The National Capital Region LEEDs the Nation

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has released its 2011 list of top 10 states for LEED-certified commercial and institutional green buildings per capita, based on the U.S. 2010 Census information. The District of Columbia leads the nation, with more than 31 square feet of LEED-certified space per person in 2011. Virginia and Maryland are also in the top ten with 2.42 and 2.07 square feet per person of LEED-certified space respectively.

"I'm proud that the District is the national leader on green building design, which is integral to my goal to make us the most sustainable city in the world," said Mayor Vincent C. Gray. "LEED-certified buildings and green design in general will play a crucial long-term role in safeguarding our future by conserving precious resources, paying dividends not only for the Earth's health, but also for the District's livability."

"This is a great accomplishment for the DC metropolitan area and a testament to the drive, commitment and leadership of our local municipalities and the development, design and property management community," said Mike Babcock, board chair of the National Capital Region Chapter of USGBC (USGBC-NCR). "Together, we are creating healthier, more efficient buildings that serve our communities and our planet."

USGBC-NCR Announces New Mission & Vision

by Mark Woodburn, AIA, LEED AP, Chair of Communications Committee

October 13, 2011 - As the USGBC-National Capital Region Chapter (USGBC-NCR) approaches its tenth year as a fully chartered chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and looks ahead to the next decade, the organization has decided that it is time to renew its definition of the future with new mission and vision statements.

'These new statements better reflect our higher purpose and the role that our members play in building and enriching our community,' said Emily Zimmerman, executive director.

New Mission: Engage, educate and encourage our community to live within and advance a sustainable, ecologically restorative and economically prosperous built environment.

New Vision: The National Capital Region will be a global model of a sustainable community and inspire all generations to create a healthy, vibrant, and prosperous built environment responsive to people and nature.

Photo Credit: Stefano Paltera/U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon

A WaterShed Moment at the 2011 Solar Decathlon

by Shannon D. Sentman, Principal, Sol Vista Consulting LLC, Chair of the Board of the USGBC-NCR Chapter

Of the 19 entries in the 2011 Solar Decathlon, there are plenty to gawk at. There is one shaped like a turtle, another that would steal every scene in a 'Miami Vice' reboot, and another that looks astonishingly like a giant, white, puffy ski parka with a couple of windows carved out. Like I said - amazing to stare at - but there was only one home in the temporary village that sprung up in this little corner of the National Mall that our tour group wanted to move into - immediately - 'WaterShed;' designed and built by a team from the University of Maryland.

New Howard D. Woodson High School Seeks LEED Gold

by Rachel Hardesty Sowards, LEED AP O+M, S.D. Keppler and Associates

Located in the District of Columbia's 7th ward, Howard D. Woodson High School was originally built in 1973. Throughout its existence there have been numerous problems with the building's condition, leading it to be deemed no longer fit for use by the faculty and community. By the late 2000's, the eight-story concrete building had reached such a level of disrepair that the D.C. government began to demolish the 30+ year old building and officially opened bids for constructing a new school, a new H.D. Woodson.

Property of U.S Green Building Council

LEED for Healthcare Welcomed by DC Healthcare Community

by Gregory Richards, LEED Green Associate, Balfour Beatty Construction

With 24/7 operations, energy-hungry medical equipment and an overarching concern about infection control, healthcare facility requirements make it challenging to integrate sustainability into those buildings' design and construction. However, USGBC's new LEED for Healthcare (LEED-HC) rating system is tailored to the special requirements of healthcare facilities, and designers and healthcare owners in the Washington DC-area welcome this development. 'It is exciting to finally have a LEED program devoted to the healthcare market,' said Susan Walter, LEED AP, a senior project architect with Wilmot Sanz, a Gaithersburg, MD firm focused on healthcare design.

The Clark/Balfour Beatty team won Project of the Year for LEED NC for the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

The Ninth Annual A Midsummer Night's Green & Awards of Excellence

by Anna Foden, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Chapter Services Coordinator

July 21, 2011 - Exemplary projects, firms and individuals were honored last night as winners of the 2011 Awards of Excellence by the U.S. Green Building Council National Capital Region Chapter (USGBC-NCR) at the ninth annual A Midsummer Night's Green event in Washington, DC. 'These awards celebrate individuals and firms for their leadership and commitment to the green building movement,' said Emily Zimmerman, Executive Director of USGBC-NCR, 'and they recognize projects that are pushing the envelope and creating a more vibrant and sustainable National Capital Region.'

Trends for Green Building

by Jodi Williams, LEED AP, HOK Advanced Strategies

By this point, we are well into 2011 and thought it would be fun to look at what we think will be some of the major trends in green building this year. Net Zero. Energy Star is so last decade! Who needs a mere energy-efficient building when you can produce as much energy as you use? Or even sell some back to the grid? If the U.S. Department of Energy can do it, and a group of architects and engineers can design a market-rate Net Zero spec office building - so can you!

David Conrath with the solar array at TC Williams High School.

Green Schools Committee Tours Alexandria Green Schools

by Anna Foden, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Chapter Services Coordinator

David Conrath, Director of Construction for Alexandria City Public Schools, hosted the USGBC-NCR Chapter's Green Schools Committee on March 2nd for a hands-on tour of three schools with significant green improvements, or 'Greenovations'. The tour started at TC Williams High School Minnie Howard Campus, continued to James K. Polk Elementary School, and concluded at the John Adams School. Committee members witnessed geothermal and solar technologies, the latest LED lighting technologies, pre-fabricated classrooms, sunwells for lighting, and hands-on sustainability curriculum.

USGBC Releases List of Top States for LEED Projects

by Ashley Katz, USGBC

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has released its 2010 list of top 10 states for LEED-certified commercial and institutional green buildings per capita, based on the U.S. 2010 Census information. The District of Columbia leads the nation, with 25 square feet of LEED-certified space per person in 2010, with Nevada being the leading state, with 10.92 square feet per person in 2010.

Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU) Established to Administer Sustainable Energy Programs in the District

by Christopher H. Collins, LEED AP, Partner, Holland & Knight

The "Clean and Affordable Energy Act of 2008" established a Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU) to administer sustainable energy programs in the District of Columbia. The District Department of the Environment (DDOE) is in the process of selecting a private company to establish and operate the SEU, and that process is expected to be completed in the fall of this year.

LEED Passes Major Milestone-One Billion Square Feet Certified in U.S.

by Shannon D. Sentman, Chair of the Board of the USGBC-NCR Chapter

According to the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) public directory of LEED projects, the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System now certifies over one billion square feet of space in the U.S. This major milestone comes only a decade after USGBC certified its first green building, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Phillip Merrill Environmental Center, in 2000.