Source: Construction Executive, May 2013 By: George H. DuBose The International Green Construction Code (IgCC) issued a year ago is a noble step forward for the design and construction community because it includes measures intended to create more efficient and higher performing buildings. However, the push toward green codification has some looming consequences that should […]

Source: http://www.metropolismag.com, April 4, 2013 By: Michael Mehaffy and Nikos Salingaros Something surprising has happened with many so-called “sustainable” buildings. When actually measured in post-occupancy assessments, they’ve proven far less sustainable than their proponents have claimed. In some cases they’ve actually performed worse than much older buildings, with no such claims. A 2009 New York […]

Source: Sustainable Industries, January 1, 2013 By: Jerry Yudelson Green building will continue its rapid expansion globally in 2013 in spite of ongoing economic difficulties. More people are building green each year, and there is nothing on the horizon that will stop this MegaTrend or its constituent elements. However, the continuing slowdown in commercial real […]

Source: http://www.lexology.com, December 4, 2012 By: Elizabeth A. Holden, Hodgson Russ LLP A new Market Barometer survey published by Turner Construction Company, the largest green builder in the United States, provides an updated look on sustainability practices in new building projects. The study, which included a survey of more than 700 executives from a wide […]

Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA), October 2, 2012 Posted on: http://envfpn.advisen.com Twelve years ago, the U.S. Green Building Council launched a rating system called LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, hoping that architects, engineers, designers and real estate firms would improve energy efficiency and increase the use of recycled materials and nontoxic […]

Source: http://www.lexology.com, August 7, 2012 By: Andrew R. Kwiatkowski and Douglas J. Feichtner, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP If a firm states that a construction project possesses sustainable features or energy-efficient attributes relative to traditional practices, certain risk mitigation issues and practices must be addressed. Green construction claims differ from conventional claims in three key areas: relatively […]

Source: Construction Executive, June 2012 By: Kenneth Cobleigh Meeting Expectations and Managing Risks Sustainable design and construction is a rapidly evolving area for owners, architects, contractors, and others involved in the design and construction industry. This year, the International Code Council released its International Green Construction Code (IgCC) and the Green Building Certification Institute is […]

By:  Jeff Slivka, New Day Underwriting Managers, LLC Posted on:  http://www.irmi.com The world of sustainable construction is constantly evolving with the introduction of new green construction products and the rising interest in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified projects. Approximately 20 different states have green buildings codes with a new array of “eco-friendly” products […]

Source: Construction Business Owner, December 2011 By: Robert J. Connor, New Day Underwriting Managers LLC Establish expectations and carefully assess sustainable products to successfully complete LEED projects. The eco-friendly construction movement has become a powerful force that has spread throughout the world at an incredible speed and forced designers and contractors to either go green […]

Source: National Real Estate Investor, January 9, 2012 Posted on: http://envfpn.advisen.com When sustainability standards for commercial buildings were introduced in the mid-1990s, contractors were often expected to provide guarantees that the property would receive certification for the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) or Energy Star. But since professionals […]

Source: Daily Camera (Boulder, CO), December 20, 2011 Posted on: http://enr.construction.com A new study led by a University of Colorado engineering professor shows that green construction poses more dangers than traditional projects — partly because workers are more likely to be cut on recycled construction materials or fall while installing solar panels. Matthew R. Hallowell, […]

Biofuels, green design, and alternative energy. XL Group’s Christian Muller on the insurer’s role in building a sustainable future. Read more.