Green Buildings And Leed - Did anyone go to "greenbuild" in Atlanta last week?

[gpainter]

Did anyone go to "greenbuild" in Atlanta last week? Any thoughts on this?

 

[Sidney Vianna]

http://blog.mlive.com/squarefootagewm/2008/07/usgbc_outsources_leed_certific.html

USGBC outsources LEED certification process

Posted by B. Candace Beeke July 29, 2008 12:05PM

The U.S. Green Building Council has moved forward in its plans to evolve LEED. The organization today announced the groups chosen as "certification bodies" for LEED certification.
Three of those companies have locations in Michigan. NSF International is based in Ann Arbor. Bureau Veritas has an office in Novi. DNV Certification has one in Auburn Hills.
This change in the certification process is part of a major update to the green rating system which will debut in its new form in January as LEED 2009. I covered this evolution on our cover a few months ago.
Currently, all LEED project submissions are reviewed by USGBC with the support of independently contracted reviewers. Beginning in January, the USGBC will move administration of the LEED certification process to the Green Building Certification Institute, a non-profit organization established in 2007. The GBCI will work with the selected certification bodies.
"During the past year, the dramatic growth in the number of LEED project certifications challenged us to apply our mission of market transformation to ourselves," USGBC President, CEO, and Founding Chairman Rick Fedrizzi said in a prepared statement. "By learning from ISO, engaging with world-class certification bodies, and focusing on our mission, we've been able to create a solution that will expand our capacity to serve the community while letting USGBC continue to focus on improving the LEED rating system and delivering exceptional green building education."
GBCI currently administers the LEED Accredited Professional program, in alignment with ANSI requirements for professional certifications.
The certification bodes are
• ABS Quality Evaluations Inc.
• BSI Management Systems America Inc.
• Bureau Veritas North America Inc.
• DNV Certification
• Intertek
• KEMA-Registered Quality Inc.
• Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance Inc.
• NSF-International Strategic Registrations
• SRI Quality System Registrar Inc.
• Underwriters Laboratories-DQS Inc.

 

[Hershal]

One of the developments to watch will be the evolution of building codes and associated test accreditations and product certifications.....during criteria hearings in LA a few months ago, the very subject of LEED and similar, including how accreditation can help, was presented.....I have myself done plant inspections of green products.....this is an up and coming field.....

But watch the evolution of the building codes over the next 3-6 years.....

 

[Jim Wynne]

I had to turn to my good friend Mr. Google to find out what "LEED" is

:

Leadership in Engineering and Environmental Design.

More here: http://www.usgbc.org/Displaypage.aspx?categoryID=19

 

[gpainter]

I am dealing with it more and more on a daily basis in the furniture industry. With the FEMA trailers and energy cost LEED is on the front burner.

 

[Marty50]

Thanks for the head up gpainter. And Jim I had never heard of LEED either but I am glad its been raised and brought to my attention.

I have been involved in "Passive Solar Design" since the 1970's, spent lots of my spare time running around promoting it and have built three passive solar homes for myself which I figure have savd lots of energy over that time.

Now that energy costs are climbing there has been a mad scramble by local builders locally to promote themselves as energy effecient when in fact they dont adhere to even the basic principles. I can see some sort of certification as being protection for consumers against these guys.


again for raising it.

 

[john]

My firm is looking at LEED for our new facility but this link gives me some pause about the whole idea:

http://www.csemag.com/article/CA6578955.html?nid=3474&rid=1194183914

In case the link does not work the gist of the article is that the same consultants developing the guidelines for LEED are also the ones doing the certifying! Since this practice never caused a problem in the quality or accounting fields I am sure it will be OK for the environment.

 

[gpainter]

LEED is global with projects in all 50 states and most every area of the world. Many states are passing laws on new construction and schools. However, it looks like it is turning toward an ISO type deal. Many opportunities are ahead!! This years Greenbuild is in Boston, if anyone is interested.