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The Greenest Building Material

The American Forest Foundation (AFF) today welcomed a new study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) showing that wood is truly the green building material, with environmental benefits that dwarf other common building materials.

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Posted on GreenBuilder 10.17.11

Viewpoint: Yes, I am passionate about green buildings!

The average American spends 90 percent of his or her time indoors. Indoor air quality can be affected by ventilation in the building, maintenance conducted on the heating and cooling systems and contaminants in the building. Reports by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1987 (Unfinished Business: A Comparative Assessment of Environmental Problems) and 1990 (Reducing Risk: Setting Priorities and Strategies for Environmental Protection) designated indoor pollutants as a top environmental risk. Since then, government nonprofit organizations have been focused on assessing, managing and creating awareness of the affects of indoor air quality.

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Posted on MLive 10.23.11

It's Time for Schooling on Energy Literacy

Sustainability Desk By: Emile Lauzzana AIA, LEED AP
Executive Director, Energy Works Michigan

Every school day, thousands of teachers, administrators and staff wake up with the most important job in the world: teaching the next generation. They travel to buildings in the heart of their communities where classrooms are filled with over 1.6 million Michigan K-12 students ready to learn. In fact, during the school year, over 20 percent of our population is in a school building each day.

Unfortunately, these buildings are aging. The average school in the U.S. is over 40 years old, and the American Society of Civil Engineers gives our public schools a failing “D” rating. Inadequate facilities can directly impact student performance and achievement. This is particularly troubling at a time when Michigan and the U.S. are falling behind in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. The U.S. now ranks 30th in the world in science literacy according to the Program for International Student Assessment.

Paralleling our failing school-building infrastructure, we are facing a dire economic climate exacerbated by one of the most severe energy crises in recent decades. If we want to break the cycle of energy crises in our country, it is critical that we embed energy literacy into our next generation. Cost-effective investments in Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) improvements can easily save school districts over $100 per pupil annually.

Energy Works Michigan is addressing these critical issues with the Michigan Renewable Schools Program. During the first two years, we partnered with 67 schools and districts statewide, providing technical assistance, incentive funding, teacher professional development and targeted classroom support. These schools will save over $400,000 in energy costs annually and over $11 million over the life of installed equipment. Yet, this represents only one percent of over 5,500 K-12 school facilities in Michigan.

Sustainability Desk by Bill Swanson: Do the Math West Michigan really does lead in green building

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2011

By Bill Swanson, LEED AP
BETA Design

Lately it seems as though every local paper we see has something to say about another LEED building opening. There is a reason for this: We’re building a lot of them around here, so much so that West Michigan gets noticed nationally. Grand Rapids alone has 71 buildings that have completed all of the paperwork and earned LEED certification. In fact, the cities of Philadelphia, Columbus and Brooklyn combined have only 75 finished LEED projects, even though their combined population is 24 times larger than Grand Rapids.

Sustainability Desk with Sam Pobst: Productivity by design

MONDAY, MAY 16, 2011

By Samuel D Pobst,

LEED AP

President/CEO, Eco Metrics LLC

According to the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), the average cost of energy for a typical office building per square foot is $2.56, maintenance is $2.29, rent is $25.05 and wages are $282.23 per square foot. Energy costs, while important, are insignificant when considering the impact of providing for the well being of the occupants as it affects their productivity. A 1 percent gain in productivity will more than cover all building energy costs. We need our employees to be really happy. There are two key elements we look at in building design and operations that affect worker productivity. These are building materials and chemicals that affect occupant health, and how much control individual workers have over their own environment.

Special Report from Sundance: A National Action Plan for Greening America’s Schools

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Few issues facing our society are more important than creating schools that are healthy, conducive to learning and sustainable.

Yet our schools are often unhealthy and neglected, impairing our children's learning and undercutting our educational system. Through the greening of America's Schools, we have the opportunity to improve the health and education of our children, inspire future leaders and create a stronger America. We know the only way forward is together. In November 2010, the U.S. Green Building Council in partnership with the American Institute of Architects, the Redford Center and ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, held a Greening of America's Schools Summit with mayors, superintendents, educators, students, artists and community leaders to better understand the steps needed to green America's schools and how to best lead the charge.

Grand Rapids Christian Elementary School Awarded LEED GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., April 26, 2011 – Grand Rapids Christian Elementary School (GRCES), located at 1050 Iroquois S.E., has been awarded LEED for Schools certification for its environmentally friendly building and operating practices. LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

Van Andel Institute Earns Rare Green Building Status

VAI Phase II becomes only second new facility in Michigan and one of a dozen research institutes nationally to achieve Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum Award.

Grand Rapids, Mich. (April 20, 2011) – Van Andel Institute’s 240,000 square foot Phase II building has been awarded LEED Platinum status by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). The award recognizes West Michigan’s efforts to remain a leader in sustainable development, marks VAI as only the second facility awarded Platinum LEED for New Construction in Michigan, and sets the Institute and its facility apart with a dozen national peers as a leader of sustainable building practices in the field of biomedical research.

LEED Homes’ Popularity Continues to Grow

South Haven, MI – Cutting energy and water consumption by 30 to 60 percent, lowering greenhouse emissions, and reducing exposure to mold, mildew and other toxins are a few of the persuasive reasons why more and more people are opting for sustainable-designed homes.

The trend toward greener home design and construction is growing both nationwide and along the West Michigan lakeshore. The highest level of sustainability is designing and building to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards. Earlier this month, the LEED for Homes program gave a green stamp of approval on the 10,000^th home nationwide, and there are more than 38,000 additional properties in progress.

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