Chinese New Year 2019

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The Year of the Brown Earth Pig

The Year of the Brown Earth Pig begins on February 5, 2019. Though not an appealing image for the year, the pig’s chubby countenance and big ears are symbols of wealth. While economists ponder the next recession, some are suggesting that this won’t occur until 2020. Perhaps the good fortune of the Pig will prevail in 2019. The Pig is also a genial animal so one can hope that human relations may be more cordial this year than the Year of the Earth Dog, 2018, during which the more territorial and aggressive natures of that animal were prominently on display. Last year the Earth element predicted good fortune for things like real estate, agriculture and the environment. I would say yes, in general, to real estate but, perhaps, not so much for agriculture or the environment. Between extreme weather, tariffs and regulatory roll-backs, the year was not so friendly to agriculture or the environment. Earth is the ruling element again in 2019. To see the predictions for your Chinese zodiac sign in the Year of the Pig, click here.

Doo Consulting coordinated the certification of 10% of the certified projects in Maryland in 2018, and 23% of total square footage!

JUST

Doo Consulting’s JUST Label

Doo Consulting was recognized as a JUST organization by the International Living Future Institute in 2018. JUST is not a certification, rather it is a voluntary transparency platform through which organizations disclose their operations including how they treat their employees and where they make their financial and community investments. Its purpose is to promote social equity and improve employee engagement.  Doo Consulting has chosen to disclose its operations and since receiving this recognition, it has selected Calvert, a global leader in responsible investing, as its retirement savings manager. We are proud of this accomplishment and continue to filter organizational decisions through this lens.

Studying Effective Energy Efficiency Measures

Peter Doo, architect Miche Booz and energy modeler Morteza Kasmaei investigated strategies to achieve Net Zero and Passive House affordability. Reassessing a Net Zero and Passive House certified project, the team studied costs and impacts of energy efficiency strategies with the goal of understanding which were most effective and affordable. The team presented their study of the Gaddy House at Design DC.  Insulation, air barriers, glazing; what are the most significant strategies? We figured a few things out. Watch for a future blog.

LEED and Fitwel Projects in Reno, NV and Sacramento, CA


Doo Consulting began assessing a variety of student housing projects for GMH Capital Partners. Based on the outcome of those assessments, we are assisting in the LEED and Fitwel certifications of projects in Reno, Nevada and Sacramento, California. Academy Reno is a 196 apartment, twelve-story project near the University of Nevada. Academy 65 is a 90 apartment, five-story courtyard building over a retail and parking podium near the California State University campus in Sacramento, California. Doo Consulting is pleased to be assisting in the first Fitwel certifications for this client.

What’s Next

Once again, we take this opportunity to share trends that we think will be influencing sustainability activity in the next year and beyond. Last year we wrote about net zero buildings, resiliency, wellness and corporate social responsibility. We believe those trends will continue. Many of these things are converging to create the trend to watch in 2019.

Industry Convergence

From Explaining the Future.com

Technology is blurring the lines between traditional products and services. Industry Convergence refers to this phenomenon. One of the best examples of this is the smartphone. While it remains a communication device, “communication” is now writ large with the ability to share self-produced media with one’s friends and the world by posting on Facebook or YouTube. It is one’s portal to the vast resources of the internet for information and entertainment. It can monitor your health and with third party apps and some additional devices, it can administer health services (insulin) and connect you directly with your provider to make adjustments to your medical devices remotely (pacemaker). As this is not my area of expertise, I’m sure I’m only scratching the surface of the medical/media/technology convergence.

In another convergence, automobiles will no longer be simply a means of transportation. They are rapidly becoming smart devices connected to their drivers, their surroundings and other cars and smart devices (pedestrians), with which they are communicating. Auto and technology companies are already collaborating to create these new products. In the near future the car will most likely not be yours but its services will provide a “third place,” an alternative live/work environment. Perhaps architects and interior designers will be collaborating with these teams as well. When you enter these new vehicles, you will be connected to your virtual companion (like Alexa or Siri but uniquely yours) that will assist you with tasks or connect you to colleagues while you’re being transported. The car and your AI assistant may be monitoring, evaluating, and rejuvenating your health at the same time. It’s easy to see how industries will need to converge to create this new technology.

Spark Baltimore

These convergences are already shaping how we think about our built environment and sustainability. The concept of smart buildings and the ways we create them are just taking off and they will be full of “converged” technologies. From Revit in the design studio, to robotics in the manufacturing plant and on the job site, to building automation and intelligence in the finished product, opportunities for industry convergence abound. Already, in the built environment, the ability to telework has changed the workplace inside and outside of the formal work environment. While some workers will prefer to have a personalized workspace that they inhabit, others will be more nomadic. In that case, one’s workstation goes with them. Wherever an employee chooses to work, they are connected to the corporate resources, calls and documents can be forwarded, hard copies can be sent to the nearest printer, one can teleconference globally, and colleagues can convene in a variety of formal and informal workplaces to collaborate physically and virtually. We are seeing the evolution of the workplace in corporate offices, co-working places such as WeWork and coffee shops everywhere. The implications of this “flexibility” are vast. If one can work from anywhere in the office, why not work from anywhere in the city? Why not work from anywhere? The most sustainable building is the one that isn’t built. How will this convergence shape our built environment? How much new space will we need? Or, will increasing a building’s utilization rate make existing places active for more hours of the day and mitigate the need for new construction? What amenities and services will be required? How will nature and open space be integrated into this new urban paradigm? And, speaking of convergence, when will the built environment and the natural environment converge to simply be The Environment?

Circular Economy


The idea of a circular economy has been around for over twenty years. I recall hearing Bill McDonough refer to the cycles of technical waste and biological waste fifteen years ago. The processes of manufacture, distribution and the speed of technological change have altered the paradigm. Understanding that we cannot continue to throw things away, because there is no “away”, responsible companies are reimagining a circular approach to product delivery and reuse – Cradle to Cradle instead of cradle to grave. The Circular Economy will create more jobs and economic growth. Research from Accenture suggests the rise of the circular economy will unlock $4.5 trillion in new economic growth by 2030.

A Coalition of Giant Brands is about to Change How We Shop Forever, with a New Zero-Waste Platform

Sharing Economy

One way to view the sharing economy is through the lens of resource efficiency. Automobiles sit unused for 90% of their life cycle. The sharing economy, through ride share services (like Uber and Lyft) and car share services, like Turo, allows for increased utilization of these resources. Electric vehicles and battery storage will impact the evolution of the electric utility grid. Autonomous vehicles, drones, solar powered buildings and other intelligent technologies promise to change this equation dramatically. Shared work space, like WeWork, are already changing the nature of commercial real estate. Home sharing is influencing the hospitality and senior living industries. Consumers have become suppliers, not only of physical resources but of knowledge and experiences. Airbnb Experiences and MeetUp, are not only social but also educational and cultural.

Measurement and Transparency

How we affect our environment and each other through these increasingly integrated lifestyles and convergent technologies can only be untangled by measurement, verification, and transparency. In the age of data accessibility, lack of reporting might be construed as a company having poor results or something to hide. In a 2018 study by Label Insight, 93% of consumers said they were more likely to be loyal to a brand that offered complete transparency and 74% said they would switch brands from the product they usually buy to a product that offered more in-depth product information.

How Transparency Became a Top Priority for Businesses, and Why You Should Care

What’s your business doing to increase its transparency to consumers?

Will real estate follow suit? Jones Lang LaSalle’s (JLL) recently published 2018 Global Real Estate Transparency Index Report demonstrates how data is influencing the global real estate market and how transparency improves the ability of cities to compete. It’s no surprise that Amazon, looking for a second headquarters away from the West coast, selected locations next to the top two ranked East coast cities, New York and Washington, DC.

For the first time JLL has included sustainability transparency to this report. Energy indexing and green building certifications are the most prevalent voluntary tools. However, sustainability transparency remains relatively low in markets with high levels of planned new building completions. While the US lags Europe nationally, US cities claimed ten of the top fifteen spots for metropolitan areas with high levels of real estate transparency. Investors are increasing demand for sustainability transparency in real estate portfolios. GRESB, Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmarking, is a tool for measuring the sustainability performance of a real estate portfolio. The 2018 JLL Report cites Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting as one of the next transparency indexes for real estate along with Workplace Safety and Wellness.

Summary

Industry Convergence and Measurement and Transparency are our watch-words for 2019. In the past we have highlighted products and services. While we could have blogged about things like WeWork and Turo, the latest in building rating systems or cool industry innovations, everything we see suggests that there are more fundamental forces at work. Those forces include technology and information but are driven by concern for the environment and shifts in consumer behavior.

At Doo Consulting, we continue to provide the basic services of building certification and sustainable business assessment and consulting services. However, we always keep an eye on the big picture and offer customized sustainability consulting services as well. We always welcome your inquiries and your comments.

LEED-Like

The State of LEED: Is Being “LEED-like” Enough?

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Some owners and project teams believe that being “LEED-like” is the same as achieving LEED certification, but that isn’t the case. Frequently we receive requests from clients who want to create a “LEED-like” building. This is where the project team follows a LEED checklist and declares their project equivalent to a level of LEED certification without actually registering or certifying the project. While you might think “LEED-like” buildings are more cost-effective and lead to the same result, that is seldom the case. 

LEED-like Isn’t the Same as LEED Certified

Someone recently said, “When there is a scoreboard and a referee, the game is played differently.” This can apply to many things in life but in relationship to LEED, or any other compliance requirement, this is absolutely true. “LEED-like” buildings are not the same as LEED-certified buildings. If a project team is going through the same design effort to create a non-certified-LEED-compliant building, all consultants are expending the same energy they would if the project was certified. In the end, the costs saved are the project registration fees, certification fees and some of the documentation costs. For large projects, registration and certification fees can amount to tens of thousands of dollars, but as a percent of project costs, it is small; $.05 – $.063 per square foot where the project costs are hundreds of dollars per square foot. For these few cents, one gets a strong motivator for sustainable design excellence. 

Knowing that documentation is required and will be reviewed encourages project team members to dot their i’s and cross their t’s. Having achieved LEED certification, recognition of that fact is something that can be substantiated and promoted. As an investor, buyer or simply a building tenant, what can or should one assume when an owner says that a building is “LEED-equivalent”? For LEED certified projects one knows that documentation has been submitted and reviewed to validate the building’s credential. Documentation is also available to the building facilities team to monitor building operations, guide enhanced or recommissioning activities, and guide future renovations of the project. 

LEED Is Imperfect

Some critics of LEED and proponents of “LEED-like” buildings choose to highlight perceived flaws in the system as a justification of creating their own green building process. One thing we hear repeatedly is the fact that a bike rack and a 2% energy reduction have the same point value (LEEDv3). The implication is that a point can be bought with the installation of a shower stall and a locker. Critics note that these things should not be considered equivalent and suggest that LEED is too easily “gamed”. The LEED standard is not perfect, but it is well considered and nuanced. One can make a strong argument for the environmental benefits of bicycle usage if people actually do it. Owners and architects are equally guilty for spending money and resources on points that produce no economic or environmental benefit, if that is what they are doing. It is certainly not sustainable to install a shower stall to be used as a closet. To some extent, the system can be manipulated by clever building designers and owners, but the intention and point distribution of the rating system has been established by committees of subject-matter experts doing the best they can to create meaningful criteria to define what a “green building” is. 

LEED Certification Still Remains Relevant 

LEED is a tool and, like any tool, it can be used masterfully by a craftsman or used by an amateur with predictably less refined results. Well-designed LEED buildings created by experienced project teams deliver on the promises of the rating system—resource conservation, lower operational costs, restorative site development, healthier indoor environments, and lower carbon emissions. LEED remains an important certification standard for owners, builders and designers. In light of the recent reports from the International Panel on Climate Change and the National Climate Assessment report to Congress and the President, the demand for high-performance, healthy buildings has never been greater. 

Certification matters and LEED continues to be the dominant green building certification program in the US and beyond. LEED project registrations in the US were up 14% in 2018 over 2017*. One can expect that certifications will remain important measures of green building performance as we continue to pursue more environmentally benign and healthier buildings while meeting the challenges of climate change.

*Source: Green Building Information Gateway, www.gbig.org

Is LEED Still Relevant?

This is the final blog in a four-part series on the LEED rating system. All four parts of this series can be found on our website, www.DooConsulting.net. Doo Consulting provides consulting services for LEED and many other green and healthy building rating systems. 

LEED-Cost, LEED-Performance

The State of LEED: Cost and Performance

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After more than two decades of LEED projects, the building industry has changed. Mechanical and electrical systems are more efficient, building envelopes and associated materials are higher performing, healthier interior finishes are readily available. In spite of this, building performance results can be erratic and the perception remains with some that LEED is expensive and not worth the cost. These are misconceptions.

LEED is expensive

Previously, businesses used to roll together a bundle of costs related to LEED including fees, the additional documentation effort, energy modeling, and commissioning. Additionally, you had to consider the cost of constructing a building that met LEED credit requirements to achieve the desired certification level. In the early days (2004-2010?) these were real costs associated with pursuing a LEED certification and they could accumulate. Still, the general wisdom of the time was that a LEED Silver certification might incur a cost premium of 5%, more or less.

These days, both LEED and the energy code provide options to comply through a prescriptive pathway or show energy performance through an energy model. The energy code also calls for a commissioning plan and execution of that plan. These costs can no longer be attributed to LEED as they are now code requirements. The “added” cost of LEED has been reduced considerably and, with the employment of an experienced professional team, the added cost of LEED compliance should be minimal. Even at non-member rates, the registration, review, and certification fees can be as low as $4,920.00 for projects up to 50,000 SF. Administration of the LEED process by the architect or a consultant is an added expense and can be significant for smaller projects. For larger projects, the cost, as a percent of the total project budget, can be very small. However, whatever the cost, there is value in this exercise.

LEED Buildings May Not Perform as Modeled. 

Energy cost savings is the most easily understood cost-benefit of high-performance building design. As a result, this is one of the most studied and criticized aspects of the LEED rating system. We have already discussed the relationship between the LEED energy requirements and the energy code. Here we discuss LEED and building performance. 

There are numerous cited examples of LEED buildings that underperform on an energy basis. Sometimes this is the result of a miscalculation in the energy model used to predict hours of operation and occupancy. One early example of a building’s use being misaligned with its modeled use is the Lewis Center for Environmental Studies at Oberlin College. Though not a LEED project, the Lewis Center was an early example of a green building. It drew much attention and was visited by large numbers of people wanting to see it and to host events there.  The building was utilized significantly more than was anticipated or modeled. As a result, it used much more energy than what was predicted. A critical review of the assumptions compared with the experienced operations and occupancy should enable a building owner to identify potential reasons for any design vs. actual discrepancies. In this case an adjustment in expectations is in order when changes in the building use and occupancy has occurred.

Operations Affect Building Performance

Another reason a building may not be performing as designed is that it is not being operated as designed. A recent project of ours was discovered to have completely reestablished set points for heating and air conditioning from the design parameters. Even though the building had been commissioned and facility staff trained, operations were compromised within the first year of occupancy. This happens. LEED attempts to address this by requiring fundamental commissioning, the creation of the operations manual and staff training. Still, operational adjustments and errors occur. This is a justification for and the reason why the Enhanced Commissioning credit exists. 

Inconsistencies in design vs. performance and poor operational oversight can arise just as easily in projects seeking to meet or exceed code minimums. A critical review of all buildings would reveal that cases of buildings underperforming are not unique to LEED. What LEED has enabled owners to do through its insistence on the creation of a Basis of Design document and fundamental and enhanced commissioning is to identify these discrepancies so they may be addressed in a timely fashion. This is a cost savings understood and recognized by property owners and managers who embrace the LEED rating system. When viewed critically, LEED consistently proves to be a valuable industry tool.

Is LEED Still Relevant?

This is Part-Three in a four-part series on LEED. In our next blog in this series, we’ll be covering LEED vs “LEED-like” and why LEED remains a great option for all buildings.

LEED-Challenges

The State of LEED: LEED, IgCC, and the IECC.

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While Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) has remained the leading green building certification system for decades, competing certification systems are challenging the pre-eminence of LEED. In our last blog, we highlighted some of the new challengers to LEED. Today, we compare LEED to its code cousins, the International Green Conservation Code (IgCC) and the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)

One of the primary challenges for LEED today is the perception that many local building codes are catching up to or exceeding the energy requirements of this building rating system. As energy conservation is one of the primary benefits of the LEED process, this has become an issue. Green building certifications like LEED feel like “one more thing” for owners to contend with when they are placed on top of already-strict local codes. Locally, Maryland and Washington, DC routinely adopt current versions of the building codes, including the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). Additionally, both jurisdictions have adopted the International Green Construction Code (IgCC), as have other local jurisdictions. 

The IgCC is an overlay code and acts similarly to LEED in addressing site, water, energy, materials and indoor environmental quality without the fees associated with LEED registration and certification review. Currently, many States use the 2015 code set and some are about to adopt the 2018 codes. The requirements of the 2015 IECC exceed the energy prerequisite requirements under LEED v4, contributing to a perception that LEED is falling behind. While USGBC is likely to make an adjustment to the energy credit requirement when adoption of the 2018 code set begins to occur, a disparity is likely to remain.

One argument we hear for not certifying a project under LEED is that, since the building code exceeds the LEED energy prerequisite, LEED is unnecessary. While codes that exceed LEED minimum is true in some regions, it isn’t the case everywhere in the United States (see map). Some jurisdictions throughout the United States reference older building and energy codes, some as far back as 2006. The current LEED energy prerequisite for New Construction, Version 4 is a 5% energy use reduction over ASHRAE 90.1-2010. The current Energy Conservation Code 2015 references ASHRAE 90.1-2013 which can demand greater energy efficiency than the LEED prerequisite for some building types. As mentioned above, state and local jurisdictions are about to upgrade to the IECC 2018, which pushes code-compliant energy performance requirements even higher for locations where these codes are adopted. 

Through the LEED rating system the US Green Building Council (USGBC) aims to provide an entry point for green building design and construction nationally and internationally. We have mentioned that not all locations have adopted the current version of the energy code and international codes vary widely as well. In locations with lower energy standards, LEED energy prerequisites are still above code requirements but not so much as to deter participation in pursuing a green building certification. Also, no one is keeping anyone from exceeding minimum energy requirements, which is the beauty of LEED. LEED rewards exceptional energy performance with additional points; up to 18 for 50% energy reduction in new buildings. 

Commercial Buildings

In most cases, high energy scores can lead to a Gold certification. Exceptional energy performance provides the same result whether the project is pursuing a certification or not however, LEED provides an incentive through its assignment of points for increasing levels of energy performance. Higher energy scores may also lead to a higher final certification level. Anyone who has worked on a LEED project can attest to owners and team members asking, “What will it take to get the next energy point?” or “What will it take to get to the next LEED level?”

It cannot be stressed enough that energy is not the only measure of a green building, and in this regard, LEED shines. Having established the five major categories of site, water, energy, materials, and indoor environmental quality, LEED creates a balanced assessment of a project’s environmental and health impacts. While the IgCC address these categories as well, the ability of local jurisdictions to modify the code when they adopt it provides varying definitions of green building according to each of those jurisdictions. Review and enforcement of the code by each jurisdiction varies widely further muddying the measure of a code compliant green building. LEED is a standard set of credits and requirements. Yes, we have heard and have participated in complaints over the inconsistencies between review teams. Though onerous, these can be dealt with through a defined process of appeals. Though not perfect, LEED remains the most consistent measure of a green building and the US Green Building Council is constantly seeking to improve the standard and the administration of that standard.

Is LEED Still Relevant?

This is Part-Two in a four-part series on LEED. In our next blog in this series, we’ll be discussing some common mis-perceptions of the LEED rating system.   

Doo Consulting to participate in B’more Green Happy Hour

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Doo Consulting is joining hosts CleanChoice Energy, Civic Works and WTMD in the B’more Green Happy Hour – an event to connect local sustainable businesses with the Baltimore community.

Why

WTMD and CleanChoice Energy and Civic Works want to support the small business community in Baltimore and provide ways for us all to work more sustainably in honor of Mother Earth. The event will showcase green resources, connect small business owners with the public, and offer actions everyone can take to have a more positive impact on our environment. With food, local craft brews, live music, and green vendors, folks can learn about more sustainable practices for their homes and businesses. Whether you’re taking your first steps towards sustainability, or you’ve been committed to social and environmental practices for years, join us to get ideas and support to be more green.

Who

Target Audience: Small Business Owners, WTMD Community                                                                                       Format: Happy hour with exhibiting vendors from non-profit and commercial sustainably driven organizations.

Hosts

WTMD’s mission is to be the most trusted radio source for music and cultural programming in the Baltimore region. We believe that music has the power to change our moods, our minds, and our world. We bring new voices to the air that are often overlooked by the mainstream media and look for credibility and authenticity in the music we play. We also believe that exceptional music can come from anywhere, including our own backyard. So WTMD is relentlessly local and provides air-play and opportunities to Baltimore’s musicians. Our guiding principles steer us to work with organizations providing services and support to peoples in need and those that inspire creativity. We want to bring solutions to our challenges as individuals and as a community to the air. In short, we seek to enhance the quality of life in Baltimore.

CivicWorks strengthens Baltimore’s communities through education, skills development, and community service. We are a non-profit working in Baltimore communities for over 20 years, and we are deeply committed to service. Our programs deliver tangible results through a combination of job training, skills development and community service. We succeed by harnessing the energy and dedicated commitment of our AmeriCorps members, staff, volunteers, sponsors, partners, and most importantly, the communities in which we work.

CleanChoice Energy is a leading renewable energy company empowering residential and commercial customers to reduce emissions and support clean energy through 100 percent renewable electricity. CleanChoice Energy’s mission is to make clean energy accessible for everyone. CleanChoice Energy supplies only clean renewable energy to customers, operating in nine states and the District of Columbia, bringing cleaner air closer to home. We are the recipient of a $1.25 million SunShot award from the U.S. Department of Energy to build a technology platform to bring community solar to scale. The company is a founding member of the Coalition for Community Solar Access, is one of the largest community solar developers in MD, and recently passed $1 million in total corporate donations to environmental and social impact organizations. CCE has been awarded the highest level of B Corp certification since 2016.

Where

WTMD at Towson University

1 Olympic Pl, Towson, MD 21204

When

Thursday, September 20, 2018 5:00pm – 7:30pm

Registration:  $15   

Contact:

Jennifer Murphy                                                                                                                           Jennifer.murphy@cleanchoiceenergy.com                                                                                                                        914.484.6673

 

Doos New Year Innovation Blog

Doos New Year Innovation Blog

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THIS IS THE YEAR OF THE RED FIRE MONKEY!  We all know that the monkey is a clever and playful animal who can be an effective problem solver but also a trickster.  Year of the monkeyAs we celebrate 2016’s Year of the Red Fire Monkey, there should be exuberance, entertainment and time for devoted entrepreneurs to carry on their innovative ways.  However, those looking for quick and easy solutions could get duped as some monkey spirits will be on the ball, and quick to have their fun and games.

Doo Consulting wishes all of its colleagues, clients and friends the very best in 2016. Though it is the year of the Fire Monkey, according to Chinese Five Elements Horoscopes, Monkey also contains Metal and Water. Metal is connected to gold. Water is connected to wisdom and danger. Therefore, we will deal with more financial events in the year of the Monkey. Metal is also connected to the Wind. That implies the status of events could change very quickly. Think twice before you leap when making changes for your finance, career, business or personal relationships in 2016. Your individual prospects for the year can be found here.

DOO’S NEWS

We want to thank everyone who is a part of our ever expanding network. Our portfolio grew in geographic and economic breadth. We returned to our consulting roots with the opportunity to work on the development of sustainability plans for the City of Bowie, Maryland, and the Broadmead Retirement Community. A new accreditation in the WELL Building Standard

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