Beyond LEED for New Construction: Recommendations for Change Patrice Frey Director of Sustainability Research National Trust for Historic Preservation

Beyond LEED for Beyond LEED for New New ConstructionConstruction::

Recommendations for ChangeRecommendations for Change

Patrice FreyPatrice FreyDirector of Sustainability ResearchDirector of Sustainability ResearchNational Trust for Historic National Trust for Historic PreservationPreservationNational Tax Credit Conference National Tax Credit Conference November 8, 2007November 8, 2007

Beyond LEED for Beyond LEED for New ConstructionNew Construction

I. National Trust’s Sustainability InitiativeI. National Trust’s Sustainability Initiative

II. Overview of LEED-NC & Application to II. Overview of LEED-NC & Application to Historic ProjectsHistoric Projects

III. Looking Ahead: Opportunities for Improving III. Looking Ahead: Opportunities for Improving LEEDLEED

I. The Sustainability InitiativeI. The Sustainability Initiative



Buildings account for 36-Buildings account for 36-48% of carbon emissions in 48% of carbon emissions in the United States the United States

Green Building standards Green Building standards emerged as a way of emerged as a way of encouraging encouraging environmentally environmentally sustainable building sustainable building practicespractices

Less focus on greening Less focus on greening existing buildings, more existing buildings, more focus on greening new focus on greening new buildingsbuildings

But…we can’t build But…we can’t build ourselves out of our ourselves out of our climate problems climate problems


ResearchResearch:: – Quantify Benefits of Building Quantify Benefits of Building

Reuse vs. New ConstructionReuse vs. New Construction– Gather data about energy Gather data about energy

performance of historic performance of historic buildingsbuildings

– Develop best practices for Develop best practices for greening historic buildingsgreening historic buildings

PolicyPolicy::– Working with USGBC to make Working with USGBC to make

standards more friendly to standards more friendly to existing buildingsexisting buildings

– Supporting/enhancing Supporting/enhancing state/federal historic tax state/federal historic tax creditscredits

– Local government policyLocal government policy– Building/energy codesBuilding/energy codes– Comprehensive/ Comprehensive/

Sustainability PlansSustainability Plans

Image Courtesy of USGBC

Outreach: Outreach: – PreservationistsPreservationists– Green Building/Environmental Community Green Building/Environmental Community – Homeowners/Historic building ownersHomeowners/Historic building owners

Internal Practices: Internal Practices: – Sustainable Preservation Bulletins for NTHP sitesSustainable Preservation Bulletins for NTHP sites– Lincoln Cottage Visitor’s Education Center -- Lincoln Cottage Visitor’s Education Center --

LEED-NC silver certification expectedLEED-NC silver certification expectedLincoln Cottage Visitors Education CenterPhoto: David Overholt



II. LEED-NC: An OverviewII. LEED-NC: An Overview


LEED self described by USGBC LEED self described by USGBC as “the nationally accepted as “the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of construction, and operation of high performance green high performance green buildings”buildings”

Total of 69 points available Total of 69 points available under LEED-NC; 27 required under LEED-NC; 27 required to be “certified.” Can also to be “certified.” Can also achieve, silver, gold and achieve, silver, gold and platinum certification platinum certification

Approximately 500 LEED-NC Approximately 500 LEED-NC certified projects; 35+ historic certified projects; 35+ historic projectsprojects

Images Courtesy of USGBC


Sustainable SitesSustainable Sites (14 credits) (14 credits)Site SelectionSite SelectionDevelopment DensityDevelopment DensityTransportation OptionsTransportation OptionsStormwater, landscapingStormwater, landscaping

Water EfficiencyWater Efficiency (5 credits) (5 credits)Wastewater managementWastewater managementWater Use reductionWater Use reduction

Energy & AtmosphereEnergy & Atmosphere (17 (17 credits)credits)Improved energy efficiencyImproved energy efficiencyRenewablesRenewablesCommissioningCommissioning

Materials & ResourcesMaterials & Resources (13 credits) (13 credits) Building reuse (1-3 pts)Building reuse (1-3 pts) Construction waste managementConstruction waste management

Materials reuse Materials reuse Recycled ContentRecycled ContentRegional MaterialsRegional MaterialsCertified WoodCertified Wood

Indoor Environmental QualityIndoor Environmental Quality (15 (15 credits)credits)

VentilationVentilationLow VOC MaterialsLow VOC MaterialsIndoor chemical and pollutant Indoor chemical and pollutant source controlsource controlControllability of systemsControllability of systemsDaylight, ViewsDaylight, Views

Innovation PointsInnovation Points (5 credits) (5 credits)


Credits that Credits that favorfavor existing/historic existing/historic buildings buildings – Site selection, Site selection,

development densitydevelopment density– Brownfield creditBrownfield credit– Alternative TransportationAlternative Transportation– Building Reuse (up to 3 Building Reuse (up to 3

pts)pts)– VentilationVentilation– Day lightingDay lighting– Controllability of systems Controllability of systems

Cobb Building – LEED Silver, Seattle, WA


Historic Building Historic Building NeutralNeutral

– Water EfficiencyWater Efficiency– Low VOC productsLow VOC products– Construction Waste Construction Waste

ManagementManagement– Commissioning/Commissioning/

Measurement Measurement VerificationVerification

– Green PowerGreen Power– Optimizing Energy Optimizing Energy

PerformancePerformance

Project DependentProject Dependent– Recycled Materials?Recycled Materials?– Local Materials?Local Materials?– Rapidly Renewable Rapidly Renewable

Materials? Materials? – Green roof?Green roof?– Renewable Energy? Renewable Energy?

Emily Carr House,Victoria, BCCourtesy: University of British Columbia


Unfavorable Unfavorable for Historic for Historic BuildingsBuildings – Open Space Open Space

requirementrequirement

– Stormwater Stormwater ManagementManagement

– Materials ReuseMaterials Reuse

Ecotrust Building, Portland, OR – LEED-CertifiedCourtesy Masonry Magazine

Vance Building, Seattle, WA – LEED certification anticipated


Sustainable Sites


Materials and Resources

Energy and Atmosphere



III. Looking Ahead: III. Looking Ahead:

Opportunities for Improving LEED-Opportunities for Improving LEED-NCNC


Preservation MetricsPreservation Metrics

USGBC Overhauling LEED USGBC Overhauling LEED

Next generation of LEED should focus on Next generation of LEED should focus on Sustainability – Sustainability – not not just greenjust green

Two Categories of Preservation Metrics – Two Categories of Preservation Metrics – LCA BasedLCA Based and and Non-Non-LCA BasedLCA Based


Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

LCA is a means of evaluating environmental effects of building through every stage of life cycle, including extraction of resources, construction, operations and demolition

LCA Accounts for:

Energy Used Materials Used

Pollution releasedCarbon Released http://www.athenasmi.ca/about/

LCA- Based Metrics

1. Recognize reduced carbon footprint associated with building re-use2. Recognize potential reduced carbon footprint associated with operations (incorporation of passive features) 3. Reward buildings with more durable components4. Recognize/reward adaptability and life cycle flexibility of historic buildings

Best way to capture these benefits is through transforming LEED into Life Cycle Based rating system


LandfillCourtesy BPF windows

Coal PlantCourtesy Enviroblog

Non-LCA Based Metrics5. Recognize the sustainable context of historic buildings – historic buildings are often located in densely populated urban areas

6. Recognize the important contribution of historic buildings to social sustainability. Provide credit for recognized sites of architectural, cultural and social significance


Delancey Street, Philadelphia Courtesy CNU Rowhouses, Washington DC

Non-LCA Based Metrics

7. Recognize the importance of social capital associated with historic buildings and neighborhoods 8. Recognize the high degree of individual controllability in historic and existing building, which promotes health and comfort


Cherry Hill, PACourtesy CNU

Courtesy blog.kir.com


www.nationaltrust.orgwww.nationaltrust.org/green/green

PreservationNation PreservationNation

““Beyond Green Building” BlogBeyond Green Building” Blog

http://blogs.nationaltrust.org/http://blogs.nationaltrust.org/preservationnation/preservationnation/

Documents

Beyond LEED for New Construction: Recommendations for Change Patrice Frey Director of Sustainability Research National Trust for Historic Preservation