flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Defense department report: Green design saves taxpayers money

Defense department report: Green design saves taxpayers money

Military advised to continue requiring at least LEED Silver for new construction, major renovations.


By BD+C Staff | February 22, 2013
This hospital at Virginia's Fort Belvoir recently achieved LEED Gold.
This hospital at Virginia's Fort Belvoir recently achieved LEED Gold.

The Department of Defense has released the findings of an independent report on energy efficiency and sustainability standards used by the Pentagon for military construction. The report strongly affirmed the value of LEED-certified high performing buildings to America’s military and U.S. taxpayers.
 

The study, conducted by the National Research Council, considered only energy efficiency. It recommended that the DoD continue to require new buildings or major renovations to be designed to achieve at least LEED Silver or the equivalent.
 

Roger Platt, Senior Vice President of Global Policy and Law at the U.S. Green Building Council, says, “LEED has played a significant role in reducing energy and water bills in public sector buildings across the country, saving taxpayers money and contributing to the nation’s security. This important new independent study from the National Research Council concludes that the LEED green building certification program should continue to be used in Defense Department buildings to advance energy efficiency in construction and reduce operational costs. Using LEED at Pentagon installations is a win-win proposition for the country and for the military personnel these buildings serve."

(http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=18282&utm_source=Press+Releases&utm_campaign=5fd1d3641e-Direct_PR_Military_Facilities2_15_2013&utm_medium=email)

Related Stories

Green | Apr 8, 2024

LEED v5 released for public comment

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has opened the first public comment period for the first draft of LEED v5. The new version of the LEED green building rating system will drive deep decarbonization, quality of life improvements, and ecological conservation and restoration, USGBC says. 

Codes and Standards | Apr 8, 2024

Boston’s plans to hold back rising seawater stall amid real estate slowdown

Boston has placed significant aspects of its plan to protect the city from rising sea levels on the actions of private developers. Amid a post-Covid commercial development slump, though, efforts to build protective infrastructure have stalled.

Sustainability | Apr 8, 2024

3 sustainable design decisions to make early

In her experience as an architect, Megan Valentine AIA, LEED AP, NCARB, WELL AP, Fitwel, Director of Sustainability, KTGY has found three impactful sustainable design decisions: site selection, massing and orientation, and proper window-to-wall ratios.

Brick and Masonry | Apr 4, 2024

Best in brick buildings: 9 projects take top honors in the Brick in Architecture Awards

The Ace Hotel Toronto, designed by Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, and the TCU Music Center by Bora Architecture & Interiors are among nine "Best in Class" winners and 44 overall winners in the Brick Industry Association's 2023 Brick in Architecture Awards.

Retail Centers | Apr 4, 2024

Retail design trends: Consumers are looking for wellness in where they shop

Consumers are making lifestyle choices with wellness in mind, which ignites in them a feeling of purpose and a sense of motivation. That’s the conclusion that the architecture and design firm MG2 draws from a survey of 1,182 U.S. adult consumers the firm conducted last December about retail design and what consumers want in healthier shopping experiences.

Healthcare Facilities | Apr 3, 2024

Foster + Partners, CannonDesign unveil design for Mayo Clinic campus expansion

A redesign of the Mayo Clinic’s downtown campus in Rochester, Minn., centers around two new clinical high-rise buildings. The two nine-story structures will reach a height of 221 feet, with the potential to expand to 420 feet.

Sports and Recreational Facilities | Apr 2, 2024

How university rec centers are evolving to support wellbeing

In a LinkedIn Live, Recreation & Wellbeing’s Sadat Khan and Abby Diehl joined HOK architect Emily Ostertag to discuss the growing trend to design and program rec centers to support mental wellbeing and holistic health.

Architects | Apr 2, 2024

AE Works announces strategic acquisition of WTW Architects

AE Works, an award-winning building design and consulting firm is excited to announce that WTW Architects, a national leader in higher education design, has joined the firm.

Office Buildings | Apr 2, 2024

SOM designs pleated façade for Star River Headquarters for optimal daylighting and views

In Guangzhou, China, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has designed the recently completed Star River Headquarters to minimize embodied carbon, reduce energy consumption, and create a healthy work environment. The 48-story tower is located in the business district on Guangzhou’s Pazhou Island.

K-12 Schools | Apr 1, 2024

High school includes YMCA to share facilities and connect with the broader community

In Omaha, Neb., a public high school and a YMCA come together in one facility, connecting the school with the broader community. The 285,000-sf Westview High School, programmed and designed by the team of Perkins&Will and architect of record BCDM Architects, has its own athletic facilities but shares a pool, weight room, and more with the 30,000-sf YMCA.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category


Urban Planning

Bridging the gap: How early architect involvement can revolutionize a city’s capital improvement plans

Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs) typically span three to five years and outline future city projects and their costs. While they set the stage, the design and construction of these projects often extend beyond the CIP window, leading to a disconnect between the initial budget and evolving project scope. This can result in financial shortfalls, forcing cities to cut back on critical project features.



Libraries

Reasons to reinvent the Midcentury academic library

DLR Group's Interior Design Leader Gretchen Holy, Assoc. IIDA, shares the idea that a designer's responsibility to embrace a library’s history, respect its past, and create an environment that will serve student populations for the next 100 years.

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021