April 2012

BEopt is a design tool, aimed primarily at residential design, that I've tweaked for small office analysis because it uses the powerful simulation engine that we use on a regular basis.

This all seems strange to me, to say the least. A LEED EB building is actually saving their owners cash on their energy bills. A LEED NC project will hopefully save the owners on their energy bills.

LEED®-EB certification is comprehensive in its sustainability scope and is often implemented in association with a capital improvement or renovation in a building.

A sustainable building produces several financial rewards for its owner(s). The most evident comes from lower utility operating costs in the form of reduced energy and water use over a comparable code-base building.

Greater productivity of employees is one of the greatest benefits of a green building. In many cases, employee labor and benefits account for 90% of business costs!

Sustainable design doesn't have to cost you more. Another thing to keep in mind is that when building systems aren't optimized, they may dramatically increase energy consumption!

USGBC requires commissioning on every LEED project. If simple systems frequently get installed improperly, the complex systems designed for high performance buildings don't stand a chance.

LEED integrates several valuable services and design features that directly benefit the owners “bottom line”. The bottom line could be higher profits, better patient care, lower energy and maintenance costs…

As the momentum to construct more sustainable green buildings grows, many building owners are embracing LEED® elements such as sustainable land use, energy efficiency, green materials, recycling, and IAQ.

During the design phase, designers should consider all possible loading situations in order to make sure the system meets its heating, cooling and ventilation demands, while not overcomplicating things.