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Marriott Hotel at Atlanta Airport gains silver LEED accreditation

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:00:57 GMT

The Marriott Hotel at Atlanta Airport has become the latest of only 41 hotels in America to be awarded silver LEED status.

With 403 rooms the energy efficient building consumes 30 per cent less water and 28 per cent less energy than the average hotel which is not accredited under the LEED scheme by the US Green Building Council.

Robert Woolridge, general manager of the hotel, said: "Our contributions in making the environment a healthier place by reducing waste, conserving energy and water and using 'green power' provided by the city of College Park are paying off and will continue for years to come."

To further add to the hotel's green credentials all of the materials which were used in its construction travelled less than 500 miles to the site.

Currently there are 50 hotels which are part of the Marriott brand and within the LEED accreditation process, with some having been designed with the standards in mind and others certified.

New campus in Ayr has green credentials

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:00:55 GMT

The new Riverside Campus in Ayr, which is a joint venture between the Scottish Agricultural College and University of the West of Scotland, has been opened.

Costing £81 million to complete, the energy efficient building was designed to BREEAM excellent standards incorporating the latest in environmentally friendly features.

The campus is located on the Craigie Estate and as the name suggests has a view of the River Ayr and a number of institutions including Historic Scotland were involved in the planning.

Professor Bill McKelvey, principal of the Scottish Agricultural College, said: "By joining forces, the institutions have created a campus that brings great benefits and opportunities for the students who study here, to our staff, to the wider community and to the two institutions as a whole."

Being situated where it is the new campus is ideally suited to teaching agriculture courses and outdoor pursuits, which are among the 22 subjects on offer.

Once buildings have been designed to BREEAM standards they must be reassessed when built in order to gain full accreditation.

Autistic students to benefit from green school

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:00:56 GMT

An energy efficient building in Manhattan has been created in order to house 108 children who are on the autistic spectrum.

The LearningSpring School is designed to cater to the specific needs of such children and promote their health and wellbeing.

It has been designed and built to gold LEED standards, meaning that it has green credentials spread over its eight floors.

Interaction is encouraged between the children by the open spaces, which make good use of natural light and natural ventilation, which has been found to improve the mood of those using indoor environments.

Natural materials have been used extensively in the construction of the building with bamboo lining on the walls and the use of cork for the floors meaning that noise cannot travel so easily.

Autism is a lifelong condition that shapes how people communicate with others and the world around them. As a spectrum condition it affects people in different ways.

Proposed casino would be green

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:00:56 GMT

A casino which has been proposed in the small town of Brimfield in Massachusetts will have green credentials should it get the go-ahead.

MGM want to build a resort which would be called Rolling Hills and if it were an energy efficient building the company hope it will be more popular with local residents.

Jim Murren, chairman and CEO of MGM, said: "We don't believe development should come at the cost of natural beauty."

There are a number of different sites which are being considered as locations for the casino with Brimfield just one of them.

Another development of MGM's, CityCenter, won a gold standard LEED accreditation in 2009 and with the new construction the company have announced its intentions to continue with its commitment to sustainability.

Mr Murren said: "The Pioneer Valley is home to some of the most beautiful land around – from the Quaboag Riverto the acres of pristine forest that define the countryside."

MGM has 15 resorts in Michigan, Nevada and Mississippi, which it owns and operates on a day-to-day basis.

Gold LEED status awarded to judicial centre

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:00:55 GMT

A new judicial centre in Rockingham County has been given gold LEED standard accreditation and replaces the former courthouse built in 1911.

The energy efficient building includes detention space for up to 300 people and a sheriff's office on top of the new courthouse, reports GoDanRiver.

As a state-of-the-art facility it caters to the needs of both minimum and maximum security detainees.

Features of the new building include plenty of insulation to cut down on heating bills and an efficient water system.

It has been reported that when the accountants calculated the water usage it was so low they believed they had carried out their sums wrong.

Special effort was made in order to make sure the materials and labour for the project were all locally sourced, with carpet, wood and windows all brought from nearby.

Buildings which are accredited by LEED are put in one of four categories, ranging from certified, through silver and gold with those judged to be the most sustainable falling into the platinum bracket.

New Travelodge hotel aiming for BREEAM excellent

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:00:55 GMT

A new Travelodge hotel which is to be built at Cheshire Oaks retail park is aiming to achieve excellent standard BREEAM accreditation.

The energy efficient building is to form the focal point for the redevelopment of the out of town shopping area.

It will cost £3 million to build and house 77 bedrooms across five floors and is to be just one of 146 new Travelodge hotels the chain wish to construct across the country.

The new hotel will open in July this year and is hoped to bring £1.2 million to the economy of the local area.

Tony O’Brien, UK development director for Travelodge Hotels, said: "We trade very well at other major shopping centres throughout the country, such as The Trafford Centre and Sheffield Meadowhall, and have long identified Cheshire Oaks as a destination where we would like a hotel."

Travelodge currently have 460 budget hotels at locations in the UK and Ireland and rooms start at £19 per night.

Bridgend school receives BREEAM excellent rating

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:00:56 GMT

After seeing its student population double in 20 years, a school in Bridgend has had a new building constructed in order to house them all.

The Archbishop McGrath Catholic High School used the opportunity to in order to have an energy efficient building, which has just achieved a BREEAM standard of excellence, reports the Construction Index.

Funding of £20 million was provided by a combination of the Bridgend County Borough Council, Welsh Government and Archdiocese of Cardiff.

In order to boost its energy efficiency the new building was fitted with large quantities on insulation and environmentally friendly utility systems.

Materials which can be recycled at the end of their working life and labour from the local area were used wherever possible throughout the project.

BREEAM utilises an understandable scoring system in order to assess buildings in terms of their impact on the environment and sustainability in hold them up to an internationally recognised standard.

New York agencies worker together for a greener city

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:00:55 GMT

Many countries in the world have carbon reduction targets and some cities are considered to be green, but New York has a truly integrated plan.

Energy efficient buildings have become a top priority due to PlaNYC 2030, which is an initiative envisaged by Mayor Bloomberg.

Having been launched in 2007 with targets to be met by 2030 there was a chance that the plan could lose momentum, but specific milestones to be reached by 2013 have helped prevent that from happening.

It sees 25 agencies within the city working together in order to make buildings more sustainable and this includes both old and new ones.

With 55 per cent of New York's edifices constructed prior to 1940 retrofitting them to LEED standards has become a big target.

Lisa Kersavage, of the Municipal Art Society, told the New York Times: "Since so many rooftops in the city are flat, we’ve even been getting approval for solar panels for landmark buildings. If you can’t see it, it can’t disturb the aesthetic."

George to go green

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:00:56 GMT

The George clothing brand is to benefit from a new energy efficient building being constructed as a warehouse for it in the north-east.

With £15 million of investment coming from Asda and Clipper logistics it is hoped that the warehouse at Teeslink on Wynard Park will achieve a BREEAM very good rating.

When completed it will act as a garment processing facility, employing between 400 and 500 people on the site near Stockton.

Gordon Hewling, project manager, said: "The project has been in the planning phase over the last 18 months and we have worked with all parties to ensure a viable solution."

Since BREEAM began in 1990 more than 200,000 energy efficient buildings have been certified under the system, which is recognised across the world as a standard for environmentally friendly building.

These buildings have each been given a classification, which ranges from pass and good to very good, excellent and outstanding.

Campus recreational centre achieves LEED accreditation

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:00:56 GMT

Western Washington University has received LEED status for a new recreational centre which has been built on campus.

The Wade King Student Recreation centre is the second of the university's energy efficient buildings to be certified.

A third has been constructed to LEED standards but has not yet undergone the process in order to receive the accreditation.

Features of the recreational centre's design which help to add to its green credentials include a water efficient system, environmentally friendly interior air quality and recycled materials for construction.

The thinking behind building new facilities to LEED standards is that they will save money in the future due to their increased energy efficiency, as well as having minimal impact on the environment.

LEED is an internationally recognised standard for green buildings, which means they can be classed as certified, silver, gold or platinum.

It was developed and is administered by the United States Green Building Council.

Another US fire department achieves LEED accreditation

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:00:55 GMT

A brand new energy efficient building to act as the headquarters on the North Metro Fire Rescue District has achieved gold level LEED accreditation.

It is the latest fire department in the US to get an internationally recognised standard of green building award for its premises.

With solar panels installed on the roof and maximum use of natural light throughout the build, it consumes less energy, meaning money will be saved well into the future.

The building requires 56.4 per cent less water maintenance than it would if it had been built in the traditional way office buildings used to be.

Several other fire departments in America have updated their buildings in order to be energy efficient and using sustainable materials helps to add to their green credentials.

North Metro Fire Rescue District was originally set up in 1946 when all 30 of those who served the community were volunteers.

£11m Toyota centre awarded excellent BREEAM status

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:00:57 GMT

A new centre for Toyota has been awarded excellent level BREEAM accreditation, the first the car manufacturer has achieved in the UK.

The energy efficient building, which was constructed in Enfield, cost £11 million, but is designed to help reduce the impact the company has on the environment.

Simon Boxall, of Toyota, said: "We are immensely proud that our new centre has obtained the BREEAM Excellent certification, it is the highest recognition for what we have achieved at Enfield in terms of reducing our environmental footprint."

Extensive use of natural light, a bio-mass boiler and a rainwater collection system all add to the green credentials of the facility.

Constant monitoring of the amount of energy consumed helps to make sure that the building is meeting its targets and being as efficient as possible.

Founded in 1937 by Kiichiro Toyoda, the Japanese car company now employs in excess of 300,000 people worldwide.

Public school in Houston awarded gold LEED accreditation

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:00:57 GMT

Gloria Marshall Elementary School has become the first public school in the state of Houston to gain a gold standard of LEED accreditation.

Having only been open since August, the energy efficient building uses 41 per cent less energy than a comparative school in terms of size and function, reports the Paper Magazine.

Geothermal technologies are used in order to heat and cool the school, which is complete with an eco-pond in the science garden accompanying it.

Dr Ralph H Draper, superintendent for Spring ISD, where the school is situated, told the news provider: "Gloria Marshall Elementary School is an extraordinary campus where environmental sustainability and energy efficiency are exemplified in a beautiful facility that offers our students unique opportunities for learning about their world and how it works."

LEED is an internationally recognised standard in green building, which is administered by the US Green Building Council and a growing number of schools are being designed to meet its criteria.

College in Nottinghamshire to get new teaching block

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:00:56 GMT

Vision West Notts, which used to be known as West Nottinghamshire College, is to have a new teaching block constructed.

The energy efficient building will cost £7.8 million and benefit from the installation of a natural ventilation system.

As well as classrooms it will have IT suites, salons and a spa spread over its three storeys, as well as a kitchen, all of which will be used to train students.

Asha Khemka OBE, principal of the college, said: "By opening up the restaurant, health spa and hair and beauty salons to the public, students will be able to put their skills to the test and gain vital work experience, while the community benefits from brand new facilities right on their doorstep."

It is hoped that when the facility is completed it will achieve a BREEAM accreditation of very good.

Vision West Notts provides a number of courses including GCSEs, A Levels and vocational training to 20,000 students a year.

Mace to have five offices in one

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:00:56 GMT

A company based in London is to bring staff from five different offices into one energy efficient building.

Mace has employees working in Southwark, Camden and the City, all 700 of whom will be phased into a new office in Moorgate Hall over the course of a year, reports Construction Enquirer.

The five-storey building where the company will be consolidated into one place is hoped to achieve excellent BREEAM status for its environmentally friendly features.

Stephen Pycroft, chairman and CEO of Mace told the news provider: "Mace’s new headquarters will provide a modern and inspiring environment for our employees and visitors alike."

Having all members of staff in one place is designed to make interdepartmental communication easier in order for the business to grow.

Excellent is the highest of the BREEAM classifications for the assessment of environmentally friendly buildings, which began in 1990.

All of the permanent venues for the London 2012 Olympics are being constructed to BREEAM standards.

Silver LEED certification for Bozeman city hall

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:00:56 GMT

The latest building in Montana, USA, to achieve a LEED silver accreditation is a retrofit of the Bozeman library, which was constructed in 1980.

Since then it has been transformed into the city hall and undergone another change into an energy efficient building, reports KBZK.com.

James Goehrung, superintendent of facility services for Bozeman, told the news provider: "With the environmental considerations that we have, and the more efficient use of resources, the projection we have is in about 14.6 years any costs associated with the green status will be paid for, and after that we'll be able to recoup those savings."

The products of the demolition were recycled with sheet rock turned into gypsum and concrete into filling material, further enhancing the green credentials of the project.

Putting energy efficient features into already existing buildings is a great way to reduce the impact on the environment without starting from scratch and keeps costs down.

San Diego campus gets ninth LEED certification

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:00:55 GMT

The University of California's San Diego campus has just achieved its ninth LEED certification and this one was for its Supercomputer Center.

It joins six existing energy efficient buildings on the site to be awarded a gold standard of the accreditation, which is only one step off the best possible status of platinum.

Features designed to boost the v-shaped building's green credentials include extensive use of natural light, an energy efficient water system and cleaning which does not have an impact on the environment.

The Supercomputer Center is considered to be world class, as since it was founded in 1985 it has provided the resources and services needed by the research world.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is administered by the United States Green Building Council.

As an internationally recognised standard, many educational institutions are using LEED as a way of proving their attitude towards environmental buildings.

LEED gold for WHOs headquarters in Jordan

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:00:56 GMT

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has become the first to have a gold standard of LEED accreditation for its headquarters in Amman and Jordan.

Its headquarters are now housed within the energy efficient building with the Regional Centre for Environmental Health Activities working within the same structure.

By allowing natural light to enter the building on a large scale the impact on energy bills is greatly reduced.

Close to half of the construction materials used in the project were sourced locally and the impact on the environment is further minimised with 78 per cent of waste being recycled instead of going to landfill.

WHO is an arm of the United Nations, set up in order to help set the agenda on health matters across the member states.

Its constitution was written up in 1948, three years after the United Nations was founded and its date is commemorated as World Health Day on April 7th every year.

Iconic Bristol building to get retrofit

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:00:57 GMT

One Victoria Street, the highly recognisable office building which overlooks the Floating Harbour and Bristol Bridge is to receive a retrofit.

The 1980s construction is to be transformed into an energy efficient building, after which it is expected to gain an excellent BREEAM standard accreditation.

Both the inside and outside of the building will be given a makeover with a penthouse office suite situated on the fifth floor to be installed.

As a result of the retrofit a series of open plan offices will be created and the existing core of the building removed and replaced with a new set of stairs and lift.

It is expected that the completed project will result in a popular place to rent an office with lower bills due to its energy efficiency and the prime location.

Excellent is the highest rating in the BREEAM accreditation system, which was started in 1990 and provides a benchmark in environmentally friendly building.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts get new headquarters

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:00:57 GMT

The headquarters of Starwood Hotels & Resorts has moved to Connecticut and with it upgraded to a new energy efficient building.

As part of the Harbor Point development the new offices are situated within two towers, looking out across the water in Stamford.

It is hoped that its new offices will achieve LEED accreditation from the US Green Building Council and this could fall anywhere from certified through to silver, gold or platinum.

Frits van Paaschen, president and CEO of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, said: "Not only does this move to Stamford make great business sense, but it also provides the opportunity to design office space that is illustrative of Starwood's leadership in global hospitality, design and brand-building, as well as our commitment to the environment and our communities."

Recycled carpets, LED and CFL lighting, which are both energy efficient and environmentally friendly building materials, will all add to the green credentials of the offices.

The company is expected to open new hotels in the coming months at San Francisco Airport and Birmingham, Alabama at the beginning of next year.

Green building will take centre stage in Belgrade at Expo

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:00:55 GMT

New Belgrade will see the Serbia Green Building Expo bring energy efficient buildings into the spotlight between February 23rd and 25th.

Having gained full support from the City of Belgrade, the event is to be one of the most important for the industry in the first three months of 2012.

Lecturer and author, Jerry Yudelson, who is known as the Godfather of Green throughout the world of energy efficient building is expected to be one of the highlights at the expo.

It is thought that by bringing together representatives from all of the green building councils across the world, more cohesion can be achieved in green standards.

Mr Yudelson was one of the people who helped to found the LEED system of green building accreditation and others who are involved with both LEED and BREEAM will also be in attendance.

Belgrade has been identified as one of the up-and-coming cities for sustainable buildings worldwide and one to look out for.

Industrial training facility gets silver LEED status

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:00:55 GMT

The new Heavy Equipment Transportation Centre at Red River College in Manitoba has been awarded a silver level LEED accreditation.

Features of the energy efficient building include natural heating with geothermal utilised to provide warmth, natural light and only vegetation native to the area planted around the grounds.

The college consumes 50 per cent less energy than traditional buildings of the same size, which helps it save money – costs have dropped by 54 per cent.

Stephanie Forsyth, president of Red River College, said: "It provides us with modern, flexible space for training programs and applied research, while simultaneously minimising our impact on the environment."

Canada Green Building Council has praised the environmental leadership the college has shown and said it should set an example for other similar institutions.

Red River College offers 110 courses to 32,000 full time students as an applied learning institute.

Tesco to get green distribution centre on old brewery site

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:00:55 GMT

A £27 million distribution centre is to be built on the site of the old Berkshire Brewery in Whitely, it has emerged.

When the series of energy efficient buildings are completed they will adhere to BREEAM standards of green building.

Facilities at the site will include a vehicle wash, refuelling station and maintenance unit with up-to-the-minute equipment to work on vehicles.

The strictest demands for BREEAM mean that the distribution centre should outstrip those required by building regulations set in 2010.

Carbon dioxide levels will be 34 per cent less than what is required by this legislation.

Tesco has number of its stores up and down the country designed to BREEAM standards, including Bishop Auckland and Leiston in Suffolk.

The supermarket chain started out as a market stall run by Jack Cohen in the East End of London in 1919 and the first own brand product to be sold was Tesco tea.

List of the greenest states in America released

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:00:55 GMT

A list of the top ten states in America for energy efficient buildings per capita has been released by the US Green Building Council (USGBC).

It has collated the information based on the 2010 census and the number of commercial buildings which have been given LEED accreditation.

Topping the list is the District of Colombia, which may be down to the fact that it is the seat of federal government, whose own buildings have been going green for a few years.

Added to this are the change in zoning laws and a number of incentives which the government have put in place to increase sustainable development.

Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of the USGBC, said: "These states should be recognized for working to reinvent their local building landscapes with buildings that enliven and bolster the health of our environment, communities and local economies."

The USGBC developed and administers the LEED accreditation, which varies from certified, through silver and gold to platinum, which is the highest green building accolade.

Emirates reminded of importance of energy efficient buildings

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:00:54 GMT

The Emirates Green Building Council spoke out about the importance of energy efficient buildings at its Focus Day on January 17th.

Extra emphasis was given to retrofitting existing structures in order to bring them up to standards in line with those being built from scratch.

Adnan Sharafi, chairman of Emirates Green Building Council, said: "While several of the new buildings that are under construction or were developed recently focus on energy efficiency measures, it is important to put emphasis on enhancing the energy and water use efficiency of existing buildings in the UAE."

He went on to say that improving older buildings would go a long way to minimising the carbon footprint in the nation, where it is hoped that sustainable living will be adopted by the population.

The Emirates Green Building Council came into existence in 2006 and has since then seen a number of new policies and regulations come into force in relation to energy efficient building.