USGBC

U.S. Green Building Council’s New Report Reveals Hospitality Industry Poised for Tremendous Growth in Green Building

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U.S. Green Building Council’s New Report Reveals Hospitality Industry Poised for Tremendous Growth in Green Building

LEED in Motion: Hospitality report highlights hotel brands across the world incorporating LEED and other sustainability practices

Washington, D.C. — (Feb. 18, 2016) — Today, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) released its LEED in Motion: Hospitality report, which showcases tremendous industry growth in green building and defines the scale up opportunities for the hospitality sector. More than 109 million square feet of hotel space is currently LEED certified, and the report highlights some of the most impressive LEED-certified hotels throughout the world.

“Across industries we are seeing an increase in consumer demand toward sustainability practices, and no industry is better poised to meet these demands than hospitality. This growing sector is rapidly adopting green buildings because owners and developers want to enhance their triple bottom line – people, planet and profit,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “LEED is a transformative tool that positively impacts the quality of our built space by creating a healthier, more sustainable environment that saves money and resources.”

Hotels consume natural resources at an extraordinarily high rate as they are occupied 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With more than five billion square feet of space in the U.S. alone, there is an enormous opportunity for the industry to transform the impact of the built environment. A

LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design), the world’s most widely used green building rating program, has a growing presence in the hospitality industry – and the number of LEED-certified buildings is expected to continue at a strong pace. Currently, there are more than 1,400 hotels participating in LEED representing 638.7 million square feet. Of that, there are more than 300 LEED-certified hotels comprising nearly 109.2 million square feet of space.

According to a recent study by McGraw Hill Construction, green construction in the hospitality sector has increased by 50 percent from 2011-2013 and now represents 25 percent of all new construction in the sector today. USGBC’s recent Green Building Economic Impact Study also found that across industries, green construction is outpacing that of traditional construction and is poised to create more than 3.3 million U.S. jobs and $190.3 billion in labor earnings by 2018.

USGBC: Top 10 States for LEED Green Building

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By Gail Kalinoski, Contributing Editor
February 27, 2014
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Built along the Chicago River by Hines, 300 North LaSalle, a 57-story, 1.3 million-square-foot Class A office tower in Chicago was designed to be extremely energy efficient with a façade of articulated glass and stainless steel that maximizes daylight and minimizes solar gain. It has a green roof and water and energy conservation systems. Tenants and property managers recycle paper, glass, aluminum and plastic. The tower has earned Platinum and Gold LEED certifications from the U.S. Green Building Council – Platinum for Existing Buildings and Gold for its Core & Shell.

Owned by KBS REIT II and managed by Hines, it is one of two Hines-related properties highlighted by the USGBC in its ranking of the Top 10 States for LEED. The other Hines building cited by the USGBC is Fifty South Sixth, a 29-story, Class A office tower in Minneapolis. The 698,600-square-foot building developed and owned by Hines has LEED Gold certification. Green features include energy efficient lighting with reduced mercury content; use of environmentally safe cleaning products and practices; water use reduction and a comprehensive recycling program.

At both buildings, Hines offers its GREEN OFFICE for Tenants program, which assists the tenants in ways to reduce their carbon footprints.

“We are very pleased that 300 North LaSalle and Fifty South Sixth are being highlighted in the USGBC’s Top 10 States for LEED,” Gary Holtzer, global sustainability officer at the privately-owned Houston-based firm, told Commercial Property Executive. “We have partnered with the USGBC since its founding to identify best operating practices and cutting-edge techniques in order to stay in the forefront of building operations.”

“We have continually sought new ways to maximize the efficiency of our buildings and are leading the industry with new building strategies and putting technologies into practice in an economically viable way, which is evidenced by our La Jolla Commons project (in San Diego) with LPL Financial – the largest net-zero energy building developed for lease in the U.S.,” Holtzer added.

Topping the USGBC list was Illinois with 171 projects certified in 2013 for a total of 29,415,284 square feet and a per-capita square footage of 2.29. Maryland followed with 119 certified projects in 2013 for a total of 12,696,429 square feet for a per-capita square footage of 2.20. Virginia placed third with 160 properties and 16,868,693 square feet receiving LEED certifications in 2013 for a per-capital square footage of 2.11. Massachusetts came in fourth with 101 projects certified in 2013 and 13,684,430 square feet for a per-capita square footage of 2.09. Rounding out the top 5 were New York and California, which tied. New York had 259 projects certified in 2013 and 37,839,395 square feet for a per-capita square footage of 1.95. California had 595 projects certified in 2013 and 72,729476 square feet for a per-capita square footage of 1.95.

Oregon placed sixth, followed by North Carolina, Colorado, Hawaii and Minnesota. Since Washington, D.C., is a federal district it was not ranked but it had 106 projects certified in 2013 and 19,524,216 square feet for a per-capita square footage of 32.45.

USGBC calculates the list using per-capita figures as a measure of the human element of the green building, allowing for a fair comparison among states with population differences and number of overall buildings, the council said. It is based on 2010 U.S. Census data and includes commercial and institutional green building projects that were certified throughout 2013.

Making the list for the first time were Oregon, which certified 47 projects representing 1.83 square feet per person; North Carolina with 133 projects representing1.80 square feet per resident; Hawaii with17 projects and 1.71 square feet per resident and Minnesota with 51 projects certified or 1.55 square feet per resident.

“The list of the Top 10 States for LEED is a continuing indicator of the widespread recognition of our national imperative to create healthier, high-performing buildings that are better for the environment as well as the people who use them every day,” Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO & founding chair of USGBC, said in a news release.

Skanska USA, another commercial real estate firm focused on sustainable building practices, had several properties included in the USGBC report. One is 1776 Wilson Boulevard, a 139,593-square-foot office and retail building that is the first LEED Platinum property in Arlington, Va. It has a green roof, solar panel, fitness center, bicycle storage and is located within walking distance of two Metro train stations.

The second property noted by USGBC is Skanska USA’s own office building in Rockville, Md. The 13,000-square-foot office building at 700 King Farm Boulevard achieved LEED Gold certification for the interior space. DCS Design, the McLean, Va.-based architecture and design firm responsible for the interior said on its website that glass walls, partitions, workstation panels and doors were used throughout the office to bring in natural light. The firm used salvaged materials and recycled finishes, fixtures and furniture.

The USGBC list included other notable green projects such as Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Kapolei, Hawaii, LEED Silver; M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, LEED Gold; Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., LEED Silver. The Carlton College Weitz Center for Creativity in Northfield, Minn., received LEED Gold, the college’s third project to earn LEED certification.

600 Brickell office tower is now downtown Miami’s green giant

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Paul Brinkmann, South Florida Business Journal, 1/23/2014
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If you work at the new 600 Brickell office tower in downtown Miami, you don’t have to take a car or walk a block to grab lunch. One of the building’s features is a large golf cart that shuttles people to popular lunch spots.
The idea is part of the building’s green image because it stops people from firing up their gas-guzzlers just to make a short trip. But it’s also a nice amenity.

It’s a benefit offered by the new king of green among Miami’s environmentally friendly office buildings. The first LEED Platinum-certified office tower in Florida is so far living up to its ranking, the U.S. Green Building Council’s highest rating of a building’s sustainability.

Loretta Cockrum, chairwoman and CEO of Foram Group, developer of 600 Brickell, isn’t shy about the benefit to her and her company.
“Our leasing is at a record pace, and we are getting the highest rates in the market,” she said in a recent interview. “I think tenants who are looking for this type of building recognize the Platinum level of quality.”
For example, Cockrum recently signed Northern Trust Bank to relocate to the building. The bank said the LEED Platinum rating was an important factor in the decision.

“The decision was influenced by 600 Brickell’s infrastructure and amenities, including an internationally certified information technology security system, expandable IT capacity and a green environment that benefits the health and well-being our employees,” said John Fumagalli, president of the bank’s Florida operations, in a news release.
‘It just makes sense’

Getting the USGBC’s highest certification was important to Cockrum, but building quality was more important, she said.
“Forget about LEED; it just makes sense,” Cockrum said. “If someone said to you, ‘I can save you 3 million gallons of water a year for X number of dollars,’ would you do it? I said, ‘Why wouldn’t I?’” Cockrum says she is surprised such standards are not required for all buildings.

“We are diverting 3 million gallons of water a year from the city’s systems,” Cockrum said. “If you believe fresh water may be a precious commodity, think about how important that will be. But you can’t renovate a building to have that. It has to be built that way.”

Based on her experience, the most valuable feature for occupants is the quality of air and light in the building. Many studies have shown fewer sick days in LEED-certified buildings, and Cockrum said her company has noticed that impact on the staff.

Edwards & Zuck, the engineering firm on the project, said the building is one of three LEED Platinum-certified high-rise buildings on the Eastern Seaboard, and one of only 13 of its size in the world.
THE DETAILS:

600 Brickell’s green features
• 14 percent lower energy costs than average code compliance.
• 30 percent less water use than an average office building.
• 10,000-gallon tank for rainfall and condensate collection used for landscaping and fountains.
• Energy use is monitored through a building automation system and adjusted to maximize efficiency.
• 18 percent reduction in energy costs from CO2 sensors and dampers, adjusting ventilation to make HVAC systems more efficient.
• 15-foot perimeter of outer office space uses “daylight harvesting” to lower lighting costs by using sunlight on bright days.
• 2.5 million square feet includes 614,000 square feet of office space, retail space, parking and outdoor space.
• Motion-censor lighting turns off lights when no one is present.
• Ultra-low-flush fixtures and waterless urinals.
• Impact windows rated at up to 334 mph.
• Green housekeeping.
• Lunchtime shuttle.