Once again, there is discussion in the U.S. Green Building Council (“USGBC”) to allow other wood certifying organizations to have a place within the LEED guidelines for green construction. The new Pilot Credit 43 [PDF] for certified products would allow several wood certifications — e.g., Forest Stewardship Council, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, American Tree Farm — to contribute to a point under the trial credit.
If you’re looking for a back-of-the-envelope assessment of where your project fits in the LEED for Homes green building program, the USGBC just launched a new web-based tool for you. It’s called the LEED for Homes Scoring Tool, and it includes both a Quick Score (pictured) and a detailed Credit-By-Credit result with specific credit guidance.
In the past year, we’ve discussed several certified green projects but here’s the creme of the crop, 19 LEED Platinum ones. These projects, mostly homes, all vary — new, old, big, small, modern, traditional, single family, multifamily, certified, pending. Long story short, LEED Platinum, although difficult to attain, is where it’s at. If you’re going to pay for certification, why go for anything less than the best?!
Bastyr University‘s new student village was named Outstanding Multifamily Project of 2010 by the USGBC. Located north of Seattle in Kenmore, the 11-building project was designed by CollinsWoerman and earned LEED Platinum certification. It’s estimated to save about 34% on energy costs, as compared to a non-green, similar project, and houses 132 students.
According to a press release issued yesterday, the juggernaut USGBC just announced the Platinum certification of its new Washington D.C. headquarters in the Foggy Bottom district. It’s the first project to obtain certification under the latest version of LEED, and the two-level, 75,000 square foot space triples the size of the USGBC’s previous Platinum location. The light, airy, and modern design features a number of recognizable furniture pieces, and some of the following noteworthy green elements:
Everyone has something to say on Earth Day, and that’s not all that bad. We’re going to keep the noise to a minimum, but here’s the thing: A good Earth Day experiment just might lead to greater commitment, so why not give this one day a shot? The USGBC sent out an email with an Earth Day challenge that may pay dividends long after this day is over …
