LEED BUILDINGS AS A BUSINESS MODEL FOR SUSTAINABILITY COMMITMENT
SESSION G2: BUILDING ENERGY PERFORMANCE RATINGS & CASE STUDIES
LEED BUILDINGS AS A BUSINESS MODEL FOR SUSTAINABILITY COMMITMENT SEPTEMBER 26, 2013 DR...
SESSION G2: BUILDING ENERGY PERFORMANCE RATINGS & CASE STUDIES
LEED BUILDINGS AS A BUSINESS MODEL FOR SUSTAINABILITY COMMITMENT SEPTEMBER 26, 2013 DR. DANIEL TISAK, LEED AP, CBCP, CSDP, EBCP BALA CONSULTING ENGINEERS
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
USA Buildings consume 39% of total energy and 74% of electricity produced in the USA (DOE)
Buildings can damage the environment and waste energy.
Climate Change & Global Warming Reviewed
Results of Review – Urgency
Power Warmer temperatures More intense storms, flooding and rising sea levels Drought Wildfires
Business as usual is no longer a viable option!
SUSTAINABILITY & LEED
Sustainability Lots of Definitions Predates LEED Ultimately a Way of Life
LEED
Quantified metrics for High Performance Buildings One of several paths for Sustainability Currently the most prevalent for the built environment Evolving rating systems
CASE STUDIES
112 LEED Projects Studied to Determine:
Percentages and Level of LEED Certification Achieved
Design Criteria Significant to Achieving LEED Certification
Levels of LEED Certification Achieved
Hypothesis:
Low percentage of new buildings achieve LEED certification
Some LEED requirements were easy to implement and others were not
“First costs” of achieving LEED certification is a principal factor when analyzing the financial impact of LEED Certification
METHODS & LITERATURE
Research Methodology
Mixed methods design of qualitative and quantitative research data Author of this embedded case study served as Commissioning Agent Interviews of Key Stake-holders was conducted Survey Instruments were Distributed Limited to Projects awarded between 2004 and 2013
Literature Review
Journals and Dissertations Reference and Research Books Other Case Studies Periodicals Governing Agencies and Standards NBI 2008 Study
BARRIERS TO LEED Basis of Research: Hanby, T. M. (2004). Assessing barriers to LEED certification in Oregon. (Publication No. AAT 1424174).
Barriers to LEED
Acceptance of LEED values
Knowledge of LEED processes
Process time
Upfront and hidden financial costs
REVIEW RESULTS
Research Literature and Case Studies Highlights:
Handby’s “Barriers” Verified; Case Studies found other Barriers, i.e. geographic location NBI Study was Flawed Reported Costs: 2% to 4% of construction costs Hidden Costs: LEED Review Team Responses Expediting LEED Certification Energy Modeling Woes
Just another social system for conformance and thus flawed given there are no utopia in social systems. (Forrester, 1995).
A LEED rating system by itself does not ensure superior energy efficiency. (ASHE, 2010).
No building is environmentally upright. All are downright wicked.
It’s not so much that LEED buildings are so good as that other buildings are so bad
CASE STUDIES OVERVIEW Project Variations Size: 200,000 sq. ft. Types: Fast food drive-in, retail stores, educational facilities Large corporate headquarters with Data Centers, Energy Consumption Variations: Predictable Office Environments Mission Critical, Healthcare 24/7 Operations Locations: Mostly New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia Urban vs. Suburban
Criteria Reviewed:
LEED Scorecard Owner Project Requirements Basis of Design DD, CD sets, various construction submittals Commissioning Documents
*Percentages = LEED Certified Projects vs. Total LEED Certified Projects (77) in Study
LEED-S
Unrated
35
31%
Certified
12
11%
Silver
32
29%
Gold
23
20%
Platinum
10
9%
Total
112
LEED CERTIFICATION BY STATE LEED Certification Results by State or District State/District Arizona Delaware District of Columbia Florida Maryland Massachusetts North Carolina New Jersey Pennsylvania Virginia Total
