Advice about Sustainable Green Building (tjmf-52146)

Three experts, a metal fabrication company specializing in bending steel, a home renovations company from Ottawa and a company that produces green building materials for the home and industrial sectors, take the time to answer some questions on the future of green building and the LEED rating system.

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What is a green building? Green buildings are new or renovated buildings that efficiently use resources such as water, land, materials and energy.

What is LEED? LEED, known as the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a voluntary rating system for defining what elements make a building green and many industries have already embraced it.

“LEED certification will provide challenges to the industry including the need to ensure an understanding of a new generation of materials properties and developing the practices and processes needed to ensure specifications and finished products meet the standards of green building. I am especially exited to be part of this process and in making a contribution towards shaping new building technologies.” Ken Moscrip, President of Paramount Roll and Forming - one of Southern California’s most prominent metal rolling companies.

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In Canada alone, more than a third of total greenhouse gas emissions come from residential, commercial and institutional buildings.

“Building Green is not a new thing it is the right thing, and we always strive to use the most environmentally neutral building practices and materials. However, construction debris is always an issue, by ordering what we need and using it when we need it, it has helped us to divert as much as possible from the local landfill. There are tradeoffs which we all must take, however protection of our future and wise stewardship of our planet must be one of our utmost priorities.” Justin Linden, President of ServiceBlocks Inc - a home renovations company in Ottawa, Canada.

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Consisting of a clear set of environmental performance criteria organized into six categories, the Canadian version of LEED, which is very similar to the USGBC version, is listed below:

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Sustainable buildings considerably lower operating and maintenance costs, and these financial benefits are realized over the life of the building:

For the construction industry, building green will continue to grow in importance, whether it is because of consumer demand, regulatory requirements, or the cost of energy.

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“The LEED process guides designers and builders to make technically superior decisions in a manner that is environmentally responsible. By embracing this process, they are showing commitment to their clients, their profession and the world community at large. It allows them to provide the best design solution for both the owner and the environment.” Vipul Acharya, Durisol Building Systems Inc., a leader in ICF green building materials.

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LEED has also become a great marketing tool to encourage sustainable environmental design and the incorporation of environmental elements into the design of buildings, from residential and commercial industry right down to industrial practices.

About the author: ABOUT THE WRITERS
David Leonhardt and Corey Rozon are business writers in Ottawa.
Special thanks to: Durisol Build, makers of the ICF forms, Service Blocks, general contractors in Ottawa and Paramount-Roll, who specialize in bend steel tube, for making themselves available to answer my questions.