High performance building in the city; architect Peter Alberice explores LEED architecture as a step toward urban sustainability.

As the environmental and health impacts of unchecked urban growth become more apparent, many cities have begun to adopt more farsighted urban planning, generally known as smart growth policy. A successful and far-reaching smart growth policy must include provisions for the redevelopment of underutilized land within cities. Within the existing urban environment, there is an infrastructure in place that will support and provide goods and services to more people per given area than in typical suburban development. Redevelopment of underutilized urban sites will help conserve existing landscapes, minimize commuting traffic and reduce air and water pollution.

According to the United States Green Building Council, buildings consume 65.2 percent of electricity, 36 percent of primary energy, 136 million tons of construction and demolition waste and 12 percent of potable water and, generate 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States every year. Globally, 40 percent--3 billion tons--of raw materials are used annually in building construction. With this level of energy and resource consumption, it is critical that development occur within a smart growth policy, and not generate additional resource, land, and energy consumption.

Part of the United States Green Building Council's LEED[R] program addresses the issue of urban redevelopment. LEED[R], or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a voluntary set of standards that have been developed over the past decade to quantify all aspects of sustainable or high performance design. The LEED[R] system was developed to encourage an integrated design process that generates a whole building approach across a wide range of disciplines. It is also meant to define a system of measurement for green buildings that is consensus-based.

LEED[R] is the current version of the rating system that awards buildings for compliance with the standards. There are seven mandatory and 69 optional points in the LEED[R] rating system. The LEED[R] rating system is divided into six broad categories: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovation and Design Process. To be LEED[R] certified, a building must have between 26 and 32 points. A building with a silver level certification will have 33 to 38 points, gold 39 to 51 points and platinum, 52 or more points. Certified buildings must meet all seven of the mandatory requirements plus the optional requirements for each level, LEED[R] program encompasses a wide range of issues pertaining to the design and construction of sustainable or high performance buildings on existing urban sites. There are points awarded not only for locating a building within an existing urban area, but also for locating the site near public transportation and constructing a vegetative roof. Within the building, points are awarded for allowing for maximizing the use of daylighting, individual control of temperature settings, along with other energy conservation features. Points are also given for using recycled and locally-produced materials along with the use of low-toxicity materials.

There are many benefits in designing, building and owning a LEED[R] rated building. They range from the environmental benefit of reduced natural resource consumption to improving the bottom line of the building operation due to less utility costs over the life of the building. Annual operating costs have been shown to be reduced from $1 to $2 per square foot to $.50 to $.60 per square foot, which increases the value of the building to the owners and occupants. In addition, the building occupants will enjoy an environment that positively impacts their health and comfort. A LEED[R] rated building not only provides many positive benefits within the building, but also minimizes the impact on the utility infrastructure, particularly if the building is located within an urban area.

Additional information about the tEED program is available on the United States Green Building Council s web site: www.usgbc.org.

Peter Y. Alberice, AIA is a LEED certified professional and a founding partner of Camille-Alberice Architects, PA in Asheville, NC. Their firm is currently exploring the feasibility of designing and building a LEED[R] rated mixed use building on an underutilized site in downtown Asheville, NC.