Sustainable Sites Credit 4 - Update to Option 3 Approach 1

USGBC has released two more resources to help LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance projects perform and analyze occupant commute surveys in SSc4: Alternative Commuting Transportation. The first is an approved alternative compliance path for projects using Option 3 (building occupant survey) Approach 1 (survey of all building occupants). The second is a free offline calculator to be used in line with this new alternative compliance path. Both of these resources apply to LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M v2008 and v2009 and are approved for immediate use. USGBC will formally publish this improvement in an upcoming LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M Reference Guide Addendum. LEED 2009 for Existing Buildings: O&M Resources & Tools »

LEED Interpretations

USGBC has introduced LEED Interpretations to provide LEED project teams with official, precedent-setting rulings beyond the Project Credit Interpretation Rulings administered by GBCI. Because LEED Interpretations undergo USGBC’s rigorous committee and staff vetting process, they apply not only to the project requesting the ruling but also to LEED projects aiming to achieve the same LEED prerequisite, credit, or Minimum Program Requirement. LEED Interpretations are accessible through a searchable, publicly available, online database at usgbc.org/leedinterpretations. Anyone who has or creates a usgbc.org site user account may access this database.

NOTE: The first regularly scheduled quarterly update of the LEED Interpretations and Addenda database will coincide with the Second Quarter LEED Addenda release due in early May 2011. Content will include LEED Interpretations that must be adhered to by any LEED 2009 project registered after the posting date.

USGBC NFC at Earth Day Omaha

Check out this clip from KETV which features USGBC NFC members Rebecca Hubbs and Avery Schwer: http://www.ketv.com/video/27649950/detail.html

Affordable green homes in north Omaha

By Erin Golden, WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
For years, the once-grand apartment building on North 16th Street in Omaha was the kind of place that looked like it had been forgotten.

Built in 1916 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the dark brick building known as the Margaret had fallen into disrepair by the time it entered its ninth decade. After being abandoned by its last owner, it became a popular spot for squatters, including many who left behind trash and damage from fires they set in an attempt to keep warm. At some point, part of the roof caved in.

Drive by now, though, and it's clear the Margaret is getting a second chance — and in some unexpected ways.

As contractors work to restore the historic character of the apartments —16 units that will be available for low- to moderate-income residents — they're also adding new features, including a geothermal heating system and energy-generating solar panels.

It's one of at least two new projects in north Omaha that are balancing affordability with green-friendly features that will help keep residents' energy costs down and leave behind a smaller footprint on the environment.

About two miles north, Habitat for Humanity of Omaha recently completed a house it hopes soon will be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED program, which would be a first for the group. From low-flow toilets to deeper walls that allow added insulation, the house at 22nd Street and Fowler Avenue is designed to be green.

Habitat's Dan Brewer said more chapters are starting to change the way they build. “It's not only because it's the right thing to do environmentally, but because it also provides, we think, a better quality home for the homeowners.”

Going green wasn't always the goal at the Margaret.

When the north Omaha-based nonprofit Omaha Economic Development Corp. bought the building in 2006, the group's leaders planned a standard renovation.

But the group's president, Michael Maroney, said incorporating some alternative energy technology started to seem like a good idea — even though the upfront cost would be a bit higher. The organization enlisted the help of the Geothermal Green Team, a Gretna-based company that specializes in ground-source heat pumps. Read More at Omaha.com.

Earth Day Omaha - This Saturday!

Omaha's premier Earth Day Celebration is taking place in Elmwood Park this Saturday from 11am to 6pm. Read on for all of the wonderful activities and entertainment we have in store for you!Visit EarthDayOmaha.com/schedule.php for a complete schedule.

Music
We have an exciting lineup of local bands this year!
Matt Cox
Platte River Rain
Bad Country
The Answer Team
Witness Tree
Brad Hoshaw & the Seven Deadlies
Satchel Grande

Knowledge
Explore area green organizations and businesses from 11am to 4pm in the main area of the park.
Learn how to make a rain barrel and plant trees at our main stage.
Participate in and enjoy interactive demonstrations in the Health & Wellness area.

Fun & Food
Let the kids have a great time at the climbing wall and children's tent.
Chow down on delicious eats from local food vendors.
Have a refreshing drink in the beer garden.
Free parking is available at the UNO parking structure behind the Arts & Sciences Hall. Just follow the signs... and please please please don't park on the grass! In fact, the earth will love you if you bike, walk or take public transportation.

Changes to LEED in 2012: Free Webinar Session for Members

A new seven-part webinar series launches May 5, introducing the green building community to the proposed changes to the LEED rating systems in 2012. As an exclusive benefit for members, when you sign up for the full series, you receive one session free – on top of the already-discounted member price.

That translates to an education package worth $525 for only $360. Register now, and use promo code specialoffer11 at checkout.

All sessions are broadcast live from 1-2:30 ET. 1.5 GBCI, AIA CE hours per session. May 5: Overview

May 26: Regionalization

June 2: Weightings

July 14: Materials & Resources

July 28: Building Performance 2012

Aug. 11: Integrated Process

Aug. 25: Location/Transportation & Sustainable Sites

Each session features LEED Technical Advisory Group and Committee members, LEED experts in the field, providing insight and tools for understanding the member-driven LEED development cycle. Learn more and register.

Free Access to LEED 101

USGBC's popular online training LEED 101: Green Building Basics & LEED is a great introduction to green building and LEED for those new to the industry. And now, it's free for all member organizations! Be sure to make the most of this offer by sharing it with new employees, coworkers who aren't involved in your organization's green building work but could benefit from understanding the basics, and any other employee of your organization who needs an introduction to what green building is and the fundamentals of the LEED rating systems.

BD+C 252: LEED for New Construction Credit-by-Credit Review Webinar: Energy & Atmosphere

This session will be presented by Brian Hadfield of Alvine Engineering and Sarah Gudeman of Morrissey Engineering. Monday April 25th. 12-1:30pm Scott Conference Center (6450 Pine St. Omaha, NE) Check-in begins at 11:30 and lunch will be provided. RSVP to programs@usgbcne.org. Cost is $20 for members and $25 for non-members. This is the third in a 5-part webinar series on the BD+C rating system. This session explores the Energy & Atmosphere category in a credit-by-credit format, reviewing overall and individual intents and requirements of prerequisites and credits for the 2009 LEED BD+C rating system. The session will include a Q&A discussion following the presentation. Financial assistance is available for those who qualify, students (with valid ID) may attend at a discounted rate of $10. Cash or check only. Education accompanying the monthly meeting will count towards ERB-approved LEED Professional continuing education. This presentation is applicable for 1.5 AIA/CES and 1.5 GBCI LEED Specific CE Hours. Download the event flier here.

Remember to view the chapter events calendar and news feed for more information on upcoming meetings and chapter-hosted events. www.usgbcne.org

New tool provides multi-attribute, in-depth analysis of building products

via LEEDuser.com newsletter Brattleboro, Vermont - April 5, 2011 A dynamic new tool to help commercial buyers evaluate product content, certifications and other relevant data about building materials is now available through BuildingGreen. The tool, called Pharos, enables product specifiers, researchers and materials librarians to compare products within key builder categories against crucial health, environmental and energy benchmarks. Rated products receive a numerical score on a ten-point scale within each rating category. For ease of comparing individual products at a glance, scores are also color-coded. Pharos subscribers may use the system to examine the data directly in order to evaluate product attributes and chemical hazards. A Pharos user can also set filters based on scores or attributes, conduct searches and create product libraries that effectively let the user set their own priorities and preferences. For products outside the Pharos database, subscribers can use the Pharos Chemical and Material Library as a stand-alone tool to look up a chemical, polymer, metal, wood species or other material from any product and learn about any listed hazards for that material. The addition of Pharos strengthens BuildingGreen's position as the authoritative resource for the green building industry. "BuildingGreen has been a trusted source, on the leading edge of green product innovation for 20 years. Pharos adds a new level of in-depth exploration of the healthfulness and other aspects of these products," said Nadav Malin, President of BuildingGreen. Interested parties can learn more about Pharos here, or contact: Walter Pearce at walter@buildinggreen.com or 122 Birge Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301.

LEED AP+: Should You Opt In, and What To Do Once You Have

LEEDuser Webcast - Exclusively for LEEDuser Members

Tuesday, April 19th 3 p.m. ETIf you became a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) in 2009 or earlier, an important date is looming. As of August 2011 (your exact date may vary), the window begins to close on your chance to opt in to the LEED AP + specialty credential program, unless you want to study for, pay for, and pass the new, more difficult exam.LEEDuser invites members to join Mara Baum, AIA, LEED AP BD+C of HOK in this webcast that will help you plan your path through the LEED Credential Maintenance Program (CMP), and answer your questions about it. Mara is the expert on the LEED CMP that other sustainability leaders turn to—and as an outsider to GBCI she gives frank advice on what professionals should do. For access to more webinars including members only webinars, $9.95 for access to the members only webinar + 1-month access to LEEDuser.com

Emissions of Greenhouse Gas Report Release

Total U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were 6,576 million metric tons carbon diioxide equivalent (MMTCO2e) in 2009, a decrease of 5.8 percent from the 2008 level. Since 1990, GHG emissions have grown at an average annual rate of 0.4 percent.his report provides an annual inventory of anthropogenic (human-caused) greenhouse gases in the United States. See the full report at: http://www.eia.gov/environment/emissions/ghg_report/