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The official newsletter of the U.S. Green Building Council - Central California Chapter

Inside the September 2007 issue:

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As the environmental indicators are now pointing, we need to make significant changes in the way we build and operate our homes, offices and places of recreation if we are going to avoid a major ecological crisis. Climate change looms on the horizon and the makers of the built environment are most responsible and most capable of significant change which could yet dampen the effects of global warming. For our part, the Central California Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council is committed to being an organization of significant change, one that is positive and focused on every aspect of the built environment. We are a young organization with a big heart, a talented board of directors and a membership that grows every day.

This is a very exciting time for our organization. We have worked very hard to establish our self as the leading resource for education, advocacy and awareness of green building principals to reduce the barriers and misconceptions as it pertains to conventional methods and costs. We have a long way to go and we are up to the challenge.

To that end, I would like to direct your attention to the USGBC-CC Sponsorship Campaign. Sponsorship dollars will be used to support continued Chapter operations and capacity building, community outreach and education and to promote better public policy and greener development within Central California. We are the leaders of this mission in Central California; however, we have fallen behind the rest of the State. The number of LEED Certified buildings in Los Angeles alone is in the hundreds, if not thousands - and the same goes for the Bay Area. You can count on one hand the number of LEED Certified buildings in Central California. Because this is a volunteer based organization, it will take a collective effort, both in time and finance, to achieve this monumental task. While our Chapter is up to the challenge, we will need the financial support of the community to be successful. Please download a sponsorship packet today.

I thank you in advance for your consideration. With your support we can and will make a difference – after all we are only borrowing the environment from future generations and we must treat it as we do any investment – with wisdom and care. Every positive step in this regard that we take today will bring exponential dividends in the future.

Regards,

Jerrod M. Jensen
President, USGBC-Central California Chapter


Jeff Kruger, USGBC-CC LEED for Homes Committee Chair

On August 19 and 20, the USGBC hosted a two-day seminar in Washington, DC to train local chapter residential advocates for the recently-piloted LEED for Homes as it prepares to move into its operational stage and official national launch. The advocacy conference focused on several major themes; a few that will be discussed are the background of the program, current developments, and future goals.

Background
Drafted in 2001 and piloted in 2005, LEED for Homes was intended to target production builders to build to a high green standard on an incentive-driven basis, one that raised the bar for green building implementation. Addressing the same themes as LEEDs commercial program, LEED for Homes focuses on energy consumption, water management, materials, site development, and indoor environmental quality. The goal has been to implement design and construction practices that meet specified standards intended to reduce the negative impact of buildings on their occupants and on the environment. In order to accomplish this, quantifiable goals needed to be set concurrently with a process in place to provide a means to achieve the goals.

Current developments
A pilot phase was developed and launched in 2005 in all major regions of the United States to build to developed standards and receive feedback. Currently in the pilot phase, there are 400 registered builders, 7,700 registered homes and over 200 certified homes. Additionally, as the pilot has received a very positive response the process continues to be evolutionary as the program receives input. For example, irrigation and landscaping continue to pose significant challenges for developing standards on a nationwide basis given that the regions vary on annual rainfall from 4 to 140 inches. Additionally, the delivery system requires a number of LEED-certified members to form an adequate infrastructure for builders to be certified. The current structure uses a design consultant to meet with the builder to properly spec the building practices to meet the desired certification level. Once built, the home will undergo an inspection with a LEED-certified rater that will be the basis for LEED certification.

Future Goals
LEED for Homes is poised to officially launch at the end of 2007, with the intent of having a program that raises the bar for building to green standards. It is designed to be a collaborative system, starting with a consultant assisting the builder in the design of the homes and continuing through to the third party tester. LEED for Homes is built upon a network consisting of providers, design consultants, developers, builders, contractors, and third party testers to in a collaborative process resulting in a voluntary and third party verified green standard; a green standard with four levels of certification but as a whole challenge the

The seminar also devoted a substantial amount of time to clarification from the advocates. Questions ranged from logistical operations to region- and project-specific standards. Overall, the LEED for Homes program has developed a substantial base since inception in 2001, and work remains to be done before the official launch as it continues to respond and adapt to real world scenarios.

An important aspect of LEED for Homes is dealing with the dynamic of other green programs and standards in the marketplace. There are a number of green building programs across the US; some are nationwide while others are regional. USGBC acknowledged that there has been a perception of programs jockeying for recognition as the definitive standard; USGBC and LEED for Homes has taken the stance that all green is good green; there should be collaboration and communication amongst green programs in an effort to promote the green movement and sustainable building.

More information can be found at http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=147

 

Lowell J. Ens
Housing Resource Services Manager
Fresno Housing Authority
In 2004, the Housing Authority of the City of Fresno received a $20 million HOPE VI Revitalization Grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the only such grant that year provided west of the Mississippi. This program is designed to affect change in communities surrounding older and troubled public housing complexes, such as Yosemite Village in west Fresno. The proposed project is comprised of a number of development components that include for-sale and rental housing, community services, pocket parks and other planned recreational amenities for Southwest Fresno. Now known as the Villages at California, the project has completed numerous milestones, including construction of the 3,500 sq. ft. Villages at California Community Enrichment Center, scheduled to open end of summer 2007. This building is pursuing a LEED Silver certification.
The Community Enrichment Center (CEC) is the flagship for the Villages at California development. This unique center will provide local resource services and programs for children, youth, families and adults. Designed to serve not only the Villages at California residents but also neighbors within the three- to five-mile radius, this facility will house a variety of programs such as:
• Community Amenities: A multi-purpose room has been incorporated into the facility for arts and crafts activities, meetings, dinners and other community events. Adjacent to the multi-purpose room is a kitchen for food preparation. A courtyard garden will also be constructed for relaxation activities. The center will have two handicapped-accessible public restrooms.
• Neighborhood Networks Computer Training Laboratory: Residents of the Villages and community neighbors can take advantage of a state-of-the-art computer-training technology laboratory. The lab contains an instructor’s work station and free-standing, fully-furnished computer work stations, which all connect to printers and telephone lines for DSL high-speed Internet access.
• Preschool: A new preschool, funded in part by First Five of Fresno County, has been built to accommodate up to 24 neighborhood preschoolers. The center features an exclusive play area for the children. Preschool provider VDA Incorporated, will operate the Steven P. Gordon Preparatory School for the Development of Young Minds, and enrollment is on a sliding scale on a first come, first serve basis for qualifying families in the redevelopment area.
The CEC is intended to serve as a demonstration of the sustainable development goals of the entire Villages at California project. Through climate responsive design, high efficiency systems and use of resource efficient materials, the CEC demonstrates the potential for incorporating sustainable measures in all aspects of the Villages at California. To establish a clear standard for achievement in sustainable design the Housing Authority has set a goal of achieving LEED Silver certification for the CEC, currently under review by the US Green Building Council.

The areas of energy efficiency focus are described below:

1. Maximize insulation value of Building Envelope: The building envelope is designed to take advantage of the panelized wall systems (Structural Insulated Panels – SIPS) to maximize insulation values.
2. Maximize day lighting: The design of the CEC will maximize day lighting while minimizing interior heat gain. All normally occupied spaces are provided with ample natural light. North and east facing windows have been maximized. South and West facing windows are limited or well shaded.
3. Efficiency of Mechanical Systems: The mechanical systems were designed to maximize energy efficiency, and systems provide for multiple zones to allow maximum control of thermal comfort. HVAC units are 15.0 SEER.
4. On-site Generation of Power: The CEC has incorporated a Photovoltaic system as a means of reducing off-site energy consumption, and as a means of demonstrating potential for on-site electricity generation for new single family homes. The system is comprised of a 5.0 kW Non-Profit PV array. The PV panels are designed to provide +60% of the annual energy load of the building and site.
5. The building is oriented, shaped and shaded to take advantage of regional climate conditions.
6. Bicycle parking is provided for +10% of staff and users.
7. Building maximizes green, pervious and light-colored open space and minimizes heat island effect of dark, heat-absorbing materials.
8. A 51% water reduction from ASHRAE standard was obtained by using waterless urinals, dual flush toilets and ultra low-flow lavatory fixtures.
9. The building is 27% above T-24 energy use requirements.
10. A dedicated contract to invest in alternative energy has been developed for the building electrical use.
11. Low-VOC paints, coatings and carpeting throughout, improving indoor air quality (IAQ) of staff and users.
12. Lighting and heating systems designed to maximize individual user/ group control and thermal comfort has been maximized by providing for natural ventilation at all spaces and designing a mechanical system to allow for individual control at major program areas.
13. 90% of the interior spaces have access to daylight, reducing electricity demand during hours of operation.

The Villages at California Community Enrichment Center will be a visible reminder to the Fresno community that reinvestment in older neighborhoods can include high efficiency buildings that contribute not only to the social aspects of the area, but to the overall health of its members.

 

Federal Agency Report
Courtesy of www.greenbuildingnews.com

On August 4, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a far-reaching energy bill that includes a number of AIA-backed initiatives, including carbon-neutral federal buildings by 2030, an extension of the energy-efficient commercial buildings tax deduction, and the construction of a photovoltaic sun wall on the Department of Energy's headquarters.

According to Andrew Goldberg, Assoc. AIA, the AIA's senior director of federal affairs, "By including many AIA priorities in the bill, the House showed that it understands the role sustainable design plays in promoting energy efficiency and reducing our carbon footprint. It shows that when our members speak out, Congress will listen."

Carbon-Neutral Federal Buildings. The House bill, H.R. 3221, The New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security and Consumer Protection Act, requires that all new federal buildings and buildings undergoing major renovations meet the targets of the AIA-sponsored SustAIAnability 2030 Challenge. Section 6204 of the bill requires federal agencies to use sustainable design features to ensure that their facilities achieve the following fossil fuel-generated energy reduction percentages in upcoming years:

Fiscal Year
Percentage Reduction
2010
55%
2015
65%
2020
80%
2025
90%
2030
100%

Tom Bergan, manager of federal legislative affairs, notes that the carbon-neutral federal building provision was one of the three issues, or "asks," that AIA members brought to Capitol Hill during the 2007 Grassroots Legislative and Leadership Conference last February. "Our members' advocating for this provision truly paid off," he said. "Members of Congress really embraced the goal of having the federal government lead the way in making buildings more energy efficient."

The Senate approved a similar provision in their energy bill earlier this summer. When Congress reconvenes in September, one of their first tasks will be to reconcile the two energy bills and produce a final piece of legislation to send to the White House. The AIA will continue to work with both the House and the Senate to ensure that the final bill includes the 2030 targets for federal buildings.
Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Tax Deduction. Another of the AIA's top "asks" from the Grassroots conference, extending the energy-efficient commercial buildings tax deduction, was also included in the House-passed energy bill. Section 10113 of the legislation extends the tax deduction until 2013. This provision allows for a tax deduction of $1.80 per square foot for the construction of energy-efficient commercial buildings and the installation of energy-efficient systems in existing commercial buildings that result in the reduction of energy consumption by 50 percent or more as compared to a reference building.

Sun Wall. Another AIA-sponsored provision included in the bill will authorize funding for the long-delayed photovoltaic "Sun Wall" project at the Department of Energy's Washington, DC, headquarters. The AIA has championed this for more than five years. The wall would generate 200 kW of electricity and would be the largest building-integrated solar energy system on any federal building in the U.S. The design incorporates photovoltaic panels with a solar thermal installation for hot water.

Studying Sustainable Schools. The House approved an AIA-backed amendment to the House bill that authorizes a study to explore the link between sustainable school design and student performance. The amendment, introduced by Reps. Darlene Hooley (D-OR), Michael McCaul (R-TX), and Jim Matheson (D-UT), will "help develop the knowledge base that will lead to the design and construction of schools that enable our students to be competitive with those in the rest of the world," according to a letter that the AIA sent to the representatives endorsing the amendment.


Sun Wall Competition winning entry image

 

Over 150 people turned out on August 7th in celebration of the first LEED registered project in Fresno and the first LEED registered Church in California: the new Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno. Attendance included members of USGBC, members of the UU Church, friends of BMY Construction – the contractor, and the general public who were curious after several write ups in the Fresno Bee.

After a social hour of music and food – sponsored by BMY – attendees got to experience sitting in the ‘pews’ as George Burman, UU Church Member and USGBC Board Member, presented the building’s Green credentials. Diane Merrill, representing PG&E, presented the Church with a check for $17,986 as the Owner’s Incentive award for the Savings by Design Program. The Design Team, represented by Kathryn McCamant, the Church’s architect, also received a check for about $5700.00 for the Design Team Incentive award. Both awards resulted from a designed energy savings of 33.5% less than the Title 24 requirement.

UU Church is Fresno's first LEED Registered Building.
The Design Team is anticipating a LEED Gold rating.

George Burman; The Rev. Bryan Jessup, UUCF
Minister; Jody Palmer, UUCF Board President;
Diane Merrill, PG&E representative

Lowell Poore, BMY Construction Superintendent;
George Burman, Eric Bower, BMY CFO;
Jeremy Hofer, USGBC - Central California


By: Jon Dougal - November 29, 2005
Source: Anita Roddick, Robert F. Kennedy, and many others

Because water is running out, freshwater has become the “blue gold” of the 21st Century. A precious commodity that will determine the fate of nations and societies. Suddenly, the private sector has become intensely interested in the future of water and is moving in to take control of this finite and depleting resource. Competitive nation-states are abandoning natural resources protection and privatizing their ecological commons. Price water, they in chorus; put it up for sale and let the market determine its future. The agenda is clear: water should be treated like any other tradable good, with its use determined by the principles of profit.

“When the Well is dry we know the value of water “ Benjamin Franklin

Number of gallons of fresh water needed to open the locks to the
Panama Canal one time ….............................................................200million liters

Number of gallons of water needed to produce a day’s supply of
newsprint in the U.S…..........................................................................…3million

Number of gallons of water to run a dishwasher one load ……………………….20 gallons

Cost ratio of bottled water to New York City tap water……………………………1000 to one

Percentage of Americans who regularly
drink bottled water ………………………..........................................……………..54%

Amount of water down the drain for one tooth brushing………………4-6 gallons

Number of Gallon for a 10 minute shower ……………………………….10 gallons

Number of gallons for a typical bath tub bath …………………………..40 gallons

A single toilet flush (non-conservative toilet) ........................................3-7gallons

Number of people who do not have any water within a 15 minute walk from home…..1Bln

Number of seconds a child dies from contaminated water……………………………..8

Number of multiples that people in developing countries may pay
for water over city dwellers of Europe and America………………………..50 times

Percent of water that composes the human body…..............……………………..70%

Percent of the Earth composed of water………………………………………………….70%

A leaky faucet that loses a drop per second loses 16 bathtubs full a month, and 10,000 liters /year

The average human should consume 2.5 liters of water/day. Urine looses 1.5 liters, crying looses 1ml, and sweating from 1-3 liters/day.

Number of people that die every year from contaminated water.....................................…………..25 mll
Population of Canada…………………………………………………………………….............……….25 mil

In India, communities near Coca-cola bottling plants are finding their wells drying up. For some, a coke is easier to come by than a glass of water.

Water used daily by a Coca-cola bottling
plant in India …………………………….........................................….20,000 gallons

Estimated number of people who lack access to
clean drinking water worldwide….................................................................1.4 bln

Estimated number of people lacking access to sanitation………………………..2.4 bln

Percent of expected increase in water
use by 2020……………………………...................................……………………40%

Projected cost per year of bringing universal
access of water to the poor by 2015 …….....................………………………..$30bln

World Bottled Water Consumption in liters/year/person and in Percentages
Western Europe: 85 liters/person ………………………………………….46%
North America: 35 liters/person/year……………………………………….20%
Pacific: 19 liters……………………………………………………………....11%
Eastern Europe: 15 liters………………………………………..…………...8%
Latin America: 12 liters…………………………………………….………….7%
North Africa and the Near East: 10 liters…………………………………….6%
Asia: 3 liters……………………………………………………………….…….2%
Africa: 2liters………………………………………………………………….…0%

Number of glasses of water need to produce 1 glass of Orange juice………………50

Percentage of all food poisoning cases in
Britain caused by bottled Water………….......................................................…12%

Number of plastic water bottles American empty every hour……………….2.5 mln

Number of years to decompose a plastic water bottle ………………………..500 years

Number of gallons of fresh water required to produce
a pound of beef……..................................................................…….2500/pound

“The fresh water that goes into a 1000 pound steer would float a destroyer” Newsweek

Number of indigenous people displaced by
840,000 dams worldwide……………..............................................……….38 million
Percent of the worlds rivers dammed……………………………………………………60%

Reach Anita Roddick and tell her how much this information meant to you! www.AnitaRoddick.com

 

By Michael Kanellos
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
August 10, 2006 4:00 AM PDT
HERZLIYA, Israel--Etyan Levy builds apartment complexes for bacteria.
His company, AqWise, is one of this country's breakout start-ups in the expanding market for water technology. It has devised an intricate polymer cylinder that, when placed in wastewater treatment ponds, clusters microbes that consume contaminants. The water can then be safely discarded or used to irrigate fields.
"They grow naturally. We just provide the microbes with the right environment," CEO Levy said of the system, which obviates the need for the supplemental ponds used in traditional water treatment. "Our cost is about half the cost of an additional basin, depending on the cost of the land."
Although it hasn't attracted as much attention as alternative energy, water has emerged as one of the more promising opportunities in the clean-tech boom. The water infrastructure is several decades old in many parts of Europe and the United States, where new regulations are forcing municipalities to remove higher levels of ammonia and nitrogen compounds from their supplies than in the past.
Upgrading the municipal water systems in the United States could cost $1 trillion over the next several decades, according to Ira Ehrenpreis, a partner at venture capital firm Technology Partners. But situations are far more dire in other parts of the world where fresh water is in short supply.
One-third of the African population has no drinking water, a crisis that could lead to severe shortages in 17 countries by 2010, according to the African Water Association. Roughly half of the world's hospital beds are filled with patients suffering from water-borne diseases, said Kevin McGovern, chairman of venture firm McGovern Capital, quoting U.N. statistics. Groundwater supplies are sinking in parts of China, Bangladesh and even the Midwestern United States, according to various studies.

"From a supply standpoint, 20 percent of the people in the world lack access to potable water," Ehrenpreis said. "There has been a threefold increase in the global population in last 100 years and a sevenfold increase in water consumption."
Much of the activity in this field is taking place in Israel, where water has long been closely linked to national security, economic livelihood and, more recently, technology. In November, Ben Gurion University will host a U.N. conference on desertification.
"Water is a sacred cow in Israel. It is like a gem," said Shlomo Waser, an Israel native who has worked for Philips, Advanced Micro Devices and other companies in Silicon Valley and now advises start-ups.
For reasons of concern or capitalism, investors, start-ups and multinational corporations have intensified their exploration of the water market in recent years. One of the defining moments for the water industry came nearly two years ago when General Electric bought Ionics, a U.S.-based desalination company, for $1.1 billion.
GE's rival, Siemens, quickly followed with its own acquisitions in purification, and in June it signed a research and development pact with Mekorot, Israel's national water company. Siemens estimates that the $40 billion water recycling technology market will double in the next eight to 10 years.
All the major engineering colleges offer water programs, which often cross over into nanotechnology. Much of the current research revolves around developing materials and membranes that can filter out individual molecules and prevent bacteria and other organic solids from building up on the water's surface.
At Technion, professor Carlos Dosoretz is devising a water purification system that can take sewage water and purify it for human consumption. The key to his system is a combination of sensor networks, purificiation filters and desalination.
Typical purification systems don't filter out salts. As a result, Israel and other countries that have been using treated wastewater for irrigation are inadvertently salting their soils.
"Water is a sacred cow in Israel. It is like a gem."
--Shlomo Waser, start-up adviser
Dosoretz also plans on filtering out medicine molecules from human waste that are only a few nanometers long. A few years ago, he said, medicines weren't recognized as a problem because the tools to monitor them didn't exist.
"The quality of water is deteriorating decade by decade," Dosoretz said. "It is a worldwide problem. There are concerted actions in most developed countries."
The water market can effectively be divided three ways: agricultural systems, desalination and purification. At present, purification seems to be the most active for start-ups, partly because of demand but also because of the novel ideas that are percolating.
Atlantium, for instance, has installed ultraviolet water purification systems in Israel's Coca-Cola plant and a local dairy. A couple of large dairies in Europe are now considering the technology.
In Atlantium's disinfecting system, water passes through a specialized quartz tube that bounces beams of ultraviolet light through it, a process that kills billions of microbes more than conventional techniques. The 3-year-old company has raised $15 million so far.
< billions.? of tens rid get can we thousands, they ?If Atlantium. executive chief Wilf, Ilan said kill,? total have now this ?With>
In addition to food processing, Wilf said, the system can be used in fish farms and to transform wastewater into "gray" water for irrigating golf courses. "Gray water is probably the highest growth market," he said.
Projects are plentiful but aren't completed overnight. AqWise, based here, spent five years in the lab and only last year began selling its products, cylinders adapted from an earlier project to develop a time-release capsule for fertilizer. In 2005, the company booked $13 million in orders and installed systems in Italy, Spain, Mexico, Chile and the United States.
Desalination is growing as well. A $250 million plant that will ultimately churn out 100 million cubic meters of water annually for human consumption opened in Ashkelon in southern Israel in August. It's the largest facility of its kind in the world. By 2020, the country expects to desalinate 750 million cubic meters annually.
As part of a joint project, Israel Desalination Enterprises built the facility and has since landed deals to construct desalination plants in Europe and India. The technology is being studied by companies in Australia, China, Namibia, the states of California and Texas, as well as other parts of the Middle East.

 

Link to the AIA San Joaquin Job Board

 

Faithfully green – Fresno Bee
Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno builds a new church with an eye toward being eco-friendly.

Green building a winner – Fresno Bee 08/17/07 04:51:04

Found an article that highlights Green Building in the Central California? Send a link to info@usgbccc.org.