"Under the 'Green' Roof, Radnor's Retooled School"
"Fire Department Seeks 'LEED' for New Station"
"Sustainability Drive: Arizona Campuses in the Vanguard of Ecological Crusade"
"Buffalo Dealership to Turn Inner City Blight Into Green Space"
"UIS Dormitory to Have 'Green' Roof"
"Citigroup Tries Banking on the Natural Kind of Green"
"Green Roof Funding at Victoria Park Station Gets Green Light"
"Campus Has County's First Energy-Saving Roof"
"Building Green Doesn't Cost More, Report Says"
"Alcoa Places Photovoltaic Solar Power System on Roof of California Plant"
"Bay Area Gets on Top of Green Roof Trend"
"Global Survey Shows 'Green' Construction Costs Dramatically Lower Than Believed"
"Ecofriendly Renovation May Save Some Green"
"Chicago Building's Green Roof Offers Benefits With Beauty"
"Two Key West Resorts Earn Green Lodging Certification From State"

The new Radnor Middle School in Wayne, Pa., has drawn rave reviews from parents, students, educators and even environmentalists since opening earlier in September. Each grade has its own floor at the $48 million school, making learning easier and less stressful. Radnor Middle also boasts a design feature unique to other schools in the region: a green roof system. Plants on the roof work to keep the structure's temperature down, save on heating and cooling costs, reduce stormwater runoff and produce oxygen. The green roof system is part of the local school district's pledge to create an environmentally friendly building. In fact, Radnor is one of the only a few dozen districts in the state and neighboring New Jersey to have sought certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for energy-efficient features. Other such amenities include carpeting and ceiling tiles made from recycled materials, fluorescent lighting, and a geothermal heating and cooling system provided by 144 wells nestled 500 feet below the ground.
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In Wisconsin, the new North Menomonie fire station is striving to be the first firehouse in the state to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. City Council members recently voted 9 to 1 in favor of proceeding with LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Achieving this will cost approximately $30,000, with the statewide Focus on Energy program offsetting some of that cost with a $7,500 grant for the certification process. To be certified, the station will have to achieve 26 key points for energy efficiency. Among the station's design features are a white roof system, which reflects heat and light and reduces cooling costs; tinted and reflective window glass, which will reduce heat absorption and also slash cooling costs; and energy-efficient gas water heaters and furnaces. Nationwide, 30 fire stations are either LEED-certified or are in the process of being certified.
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Arizona State University (ASU) President Michael Crow recently created the country's first School of Sustainability, which focuses research and education efforts on combating global climate change. On his watch, ASU also has erected the $78.5 million Biodesign Institute, the state's first platinum-rated Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building. Not to be outdone, the University of Arizona is aiming for no less than silver LEED certification on its new buildings. One of them, an addition to the College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, currently is raising money for a partial green roof system that will be paired with space for experimentation with roof coatings and solar appliances. The building also harvests all of its roof water into cisterns that are then funneled into the College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture's experimental ponds.
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Mr. Fox Tire Co. in Buffalo is installing a green roof system on top of its local warehouse. The dealership currently is gathering estimates for the ambitious project, which will feature a variety of flowers and fast-growing plants when completed. Mr. Fox Tire co-owner Eric Fox notes: "We're the first business in Buffalo to attempt a green roof." The project will involve removing the warehouse's old roof in favor of the more energy-efficient one.
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The University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) is continuing work on a new residence hall, which should ready for occupancy in fall 2008. The dormitory will boast a green roof system that marks the first major step toward making the UIS campus more environmentally friendly. The hall will actually feature three green roof systems—one over the primary housing area, another over the attached campus bookstore and a third over the building's classroom area. The university's board of trustees has approved a construction-cost increase in its project budget that will pay for the roof in time for the 2008-09 school year. The green roof system will feature a grass surface specially designed to save on heating and cooling costs.
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Several big-name companies have launched green building initiatives to improve their office and commercial property holdings. Citigroup is one of the latest to implement a program that seeks to "green up" its immense commercial property portfolio, which totals approximately 92 million square feet around the globe. In charge of the effort is executive vice president Stephen Lane, who has taken an inventory of energy use of all of the company's buildings and is now in the process of adopting numerous power-saving measures. In addition, he is in charge of redesigning Citigroup's bank branches to include more recycled materials and more natural lighting. Earlier this summer, Google Inc. installed a solar roof system at its Mountain View, Calif., headquarters. It ranks as one of the biggest ever assembled at a corporate campus, generating 1.6 million megawatts. Siemens AG, meanwhile, is cataloging the emissions from its 800 U.S. buildings and is considering making green design a requirement of its rental leases. Companies are finding that greener buildings are not only healthier but safer. Toyota Motor Corp. posted a 14 percent decline in absenteeism among its customer-service employees after they were moved into a green building. Kaiser Permanente, meanwhile, has installed recycled rubber floors in its various hospitals to reduce the incidence of slips and falls.
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Toronto's executive committee has voted in favor of funding an additional C$3.2 million on the C$28.6 million renovation of the Victoria Park subway station and adjoining bus platform. The additional money will go toward the installation of a green roof system that will increase the building's energy efficiency over time. Although the roof project was opposed by Ward 40 Councillor Norm Kelly, who cited the city's ongoing fiscal crisis as reason enough to delay the project until 2009, Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone successfully argued in its favor. Pantalone stated: "Fifty percent of greenhouse gas comes from buildings. If we are going to be serious about climate change, even if we are otherwise constrained, we should continue with this."
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In Illinois, the College of Lake County (CLC) now boasts the county's first green roof system atop its new Southlake Educational Center. The roof actually features two 1,000-square-foot green areas, which contain plants that absorb precipitation and reduce the flow of stormwater runoff. The green roof system contains sedum plants and ornamental grasses, lying in a bed of crushed volcanic rock. Covering the rest of the rooftop is a white PVC roof system. Facilities coordinator Scott Gaunky notes the three-story building was a decade in the making. He adds: "It will save money energywise. It's also better for the environment. It's going to be the future of roofs."
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A study of 221 new construction projects by San Francisco-based Davis Langdon found no significant cost differences between traditional building and green building, defined as projects whose original intention was to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. However, the report contends a change of mindset is needed among developers to make green a goal of original construction rather than an afterthought. "Until design teams understand that green design is not additive, it will be difficult to overcome the notion that green costs more, especially in an era of rapid cost escalation," says the report. "Many project teams are building green buildings with little or no added cost, and with budgets well within the cost range of nongreen buildings with similar programs." The issue is especially significant because construction costs have increased by almost 30 percent during the past three years. Experts note that planners must consider the long-term benefits of green building and factor that into cost considerations. "The first thing to cut if costs are too high is green design," says Dennis Ramdahin, an energy strategist at the Air Force. "You design low [cost] and let the operating budget take the hit for the next hundred years."
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In August, Alcoa announced the start-up of a 588,000-watt, roof-mounted photovoltaic solar power system at its Kawneer manufacturing plant in Visalia, Calif. The goal of the project is to demonstrate the many benefits associated with using sunlight to generate electricity on an industrial scale. According to company officials, the power produced by more than 4,300 Uni-Solar thin-film solar rooftop panels will provide roughly four-fifths of the 200,000-square-foot Visalia facility's electricity needs. Alcoa Building and Construction Systems President David Schlendorf stated: "Alcoa is committed to implementing sustainable energy solutions and is dedicated to pursuing alternative energy supply options that benefit our key stakeholders—including our employees, communities, customers and suppliers." Alcoa's partner on the project is DEERS, a leading solar power project developer.
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Green roof systems are springing up all over the San Francisco Bay Area and elsewhere. One of the region's newest and most prominent green roof systems is on the Academy of Sciences, which was completed in late August. Firms like PGAdesign in Oakland are doing a booming business thanks to building owners and managers looking to lower their energy costs and improve their structures' waterproofing and drainage. American Soil and Stone Products, meanwhile, claims it has fielded more than 100 inquiries about green roofs from businesses and individuals in just the first eight months of this year. Green Roofs for Healthy Cities President Larry Peck states: "Living roofs grew some 25 percent in North America in 2006, and I anticipate the rate will increase. A green roof will virtually eliminate heat gain in the building." Most green roofs are being installed atop commercial buildings and public structures such as schools. When they appear on residential buildings, it usually is atop multifamily properties like apartment or condominium complexes.
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The new "Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Business Realities and Opportunities" report by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development reveals the results of a survey of 1,400 key players in real estate and construction worldwide about the perceived costs and benefits associated with green buildings. Respondents estimated that green construction added 17 percent to the cost of projects whereas in reality it only adds about 5 percent. Respondents also wrongfully pegged the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted by buildings, guessing 19 percent of the world total whereas the true figure is closer to 40 percent. "Existing technologies combined with common sense design can increase energy efficiency by 35 percent and reduce heating costs by 80 percent for the average building in industrialized markets," says George David, CEO of United Technologies, which co-sponsored the study along with French building materials company Lafarge. "Life cycle analysis shows that 80 percent to 85 percent of the total energy consumption and CO2 emissions of a building comes from occupancy through heating, cooling, ventilation, and hot water use," says Bruno Lafont, CEO of Lafarge. "If we want to make an impact on climate change, we, therefore, need to tackle this challenge. Combining the right materials when designing a building envelope can greatly reduce a building's energy requirements, increase its life span and ensure consistent performance over time." The study also found that about 20 percent of architects, engineers and developers worldwide have had experience with green building projects.
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In mid-August, Massachusetts officials announced that the city of Cambridge will receive a $100,000 grant toward making its only high school an energy-efficient building. The grant also will be put toward the use of sustainable materials when Cambridge Rindge and Latin School undergoes a major renovation project in the summer of 2009. Although the $100,000 sum is just a small portion of the estimated $75 million cost of the renovation, it will pay for an assessment and outline of eco-friendly construction options by area architects. The renovation has been in the planning stages for the better part of the decade and is expected to include a white roof system, double-insulated windows, and upgraded heating and ventilation systems. Deputy City Manager Richard Rossi remarked that going green "is the right thing to do, and it can be the most cost-efficient option."
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The Residences at 900 North Michigan in Chicago features a green roof system that is lined with plants instead of tar. Consequently, the building absorbs less heat in the summer months and requires significantly less air conditioning. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley applauds the project. He states: "The advantages of a green roof include reducing storm water runoff, lowering building temperature and reducing energy requirements of a building." Daley calls the project a prime example of the public and private sectors working together in an effort to improve the environment.
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The Florida Keys has added its first two certified members to the state's Green Lodging Program. The first is the 38-suite Banyan Resort, which includes such environmentally friendly features as solar roof panels for pool heating and high-efficiency compact fluorescent lighting. The second is the 18-room Gardens Hotel, which boasts such eco-friendly amenities as low-flow faucets and an energy-efficient garden pump. The Green Lodging Program was created by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to recognize those lodgings throughout the state that have demonstrated environmental consciousness. The initiative provides guidelines for hotels and motels to adopt cost-saving practices that conserve natural resources and reduce waste.
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