Sustainable Design FAQ's


	1. How do Sustainably Designed buildings make a difference in the environment? Annual construction and demolition waste generated in the US: 136 million tons (only 20-30% of which is recycled). Annual energy consumption for the construction and operation of buildings in the US: 35% of all energy, 65% of all electricity generated, costing approximately $250 billion a year. This being said, it becomes obvious that because buildings play such a huge role in resource consumption, reducing construction waste, using recycled materials and designing energy efficient buildings could be one way to rapidly achieve environmental equilibrium. 2. What can a sustainably designed building do for me? An energy-efficient building can save you thousands of dollars in annual energy costs. Tucker Sadler can prepare an estimate of these savings for you, before you’ve even signed off on the final design. There are certain green design measures that allow for easier operation and maintenance in the long run, lowering life cycle costs of your building. If your building is a place of work, you may see vast improvements in employee attendance and productivity. If you are building a school, there are studies available that have shown that students perform better in day lit, non-toxic environments. If your project is a residence, the concern may be to eliminate the presence of cancer-causing, toxic substances in finishes such as carpet, vinyl floor covering, certain wood products, paint and fibers. Finally, if you are planning on selling or leasing space in your building, stating to your clients that building costs less to operate and provides a healthier and safer environment to its occupants can be a great selling point. 3. What is LEED? The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) Green Building Rating System represents the U.S. Green Building Council’s effort to provide a national standard for what constitutes a “green building.” Through its use as a design guideline and third party certification tool, it aims to improve occupant well-being, environmental performance and economic returns of buildings using established and innovative practices, standards and technologies. The process is a point-based rating system; points are given in various categories for design measures incorporated in the project. There are four levels of LEED™ Certification: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. A Platinum rating is the highest and there are very few buildings in the country certified at this level. There are currently 268 new projects registered and 36 new projects certified in 2003.