Leed Materials by Since its launch in 1993 by the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program has become the standard measure of sustainability for buildings worldwide. Successfully reaching one of four LEED certification levels--Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum--requires specific point totals, which differ among building types. Getting certified, in addition to altruistic benefits, allows building owners to take advantage of a growing number of state and local government incentives. The menu of potential points available for various practices ranges from installing bike racks on-site to documenting the source of the iron ore used in anyconstruction steel. As any architect or developer can attest, navigating this complex system of required prerequisites and credits can be maddening. It may be good to be green, but it's still far from easy. An architect's knowledge of materials can make or break a building's rating. Though LEED's performance-based criteriaexclude individual materials and products from earning points toward certification, their specific use can. Apply a material in the wrong situation and you may not get credit for it. Fortunately, with a little insider knowledge, you can also use one material to get credit in two, three, or even more areas.LEED Materials is packed with critical information on nearly two hundred materials, products, and services. Organized in the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) MasterFormat--industry standard in building contracts--this highly visual guide makes sure your material choices and uses will maximize your LEED credits.LEED Materials includes a foreword by Steven Winter, former chairman of the U.S. Green Building Council.
Green Home Building by According to conventional wisdom, building a green home is an expensive endeavor. The standard approach treats green as an add-on, tacking .premium. products, finishes and equipment onto a traditional home design. As a result, many green home projects end up over budget or fail to achieve their environmental and performance goals. Green Home Building explodes the myth that green homes have to cost more. Using proven methods based on applied building science, the authors show how to: Lower base construction costs to provide funding for high performance upgrades Achieve a net zero energy home, including .zero-ing. water, waste, carbon and associated costs within fifteen years Live affordably into the future, despite anticipated rising costs for fuel, water, materials, taxes and health care. This comprehensive guide to building green on any budget defines the strategies that maximize the return on green investments. Written for anyone who has ever been swayed by the argument that the price tag limits how green a home can be, Green Home Building is a must-read for builders, contractors, architects, designers and homeowners.
Sustainable Construction by Using the latest version of U.S. Green Building Council′s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system and other tools, Charles Kibert, in a clear and accessible writing style, addresses issues so that the reader can think critically and independently as part of the cutting edge in green building. New coverage includes of Carbon Neutral Design and Carbon Accounting. This book is a must for the builder/owner and manager looking to take advantage of the opportunities in this rapidly evolving field.
