (2003); the Post-Tensioning Institute Outstanding Educator Award (2004); Penn State’s Engineering Society Outstanding Teaching Award (2004); and Penn State’s Lawrence J. Perez Student Advocate Award (2003).

“Green building practices have been in the spotlight for quite some time in the U.S. and around the world,” said Andrea J. Schokker. “’The Sustainable Concrete Guide – Strategies and Examples’ is a first-of-its-kind guide that fills the pressing need for a comprehensive source on implementing sustainable concrete building practices and techniques immediately. This book presents real-world examples that can be used to guide any engineer, architect, specifier, building owner, or contractor who is interested in learning how to most effectively and efficiently integrate concrete in durable and sustainable structures.”

Also an integral part in the creation of the book is the editorial review panel of the U.S. Green Concrete Council. Current ACI president Florian Barth serves as chair of the editorial review panel. Other members include Michael Deane, vice president and chief sustainability officer at Turner Construction Company; Kevin MacDonald, vice president of engineering services at Cemstone; Aris Papadopoulos, CEO of Titan America; Michael Paul, lead structural engineer and senior consultant for Duffield Associates; Richard Stehly, vice president of ACI and principal of American Engineering & Testing; and Wayne Trusty, president of Athena Institute International.

The U.S. Green Concrete Council was established in 2009, with the purpose of disseminating information on sustainable concrete. The organization aims to satisfy the immediate demand for resources on the role of concrete in sustainable buildings and to facilitate the development of additional sustainability-related consensus documents. USGCC is a division of Creative Association Management (CAM), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the American Concrete Institute (ACI). “The Sustainable Concrete Guide – Strategies and Examples” is the first in a series of sustainable concrete guides to be published by USGCC. The second is expected to be available in Fall 2010.

To order, call ACI at 248-848-3800 or click the link below.

The Sustainable Concrete Guide – Strategies and Examples
Published: March 2010
Pages: 89
Order Code: SCG1.PR
Price (for ACI members and non-members): $75

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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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