Christmas Tree Recycling

Tip from Earth Friendly Living section at Primrose Magazine:

"Now through January 15, you can recycle your Christmas Tree at Springs Preserve.  You can give our community a gift while doing your holiday cleaning.  Visit one of over 20 drop sites, or make time to visit a great Las Vegas attraction by going to Springs Preserve.  Call (702) 822-7700 for locations, or visit www.springspreserve.org."

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Ongoing Needs at Marble Manor

Marble Manor is a local housing community with ongoing donation needs for their Family Self Sufficiency center and adult education programming.  Please feel free to share this update with anyone that may be interested in investing in-kind or cash donations for the ongoing projects.

The Community Center's transformation has continued to roll ahead.  On September 16th, the Career Training and Adult Learning Center had its Grand Opening.  The original plan to locate a Children's Reading Area in the Community Center was altered to meet the urgent need for adult education, job search assistance, computer skills training and GED support. The Computer Lab, sponsored by Bechtel SAIC, now provides five workstations and computer training in partnership with UNLV.

The Children's area will instead be located in Marble Manor's Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) center on J Street. Stacey Bostwick at (702) 922-7016 or sbostwick@haclv.org can provide additional details.

We have lists for the needs for both centers, and ongoing exterior improvements to the playground.  Please ask for a copy!

Exterior Improvements - Shade Structure, Exterior Benches, Decomposed Granite.
Adult Learning Center - Computer Lab Chairs, Training Tables & Chairs, Exterior Signage, Bulletin Boards.
Family Self Sufficiency Center - Children's Seating and Book Stands (9' x 12' area)

Cash donations can be received through The Housing Authority's 501(c)3 R.O.S.E. Foundation.
Call (702) 922-6060 for more information.

2009 Green Building Snapshots & Trends

Although limited by its restriction to the LEED rating system standard, the latest Green Building Market & Impact Report 2009 by Rob Watson is a useful snapshot of current status and projections for the green construction industry.  USGBC's Green Jobs Study, prepared by Booz Allen Hamilton, evaluates the economic impact of green buildings in terms of the "total number of direct, indirect, and induced jobs created from green building expenditures."

GBCI currently has over 20,156 LEED registered projects totaling 322 million square feet, and that's great news for improving our industry's impact on the environment.  As champions of green building, we'd welcome a total green square footage estimate that takes LEED, Green Globes, and other local Green ratings systems into account.  Although not a comprehensive solution, we still see the investment in LEED certification as being valuable for long-term value and as a road map to green performance outcomes.

The latest studies are also investigating the interconnection of green building and our economy.  Moving from a "triple bottom line" (ecological, social and economic responsibility), the trend is an "integrated bottom line," with environmental and social concerns enhancing profitability.    USGBC's study projecting over 7.9 million jobs and $396 billion in labor earnings from green construction for 2009 through 2013 is encouraging for our industry and nation's economic recovery.

LEED's requirements are useful guidelines for sustainable design and construction whether certification is pursued or not.




Owners and developers must carefully weigh the value of green construction and LEED certification in terms of immediate financial and PR returns, as well as long-term risk versus reward.  One example of this balance is the LEED v3 requirement to provide performance data for a five-year period following construction, or risk revocation of LEED status.  The building team's commitment to five years post-construction must be sufficient to ensure adequate performance, and may need to be contractually defined to protect the Owner's investment.  LEED's requirements are useful guidelines for sustainable design and construction whether certification is pursued or not.  For a thoughtful discussion of economic pluses and minuses of using the LEED system, in the context of university campus development, read Peter W. Bardaglio's "To LEED or not to LEED." 

Eventually we anticipate a broader, consumer-driven ratings approach that draws upon proven life-cycle data from constructed green buildings. A recent article on GreenSource.com explores this possibility, and the growing demand for transparency of information in green building. Energy Star's work with home performance and new homes moves the residential sector in this direction of proven results, while its Building and Manufacturing Plants program addresses the commercial sector. However, Energy Star's ratings still reflect a thin slice of ecological impact with its energy-centric ratings system.  Life-cycle Assessment (LCA) is already starting to inform LEED's next generation, and will continue to shift the industry, and consumers, to consider our built and consumable environment in regenerative (C2C or Cradle to Cradle) terms by addressing impact before and after the use stage. 

Report downloads:
Green Building Market & Impact Report 2009
USGBC Green Jobs Study 2009

See our 2009 Green Building Reports article for some highlights from the above reports.

America Recycles Day - November 15

America Recycles Day was celebrated this weekend.  Even if you missed your local events, take a moment to refresh your recycling know-how with ARD's tips and more: 

• Get a service: sign up for Republic Services curbside pickup, or use Rebel Recyling as an alternative.
• Use in-home sorters: reusable containers make separating your paper, plastic, glass & metals easier on a daily basis.
  
• Use grocery drops: take batteries & plastic bags* to a drop-box at your local grocery (Fresh & Easy, WholeFoods).
• Recycle computers & peripherals: Blind Center of Nevada serves the Las Vegas Valley.
  
• Find recycling locations: Earth 911 has a zip code search for drop boxes or specialty recycling.
  

* Reusable is a better alternative to plastic.  Bring your own, or buy an affordable option in your grocery line.

Mark your calendar for November 15 of next year!

2009 Green Building Reports

Report downloads:
Green Building Market & Impact Report 2009 (GBMIR)
USGBC Green Jobs Study 2009 (GJS)

Some highlights:

• By 2050 LEED projects should equate 1/2 of a carbon wedge. (GBMIR)

• Green Construction projected to contribute $554 Billion, including $396 billion in wages, to U.S. GDP between 2009 and 2013. (GJS)

•  “Our goal is for the phrase ‘green building’ to become obsolete, by making all building and retrofits green – and transforming every job in our industry into a green job,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chairman of USGBC. (GJS)

• Despite economic flattening, LEED registered and certified floor area in 2009 is estimated to grow by over 40% compared to last year’s totals, for a cumulative total of over 7 billion square feet worldwide since the standard was launched in 2000. (GBMIR)

• Total water savings from LEED through 2009 is estimated at 15 billion gallons, comprising 0.5% of annual non-residential water use. By 2030, LEED results in nearly 1.3 trillion gallons of saved water, equivalent to 30% of current annual non-residential water use. (GBMIR)

• Annual carbon dioxide savings from LEED buildings is approximately 2.9 million tons from energy efficiency and renewables, a figure that is expected to grow to 130 million tons per year by 2020 and almost 320 million tons annually by 2030. (GBMIR)

• In the coming 3-year cycle Existing Building standard certifications, LEED EB/EBOM, are expected to exceed the New Construction certifications. (GBMIR)

• Based on average materials costs, green building materials represented approximately $7 billion in cumulative spending through 2009, which is expected to reach a cumulative $230 billion by 2030. (GBMIR)

• Embodied energy in buildings that are renovated instead of demolished is expected to save as much energy in 2030 as we import this year from Saudi Arabia. (GBMIR)

• An average of over 60% of construction and demolition waste was diverted from LEED projects, totaling 25 million tons to date. (GBMIR)

• The residential sector in the U.S. represents the largest share of the environmental burden of buildings and in response LEED has now certified nearly 3,000 units, with several thousand more awaiting certification. LEED for Homes project activity did not reflect the market as a whole and still remains strong. (GBMIR)

• An average of at least 580,000 employees are currently enjoying improved indoor environments in LEED buildings at present, and the "green building workforce" is expected to approach 29 million by 2020 and almost 64 million by 2030. The productivity benefits from LEED buildings to date range from $230 to $450 million. (GBMIR)

Watson's Green Building Market & Impact Report 2009 also points out the impact of green building outside the United States, and projects a 30% increase in non-U.S. LEED registration this year, mostly due to green building booms in China, India, and the Middle East.

Preview "Green Building Market & Impact Report"

FREE webinar Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 12:30pm EST

This presentation promises to show how green building choices both provide a very high return on investment and a significant decrease in our environmental impact.

During this 60 minute webinar a sneak-preview of the Green Building Market & Impact Report 2009 will be presented by the report’s author Robert Watson, GreenerBuildings.com Editor and industry leader. This report is an integrated assessment of the land, water, energy, material and indoor environmental impacts of the LEED for New Construction (LEED NC), Core & Shell (LEED CS) and Existing Building (LEED EB) standards.

JohnsonDiversey President & CEO Ed Lonergan will also highlight the importance of sustainability in today’s business environment, offering insights and examples of the company’s work toward improving the sustainability of its customers’ facilities as well as its own. This presentation will detail JohnsonDiversey’s own focus on LEED certification for many of its facilities worldwide.

Learn More.
Sign Up.

Chamber Launches Green Roots

We're excited to to see that the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce has a new initiative to support greening businesses.

Here's the information from their website:
Date: Thursday, October 1, 2009
Time: 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Location: EMBARQ® Business and Conference Center
at the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce

Take advantage of a brand new benefit at the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce! The Chamber Green Roots program is a one stop resource for increasing the sustainability of your business. All of the information, tools and resources you need to begin and continue making green efforts at your company will be provided. Walk through the member tables at this mini green expo and get first hand, face-to-face, practical advice on how you can achieve a green business designation, increased exposure and recognition in the Chamber's online membership directory through participation in Green Roots.

Email Lauren Boitel, lboitel@lvchamber.com
or call 702.586.3893 for more information