Initially filed as a class action suit in October 2010 against the USGBC, Henry Gifford’s lawsuit took a turn this week when he filed an amended complaint. The original lawsuit alleged violations of the Sherman and Lanham Acts for “deceiving users” of the LEED rating system. The lawsuit questioned whether "LEED buildings use less energy than conventionally-built
The Green Building in Louisville is a Lesson in Green Building
Today’s post is about the BBC World Service, World Have Your Say Blog series that features the Green Building in Louisville, Kentucky on September 30 and October 1.
Continue Reading The Green Building in Louisville is a Lesson in Green Building
Cost v. LEED Certification Debate Continues: One County Finds Middle Ground
It really is impossible to put your arms around the number of green building and energy performance policies and codes that are sprouting up all across the nation. When a project involves private commercial development or public investment, one of the most discussed issues is whether the cost of obtaining LEED certification from the U.S.
LEED Certification Challenge in Less Than 140 Characters
About a year ago, I wrote a post on the trending topic of LEED revocation or de-certification. That issue has not gone away … it actually has been brought to the front page of the news. The hot topic, recently reported by Stephen, Chris and Doug (…sounds like three men in a tub…
What Are the Benefits of LEED Certification? Some Say Benefits Don’t Justify High Costs
As a follow-up to my post yesterday about the costs of LEED certification, I was not surprised to read the following lead line in a local newspaper in Cary, North Carolina:
"Cary wants to be green. Just not certifiable."
According to the article, the local town council voted to skip the green building certification process because of the high costs. "If
What Are the Real Costs of LEED Certification? You May Be Surprised.
Most owner and developers would imagine that the most significant costs of LEED certification are the front-end registration and back-end submittal costs. Are they correct? Depends.
Environmental Building News prepared a primer on the costs of LEED certification for commercial construction. As noted in the article, LEED certification includes various costs that must be considered separately
Green Building Reality Show? Music City Center Contractor Nabbed on Video Disposing Recyclable Materials
You don’t have to click too many times through your channels on your television set without finding a reality television show. There is one for finding the right man, losing weight to the extreme, rebuilding a destitute home in five days, and even eating spiders and beetles.
Earlier this week on the
Are You Ready to Rumble? USGBC Says Yes! Ready to Tackle Building Performance “Head On”
When discussing the short and long term building performance of a green project, the issue generally comes down to the following question: Is there any identifiable or measurable gap between the predicted building performance (in the design and construction phases) and the actual bulding performance (during occupancy, operation and maintenance)? This issue has been addressed in