Construction Curiosities #55
Are LEED Certifications "Worth it?"
Hey! Happy Saturday! Matt here.
Welcome to the Construction Curiosities newsletter. Where I use gifs, memes, and horrible dad puns to try to make you think a little bit about things.
This weekly Newsletter explores my Curiosities about the Construction Industry. It's meant to make you think, smile, and become a better, more thoughtful Construction Professional.
Summary
This week we will look at:
One Musing: Is LEED Construction Worth It?
One Innovation: Reality Capture Robots
One LI Carousel: 7 Essential Qualities
One Meme: I can handle the heat 🤥
One Musing
I get folks who reach out to me on topics for the Newsletter and one I got recently was to provide some info on LEED Building Certifications. Although I’ve been on numerous LEED-certified projects, I admittedly am far from being an expert on the subject. But that’s alright, we have Google & ChatGPT to help. And the request to write on this topic actually lets me look closer at a question I’ve had for a while:
“Are LEED building certifications worth it? Or are they just a marketing sham?”
First, let’s look at what a LEED building certification is in another Construction Yeti oversimplified explanation.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) by the US Green Building Council is the most popular green building rating system there is. The system is points based and the more points you get the higher the level you are.
You get can accumulate points from various sustainable building practices such as:
Sustainable Sites:
Choose a site located in a sustainable community.
Preserve open space and protect or restore natural habitat.
Promote alternative transportation options (bike storage, proximity to public transit, etc.).
Implement stormwater management strategies.
Water Efficiency:
Install water-efficient fixtures (low-flow toilets, faucets, and showerheads).
Harvest rainwater for irrigation or non-potable uses.
Implement water metering and leak detection systems.
Use native or adaptive landscaping to reduce irrigation needs.
Energy and Atmosphere:
Optimize energy performance through efficient HVAC systems, insulation, and lighting.
Use renewable energy sources (solar, wind, geothermal, etc.).
Implement demand response strategies to reduce peak energy demand.
Conduct energy audits and commissioning to ensure efficient building operation.
Materials and Resources:
Use recycled or locally sourced building materials.
Minimize construction waste through recycling and salvage.
Implement a waste management plan.
Promote building product transparency and material life-cycle assessment.
Indoor Environmental Quality:
Provide good ventilation and indoor air quality control measures.
Use low-emitting materials and furniture.
Maximize access to natural light and views.
Implement thermal comfort strategies.
Innovation:
Implement innovative green building technologies or strategies.
Participate in a pilot credit program.
Develop a green education or awareness program.
Achieve exemplary performance in any LEED credit category.
Regional Priority:
Address specific environmental priorities of the project's location.
Earn extra points for meeting regional sustainability goals.
Align with regional planning initiatives and regulations.
Thanks Chat GPT for that list! You did so well.
It can cost you thousands of dollars in certification fees to get approved and get a little plaque, so why even bother? USGBC has a list of the top 10 reasons to get LEED certitfied. These reasons range from doing what’s right for the environment, lower utility costs, and Tax Benefits. 💰🤑💰
They’ve partnered with Incentifind to help building owners and developers sniff out all those tax incentives. If you’ve ever tried to find tax credits and other incentives for your project, you know how much of a pain in the ass it is. Go check out my friends at Incentifind and let them search their mega database of incentives they painstakingly compiled for you.
- - - -
So it all seems so straightforward and awesome, right?
I have a tendency to have a cynical view of things especially when in search of the truth. And I understand how the systems work. If there’s a reason (💲) to game the system. The system will be gamed.
I stumbled upon this video about a new building at Cornell where he talks about all the ways the system was gamed there and some hypocritical ways in which the LEED point system works.
Definitely worth the 9-minute watch.
There’s no debate that a general idea of sustainable & green building practices are important. But for me, the jury is still out on if the LEED Certification is worth it. But what does “worth it” actually mean?
I’m sure overall the LEED certification has brought more awareness to sustainable building practices but like most programs, systems, and statistics; the game can and will be gamed. Is the system incentivizing a remedy that is worse than the disease?
What are your thoughts?
“Are LEED building certifications worth it? Or are they just a marketing sham?”
One Innovation
SuperDroid Robots’ latest robots are doing reality capture and they’re pretty awesome.
A couple highlights for me are the Autonomous Robot that can drive a defined path after hours and take 360 photos for progress reporting. It sure beats sending the intern around with the selfie stick or hardhat cam.
And the Remote Control tracked robot that can drive on the top of drop ceilings to inspect/ document what’s there without having to drag a ladder around pop up a bunch of tiles to find what you are looking for and/or take photos.
These things are surprisingly affordable as well. Check them all out here: SuperDroid Reality Capture Robots
One LinkedIn Carousel
If you’ve been following me for some time you know I love lists to help the Next Generation of Construction Professionals and this week Coty Fournier put out an absolute banger of a carousel on LinkedIn. It should be a must-read/ study for hiring managers all Rookie Construction Managers out there.
Check out some snippets of her 7 Essential Qualities for Rookie CMs:
Check out here full carousel of 7 Essential Qualities for Rookie CMs (with a detailed breakdown of each one) here:
One Meme
I don’t know about the rest of y’all but its been HOT in Texas the last few weeks. 🥵
After pounding 2 white Monsters for breakfast.
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