Increasingly, there is more concern over the effects of climate change. This results in legislation of a more demanding nature which commercial property developers need to know about. Additionally, the recent surge in energy prices means that everyone wants to reduce costs and subsequently reduce their (more…)

Several weeks ago, Washington DC was hit by both an earthquake and a hurricane. But this was not the most shocking development during the week — at least for me.

Here’s what shocked me the most: I learned there is a chance that LEED bonds could be available in our nation’s capital. (more…)

Are we entering a new era of energy efficiency?

That’s what economists Ahmad Faruqui and Doug Mitarotonda of The Brattle Group have told Smart Grid News as a preview of their new white paper. They predict that electricity demand in the United States will fall between 5 to 15 per cent by 2020. (more…)

Federal agency location decisions represent significant opportunities to design, construct, maintain, and operate high performance sustainable buildings in sustainable locations, and strengthen the vitality and livability of the communities. Federal, state, and local governments invest significant resources in (more…)

The Empire State Building in New York City has been awarded LEED Gold certification following a two-year retrofit that is expected to cut energy use in the landmark building by 38 percent by 2013.

Two years ago, the owners of the 102-story building began renovations they say will cut energy costs by (more…)

The International Green Construction Code (IGCC) is a model code for cities seeking to promote sustainable building practices through their building codes. The IGCC promotes transition from the current voluntary green construction certifications, like USGBC’s LEED, to mandatory green (more…)

With an impending energy crisis, the need for modernized insulation methods has reached an all-time high. Currently, almost half of the nation’s energy is used to heat and cool commercial and residential buildings. However, a typical home loses around 30 percent of this energy through its windows and (more…)

“Is that a solar tube light or have tiny flying saucers landed on your house?”

I’m sure our neighbors have wondered this – at least if they get a view of the backside of our roof after dark.

We have five solar tube lights and at nighttime the (more…)

Concrete is the most widely used building material for residential and commercial buildings. From its humble origins in Roman times, this mixture of Portland cement, aggregate, water, and chemical additives is now a $35 billion industry in the US alone, employing over two million workers. However, when it comes to (more…)

For several years, property owners have become increasingly aware of the potential for energy efficient buildings to decrease operating costs, improve occupancy, and demand higher rental prices.

Theoretically, all of the benefits of energy efficient buildings should yield a higher property values for (more…)