Going 'Green' On Existing Buildings
SOURCE: The New York Times
The new trend in commercial construction is rise of the latest "green" design and technology however, retro-greening older buildings may become even bigger.
The United States Green Building Council whose Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED), program has become the standard for sustainable building. The LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) provides a list of steps that building owners and managers can take to operate and manage their properties more efficiently.
"With an existing building, you have to make the most of what you've got," said Doug Gatlin, the vice president for market development at the Green Building Council. "We recognized that most buildings are not going to go through a gut rehab."
One of the most successful retrofits to date was done by Cushman & Wakefield, who worked as the property manager of the headquarters of software maker Adobe Systems. They received a platinum LEED-EB rating for its three towers in December 2006. Adobe spent $1.4 million on the project, but earned that back in savings in less than 10 months. It conducts tours for neighboring high-tech companies and visitors from as far as Japan and China.
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The new trend in commercial construction is rise of the latest "green" design and technology however, retro-greening older buildings may become even bigger.
The United States Green Building Council whose Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED), program has become the standard for sustainable building. The LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) provides a list of steps that building owners and managers can take to operate and manage their properties more efficiently.
"With an existing building, you have to make the most of what you've got," said Doug Gatlin, the vice president for market development at the Green Building Council. "We recognized that most buildings are not going to go through a gut rehab."
One of the most successful retrofits to date was done by Cushman & Wakefield, who worked as the property manager of the headquarters of software maker Adobe Systems. They received a platinum LEED-EB rating for its three towers in December 2006. Adobe spent $1.4 million on the project, but earned that back in savings in less than 10 months. It conducts tours for neighboring high-tech companies and visitors from as far as Japan and China.
Read full report »
