IntelligentAbundance

Green Buildings - Green Benefits for the Commercial Real Estate Industry

2010-09-30T15:56:00.000-04:00

The construction market has taken a blood bath, however, it seems the growing trend of green building promises a face-lift for the stagnant industry. The belief is that green building creates healthier, more valuable, cleaner, more energy efficient, water efficient buildings. Some industry leaders are still skeptical, but many others are jumping on the Green bandwagon, and making their existing real estate assets greener. The 2010 ULI Fall Meeting and Urban Expo is going to be an excellent venue to test the theory: Is 2010 looking to be a pivotal year for transitioning the built environment into one that consumes significantly less energy, water and other resources?

Our analysis tells us 2010 is indeed the year where Green Building is no longer in the back room of a dusty facilities manager, but sustainable green building is on the best of every credible Real Estate developer. We've identified smart Energy Management as the most important trend in the radar of real estate developers when they think of Green Building.

In the commercial real estate market "green" retrofits are keeping everyone busy. Research and publishing firm McGraw-Hill Construction published a widely circulated report earlier this year that said nonresidential “green building retrofits” represent in the near-term a better opportunity for designers and builders than new construction. The market for these retrofits -– defined in this report as over $1 million in total cost and employing at least three aspects of green building such as energy, water and resource efficiency –- could grow to as much as $15 billion by 2014 from less than $4 billion this year.

Retro-commissioning, the practice of optimizing a building’s operation and maintenance activities such as around its heating and cooling systems, has become a sort of mantra for the industry. While the practice should be seen as just one piece of a comprehensive energy retrofit, retro-commissioning’s rise in popularity is for good reason since it can often lead to energy savings as high as 30 percent, says David Leathers, senior vice president of energy services for mechanical contractor Limbach. Leathers says that any commercial building in the U.S. five years or older can likely benefit from a retrofit with payback for most measures taken in less than five years.

Energy Codes Will Demand Greater Energy Efficiency: Ever since the energy crisis of the 1970s faded out of memory, energy codes adopted by states and other jurisdictions across the country have been making small, incremental steps toward demanding more efficiency out of buildings. But a consensus is forming that there needs to be more strict standards for building energy efficiency, says Jim Edelson, who runs the codes program for the New Building Institute, a nonprofit that promotes improved building energy performance.

The new versions of the “model codes” currently under development — ASHRAE 90.1 and the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which are typically but not always adopted by jurisdictions — will likely require a 30 percent increase in energy efficiency, what Edelson calls the “most significant” increase in a generation. ASHRAE 90.1 is planned to be available in 2010, and the IECC is targeting a 2012 release.

But just because ASHRAE or IECC develop new codes doesn’t mean jurisdictions have to adopt them, and that’s led to a patchwork of energy standards across the country. http://www.energycodes.gov/states

One issue to look out for in 2010 is if Congress decides to mandate that all states raise their standards to the newest codes. The American Clean Energy and Security Act passed by the House this year includes a provision that would effectively create a baseline national building energy code by mandating the adoption of a standard set by the Department of Energy, which would presumably point to ASHRAE or IECC. Consistent codes across the country would be good for anyone selling products or marketing services related to building energy efficiency, but it’s unclear if this provision will be part of the Senate’s version of the bill or if it will make it through any compromise legislation.

No matter what policies are enacted, the commercial real estate sector, creating high-performance, environmentally responsible, healthy, yet cost-effective buildings where we work, play, and learn makes good business sense. In a volatile economic and environmental climate—domestically and globally—in which large-scale issues such as energy independence, global climate change, aging infrastructure and healthcare costs are affecting businesses, green building strategies offer tangible ways to counteract these issues as well as strengthen the bottom line.

Pilar - a BrightGreen EnviroLeader

2010-08-19T16:48:00.000-04:00

Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), a subsidiary of Constellation Energy got the go ahead from the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) to proceed with a vast smart grid deployment in Central Maryland. The saga between BGE and the PSC was evident when the PSC denied BGE on the first round the ability to run with its smart meter deployment as planned. BGE had to move fast because it got $200 million from the Federal government through a stimulus grant which was about to expire if the PSC had not accepted the terms.

So now the plan has been accepted, and BGE is going to touch the lives of 1.2 million customers in Maryland. Clearly a pretty ambitious smart grid program.

According to BGE president and CEO, Kenneth W. DeFontes Jr., "Those benefits include at least $2.5 billion worth of savings for BGE customers over the life of the project, as well as major new enhancements in customer service and reliability."

BGE's ability to invest the hundreds of millions of dollars in smart grid on behalf of its customers depends on predictability, certainty and fairness in being able to recover those costs. And for this project to be a success BGE must be very vigilant, and on-top of customer expectations, satisfaction, and congruency.

The PSC was probably concerned the public would not understand that the moment a Smart Grid is installed, they would receive immediate savings on their electricity bill. Is this true? Most likely not, and the PSC's concerns are legitimate.

There seems to be a discrepancy between what the public understands to be as Smart Grid and Smart Meter deployment. As a condition for approval, BGE presented to the PSC a long-term, customer-focused education and communication plan surrounding smart grid.

BGE states that, "It will devote the necessary time and resources to ensure that all of its customers, including limited-income customers and senior citizens, have the information they need prior to each phase of smart grid implementation." What is the plan? what is the outreach execution, How will they measure this successfully? Historically customers have to "grin-and-bear" attitude toward utilities. The lack of competitive alternatives has made the focus on customer satisfaction, and expectations not a priority for utilities..

How will this Smart Grid roll out be any different? If customer's complain that their energy bill has not decreased after a Smart Meter was installed in their home or business what are the consequences for BGE? Probably nothing.. so how true is it that the utility actually cares? And will BGE do whatever necessary to gain customer's trust and confidence?

I am excited about the prospects... let's see what happens

Pilar - a BrightGreen EnviroLeader

Bill Gates on energy: Innovating to zero! | Video on TED.com

2010-03-10T15:33:00.000-05:00

Very interesting presentation on the Innovation Potential in Power Generation

Bill Gates on energy: Innovating to zero! | Video on TED.com

Pilar - a BrightGreen EnviroLeader

Standardizing the Green Building Standard

2009-10-08T20:07:00.000-04:00

It seems every major market in the world is developing some type of GreenBuilding Standard by which to measure the effects on the environment of developing, constructing,and managing building structures.

Traditional measures of such standards include a concern for developing in such a way that it does not impact the existing environment in a negative way. Issues addressed in these green building standards include that the building have a higher level of energy efficiency, that it has some level of renewable energy capacity, that its water use and management is exemplary, that materials employed are sustainable and recycled and other factors impacting the indoor quality, productivity and livability factor of the building are addressed.

However, it seems that as more markets see the potential to develop a green building standard, they are also creating confusion, and potential market cannibalization amongst the differing Green Building Standards.

In the US alone there is LEED, Energy Star, NAHBgreen, and countless state standards developed in tandem. Globally, the confusion continues:

Some examples of green building environmental assessment tools currently in use:

* Australia: Nabers / Green Star

* Brazil: AQUA / LEED Brasil

* Canada: LEED Canada / Green Globes

* People's Republic of China: GBAS

* Finland: PromisE

* France: HQE

* Germany: DGNB

* Kong Hong Kong: HKBEAM

* India: GRIHANational Rating System developed by TERI /LEED India

* Italy: Protocollo Itaca

* Malaysia: GBI Malaysia

* Mexico: LEED Mexico

* Netherlands: BREEAM Netherlands

* New Zealand: Green Star NZ

* Portugal: Lider A

* Singapore: Green Mark

* South Africa: Green Star SA

* Spain: VERDE

* Switzerland: Minergie

* The United States: LEED /Living Building Challenge / Green Globes Build it Green/NAHB NGBS

* The United Kingdom: BREEAM

So as you can see, there really is no such thing as THE Standard for Green Building Standards. It's a myriad of labels, brands, ratings that leave those of us "Accredited Professionals" wondering if we must master all these standards to be globally competitive. Furthermore, what really matters is which standard or label creates the most bang for the buck. Meaning by applying which attributes of these standards will our buildings gain the most energy efficiency, renewable energy, maintain a level of financial competitiveness and marketability, and offer the best inddor and quality standards. In other words become THE STANDARD of Standards.

Recently, to address this parade of standards three of the most widely known green building labels, the UK's BREEAM rating System, the US Green Building Council's - LEED certification, and Australias, Green Star Label signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) committing them to work together to develop common standards for measuring the environmental impact of new and existing buildings. Yet I wonder if they trully represent the best...

The prized global STANDARD of GreenBuilding is still up for grabs, or maybe there is room for all these labels, standards, schemes, templates to work together...

Pilar - a BrightGreen EnviroLeader

Are we Destroying ourselves from Within..

2009-09-01T11:03:00.001-04:00

Pilar - a BrightGreen EnviroLeader

My answer to the following article...

As Ariel Durant once stated, “A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within.” We are facing a transcendental moment in our time. If we do nothing about Energy independence we will continue on a dangerous path maybe worse than what we experienced with 911. If we do no move towards developing a competitive stance in REnewables, the United States will continue to slide, and fall from a position of leadership in innovation, technology positioning and lose to Germany, China, Japan and other countries who have made a moral, and strategic decision to be the leaders, and break the chains of slavery to oil and fossil fuels. If continue to bicker like children, and avoid the reality that we are living in a world where Climate Change is ever more palpable, we will simply succumb to our demise, and "destroy ourselves from within."

SolarPathfinder - finding the SUN

2008-12-15T22:53:00.004-05:00

I came across this cool little company who makes a very useful tool for finding the Sun. The Solar Pathfinder™ gives an entire year’s solar potential for a given site in just seconds. This non-electronic instrument will optimize solar energy extraction. AWESOME :-) Check it out.

Pilar - a BrightGreen EnviroLeader

SOLARMOBILE - from the TrueGreen Automotive Group

2008-11-20T20:56:00.004-05:00

From Solar Power to Cars -

So if Opel is to be sold to SolarWorld, then why can't we sell Ford and GM to SunEdison? or EverGreen? I think this would propel forward the TrueGreening of the Automobile industry and create a SolarMobile we can all dream of. No more nasty, stinky gasoline and ending our dependency of foreign petroleum. FINALLY - we would would re-invent the car after 100 years of engine stagnation.

The excuse that "there is no capital" is unacceptable"..

Pilar - a BrightGreen EnviroLeader

DRILL BABY DRILL.. YUCK.. How about USE YOUR BRAIN BABY USE YOUR BRAIN!!!!!!

2008-09-18T12:23:00.003-04:00

The Battle Between our political "leaders" continues on the issue of Energy Independence. Take a look at this video...

Some "Highlights" of what is up for grabs:
House of Reps. passes bill that allows more offshore drilling, repeals tax cuts for oil industry

Lifting of offshore drilling ban a top Republican priority

White House says bill is full of "poison pills" that show "lack of seriousness"

Prospects for bill in the Senate are unclear; time is running out before elections

Why don't we change the message and stop thinking about Drilling, and move towards Inventing.. Inventing and innovating on all fronts. Unleashing an entrepreneurial deluge of ideas, visions, and execution. Why are we still thinking about Drilling when we could invent so many other ways to generate energy independence? Is our country that incompetent that we still believe our only solution is oil? NO NO NO..I have faith in our ability to create "INTELLIGENT-ABUNDANCE." I am convinced that if our Government creates a framework of incentives that will drive investors, research and entrepreneurs to move forward we will truly unleash - THE GREEN MONSTER and thereby create a GREEN RIGHTS MOVEMENT.. I HAVE A dream!! Sound Familiar?? :)

Pilar - a BrightGreen EnviroLeader

SurVival

2008-09-08T18:48:00.003-04:00

Pilar - a BrightGreen EnviroLeader

“Every morning a Squirrel wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest car or it will be killed. Every morning a Vulcher wakes up. It knows it must hope the slowest Squirrel does not outrun the slowest car or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter whether you are a Squirrel or a Vulcher... when the sun comes up, you'd better be praying.”
Is this what we want the race for OIL to be? A hideous race? STOP our dependency on Foreign Oil, STOP our dependency on Dirty Energy sources, STOP playing Squirrel or Vulcher - Let's reinvent our SURVIVAL capacity - let's learn and be the SWAN!

Music by: David Rivera http://www.dapperandspruce.com

Taking GREEN greens to the Bank

2008-07-02T12:28:00.004-04:00

Some years ago I met Rep. Jay Inslee. A politician who is driving the effort of IntelligeceAbundance by proposing legislation that will generate new Green Jobs, and propel a deluge of eco-preneurialism. He wrote a very inspiration book titled "Apollo's Fire: Igniting America's Clean Energy Economy." Jay Inslee is a recognized leader in Congress on energy issues and is the prime sponsor of the New Apollo Energy Act, a comprehensive plan to build a clean energy economy in America.

Today Jay Inslee is pushing further by introducing the "Renewable Energy Jobs and Security Act" which similarly to the EU's Feed-in-Tariff legislation, it requires:
1. A guarantee to interconnect renewable energy to the grid with uniform standards
2. A mandatory purchase requirement through long-term contracts with fixed tariffs
3. A rate-recovery through a regional cost-sharing and systems benefit charge

Pilar - a BrightGreen EnviroLeader

Green the Capitol Initiative

2008-06-18T16:08:00.000-04:00

Our Political leaders are making some cool changes.. Check out Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi - she is a total Bright Green.

She is leading the movement to Green the U.S Capitol - it is an initiative called "Green the Capitol"

Bright Green

2008-06-18T15:21:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Today I start the journey of creating a fun, informative, audacious, and totally new blog. I call my Blog IntelligentAbundance! because it is about finding intelligent and abundant solutions to deal with the global warming challenge.

I am what you call a "BrightGreen Environmentalist." Bright Greens are more about cool ideas, models and tools to overcome the issues facing the global climate challenge. It does not focus on the bleakness, and direness of global warming, but rather on the opportunities this challenge gives us. Bright Greens are energizing, entrepreneurial, driven, ambitious to find solutions.

So WELCOME! together we can find some really awesome ideas and solutions.