This document provides an introduction to green buildings, defining sustainability and green buildings. It discusses the environmental impacts of construction and building operations, including energy and water usage. Key issues and benefits of green buildings are outlined such as improved air quality, energy conservation, and financial benefits from reduced operating costs. The US Green Building Council and LEED certification are introduced as leading standards for green building design and certification.

1. Introduction to Green
Buildings

2. Defining Sustainability
 UnitedNations World Commission on
Environment and Development
– “Development that meets the needs of
present generations without
compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.”

3. Defining Green Buildings
 Design and construction practices that
significantly reduce, or eliminate the
negative impact of buildings on the
environment and its occupants with regard
to site planning; safeguarding water use
and water use efficiency; promoting
energy efficiency and renewable energy;
conserving materials and resources; and
promoting indoor environmental quality.”
(US Green Building Council)

4. Construction Impacts
 76 million residential buildings in US
 5 million commercial buildings in US
 consume 40 % or raw materials
 32% total energy produced
 17% fresh water
 25% global wood harvest
 5 billion gals water/day just for toilets
 generates
– 25-40% of municipal solid waste from C&D
– 50% of US CFC production
– 30% of US CO2 production

5. Building Operations Impacts
 49% of Sulfur Dioxide emissions
 25% nitrous oxide emissions
 10% of all particulate matter
 1/3 of all energy consumption in US
 2/3 of all electricity consumption in US
 disturbs natural habitats
 contaminates air, soil, and water
 depletes non-renewable resources
 ½ of greenhouse gases
 35% of carbon dioxide emissions
 community issues
 occupant issues
– sources: “The Architecture of Sustainability, 2002”, World Watch Institute,
USGBC

6. Key Issues and Benefits
 Institution  Green ethics / commitment
 Building Commissioning  Research and Grant
 Air Quality opportunities
 Occupants productivity  Being a leader (as it
and well being should)
 Energy Conservation  Responsibility to show
importance
 Water Conservation
 Competitive advantage
 Storm Water
(ie – recruiting)
Management
 Institutional community
 Waste Management
demand
 Local & State Standards  Great public relations
& Programs

7. Overall Financial Benefits
 Energy  Lower Operation and
 Water Maintenance Costs
 Competitive First
 Wastewater Costs
 Reduced Waste – Through integrated
 Improved Indoor design & synergies
Environmental Quality  Increased Value & ROI
 Greater Employee  Marketing Advantage
Comfort/Productivity  Reduced Liability
 Reduced Employee – Improve Risk
Health Costs Management
– Insurance costs

8. Overall Financial Benefits
 Financial
Benefits of a Green Building
equate to $50-$70 SF over lifetime
 Over 10X return on any premium
cost associated with building it over
lifetime
Source: USGBC

9. Air Quality
 Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) – effect the
contents of the inside air has on a
structure and its occupants
 People spend 90% of their time indoors
 Indoor air has 10-100X higher pollutants
than outdoor air
 USEPA “Indoor Air Quality” Jan, 6 2003

10. Energy Conservation
 US uses 25% of world energy but only has
5% of population & 95% of our energy is
from fossil fuels (US Energy Information Administration)
 Higher Education - $2 Billion/year on
energy
(American School & University)
 Most can reduce by up to 30% - savings
can be used on:
– New faculty
– Upgrades/renovations for more savings
– New programs

11. Water Conservation
 USA uses 340 billion gallons of fresh
water per day
 Nearly 65% is discharged into
waterways
 Energy Policy Act of 1992
 Facilities can easily reduce use by
20-30% with little cost and effort
 Water & Sewer Bills
 Connection Fees & Tax Base

12. Occupants Well Being and
Productivity
 Relationship exists between worker
comfort/productivity and building
design/operation
 Hidden sick days – higher absenteeism,
respiratory ailments, allergies, asthma =
lower productivity, higher insurance and
medical costs
 A 1% increase in productivity (about 5
minutes per day) equals $600-700 per
employee per year - a ^1.5% equals about
$1,000/yr
 (Katz 2003 study)

13. Mythology About First Costs
 Common Perception when we started was
+20-30%
 Past & Current Trend
 Recent Studies
– Average Premium <2% or $3-$5 SF
– Most of cost associated with increased
architectural and engineering design, time,
modeling and integration time
– Earlier you integrate the lower the cost

14. Mythology About First Costs
Average Green Cost Premium vs. Level of Green
Certification
8
Percent Cost 6
4
Increase 2
0 Average Green Cost
Basic Gold Premium (in percent)
Level of LEED
Certification
 Source: USGBC, Capital E Analysis

15. Mythology About First Costs
 Another recent study has shown the
following average increase in project
construction costs, on a percentage basis
for LEED certification.
– Certified 0 – 2.5%
– Silver 0 – 3.3%
– Gold 0.3 – 5.0%
– Platinum 4.5 – 8.5%
 Start Early – Save Costs
 Source: Sasaki Associates 2004

16. Mythology About First Costs
 Building green can be done for no additional cost
 Initial premium costs are entirely up to you and
project specific
 LEED buildings average only a 2-3% increase in
costs, but can be done for the same budget as
traditional buildings with planning
 Savings from green building’s more than return
any premium you may choose to put into it
 Design Fees will be higher but construction costs
may be reduced
 Set Budget first then work fees within framework

17. General Mythologies
 Appearance of Green Buildings
– You design it to look how you want. It can easily match
traditional campus design or not.
– Carpet, furniture and windows do not have to look different.
They can look like traditional ones only they perform better and
are healthier.
– Does not need to be high tech to be green.
 Time
– Green Buildings take the same amount of time to construct as
regular buildings. More time may be required in the Design
phase though.
 Costs
– Green Buildings do not have to cost more. With planning they
can be built at the same price or less.
– Design fees may be higher in the beginning of the project but
the extra design work will lower the actual construction costs.
In the end the building costs the same and fits in the traditional
budget.
 Normal: 2 + 2 = 4
 Green: 3 + 1 = 4
– Long term maintenance and operations costs can be reduced by
20 – 50% with good planning.

18. Green Buildings at USC
 West Quad Residence  Baseball Stadium
Hall & Learning Center  Horizon Buildings
 School of Public Health  Biomedical Buildings
 Library Rare Books  Arnold II
Collection & Modern
Political Wings
 Band/Dance Building
 Law School
 Innovista
 New Honors College
 Gamma Phi Beta
Sorority
 New Student Health
Center

19. West Quad

20. West Quad
 $30.9M project cost  Reduced
- $25M const. cost Construction &
 177,000 SF - Change Order Costs
$141.24/sf  45%-55% More
 SAME COST & Time Energy Efficient =
 502 bed spaces – 4 over $50,000
buildings savings annually
 20% more Water
 Residential, office,
Efficient = $ 3900+
academic & retail
savings annually
spaces
 Residents comment
 Goal of LEED Silver
on improved health
– Achieved
and productivity

21. West Quad at USC
 Selected “Green” Project Particulars
– Designed to be 40% more energy efficient and to
use 20% less water
– “Green” roof on Learning Center
– Fuel Cell for supplemental electricity & hot water
– Solar pre-heating for domestic hot water
– Low VOC paints and carpets & 100% Fresh Air
– Daylighting in all buildings
 Building orientation
 Light shelves for shading and natural lighting
on southern exposures
 Light wells on Learning Center
– “Green” board in case good furnishings
– Total storm water management integration

23. US Green Building
Council (USGBC)
Leadership in Energy
& Environmental Design
(LEED)

24. USGBC’s MISSION:
to promote the design and
construction of buildings that are
environmentally responsible,
profitable, and healthy places to live
and work.
The organization’s activities…
 Integrate building industry
sectors
 Lead market transformation
 Educate owners and practitioners

25. USGBC is...
 A national nonprofit organization
 A diverse membership of
organizations
 Consensus-driven
 Committee-based product
development
 Developer and administrator of the
LEED® Green Building Rating
System

26. What is “Green” Design?
Design and construction practices that
significantly reduce or eliminate the negative
impact of buildings on the environment and
occupants in five broad areas:
 Sustainable site planning
 Safeguarding water and water efficiency
 Energy efficiency and renewable energy
 Conservation of materials and resources
 Indoor environmental quality

27. ®
Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design
A leading-edge system for designing,
constructing, operating and certifying
the world’s greenest buildings.

28. ®
Why Was LEED Created?
 Use as a design guideline
 Recognize leaders
 Stimulate green competition
 Establish market value with recognizable
national “brand”
 Raise consumer awareness
 Transform the marketplace!

29. ®
Why Was LEED Created?
 Facilitate positive results for the
environment, occupant health and
financial return
 Define “green” by providing a standard
for measurement
 Prevent “greenwashing” (false or
exaggerated claims)
 Promote whole-building, integrated
design processes

30. LEED-NC® Market
 Transformation
Registered Projects by State - Top 10
35000000
30000000
Gross Square Feet-GSF)
25000000
20000000
15000000
10000000
5000000
0
306 107 102 100 90 76 73 68 68 62
CA PA WA NY OR TX MA IL MI VA
State and Number of Projects
As of 05.02.05 All statistics exclude pilot projects

31. LEED-NC® Market
Transformation
Registered Projects by State - Top 10
Where does the Southeast stand?
 Georgia – 62
 South Carolina - 56
 North Carolina – 42

32. LEED-NC® Point Distribution
Five LEED credit categories
Indoor
Environmental
Quality Sustainable
23% Sites
22%
Materials &
Resources
Water
20%
Efficiency
Energy & 8%
Atmosphere
27%

33. Resources
 www.usgbc.org – US Green Building Council
 www.usgbc.org/Resources/links.asp - Extensive Resource
List
 www.greenerbuildings.com
 The HOK Guidebook to Sustainable Design
 WWW.Oikos.com - bookstore
 www.iso.org – ISO 14001 EMS
 www.epa.gov/ems/index.htm - EPA’s EMS site
 www.doe.gov – US DOE
www.epa.gov – US EPA
 www.housing.sc.edu/westquadhandbook.asp - West Quad
Handbook
 www.sc.edu/sustainableu - Sustainable Universities Initiative
(SUI)
 www.buildinggreen.com – Environmental Building News
 www.edcmag.com – Environmental Design & Construction
 www.gbapgh.org – Green Building Alliance
 www.southface.org/web/earthcraft_house/ech_main/ech_index.htm -
Earth Craft Homes
 www.greenglobes.com – Green Globes

34. Contact Info
AKASH MANDAL
CIVIL – 6A1
+91-99999-2-4321
+91-95555-2-4321
DELHICASH@GMAIL.COM
DELHICASH@YAHOO.COM
THANK YOU