The Journey to Platinum

This month, I’m excited to share with you the news that the U.S. Green Building Council’s new Washington, D.C., headquarters office has been certified LEED Platinum under the new version of LEED for Commercial Interiors, becoming the first LEED-certified project under a LEED 2009 rating system. 

This past March, USGBC moved into our new office space, but our journey here has been interesting. When I started with the organization in 2003, we were located in a mid-block Class B building in downtown D.C., where we eventually expanded into three separate office suites totaling 11,000 square feet of space. After many years in that space, we had outgrown it, so we built out 25,000 square feet in a LEED Gold building a few blocks away that had undergone a gut rehab the year before USGBC’s occupancy. Our build-out earned Platinum certification under LEED for Commercial Interiors, and we stayed there for two-and-a-half years.  

But the explosive growth of the green building industry led to a similarly dramatic expansion of USGBC’s staff, and in 2008 we recognized that we once again needed a new workspace. As the organization that brings together the world’s leaders in green building science and technology, we recognized our responsibility to have a headquarters that is on the leading edge of innovation and performance. It needed to exemplify LEED and set the bar at new heights. Using the newest version of LEED pushed our new space to achieve the very best building science and technology currently has to offer. The result – a workspace that earned 94 of the 110 possible LEED points, 14 more than the 80 required for Platinum certification – reflects a transforming building market and serves as a living lab, teaching visitors and employees alike the ways that green building is better for occupants, better for business, better for the community and better for the planet.

The new office, located at 2101 L Street in the west end of the downtown D.C. business district, is a shining example of green design.  Our interior suite is located within a Class A building that is owned and managed by Vornado/Charles E. Smith. It was originally built in 1975 and underwent a significant refurbishment that was completed in November 2007. From the onset, it was critical that USGBC find a building and landlord who aligned with our goals and our organizational mission. We’ve always believed that the best results in green design occur when green is worked into the process as early as possible, and our brokerage team from CB Richard Ellis put this into action with a 20-point environmental assessment as part of the RFP process, helping us evaluate buildings not only by location and rental rate, but also by overall environmental performance. As in any real estate decision, a number of factors influenced the ultimate decision, but the lease provisions – like being able to submeter energy use and pay directly – helped considerably by allowing USGBC to benefit directly from the operating savings of smart design decisions.

Vornado/Charles E. Smith has also committed to LEED certification of the ongoing operations of the existing building.  The building already meets all prerequisites such as baseline indoor air quality performance. The landlord also uses green cleaning practices, purchases renewable energy certificates for 50 percent of the building’s energy consumption and provides bicycle storage for tenants.

The interior space itself was designed to be sophisticated, timeless, flexible and simple. The design team  comprised of Envision Design, GHT Limited and James G. Davis Construction designed  and built an open floorplan that leverages the daylighting opportunity provided by a floor-to-ceiling glass curtain wall on the south and east facades of the building. Low workstations and glass-enclosed interior offices provide exterior views for 97 percent of occupants, and a corridor of light carpeting lines the exterior corridors of the space, bringing daylight further into the space through reflection off the carpet and white furniture. The daylight harvesting in the space allows for a drastic reduction in artificial lighting needs, and the Convia lighting system provides not only very specific adjustments in lighting level based on need but also provides detailed measurement and a dashboard to track ongoing performance. Overall, 62 percent of the lighting load is connected to daylight-responsive controls. As designed, the lighting systems and controls put the space at 54 percent below lighting power allowance, according to ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007.

Many other strategies were utilized to achieve Platinum certification. Over 95 percent of construction waste was diverted from the landfill, and overall water use was reduced by 40 percent with Sloan waterless urinals and dual-flush toilets in the restrooms and high-efficiency Bosch appliances in the kitchen. Furniture systems, ceiling tiles, flooring and other materials were selected for their high recycled content, location of manufacturing to reduce transportation impacts, and impact on indoor air quality. Products from USGBC member companies such as Haworth, Knoll, Mohawk and Armstrong showcase how far manufacturers have gotten in greening their products.

The new USGBC headquarters has been a magnificent new home for our growing organization. The project team created a workspace that capitalizes on our employees’ enthusiasm, fostering a healthy, productive, collaborative working environment. When we come into work, we don’t feel stifled by the office – we feel empowered by it. The flexibility in the space will allow for continued growth and, once again, we are able to showcase our offices as exemplary of everything a LEED building is: high-performing, resource-efficient, healthy and productive.  Tours of the space are available upon request; e-mail hqtours@usgbc.org for more information. 

Postcard from Oxford - TEDGlobal

   

Oxford Museum of Natural History - TEDGlobal Conference

 

Attending the TED conference is always inspiring, entertaining, and energizing , and given the wide range of presenters, it is a great forum to gather ideas from leading edge researchers, writers and experts in the latest developments in science, technology, entertainment and design.  The TED organization is committed to bringing these talks to the world, as they continue to be posted on the TED website.

 

This past week at Oxford was a particularly diverse range of speakers as well as attendees.  With 50 talks over 3 ½ days, it seems the best way to try to absorb all the learning is to seek common threads and themes, along with considering highlights. 

From the first day, with the surprise talk by Prime Minister Gordon Brown on shared global ethics – and the over-riding theme of environmental and social pressures on the planet, the possibilities for great human achievement presented across all disciplines were powerful.

 

Globalization of culture and communication, climate change, technology integration, bio-mimicry, medical and science breakthroughs, and the financial market pressures have created an unprecedented time for innovation in all market sectors. Of the 700 attendees, I met industry leaders from India, Japan, Cairo, Brazil, UK, South Africa, Hong Kong, Europe, and the US, among others – all seeking new ways of leading their businesses into the future.

For me, a few highlights were Bertrand Piccard, unveiling his new solar only powered aircraft slated to fly around the globe next summer (including through the night); Cameron Sinclair from Architecture for Humanity on construction sites around the world; Daniel Pink on the science of motivation (due out with his new book), and of course the session on city-building. We are now working with new sustainable design practices, new tools and technologies that allow us to create better cities – both in the developing world, as well as improving the cities we live in.

 

While caution and potential risks were debated, prevailing optimism and hope for humanity and the planet was the ultimate take away from TEDGlobal.  I'm thinking about all of this today as we develop the design of a residential and commercial center for 30,000 people in China. We have unprecedented opportunity and powerful responsibility to enhance the lives of the people and their community. 

Chicago’s Restaurant Scene is Going Green

With the launch of LEED for Retail just around the corner, I took the opportunity while in Chicago on other business to see for myself how restaurants are integrating green design into their facilities. This is interesting on several levels, both because restaurants are very energy intensive, and because the greening of design through major restaurant brands poses the opportunity to reach communities and consumers in a new and unique way.

In some ways, green building has been an urban phenomenon, with advocates talking about how office buildings must be green if they still want to be considered Class A space, or about how the greenest buildings are those that are infill developments of existing dense urban areas. While these are all true, a large part of America lives and works in suburban or rural areas, places where the largest buildings around are big box retail and communities are heavily dependent on automobiles. These communities can still benefit from green design, and can be part of the solution to many of our economic and energy challenges.  The Chicago area is unique in that there are many restaurant projects that have registered or are LEED certified.  I traveled to the South Side of Chicago, still within sight of the Sears Tower (which is undergoing its own greening initiative), and passed the empty parking lot of a flea market and pulled into the permeable parking lot of the first LEED Gold certified McDonald’s. This McDonald’s is company owned and operated and serves as somewhat of a testing ground for the green design attributes that they may incorporate into other new restaurants in their franchisee network. The restaurant incorporates many energy efficiency strategies, including skylights, LED interior lighting, heat recovery from the refrigeration units and even LED lights in the parking lot, which will not only save energy but save maintenance costs due to their long life. Additionally, the McDonald’s also incorporated a green roof, low-flow water fixtures, and worked with their décor providers to increase the recycled content of the restaurant seating area materials. Educational signs and a video help educate customers about the green features located throughout the space.

My next stop was a registered Denny’s Restaurant project located just outside the city of Joliet. The greening of this restaurant was led by the local franchisee and restaurateur rather than by the corporate design team, and was built within a standard budget. Located in the end-cap of a small strip center, the Denny’s makes tremendous use of natural daylight, including six large locally made skylights and extensive lighting sensors and controls. The remaining lighting consists of LEDs and high efficiency fluorescents. 

The greening of this restaurant started long before design as the restaurateur sought to find a suitable building and amenable landlord. This location worked out perfectly as the landlord was able to accommodate the request for extra insulation in the foundation and a highly reflective roof to help mitigate heating and cooling costs. Perhaps most importantly, every diner at Denny’s has a way to connect with the green attributes of the restaurant, including a brochure at each table and informative signage on the walls. With 5,000 people served weekly, the opportunity for this one restaurant to educate consumers is significant.

I would have liked to have visited the LEED Platinum Chipotle north of Chicago in Gurnee Mills, IL or the new Pizza Fusion in Naperville, IL, but unfortunately, my time was limited. I’m looking forward to visiting more green restaurants throughout the country which will surely take shape after the LEED for Retail rating system is launch in the fall.

Whole Building Design

 

Kyoto - bamboo forest

Kate Diamond, AIA, LEED AP, spoke with me this morning about whole building audits. Developers, building owners and occupants are all in a position to benefit from a holistic building audit. The whole building approach to energy usage and air quality optimizes assets and minimizes costs. In existing buildings, the assessment identifies where most energy is wasted, and allows building owners and tenants to develop alternatives and phased plans for optimization. 

 

Kyoto - palace garden pavillion

Humans thrive on exposure to daylight, views, and clean air. Strategies can be as simple as the use of low VOC paints on all renovations, to placing high walls perpendicular to windows, and lower walls parallel - adding daylight deeper into the building floorplate. I spent the morning in this west facing conference room, and noticed as the meeting adjourned that the light sensors had kept the lights off the entire time (daylight was more than adequate, and very pleasant), and I was inhaling the scent of rain on bamboo leaves in the alley below through the open windows.  

 

NBBJ - Seattle, photography Benjamin Benschneider

Balancing strategies can be unexpected - like the 2 foot ceiling to floor height achieved here by use of the interstitial floor space as a plenum, eliminating ductwork and the building height associated with it (typically 4 feet) - a significant reduction in building height, along with increased daylight due to open clear ceilings. Other strategies may be expected - updating lighting (reducing energy consumption) while capturing utility incentives and tax credits, or balancing the cost of an exterior skin modifications against savings in air conditioning and lighting loads.

Understanding the competition and their green lease offerings is also a tool in the development of optimization strategies. Understanding tenant behavior impacts and the demands for quality of light and air is critical, and will add pressure to this competitive marketplace. 

Ideas Change Everything

Change Design - our pursuit of the moment.  In developing and designing buildings --  the act of creating buildings, by its nature, is a great expense of energy and materials dedicated to a moment in time, for the human activity of it's time.

   

photography - Sean Airhart 

Change is a constant state -- how can we create buildings that are relevant today, and lead us into our changed future?  Between the economy, climate change, and the technology revolution, we must design for change.  Here are some of the change design tools that we are using, every day.

Understand the past, listen to the present, design for the future. True listening involves challenging and dropping assumptions that are no longer relevant - and gaining new insights

Find the essential human experience necessary for an organization to optimise and be better. Look deeper, put yourself inside and walk through the experience, every step of the way.

Build renaissance teams - integrating diverse intelligence creates high performance outcomes. Pull in team members from differing backgrounds and with varied knowledge and training - don't allow social cohesion to stifle creative thinking.

Design to reuse, adapt, and re-invent. Look beyond the horizon line, understand directional shifts - step outside, broaden your vision. Consider all scales - the site, the neighborhood, the city, state, country - and look to the world beyond,

Design to cross boundaries - drive for integration, inside out, outside in. individual, community, world.

We can all be artists of change, shaping our future through change design.

Brasil - Solid BRICs

  

Sao Paulo - the largest and wealthiest city in Brasil, from the rooftop of Hotel Unique

Brasil is the first country of reference in the BRIC group of fast growing developing economies - together with Russia, China, and India, hold over twenty-five percent of the world's land and forty percent of the world's population. Recently, I was in a meeting with a global luxury retailer who referred to Brasil as unaffected by the global recession. Surely, no country is completely unaffected - though in relative terms, Brasil is experiencing a powerful convergence of forces - political stability, optimism, natural resources and enlightened corporate leadership that is unprecedented.

 

Carbon-neutral corporate headquarters of a 4 billion dollar beauty products company

Yesterday, a panel of Brasilian retail developers at the ICSC conference in Las Vegas presented their case for the great opportunities that abound in this country that is emerging from a long period of economic and political turmoil. Though there are effects of the global economy in play, there has been so much catching up to do that it is hard to feel the recession in play.  

 

Team exercise break at the manufacturing facility

From The Economist "In some ways Brazil is the steadiest of the BRICs. Unlike China and Russia it is a full-blooded democracy; unlike India it has no serious disputes with its neighbors. It is the only BRIC without a nuclear bomb." The Heritage Foundations's Economic Freedom Index, which measures factors such as protection of property rights and free trade, ranks Brazil ("moderately free") above the other BRICs ("mostly unfree").

 

bem estar bem -- the corporate mantra - "well being well"

I had the opportunity of working with some of these retail companies over the past year, and I met business leaders who spoke of their increased alignment with the liberal democratic leadership of the country. I developed the deepest respect for the level of commitment to enlightened and sustainable business practices that far exceed any I have experienced. 

 

indoor garden - employee lounge, and recycling

From saving rainforest species and indigenous cultures, to education networks, environmental leadership, and well-being of the customers and employees - we have much to learn from their leadership in a sustainable future.

Oscar Niemeyer's cultural center - modern master architect

The cultural richness is vibrant, creative, modern, yet deeply connected to nature - which I discovered in a great variety of built environments - from stores, workplaces, cultural centers, and hotels. Watch Brasil go forward, into the future. I think it will be fascinating, and illuminating for us all.

 

Sao Paulo - inside out, outside in

Sustainability: Energy Audits & Commissioning

Commissioning has long been an integral part of green building and the LEED green building rating system, and basic commissioning was built into LEED for New Construction as a prerequisite for certification. Commissioning is often misunderstood, especially among owners with no commissioning experience who often avoid the practice due to fears of initial high costs.  The commissioning process offers benefits to both building owners and occupants through improved building performance and heightened occupant satisfaction.

ASHRAE Guideline 0-2005 defines commissioning as a quality-focused process that focuses on verifying and documenting that the facility and its systems and assemblies are planned, designed, installed, tested, operated and maintained to meet the Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR).  And while many believe that commissioning is for new buildings only, it can be applied to existing buildings as well, as long as stabilized occupancy conditions are in place. LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance includes a credit focused on continuous commissioning, which incorporates monitoring and analysis of building performance data between the regularly performed operation and equipment reviews.

Any added cost of commissioning is justified by the energy savings that can be realized through corrective actions identified in the commissioning process. LEED specifically focuses on this aspect by having a credit specifically regarding implementation of no-cost and low-cost measures related to energy efficiency identified in the analysis. LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance also provides the option of performing an ASHRAE Level II Energy Audits as the first part of the retrocomissioning investigation component for existing buildings. Upfront commissioning and energy audits costs are recouped within only one to two years and helps building owners avoid unnecessary operating expenses, which is critical in this economic environment.

There are many comprehensive resources and guides to commissioning and retrocomissioning available online including A Retrocommissioning Guide for Building Owners, compiled by Portland Energy Conservation Incorporated and the EPA’s Energy STAR program.

Do you have experiences and specifics from commissioning or performing energy audits in your buildings? Let me know at mheisterkamp@usgbc.org. 

Snapshot from a Global Summit - Department Store Focus 2009 Moscow

 

 

 

 

Attending events over the last decade organized by the IGDS – Intercontinental Group of Department Stores, the Zurich based organization of more than 30 flagship stores worldwide, has always been an illuminating global snapshot of the pulse of leading retailers across the globe. I've met with them in Dusseldorf, Hong Kong, London, and Manila. The summit last week in Moscow at the historic GUM department store (shopping center) adjacent to Red Square included presentations by 14 leading CEOs. 

 

 

GUM Department Store, Moscow

 

Through the lens of the financial crisis and falling revenues, forward thinking leaders at the summit were focused on two important issues – engaging their customers emotionally, and the forces of online shopping. Understanding the impact of the digital universe on shopping behavior is considered critical for success and survival.

One of the most compelling talks was Andy Rubin, the CEO of Pentland Brands – UK, “Chief Emotional Officer”, who focused on the importance of truly engaging the consumer as the key to success. His take on major trends:

Economy – the downturn is not over, and may go on for years – plan for worse.

Polarization – growth in value and steady in luxury – most challenges are in the middle of the market.

Internet Wave 3 - the new internet is mobile, unlimited, free, and accessible from anywhere. New websites take advantage of this new kind of mobility and access, such as asos.com, for younger consumer, or net-a-porter.com that offers premium service, free delivery anywhere, free returns, etc.  (I would add sites like closetcouture.com and gilt.com as new models in fashion)

Sustainability – environmental responsibility and ethical sourcing are forces of change that will fundamentally change retailers on a global scale.

Mr. Rubin believes that brands love flagships. Why?

Flagships tell stories

If consumers identify with the story they identify with the product. Mr Rubin’s brand stories – Speedo on Michael Phelps winning 8 gold medals, Rene Lacoste creating the crocodile legend, Berghaus with Leo Houlding’s base jumping para-alpinist adventures.  His flagship stores allow him to fully tell the story through images, video, events, and activities.

 

 

Flagships are brand laboratories

Flagships are labs for new product development and testing, for bold cross-merchandising.  A flagship allows for consumer insight - regular thorough feedback from consumers is essential.  A flagship is a place to build customer service – qualified product experts and service are critical. It is particularly important in specialized gear stores – choosing a wrong sized suit in a Berghaus store can cost you a life. New brand propositions, brand educations, ethical messages, community connections, media venues, event stages, parties, celebrities – flagships are entertainment venues.

 

  

Other talks included Mr. Alberto Alessi, on Italian design factories and the market niche that they occupy – not quite mass production, very high quality design and manufacturing, producing ‘art multiples’, and the importance of poetic and spiritual value of things in addition to functional value (relative to the history of craft).

Mr. Allan Namchaisiri, President of ZEN lifestyle store in Thailand. ZEN is an 8 story hybrid containing a wide range - from very well organized and top of the line shopping experience, to cafes, restaurants, to spas, medical offices, childcare, clubs, movies. On Friday, while presenting at the conference, he was missing a DJ night that sold 4000 tickets to the club at the top of ZEN store… he believes that a successful store is a place where people come for everything - entertainment, socializing, medical treatment, good music, food, and, of course, shopping!

In general many presenters talked about the importance of entertainment and events (cultural, parties, special causes) taking place in the flagship stores as a way of emotionally engaging the consumers and building customer support. Flagship stores more and more become a stage for brand, showing a brand’s history and personality for customers to experience.

Mr. Michael Gould, CEO of Bloomingdales talked about identity as primary importance for their multiplying stores. The use of characteristic black trim and black & white floor patterns are critical to the identity of the stores in their various locations and sizes. It allows a distinctive connection between a much smaller downtown Soho store and a much larger 59^th street location. Bloomingdales also is making a shift toward more upscale merchandise.

Mr. Teymuraz Guguberidze, CEO of GUM thinks differently – he believes that mixing the upscale brands such as Chanel or Hermes with more budget brands such as Zara or Sasch is a key to the most important and biggest luxury – freedom - freedom of choice (today you may want to go to Chanel and tomorrow to Zara).

 

Given the shopping activity at GUM in the morning of a work day – he seems to have it right…

 

 

Summit report contributions by Anya Bokov, Director - Moscow Office, NBBJ 

Green Design: Launching LEED for Retail

For retailers, very little other than the product or service being sold can say as much to their customer about their environmental commitment than their retail space. In an increasingly environmentally-aware world, savvy retailers understand how buildings can add value to their brand and are also wary of compromising the brand with greenwashing claims. These retailers are turning to green building strategies and the LEED green building certification system to demonstrate and support their corporate social responsibility commitments, educate their customers and verify their accomplishments through third-party certification.

Green building is not a new concept – but it’s relatively new to the retail market. LEED was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 2000, and for the last several years, USGBC has been working with the retail industry and a committee of industry experts to develop LEED credits that are more specific to retail building types.  LEED for Retail New Construction and LEED for Retail Commercial Interiors, built on the experience from 95 pilot projects, is currently undergoing member ballot. Once the system passes ballot, it will provide certification paths for both ground-up retail  construction and retail commercial interiors.

LEED for Retail is aligned with the new LEED 2009 rating system and is anticipated to be available for use in July 2009. The 100-point scale covers the same key environmental areas as the LEED 2009 rating system. Key technical differences in the rating system include adaptations to account for both employees and customers in transportation and daylighting strategies. Additionally, LEED for Retail addresses process water and energy, both of which now have baselines created with the help of retailers and the food service technology industry.

Despite the economy and the slow-down of construction in the retail market, there is tremendous market transformation occurring within the retail sector. A number of retailers have already built LEED into their standard prototype designs and plan to seek certification on future stores.  Since 300 retailers are already in the process of using LEED, the scalability of this market provides huge opportunities to minimize this sector’s environmental impact.

The New Green Economy

How can I not write about the economic recovery package? The talk of Washington, DC, the economic recovery package is being closely followed by many business leaders.  USGBC has been actively working to ensure that the economic recovery package moves the U.S. toward the new green economy and related long-term economic and environmental benefits. While the possibilities are many and the opportunities for the real estate market are complex, there are a few key areas that our industry will want to watch closely.

The Commercial Building Tax Deduction was established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and permits building owners to deduct expenditures on energy-efficiency improvements to commercial properties. Many real estate groups are actively seeking the expansion of funding for this program and other tax incentives within the economic recovery package.

Additionally, USGBC supports robust funding for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program through the economic recovery package. This program, which was created as part of the 2007 federal energy law, is set up to provide billions of dollars for states, localities, and tribes for energy efficiency and conservation projects. If funded, this program will empower states and localities to develop and expand energy efficiency-related programs and investments. Such funds could be leveraged to replicate successful initiatives currently in place throughout the country, such as those offered by state energy offices and public utilities.

Inevitably, funding for green building retrofits will come through many sources and programs, but the directive is clear. In addition to creating economic activity and providing our economy a much needed jumpstart, these monies must contribute to a new green economy. It’s also critically important that such funds be directed to retrofitting and upgrading existing buildings owned by private companies, allowing the short- and long-term savings generated by these improvements to strengthen bottom lines and ultimately be reinvested in additional upgrades and environmental measures.

If you have any comments or ideas, you can reach Marc at

mheisterkamp@usgbc.org

.