Account
Please wait, authorizing ...

Don't have an account? Register here today.

×

Green building, smart building (I)

Buildings are big consumers of energy and other important resources for the planet. The guest explains the reasons why LEED certification is a mechanism of commitment to the environment, a way to positively position a property and obtain economic savings. The constant increase in the cost of energy, added to the growing concern about the environmental impact, especially that generated by buildings, has given rise to several initiatives that aim to reduce their energy consumption and promote sustainable construction practices that improve the quality of life of the occupants and the communities where they are built. LEED is one such initiative. By: Julio Londoño*
 

The impact that buildings have on natural resources is quite large. It is estimated that in the United States buildings consume more than 70% of the total electrical energy generated and more than 30% of the total energy consumed in the country. But not only the consumption of electrical energy is a concern, so is the use of natural resources and the generation of CO2. Buildings are the main source of CO2 generation, above transport and industry. In the United States alone, buildings generate 39% of total CO2 emissions, consume 40% of the world's raw materials and 13% of drinking water, not counting the thousands of tons of waste per day. What is certification?
LEED is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, created by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). The certification is freely adopted and is developed in consensus by USGBC members. The USGBC is a non-profit organization made up of more than 3,000 members, mostly private companies. It offers certification to buildings, training and accreditation to professionals in the area of construction focused on green buildings. It is important to clarify that the USGBC only certifies buildings and not products. Products with high levels of efficiency are certified by other agencies such as FIDE in Mexico and the Energy Star seal granted by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and DOE (Department of Energy) agencies. LEED certification guarantees that the building and its construction process and subsequent operation meet the standards established by USGBC and can be called a Green Building, this gives seriousness to the concept, preventing it from being used unscrupulously for commercial purposes. The benefits of building a high-performance building are not only reflected in the environment and its occupants, but also at an economic level with savings in the medium and long term. According to USGBC studies, a green building can achieve savings in electrical energy between 25 - 50%, and 40% savings in drinking water consumption; such savings represent an increase in return on investment of 6.6% with a reduction in operating costs of 8 - 9%. A green building is also the right decision from a financial point of view. The economic crisis of 2009 and the emphasis on the issue of energy saving has given LEED a big boost. Part of the U.S. government's economic stimulus is intended for the remodeling of schools, colleges, public housing complexes and government buildings in order to make them more energy efficient. The plan aims to achieve in 10 years the complete remodeling of all public facilities. But there are also tax and financial incentives for those who remodel or build with elements and materials that protect the environment and save energy. This impulse will mean that in a few years the requirement of minimum standards in local codes will reach the standards established today by LEED.
 


The application and evolution of standards towards more demanding requirements is one of the final objectives of the USGBC; that's why it's so important to start familiarizing yourself with the requirements of LEED certification now. Since its creation in 1993, the USGBC has grown progressively; the number of certified professionals has reached a number of 69,151 and 2,150 buildings have obtained the LEED seal until 2008. While the initial cost of designing and constructing a green building can increase by 2-7%, this cost is recovered very quickly thanks to the savings in water and energy it offers, not counting the increase in productivity thanks to the comfort of its occupants. If more importance is given to life cycle cost than the initial cost, a green building offers the best investment, considering a minimum life cycle of 20 years. The financial benefit is so evident that there are companies that have adopted sustainable construction and LEED certification as a fundamental part of their business and growth plan, one of them being the Citi financial group. In 2009 this company obtained the LEED seal for more than 100 of its headquarters and its goal is to continue implementing sustainable construction systems in its branches around the world. According to Susan Chapman, Citi's head of operations and real estate, "through our efforts in sustainable construction, we realize a double benefit by helping the environment while reducing our corporate expenses." The standard has been constantly evolving since its inception. The first version of it only covers new constructions and is focused on the commercial area exclusively. Version 3 was published in 2009 and covers various types of construction. Certification can be obtained for new commercial construction, existing buildings, "core and shell" that does not cover the interiors of the building, schools and colleges and is working on a certification for residences and another for urbanizations. This gives great dynamism to the certification, allowing it to be applied even outside the United States. In fact the growth of LEED in the international arena has been quite large, today there are chapters established all over the world. In Latin America, chapters were established in Mexico, Brazil and Argentina and those in Chile and Colombia are in the process of being created. For more details on the USGBC and chapters in each country you can visit the www.worldgbc.org page. At the end of 2009, Latin America registered 171 accredited professionals, eight certified buildings and another 189 are in the process of certification. The type of buildings varies between schools, hospitals and commercial buildings, mostly buildings of multinational companies established in Latin America and whose corporate policy is the construction of green buildings. Information on which buildings have the LEED seal or are in the process of certification, as well as accredited professionals and ways to obtain accreditation in your area or country are available on the USGBC site, in the "Directories" section (www.usgcb.org).
 


What is LEED certification?
The certification process consists of generating a series of documents that demonstrate that the standard is being complied with. The documentation is then sent to the USGBC for review and subsequent approval. While there is no audit of the project as such by the USGBC, documents must be approved before obtaining certification. All submission of documentation and communication with the USGBC is done online. Additionally, the USGBC offers mechanisms for users to ask questions before submitting documentation. Because the documents must be generated by a working group involving multiple disciplines, it is very important that the building owner, design group, builder and contractors are involved and committed from the beginning in the project and are clear about the goal of obtaining certification. But more than thinking about complying with a checklist, you should think about the activities that are carried out and the effect that these can have on the environment, ensuring that the impact is minimal. If this attitude is adopted from the beginning, the conditions of success increase because the process becomes much easier. LEED certification is based on the compilation of several standards established by different bodies for the construction industry, always demanding the optimal level or higher than the minimum required by them. One of the purposes of the USGBC is to work with government entities and professional organizations to promote the evolution of standards, so that the standards established to obtain LEED certification eventually become the minimum standard required for the industry. Several of these changes have already taken place, which is why the content of the guides is constantly evolving. An example is the latest revisions to the ASHRAE standards for minimum ventilation requirements (ASHRAE 62.1 2007) and to the energy efficiency standards in building roof materials (ASHRAE 90.1 2007). ASHRAE is the American Association of Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Engineers. Areas of certification
LEED certification covers several areas:
 

  • Development and sustainability.
  • Water saving.
  • Energy efficiency.
  • Selection of materials.
  • Quality of the indoor environment.

- Publicidad -

Each area consists of prerequisites and a series of options called Credits. The prerequisites of each area must always be met regardless of the type of construction and do not add points. Each Credit represents a certain number of points. The credits are voluntary and are selected according to the level of certification sought and the possibilities of design or construction. Certification depends on the total number of points earned. In the 2009 LEED version or version 3, the maximum number of possible points is 110, distributed as follows:
 

  • Development and sustainability                26 Points
  • Water efficiency            10
  • Energy and atmosphere                35
  • Materials and resources                14
  • Quality of the indoor            environment 15
  • Process and innovation in design            6
  • Regional bonds                    4______

Total                                               110 Points The level of certification depends on the number of points obtained:

  • Certified project                40-49 points
  • Silver                        50-59
  • Gold                        60-79
  • Platinum                    80 or more.

Development and sustainability
This area aims to select the ideal place for the construction of the building. It seeks to build in previously developed areas and that natural areas are not destroyed, even better if a land that is considered a contaminated area is recovered. It is also sought that the environmental and social impact of the project is minimal. Within the area of development and sustainability, aspects such as selection of the land to be built are covered, always giving priority to the reuse of existing buildings, promoting vertical structures instead of horizontal and construction in areas with high population density. This facilitates the use of public transport and easy access to essential services, thus reducing the use of cars. This area has a prerequisite that seeks the reduction of emission of dusts and pollutants and the management of rainwater and sediment washing during the construction process. To meet the prerequisite, an emissions, sediment and rainwater management plan must be provided in the work area. Connectivity with the community is very important and it is sought that basic public services such as banks, train stations, supermarkets, among others, can be reached on foot or by bicycle. Showers should be provided for bicycle users and preferential parking is given to low-emission vehicles. If the building is built in a rural area, it is sought that the interior light does not affect the night habitat, although pollution by luminaires in urban areas is also contemplated. The "heat island" effect caused by roofs and open parking lots is considered and several alternatives are offered to fix it. One of them, not being the only one, is the use of green roofs. This method has become quite popular and has become one of the typical features of green buildings, as it is not only used as a roof but also offers additional green space for the occupants of the building and very interesting design options. Note: Expect the second part of this article in our next edition. *Julio Londoño, is a production engineer from EAFIT University, Medellin, Colombia, with a master's degree in business and communications from Saint Thomas University in Minneapolis, USA. He is a LEED Accredited Professional with over 10 years of experience in the building automation and air conditioning industry. He has served as an engineer in the design and installation of HVAC control systems. He has participated as a product manager in the development of software applications and control equipment. He currently holds the position of Product Manager of the pressure independent valve line at Belimo.  

No thoughts on “Green building, smart building (I)”

• If you're already registered, please log in first. Your email will not be published.

Leave your comment

In reply to Some User
Free Subscription
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
DO YOU NEED A SERVICE OR PRODUCT QUOTE?
LASTEST INTERVIEWS

Entrevista a Jaime Maldonado, Presidente de Air-Con Inc

En entrevista con ACR Latinoamérica, Jaime Maldonado, Presidente de Air-Con Inc, destacó los proyectos que tiene la compañía para este año 2024, sobre todo con la transición de los nuevos refrigerantes. Además, Air-Con estará como expositor en Refriaméricas Miami, y Jaime nos habló sobre sus expectativas con el evento y lo que darán a conocer para todos los visitantes.

Webinar: Armstrong y Energía de Distrito

Por: Rafael Behar, Gerente de Apoyo de Aplicación, Armstrong Fluid Technology Los sistemas de energía de distrito se caracterizan por una o más plantas centrales que producen agua caliente, vapor y/o agua fría, que luego fluye a través de una red de tuberías aisladas para proporcionar agua caliente, calefacción y/o aire acondicionado a los edificios cercanos. Los sistemas de energía de distrito sirven a una variedad de mercados de uso final, incluidos los centros de las ciudades (distritos comerciales centrales), campus universitarios, hospitales e instalaciones de atención médica, aeropuertos, bases militares y complejos industriales. Al combinar cargas para múltiples edificios, los sistemas de energía urbana crean economías de escala que ayudan a reducir los costos de energía y permiten el uso de tecnologías de alta eficiencia. En este seminario web vamos a introducir a Armstrong Fluid Tecnología y su dirección para la energía urbana con enfoques en plantas de calefacción. https://www.acrlatinoamerica.com/20...

Webinar: Mejores Practicas para la Optimización de Sistemas

Importancia de la correcta automatización de plantas de agua helada con el objetivo de pasar al siguiente nivel, que es la optimización de los sistemas para obtener una mayor eficiencia energética y ahorro del costo operativo y de mantenimiento. Por: Camilo Olvera Rodríguez, Gerente de Ventas - México, ARMSTRONG FLUID TECHNOLOGY https://www.acrlatinoamerica.com/20...

Webinar: Enfriando el futuro: Las nuevas tendencias en refrigerantes para supermercados y almacenes

https://www.acrlatinoamerica.com/20... Únete a nosotros en este emocionante Webinar sobre las últimas tendencias en refrigerantes para supermercados y almacenes. Descubre cómo mantener tus productos frescos de manera eficiente, mientras contribuyes a la sostenibilidad y cuidado del medio ambiente. En esta sesión, exploraremos las innovaciones más recientes en refrigerantes ambientalmente preferibles, incluyendo tecnologías avanzadas de enfriamiento. Aprenderás sobre las ventajas de adoptar estas nuevas soluciones, no solo en términos de eficiencia energética, sino también en la reducción de emisiones y el cumplimiento de regulaciones ambientales. Por: Guillermo Brandenstein, Sr Account Manager - Honeywell

Webinar: ¿Es adecuada la forma de vender en las empresas HVAC/R?

En esta presentación se tratarán puntos neurálgicos sobre cómo lograr vender sin necesidad de licitar, teniendo muy presente que el cliente no nos compre porque somos los más baratos sino porque somos su mejor opción. Por: Ing. Rolando Torrado, CEO - Rolando Torrado https://www.acrlatinoamerica.com/20...
Load more...
SITE SPONSORS










LASTEST NEWSLETTER
Ultimo Info-Boletin