Stuart Kaplow is still, in my humble opinion, one of the true thought leaders on the topic of green building legal issues. A recent post of his at Green Building Law Update sets out to answer the question of why there is so little litigation in green building. In essence, Kaplow opines that the reason … Continue reading Why haven’t there been more green building lawsuits? (Hint: Mandatory Arbitration)
Britain has a problem. Chances are, the problem that Britain is facing also affects many jurisdictions in the US. What is this problem? Energy modeling — the process of using sophisticated software to predict future building performance — isn't as accurate as some industry professionals would like to believe. In other words, the supposed energy … Continue reading What happens when actual performance varies greatly from the energy model’s predictions?
Besides aesthetic considerations, maintaining a clean facility has numerous benefits including prolonged useful life of building components, improved indoor environmental quality, reduced exposure to pathogens, and it can even mean improved efficiency lowering energy costs. So it should come as no surprise that "green cleaning" practices are integral to more sustainable operations and maintenance of … Continue reading IFMA releases Green Cleaning guide for facilities management professionals
Stephen Manlove is managing principal for the Washington, DC office of the award-winning HDR Architecture group. Their new office building, located in the Clarendon neighborhood of Arlington, VA, was just awarded LEED Platinum certification under USGBC's LEED for Interiors, under version 2009 of the program. Such a pursuit is not for the faint of heart. … Continue reading Why HDR pursued and achieved LEED Platinum for their new Virginia facility
Last September, I shared an in-depth case study on the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Phillip Merrill Center called, The LEED Platinum Case Study Nobody Wants You To Read. Summary: One of the world's greenest buildings according to the USGBC was constructed with improperly sealed engineered wood components, leading to water intrusion that compromised the structural integrity … Continue reading This just in: Chesapeake Bay Foundation lawsuit over defective “green” building will go forward
AEC Forensics 