Beyond LEED for New Construction: Recommendations for Change

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Beyond LEED for New ConstructionRecommendations
for Change

• Patrice Frey
• Director of Sustainability Research
• National Trust for Historic Preservation
• National Tax Credit Conference
• November 8, 2007

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Beyond LEED for New Construction

• I. National Trusts Sustainability Initiative
• II. Overview of LEED-NC Application to
  Historic Projects
• III. Looking Ahead Opportunities for Improving
  LEED

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Beyond LEED for New Construction

• I. The Sustainability Initiative

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Beyond LEED for New Construction

• Buildings account for 36-48 of carbon emissions
  in the United States
• Green Building standards emerged as a way of
  encouraging environmentally sustainable building
  practices
• Less focus on greening existing buildings, more
  focus on greening new buildings
• Butwe cant build ourselves out of our climate
  problems

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Beyond LEED for New Construction

• Research
• Quantify Benefits of Building Reuse vs. New
  Construction
• Gather data about energy performance of historic
  buildings
• Develop best practices for greening historic
  buildings
• Policy
• Working with USGBC to make standards more
  friendly to existing buildings
• Supporting/enhancing state/federal historic tax
  credits
• Local government policy
• Building/energy codes
• Comprehensive/ Sustainability Plans

Image Courtesy of USGBC
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Beyond LEED for New Construction

• Outreach
• Preservationists
• Green Building/Environmental Community
• Homeowners/Historic building owners
• Internal Practices
• Sustainable Preservation Bulletins for NTHP sites
• Lincoln Cottage Visitors Education Center --
  LEED-NC silver certification expected

Lincoln Cottage Visitors Education Center Photo
David Overholt
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Beyond LEED for New Construction

• II. LEED-NC An Overview

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Beyond LEED for New Construction

• LEED self described by USGBC as the nationally
  accepted benchmark for the design, construction,
  and operation of high performance green
  buildings
• Total of 69 points available under LEED-NC 27
  required to be certified. Can also achieve,
  silver, gold and platinum certification
• Approximately 500 LEED-NC certified projects 35
  historic projects

Images Courtesy of USGBC
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Beyond LEED for New Construction

• Materials Resources (13 credits)
• Building reuse (1-3 pts)
• Construction waste management
• Materials reuse
• Recycled Content
• Regional Materials
• Certified Wood
• Indoor Environmental Quality (15 credits)
• Ventilation
• Low VOC Materials
• Indoor chemical and pollutant source control
• Controllability of systems
• Daylight, Views
• Innovation Points (5 credits)

• Sustainable Sites (14 credits)
• Site Selection
• Development Density
• Transportation Options
• Stormwater, landscaping
• Water Efficiency (5 credits)
• Wastewater management
• Water Use reduction
• Energy Atmosphere (17 credits)
• Improved energy efficiency
• Renewables
• Commissioning

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Beyond LEED for New Construction

• Credits that favor existing/historic buildings
• Site selection, development density
• Brownfield credit
• Alternative Transportation
• Building Reuse (up to 3 pts)
• Ventilation
• Day lighting
• Controllability of systems

Cobb Building LEED Silver, Seattle, WA
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Beyond LEED for New Construction

• Project Dependent
• Recycled Materials?
• Local Materials?
• Rapidly Renewable Materials?
• Green roof?
• Renewable Energy?

• Historic Building Neutral
• Water Efficiency
• Low VOC products
• Construction Waste Management
• Commissioning/Measurement Verification
• Green Power
• Optimizing Energy Performance

Emily Carr House, Victoria, BC Courtesy
University of British Columbia
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Beyond LEED for New Construction

• Unfavorable for Historic Buildings
• Open Space requirement
• Stormwater Management
• Materials Reuse

Ecotrust Building, Portland, OR
LEED-Certified Courtesy Masonry Magazine
Vance Building, Seattle, WA LEED certification
anticipated
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Beyond LEED for New Construction
Sustainable Sites
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Beyond LEED for New Construction
Materials and Resources
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Beyond LEED for New Construction
Energy and Atmosphere
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Beyond LEED for New Construction

• III. Looking Ahead
• Opportunities for Improving LEED-NC

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Beyond LEED for New Construction

• Preservation Metrics
• USGBC Overhauling LEED
• Next generation of LEED should focus on
  Sustainability not just green
• Two Categories of Preservation Metrics LCA
  Based and Non-LCA Based

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Beyond LEED for New Construction
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) LCA is a means of
evaluating environmental effects of building
through every stage of life cycle, including
extraction of resources, construction, operations
and demolition LCA Accounts for Energy Used
Materials Used Pollution released Carbon
Released
http//www.athenasmi.ca/about/
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Beyond LEED for New Construction

• LCA- Based Metrics
• 1. Recognize reduced carbon footprint associated
  with building re-use
• 2. Recognize potential reduced carbon footprint
  associated
• with operations (incorporation of passive
  features)
• 3. Reward buildings with more durable components
• 4. Recognize/reward adaptability and life cycle
  flexibility of historic buildings
• Best way to capture these benefits is through
  transforming LEED into Life Cycle Based rating
  system

Landfill Courtesy BPF windows
Coal Plant Courtesy Enviroblog
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Beyond LEED for New Construction
Non-LCA Based Metrics 5. Recognize the
sustainable context of historic buildings
historic buildings are often located in densely
populated urban areas 6. Recognize the important
contribution of historic buildings to social
sustainability. Provide credit for recognized
sites of architectural, cultural and social
significance
Delancey Street, Philadelphia Courtesy CNU
Rowhouses, Washington DC
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Beyond LEED for New Construction
Non-LCA Based Metrics 7. Recognize the
importance of social capital associated with
historic buildings and neighborhoods 8.
Recognize the high degree of individual
controllability in historic and existing
building, which promotes health and comfort
Courtesy blog.kir.com
Cherry Hill, PA Courtesy CNU
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Beyond LEED for New Construction

• www.nationaltrust.org/green
• PreservationNation
• Beyond Green Building Blog
• http//blogs.nationaltrust.org/preservationnation/