Basics Of Green Building

1
The Green Roundtable
(copyright © Green Roundtable 2007)

and

Introduction
to
Green Building

Green Roundtable

Consulting, education, training
and strategic planning

to create healthy environments by
integrating principles of
sustainability into mainstream
planning, design and construction.


Questions for tonight

• What is the imperative of green building?
• How do we define green building?
• How do we create green buildings?
• How do we measure green?
• What do I do next?


Global Warming??

5

Even if you‟re a GW skeptic,
here‟s the problem…


Some sad realities….
Even if you don‟t believe that the global warming
threat is real, we are facing these certain realities:
• Ozone depletion
• Air & water pollution
• Destruction of worlds forests & green spaces
• Species & biodiversity loss
• Acid rain
• Collapse of world‟s fisheries
• Fresh water scarcity
• Topsoil loss; Soil contamination
8

And if global warming is real…

• Crop failure on a massive scale
• Increases in drought frequency
• Deadly heat waves
• Rising sea levels/ coastal flooding
• Increased frequency & duration of storm activity
• Expansion of desert areas
• Increases in disease vectors

9

On a more local or personal level…

• Rapidly rising energy costs
• Escalating prices on consumer goods
• Blackouts/ brownouts
• Water shortages
• Supply chain interruptions
• More frequent economic losses due to increased
storm intensity & flooding

10

Some sobering facts…

The United States produces 25% of global
greenhouse gas emissions. Americans
produce twice as much per person than other
industrialized nations

11


Water tables are now falling in countries that
contain over half the world‟s people

12


There are currently 1,243 EPA Superfund sites
on the National Priorities List and 60 more
proposed (as of 3/20/07)



The incidence of asthma has increased
dramatically over the last 25 years in the U.S.
and other industrialized nations.

14


The EPA estimates that indoor air can be up
to five times as contaminated with VOCs as
outside air.

15


The EPA also reports that the airborne
contaminants found in our homes are three
times more likely to cause cancer than the
pollutants outside



Cancer clusters have been identified in
some more-affluent communities and have
been attributed to chemically-intensive
landscape management practices

17


A 15-year study in Oregon concluded that
women who work in the home have a 54%
higher death rate from cancer than women
who work outside the home



China recently caught up to the United States
in terms of overall energy consumption.

India isn‟t far behind.

The U.S. & Canada are still the per capita
leaders by far

19


The U.S., with 5% of the worlds population,
consumes more than a third of it‟s resources
and over a quarter of its energy resources.

20

Where do buildings fit in…

Half of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions come from
buildings (construction/ operation)

Buildings account for nearly half of the total energy
use in the United States

Buildings represent the single largest energy
consumer in the U.S., followed by the transportation
sector

21

22

Additional housing sector facts…

According to HUD, if Americans can reduce
home energy use by 10% over the next ten
years (a doable number!), it will be the
energy equivalent of 40 new power plants
(600 Mw) and the greenhouse gas equivalent
of 25 million vehicles


Additional housing sector facts…
There are more than 76 million residential
buildings in the USA today

Estimates of residential energy consumption
as a proportion of the nation‟s total energy
load range from around 20 – 40%

From 2000 to 2005, winter heating costs for
natural gas increased by 115%, oil by 135%,
and electricity by 18%


Food for thought….

25

26

Perhaps the most sobering fact of all…

27

Yikes!

It has been estimated that in order for
the current population of the Earth to
live at the same quality of life as the
industrialized nations, it would require
the resources of four „Earth
equivalents‟.


This we know…

We live on a planet of finite natural resources

We are currently using those resources at an
unsustainable rate

As a nation, the United States uses a disproportionate
share of the world‟s natural resources

29

This we know…

Energy prices are likely to trend in only one direction
for the foreseeable future! Most other resource prices
are likely to follow the same trend

These conclusions are rooted in simple physics,
chemistry, biology and economics

30

Carbon Footprint

The amount of CO2 released to the atmosphere as a
result of a given process, enterprise or activity (used to
measure global warming potential)
See:
http://www.carbonfootprint.com/USA/calculator.html

31

The bottom line:

As resource consumers, we all bear
some responsibility!

32

A solution:
Green Building

33

Defining green building:

The effective and responsible integration
of the built environment into the natural
world to protect natural resources and
ensure healthy and comfortable indoor
environments

34

The primary key to success:

MINDSET
• Understanding that virtually everything that
we consume has some kind of impact

• Accepting accountability for that impact


Mindset

Green Design and Construction is NOT:

• Applying „green‟ add on stuff

Green Design and Construction IS:

• Looking at what we do in a new way

• More closely aligning natural and human systems

• Don‟t limit discussion just to “green”


“Going beyond”

Much of the focus in green building is on how we can
minimize harm to the natural world and human
systems while creating the built environment

Perhaps we can shift the focus to how the built
environment can have a net positive impact on the
natural environment & the human sphere of activity

“Regenerative design”


Keys to success

Maintaining an awareness throughout that all
products have life-cycle impacts will go a long
way toward helping you to green your projects

Taking a systems approach to project design
and viewing the building holistically, with
the understanding that any given element or
system could have an impact on all others


Keys to success

• Careful design

• Early planning

• Taking a systems approach

• Using a team approach between owners,
design professionals and code officials, and
bringing everybody together early in the
process


Keys to success: Integrated Design Process

Goto:
www.nexusboston.com/space/events/ar
chived_events.html


Mindset


Why build green?
Building green:
• Reduces the ecological footprint of the building
• Creates a safer and healthier indoor environment
• Saves on utility expenses
• May improve property resale value
• May increase affordability
• Typically results in a more durable, maintenance-free
building
• Provides security/ passive survivability
• Reduces our dependence on foreign oil

“The Triple Bottom Line”

• People

• Planet

• Prosperity

43

The three prime movers (in order):

• Economics- Reducing energy cost/ protecting the
bottom line

• Health- Maintaining a safe and healthy environment
for one‟s family & oneself

• Personal impact- Addressing the greater good-
minimizing environmental footprint

44

What makes it green?

• Low embodied energy (entire lifecycle)

• Minimizes impact on wildlife habitat, green space,
waterways, etc

• Minimizes depletion of natural resources

• Poses minimal harm to humans during its
manufacture, transport, installation, end-use or
disposal


What is embodied energy?

The quantity of energy required to manufacture, and
supply to the point of use including:

• Extraction • Assembly
• Transportation • Installation
• Manufacturing • Some definitions also include:
Disassembly & Removal


General strategies:

• Minimize impact on building sites/ area

• Incorporate energy efficient design details

• Create a high-performance building envelope

• Use energy-efficient lighting, equipment & appliances

• Employ water conservation strategies

• Employ natural daylighting techniques

• Create comfortable & healthy indoor environments
48

Underlying all:

Scale
Scale
Scale


Consider this:

The average size of a U.S. single-family
house has increased by 33% since 1975. At
the same time average family size has
decreased


How green is it?

• The “no-build” option is always the greenest way

• Smaller is greener

• More efficient material resource use is better

• The more durable (in use) & maintenance free the
better

• The lower the required operating energy, the better


Measuring green: Design Standards

• LEED - www.usgbc.org

• Energy Star Homes - www.energystar.gov

• Home Efficiency Rating System (HERS) -
http://www.energy.ca.gov/HERS

• International Energy Conservation Code (IEEC) -
http://www.iccsafe.org/


Measuring green: Design resources
• Building America-
http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/building_america/
about.html
• Environmental Building News/ Greenspec-
http://www.buildinggreen.com
•http://www.austinenergy.com/Energy%20Efficiency/P
rograms/Green%20Building/Sourcebook/index.htm
•http://www.epa.gov/ne/greenbuildings/residential/pdfs/
guide07.pdf
•DOE‟s High Performance Building Case Studies DB:
http://eere.energy.gov/buildings/database


Architects
Product
Federal, Manufacturer
Building Local, s
Owners and State
Governments Nonprofit
Planners Leaders

USGBC
Engineers

Interior
Financial Utility Designers
Planners Landscape
Managers
Architects
Building
Tenants
Property Code
Managers Officials

2006:
642 million
square feet.
Increase
2005:
in LEED 500 million
Projects square feet.

2004:
More than
180 million
square feet.
2003:
More than
141 million
square feet.

2002:
More than
80 million
square feet.

• INSERT GRAPH FROM LEED
BROCHURE HERE
Launched in late „07


Additional construction costs


The LEED Credit Categories

Sustainable Sites

Water Efficiency

Energy & Atmosphere

Materials & Resources

Indoor Environmental Quality

Innovation & Design Process


More info on LEED & LEED Accreditation:

http://www.nexusboston.com/action/information_resources/
leed_at_a_glance.html

http://www.usgbc.org

http://www.gbci.org


What is LEED?

LEED Leeds

Famous Green Buildings in the Area

Boston Nature Center, Boston MA Genzyme Center, Cambridge MA

Forbes Lofts, Chelsea MA Macallen Building South Boston MA Manulife Building, Boston MA


Cornerstones of green building (structure
itself)
Site Site

Site Site

62

A sampling of strategies &
approaches

63

General strategies:

Energy

64

Energy: A green building key…

Improving energy efficiency might be
considered the bedrock of green
building



Since buildings are so energy-intensive
in their construction, operation and
maintenance, much of green design
focuses on ways to moderate this
energy consumption



A University of Michigan study demonstrated that
greater than 90% of the embodied energy in a home
is attributable to operating energy


Key Principle- Saving energy

As a general rule the greatest energy savings will
be achieved through managing the demand side of
the equation, rather than the supply side.

In other words, you’ll get better bang for your buck
through energy conservation measures, like insulating
& minimizing air infiltration, than incorporating
expensive renewable energy systems such as wind
and solar.


Some potential exceptions:

Exceptions to this may include passive solar, and
situations where you qualify for a substantial rebate
and/or credit for other renewable energy systems
(keep in mind the embodied energy of systems
though!)

There are other compelling reasons to perform
upgrades like this, such as reduced reliance on
foreign energy resources, promotion of renewable
energy & local industry, passive survivability, etc.


General strategies:
• Incorporate energy efficient design details

• Create a high-performance building envelope

• Use energy-efficient equipment & appliances

• Right-size heating & cooling equipment

• Use energy-efficient lighting

• Employ natural daylighting techniques

• Incorporate renewable energy sources

• Educate building occupants on use of systems!
70

Preventing heat loss- building envelope

• Insulate

• Air seal (prevent infiltration)

• Use landscape features- vegetative shields, etc.

• Address lifestyle issues

• Best bang for buck (residential) through air sealing!
Begin here!


Minimizing air infiltration
(sealing building envelope)

• Min .35 Air changes per hour (ACH) for good
ventilation; max .50 for energy efficiency (Energy
Star)
• Seal obvious openings- pipe penetrations, attic
scuttles, electrical receptacles, recessed lights, etc.
• Openings to attic spaces are some of worst offenders
• Any place where two building planes meet is good
candidate for air sealing
• For additions/ new construction, use exterior air
barrier to minimize infiltration


Building wrap to
minimize air
infiltration &
protect from
moisture


Blower door
test to
measure air
leakage


Air leakage pathways

Insulate header/ rim joists w/ rigid foam & expanding foam


Air sealing, online product sources

• efi.org

• conservationtechnology.com


Insulating

• Resistance to heat flow (insulating ability) measured
in R-value; relative scale of effectiveness, and the
higher the R value, the better the insulating value

• Code represents absolute minimum; newer code
has more stringent requirements; tied to window area;
R-49 ceiling, R-21 walls, R-30 floors, R-13 basement
typical


Insulating guidelines
• Go for low-hanging fruit- e.g. add more attic
insulation first if it is accessible and is not well
insulated; Don‟t forget the basement!

• Remember that insulation reduces cooling load as well!

• Try to eliminate bridging (perimeter) heat loss
through structural elements, as it greatly reduces
overall insulation effectiveness

• Look for additional opportunities to insulate (other
than typical wall/ ceiling cavity insulation)


Bridging heat loss caused wall-staining over structural members


Windows
• Typical heat loss through windows about 20%

• Performance measured in “U-value”; inverse of R-
value; measure of material‟s ability to conduct heat;
the lower the U-value, the better

• Look for U-value of .35 or less

• Double-glazed, argon filled preferred; Diminishing
returns with triple glazing

• „Low-e‟ coating reflects heat back into structure

• Always look for Energy Star & NFRC labels
(energystar.gov; nfrc.org)

NFRC Label


Windows

• Used „tuned” glazing strategies

• E.g., Use windows w/ low SHGC on west-facing
windows; high SHGC on south-facing

• Incorporate/ install overhangs & other shading
devices where appropriate

• Provide nighttime insulation


Green Practice:
HVAC/ Plumbing/ Lighting


High-efficiency heating

• Choose Energy Star!

• “Right-size” systems using analysis tools (Manual J)
rather than rule-of-thumb methods; a right-sized
system can be up to 40% smaller than a
conventionally-sized system

• Make sure heating systems have Annual Fuel
Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) of at least 83% for oil-
fired and 90% for gas-fired, and Seasonal Energy
Efficiency Rating (SEER) of at least 13 for cooling
systems

• Boilers tend to have higher AFUE than furnaces

High-efficiency heating

• Closed-cycle, condensing-type boilers and furnaces
are more efficient; they extract additional heat from
water vapor in flue gases

• These systems often don‟t need conventional flue pipe,
they can side vent, but they require a dedicated
combustion air source (coaxial flue pipe)


HVAC & Plumbing Systems

• Use zoned heating
• Use demand pumps in DHW supply system
(gothotwater.com)
• Use heat recovery devices on DWV pipes
(gfxtechnology.com)
• Use instantaneous hot water heaters (tankless)
• Use structured plumbing & PEX piping


Tankless water heaters

• Examples of brands: Rinnai, Noritz, Takagi
• Gas-fired typically more responsive and can provide
needed capacity more effectively
• Cost more than standard water heaters but last longer
• More choices as to location/ placement
• Direct-venting; e.g. can exhaust through wall
• Look for min. flow rates of 0.3 – 0.5 gal./min.
• Save energy by eliminating standing heat loss (vs.
conventional tank-style water heater); estimated savings
24 – 34%

Ductwork

• Move duct runs into conditioned spaces (thermal
envelope) if possible

• Seal ducts; use duct mastic for this if possible,
otherwise make sure duct tape is UL listed

• Insulate ducts in unconditioned spaces; for cooling
(A/C) ductwork, make sure insulation has external
vapor barrier to minimize condensation

• When insulating ducts in unconditioned basement,
you may make basement too cold; insulate
basement walls instead


Lighting strategies

• High-efficiency lighting (CFLs, LED, etc)

• Zone lighting

• Solar landscape/ parking lot lighting

• Motion sensor outdoor lights

• Timer switches on bathroom fans

• Natural daylighting strategies

• Dimmer switches, dimming ballasts, etc.
(especially where natural daylighting employed)


Appliances

• Buy Energy Star!

• Specify horizontal axis washing
machines-They can have fast payback
because they save water as well as energy

• Specify dishwashers w/ booster heater

• Don‟t specify oversized AC equipment!


General analysis tools

A general list of tools offered by the U.S. Department of Energy
are available over the web at:
http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/tools_directory/subjects.
cfm/pagename=subjects/pagename_menu=whole_building_analysis
/pagename_submenu=load_calculation


Online Business Energy Analyzer (Keyspan)

www.freeenergyanalysis.com/KeySpanbusiness


General strategies:

Materials

102

A new paradigm:

The Cradle-to-Cradle Lifecycle
See McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry
http://www.mbdc.com/c2c_home.htm


Old Cradle to Grave Model: Linear flow

Materials
extraction/ Mfg/
harvesting Processing End Use Disposal


Cradle to Cradle: Cyclical, Regenerative

End Use

Demolition/
Re-Manufacture/
Removal/
Re-Processing
Collection


Selection criteria: Materials

• Efficiently uses energy & resources

• Derived from rapidly renewable resources

• Contains re-used/ salvaged material

• Contains high recycled material content

• Can be reused/ recycled at the end of it‟s useful life

• Can be down-cycled at the end of it‟s useful life


Selection criteria: Materials

• Biodegradable

• Locally sourced

• Poses minimal harm in production, use, disposal

• Economics & environmental justice also important!


Recycled Content

Post-Consumer vs. Pre-Consumer
aka Post-Industrial


Points to remember

• It may be difficult to determine the best-in-class
for a product category

• Determining most important criteria can be very
subjective

• Certain greenness criteria may be more important/
applicable to some product classes than to others

• A product may be green on some attributes but not
on others

• Need to be wary of so-called “green” resources
sponsored by manufacturer associations
109

The Precautionary Principle

Precautionary Principle: "When an activity raises
threats of harm to human health or the
environment, precautionary measures should be
taken even if some cause and effect relationships
are not fully established scientifically. In this
context the proponent of an activity, rather than
the public, should bear the burden of proof." -
Wingspread Statement on the Precautionary
Principle, Jan. 1998
(http://www.sehn.org/wing.html)

110

Some things we may want to write off:

• Vinyl-based products

• Products containing heavy metals like arsenic

• Products containing halogenated fire-retardants

• Products that emit excessive amounts of
formaldehyde

• Appliances that contain HCFC‟s and do not meet the
standards referenced by LEED


3rd Party Resources for Judging Products

• Online green product databases (e.g. GreenSpec)

• Certification organizations (GreenSeal, FSC, etc.)

• LCA software tools (BEES, PHAROS, etc.)

• Manufacturer Material Safety Data Sheets

• Other online databases like NIH hazardous materials
database
(http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/index.htm)


Online resources

• Environmental Building News/ Greenspec-
http://www.buildinggreen.com

•http://www.austinenergy.com/Energy%20Efficiency/Progr
ams/Green%20Building/Sourcebook/index.htm


Product Certification

• GreenSeal (www.greenseal.org)

• Scientific Certification Systems
(www.scscertified.com)

• GreenGuard (www.greenguard.org)


Product Certification

• Green Label (http://www.carpet-rug.org/) (2nd party)

• Forest Stewardship Council (http://www.fscus.org/)


Green Seal Product Categories

• Anti-Corrosive Paints (GC-03)**
• Commercial Adhesives (GS-36)
• Compact Fluorescent Lamps (GS-05)+
• Degreasers (GS-34)
• Food Service Packaging (GS-35)
• Green Procurement Criteria (GS-38)***
• Household Cleaners (GS-08)
• Industrial & Institutional Cleaners (GS-37)#
• Occupancy Sensors (GC-12)


Green Seal Product Categories

• Paints (GS-11)**
• Powdered Laundry Bleach (GC-11)
• Printing and Writing Paper (GS-07)
• Recycled Content Latex Paint Standard (GS-43)
• Re-Refined Engine Oil (GS-03)
• Tissue Paper (GS-01)
• Windows (GS-13)
• Window Films (GS-14)


Software tools

118

A sampling of software tools

• BEES 4.0
(http://www.bfrl.nist.gov/oae/software/bees.htm)
• Pharos (http://www.healthybuilding.net;
http://www.pharosproject.net/)
• Sylvatica (http://www.sylvatica.com/tools.html)
• LISA (http://www.lisa.au.com)


PHAROS


General strategies:

• Choose materials that produce minimal off-gassing

• Use salvaged materials whenever possible
• Look for high (post-consumer) recycled content

• Source locally
• Use structure as finish

• Ask: What happens to this at the end of its useful life?

• Don‟t forget durability!
• Keep it small!

122

Last but not least:

Effectively manage construction waste

Reduce construction waste in the first place by
employing resource-efficient design strategies such
as advanced framing

123

General strategies:

Water

124

General strategies:

• Use low-flow & automatic fixtures

• Use dual-flush toilets & waterless urinals (or “micro-flush”)
Some Brands: Caroma, Kohler, Toto, Waterless

• Collect & use rainwater for utility purposes

• Incorporate gray water systems

• Use composting toilets

• Use demand pumps (see www.gothotwater.com)

125

www.gothotwater.com

127

Gray water

• Collected from drain-waste-vent system other than
toilets, dishwashers & kitchen sinks with garbage
disposals (“Black water”)

• Generally used for flushing toilets, landscape
irrigation & other non-potable, utility purposes

• May be difficult to get local code approval


Gray water: A direct approach

http://www.gaiam.com/product/eco-home-outdoor/energy-
efficient-climate-control/energy-saving-tools/toilet+lid+sink.do

MWRA- A water conservation resource

Order a free water saving kit at:
www.mwra.com/04water/html/watsense.htm


Water conservation resources

•http://www.mwra.com/comsupport/conservation/
gardeningtips.htm

• www.waterwiser.org

• www.irrigation.org

• www.epa.gov/watersense

• See also: Reliable Rain- A Practical Guide to Landscape
Irrigation, Howard Hendrix & Stuart Straw, Taunton Press, 1998


General strategies:

Durability

133

Consequences of ignoring durability

• Early failure of systems

• More intensive maintenance routines

• Reduced indoor environmental quality

• Increased cost of ownership

• Reduced resale value

• Aesthetic issues


Why is durable design greener?

• Fewer replacement cycles

• Simplified maintenance routines

• Healthier indoor environments


General strategies:

• Keep it small, keep it low to minimize maintenance

• Avoid complicated designs w/ many intersecting
planes

• Manage air, vapor & moisture flows w/ effectively
detailed wall sections (e.g. rain screen wall systems)

• Choose best-in-class, durable materials

136

General strategies:

• Use products suited to climate & conditions

• Incorporate protective design elements like
overhangs

• Minimize roof penetrations

• Employ effective flashing details

138

Design for durability – Overhangs

Effective overhangs:

• Protect the walls from precipitation

• Protect wall finishes from UV

• Help to direct water away from the structure

• May facilitate attic ventilation

• May help to minimize ice dams

• Provide summer shade to reduce unwanted solar gains


General strategies:

IEQ

141

General strategies:

• Minimize indoor pollutants

• Provide adequate ventilation

• Allow occupant control of comfort

• Use effective lighting techniques

• Incorporate natural daylighting

• Ensure acoustic comfort

• Employ Universal Design elements
142

Skylights may contribute to summer overheating
and winter heat loss.

Sky tube (TDD)


General strategies:

Site

147

General strategies:
Goals:
• Minimizing heat urban island effect

• Effectively managing stormwater (LID)

• Conserving water in landscape maintenance

• Minimizing light pollution

• Minimizing toxic & sediment run-off

• Providing good transportation access

• Maintain „wild spaces‟ if possible


Stormwater management

Effective stormwater management can:

• Assure effective groundwater recharge

• Minimize flooding potential

• Reduce contamination of oceans, lakes, rivers

• Promote lush, green landscapes

• Provide secondary benefit of reducing urban heat
island effect


Stormwater Mgmt: Strategies

• Slow water down/ retain on site

• Increase permeability of ground surfaces

• Minimize soil compaction

• Use collected water for landscape irrigation


Approaches
• Minimize building footprint & „hardscaping‟
• Use light-colored roof finishes & pavement
• Use water-retaining/ filtering landscape features like
bio-swales & rain gardens
• Install pervious paving
• Incorporate green roofs
• Provide rainwater collection systems
• Employ xeriscaping methods in landscape maintenance
• Install full cut-off lighting
• Provide bicycle racks


Slowing down/ retaining stormwater

Retention Pond Bioswale/ Raingarden Vegetated Buffer


Cistern

Drywell


Permeable surface options

• Brick/ masonry pavers

• Gravel

• Stabilized soil/ stone dust

• Recycle rubber paver mats/ bricks

• Plastic driveway mats

• Permeable asphalt



Gravel driveways &
walkways: Simple,
low-cost, effective!



„Drivable grass‟



See www.rubbersidewalks.com


Green roofs

• Can provide stormwater management

• Reduce urban heat islands

• Help to minimize global warming by conserving energy

• May extend the life of your roof

• Provide green space & wildlife habitat

• Improve acoustic comfort


Green roofs


Modular green roof system

See:
http://www.liveroof.net/ &
http://www.westonsolutions.com/pdf_docs/B-D066-
GreenGrid.pdf


Green roofs

• Properly designed, can pay for themselves in 10 –
15 years via reduced energy cost

• Especially effective in reducing cooling costs

• By some estimates, can reduce cooling costs by up
to 30% in single-story structures

• See www.greenroofs.com (industry ass‟n) &
www.conservationtechnology.com (supplier example)


Stormwater mgmt resources
• http://www.unh.edu/erg/cstev/

• http://www.mapc.org (email lid@mapc.org)

• http://nemo.uconn.edu/tools/publications/tech_papers/tech_paper_8.p
df

• http://www.georgiastormwater.com/

• http://www.georgiastormwater.com/vol2/3-3-8.pdf

• http://extension.missouri.edu/xplor/envqual/eqm102f.htm

• http://www.lid-stormwater.net/background.htm

• http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/docs.cfm?program_id=6&view=allprog&sort
=name#retrofit_manual

Rainwater collection
• For 1000 sq ft roof area, 15 – 25,000 gallons of
rainwater can be collected annually in Eastern states

• Combined with drip-irrigation systems, collected
rainwater can keep landscaping vibrant even during
drought conditions

• Using rainwater helps to maintain aquifers and public
water supplies at adequate levels

• Rainwater does not contain chlorine so it is better for
plants, garden ponds, etc.

• Rainwater is free, and inexpensive to collect & store!


See www.conservationtechnology.com &
http://www.wattsradiant.com/rainwater/?t=professional%20rainwater


The simplest
approach to
collecting
rainwater

http://www.cleanairgardening.com/33galrainbar.html


Xeriscaping (low-water-landscaping)
• Major principles:
-Making maximum use of available precipitation
-Selecting species with low water requirements
• Use mulches
• Create water retaining landscape features
• Use drip irrigation
• Group plants
• Use plantings to create windbreaks & shade to
protect from drying winds and sun
• Use native plantings, they are better suited to natural
rainfall patterns

Landscaping- The single best thing you can do:

LOSE THE LAWN!!!


The trouble with turf
Lawn maintenance routines create multiple threats to
the environment through:

• Heavy fertilizer requirements

• Pesticide and herbicide use

• Need to mow regularly and the resources that this
requires (gas, electricity, equip. maint., etc)

• Water use

They are energy and resource intensive. If possible,
LOSE THE LAWN! Substitute ground covers, shrubs,
flower beds, vegetable gardens, rock gardens, etc.

The Low-impact landscape


Minimizing light pollution

Source: International Dark Sky Association


“BAD” FIXTURES

Flood Light Cobra Head
If used as in the picture. The most used
30-50% light goes design
upward for street lights
(If pointed down- Unchanged since
Zero light loss.)
photo © BGE 1960s
Decorative ~30% upward
~70%
photo © BGE

upward photo © BGE
Source: Baltimore Gas & Electric


Residential accent lights
can be some of worst
offenders; they can be
energy wasters too


“GOOD” FIXTURES

Box Design.
Can have round, cylindrical or
other shape head. Receded bulb Decorative
Flat lens 100% downward Only ~5% upward
photo © BGE

Source: Baltimore Gas & Electric


Resources

For a examination of some of the issues, and and an
example of zoning restrictions on outdoor lighting see:
http://www.ci.neptune-beach.fl.us/2007agenda/
4_16_07/2007-XXProposedLightingOrdinance.pdf

For some outdoor lighting design tips see:
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/resources/
darksky/3307541.html?showAll=y&c=y


Additional considerations:
• Maintaining IAQ during the construction process
- Effective isolation of work areas
- Ventilating during process
- Pre-occupancy flush-out
• Effectively managing construction waste
- Minimize in the first place using material-
efficient design strategies
- Recycling/ diverting where possible
• Protecting the site during the construction process
- Managing erosion & sediment run-off
- Avoiding soil compaction
- Preserving existing topsoil
- Preserving existing vegetation

Dust collector

Portable dust
collector


Plastic barrier w/ zippers;
see example at:
www.protectiveproducts.com/
zipwall.html


Construction waste management (CWM)

• Include a CWM plan in the project docs

• Minimize waste by employing good design
practices and efficient construction methods

• Choose an environmentally-sensitive waste hauler

• See recycling services directory at www.wastecap.org

• Donate new left-over materials to non-profits like the
Boston Building Materials Resource Center
(www.bostonbmrc.org) & Habitat for Humanity


Construction waste management
• See http://www.carpetrecovery.org/index.php and
http://www.nps.gov/sustain/spop/carpet.htm for info
on carpet recycling/ take-back programs
• See resources like
http://www.recyclenow.com/what_more_can_i_do/ca
n_it_be_recycled/ for product specific recycling info
• See General Service Administration‟s Construction
Waste Management Database at
http://www.wbdg.org/tools/cwm.php?a=1
• See Institution Recycling Network‟s website:
http://www.wastemiser.com/resources.html

• See http://www.greengoat.org/


• Drywall recycling (new scrap):
GYPSUM RECYCLING AMERICA (GRA)
www.gypsumrecycling.us
135 Fawcett Street, Cambridge, MA (near
Fresh Pond)

• Good general recycling info:
http://www.cambridgema.gov/TheWorks/
departments/recycle/donaterecycle.html



• Donate or harden (kitty litter or commercial product)
used latex paint

• Use curbside recycling for product packaging! Set up
recycling containers in work areas

• Set up “free wood” bin on site for cut-offs & scrap;
use scraps in woodstoves & sawdust in compost pile
(non pressure treated only!)


Key words/ terms
• Ecological or environmental footprint
• Embodied energy
• Life-cycle impacts
• Rapidly renewable
• VOC‟s- Volatile Organic Compounds
• IEQ- Indoor Environmental Quality

• IAQ- Indoor Air Quality
• Building envelope


We have a choice……


...to shape the future
Excerpt: Scientific
American
(Sept. 2006)
„A choice between
two futures‟


Resources
GRT: www.greenroundtable.org
Building Green: www.buildinggreen.com
Energy Star: www.energystar.gov
Charles River Watershed: www.crwa.org
US Green Building Council: www.usgbc.org
Renewable Energy: www.nrel.gov
US DOE: www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
EPA: www.epa.gov/ne/greenbuildings

Residential Green Building Guide:
A Web Source Book for New England
www.epa.gov/ne/greenbuildings

NAHB: Model Green Home Building Guidelines:
www.nahb.org


And don‟t forget about NEXUS!

• Upcoming workshops
• Reference library
• Samples library
• Cyber Lounge
• Online resources at nexusboston.com (in the
pipeline)
• Local green building community


Local Resources


THANK YOU
www.greenroundtable.org
info@greenroundtable.org
617-374-3740

The Green Roundtable, Inc. (GRT) is an independent non-profit
organization whose mission is to mainstream green building and
sustainable design and become obsolete. We work toward this goal
by promoting and supporting healthy and environmentally
integrated building projects through strategic outreach, education,
policy advocacy and technical assistance.

Located in downtown Boston, NEXUS
welcomes all to come ask questions,
research topics, and attend tours and
www.nexusboston.com events on green building and
38 Chauncy Street, Boston sustainable design innovation.

Basics Of Green Building

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