Electical Contractor

I attended a lecture recently where the guest speaker gave a detailed overview on building Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) projects, and I learned a surprising thing: It’s not only about the green materials used for the construction, but also how things are built.

In Turner Construction's 2008 Green Building Market Barometer survey of 754 commercial real estate executives, a significant percentage of respondents view green buildings as having lower operating costs and higher building values, rent requirements, occupancy rates and overall return on investment

According to a recent study by Frost & Sullivan, a major international industry research firm, renewable energy is gaining ground in North America as global in-ground fossil fuel reserves continue to dwindle and oil prices fluctuate.

In the drive for energy-efficient buildings, perfection is net-zero energy. Such tightly constructed buildings also produce their own energy, ultimately offsetting the energy they expend. Some produce more than they use and can sell the excess back to the utility.

The International Code Council (ICC) develops model codes regulating construction of residential and commercial buildings, one of which is the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). Most states have a commercial or residential energy code that is based on some version of the IECC.

There has been a lot of talk lately about the future of green jobs. The Obama administration, for example, has invested heavily in renewable power to help the nation launch a massive economic recovery. At least one state is following the president’s lead. This spring, New Jersey Gov. Jon S.

The founder of the US Green Building Council (USGBC) has completed the highest-scoring green home renovation since the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Homes green building rating system launched in January 2008.

Bold ideas always get a mixed reaction. It’s not until years later that anyone can say objectively if they were effective. President Barack Obama’s alternative energy goals are no exception.

A new kind of social experiment in the works at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) aims to demonstrate how energy-efficient dormitory design can translate into long-term savings, according to a recent article in Architect magazine.