Holder Article Published in May Issue of Constructor Magazine
Holder's article "All LEEDŽ Points Are Not Created Equal: A Value-Based Perspective of USGBC's Standard" has been published in the May issue of Constructor magazine. Based on our experience with various LEED projects, this article provides owners with a cost basis for analyzing sustainable building decisions, and presents evidence that sustainable building does not always require a significant cost premium.
This concept hinges around the fact that all points are not created equal. The LEED rating system does not take cost into account - it provides the same one point to a credit that costs $1,000 as one that costs $100,000! Holder's "value-based" perspective categorizes credits into three category types:
1. Credits that have little or no cost to achieve
2. Credits that have some costs, but they offer a payback, such as lower utility costs, in a relatively short period of time, and
3. Credits that have significant costs, but offer a either a payback over a very long time or no payback at all
The fact that 85% of the points required for a building to be LEED Certified are Category 1, and can be obtained at little or no cost, gives owners a new opportunity to incorporate sustainable practices in cases where they might not have considered doing so.
To learn more about Holder's Sustainable Services, click here.
For more information about the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) or the LEEDŽ Rating system, please visit http://www.usgbc.org. |