Posts Tagged 'Green Building'

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Green Buildings Help Employee Productivity

Published October 27, 2011 going green Leave a Comment
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500 Collins Street in Melbourne, Australia. Image Source: ResourceSmart.

Is there any clear link between employee productivity and green buildings? The increasing amount of evidence suggests that, indeed, green and sustainable buildings are a major factor in employee motivation and work satisfaction.

Studies have long identified the factors that drive employee productivity, such as management issues, relational factors with colleagues, salary, individual recognition, feedback, incentives, bonuses and a lot of other factors. Surprisingly, green buildings do play a role in boosting employee morale.

According to a study by Ernst & Young, among the factors that drain or reduce employee productivity are lack of innovation (15%), obsolete technology (8%), organizational structure (23%), and management problems (54%). Undeniably, the lack of natural ventilation and access to natural light are two important qualities of green buildings that are intricately linked with lack of innovation and obsolete technology, ultimately resulting in an unhappy workplace.

This has been confirmed by a number of studies done in the past. One is a 2006 study of a retrofit of the 500 Collins Street in Melbourne, Australia. With the retrofit, the buildings were provided with better ventilation and natural lighting systems. The result is a whopping 44% reduction of the monthly sick leave average of employees. Also, the secretaries posed a 9% improvement in their average typing speed.

Generally, well-lit and ventilated areas will decrease headaches, as well as sore eyes, fatigue, concentration, colds and flus. Employees tend to be happier and more productive when there is more natural light and views to the outside.

Increased productivity is just a great side effect for green building. While there are obvious benefits to building more environmentally sustainable buildings, the externalities they create such as happier, healthier and more productive employees should offset initial investments.

Survey Shows That Green Buildings are Great for School Infrastructure

Published October 20, 2011 going green Leave a Comment
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A conceptual drawing of a future green school. Image Source: Green market.

A recent independent nationwide survey reports that 75% of Americans are willing to support the drive for green and eco-friendly construction. The survey shows that Americans support federal funding for school building improvements that will lower carbon emissions, comply with LEED certification requirements, and ultimately help save on taxes.

The survey  shows an alarming statistic: 1/3 of schools in the US are in “poor condition”, while only 6% can be deemed to be in great shape.

The study also shows that Americans are becoming increasingly aware of the need to overhaul the school infrastructure systems so that learning environments can become efficient, healthy, and conducive for learning. Most Americans no longer believe in just updating school infrastructure; they’d go as far as insist that school buildings must comply with current standards of energy efficiency.

This is certainly needs more advocacy in order to advance building process. One green school alone can reduce the country’s carbon emissions by as much 585,000 pounds annually. Aside from helping the environment, green schools are also shown to have a positive impact on students. Seventy percent of school administrators report that green schools reduce absenteeism and even improved the performance of students. Also, with less money spent on heating and cooling costs, schools can redirect their funds for teachers’ salary and other school resources. Without a doubt, investing in green schools is not a waste of time.

The government, unfortunately, thinks otherwise. In 2008, the US government chose to postpone an $254 billion-project to maintain and update school buildings. This is certainly an unacceptable move, after the US Government Accountability Office has reported that around 25,000 schools in the US are in need of replacement and repairs.

The survey was undertaken by the US Green Building Council’s Center for Green Schools and United Technologies Corp.

We’ve always talked about the importance of green construction and the integral role of steel buildings.  This survey just goes to show that green construction can extend not just to office and commercial spaces but also to schools. And the result? Students that are more willing to learn, drastically reduced costs, and reduced carbon emissions. That’s a trade-off Norsteel is certainly willing to take.

The Growing Importance of Green Buildings in Commercial and Industrial Buildings

Published October 6, 2011 going green 1 Comment
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According to the US Energy Information Administration, commercial and industrial buildings take up as much as 80.9% of the total electricity expenditures in the US—to a total amount of $295 billion. As for natural gas expenditures, these buildings expend $215.5 billion or 64% of the total in the country.

Needless to say, saving energy for such buildings can go a long way in terms of electricity and natural gas expenditures. With energy-saving measures, as much as an aggregate amount of $20 billion can be saved by commercial and industrial buildings. This is where green buildings come in.

The growing importance of green buildings in cities like New York, Chicago, and Houston is such that it is an essential factor in estimating the “curb appeal” of office spaces—thus altering the factors that used to be of primary importance in the real estate market.

Most commercial and industrial buildings, as a matter of fact, are categorized into three classes: Class A, B, and C. These classifications determine the appeal of these buildings to companies as tenants. There are a variety of factors that determine the classification of a building, the most important of which is its infrastructure and built-in energy-saving measures.

Class A buildings are easily the most sought after and prestigious of the crop, with quality design and infrastructure. These buildings are also the most accessible within the city and get occupied the fastest.

Class B buildings, on the other hand, are average in terms of ventilation, finish, and accessibility. While these buildings are built well enough, they’re not quite at par with Class C  buildings.

Class C buildings are functional and quite average. As most commercial and industrial buildings are restructuring according to the standards of green buildings, this classification is becoming a dying breed.

For a much desired Class A status, commercial buildings also have to live up to the standards of green buildings. As such, eco-friendly construction materials, efficient building commissioning, limited effect on the surroundings, and well-adjusted features to the local climate are taken into account.  The importance of green buildings in classifying commercial spaces just shows that green buildings are no longer just an option but increasingly becoming a necessity in the construction industry.

LEED 2012: New Changes to the Rating System

Published September 5, 2011 going green Leave a Comment
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BC Cancer Research Centre, a LEED Gold Certified Building. Image Credit: IBI Group, Peter Wilmse & Ivo Talker; Henriquez Partners.

LEED ratings have done great things for environmental awareness. The exclusive, environmentally-conscious building design protocols have helped raise public consciousness about eco-friendly design, efficiency and have inspired beautiful, eco-friendly design projects. That is not to say the system is without its critics. Some industry insiders have complained that LEED points are easy to rack up and difficult to quantify in some convoluted building processes. Another issue is the fact that in many cases, LEED certification is a result of a one-time assessment of a building’s design and construction, with little to no follow-up in the future.

An article recently published on the Fast Company website reports that the LEED system is about to undergo a bit of a transition. Going forward, LEED certification will now reflect how buildings are actually saving energy and water, and they ways they can improve.

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC), a non-profit organization that administers LEED certifications, states that it wants its volunteer members to think of green buildings and LEED certification as assets rather than as items on a list. The revised system, coined LEED 2012, will debut in November, 2011, and will explore the new technologies and energy-efficient building practices that improve a structure’s overall efficiency.

Scot Horst, USGBC’s Senior VP for LEED tells Fast Company that the new system should be considered a “Zagat rating” for buildings.

Using LEED 2012, business owners can track the environmental performance of LEED-certified buildings with new apps from LEED Online. “Faster, cheaper, more automatic” is the new slogan for this new system.

Steel and LEED Buildings

Steel is an environmentally-friendly building material that is often used in LEED-certified buildings. Because it is highly recyclable and helps facilitate energy efficiency, steel makes an easy choice for environmentally-conscious builders. A large percentage of LEED buildings are comprised primarily of steel. Click here to learn more about steel’s environmentally-friendly properties.

Building a Customized Steel Warehouse

Published August 25, 2011 Norsteel Buildings News Leave a Comment
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Nowadays, building a steel warehouse building is easier than ever.  Warehouse design software, planning protocols and the availability of steel makes it a quick, efficient and cost-effective building material.

Here at Norsteel, we’re well-versed in the steel industry and have extensive experience working with steel warehouse buildings.  Visit the Norsteel website to learn more about how we can help with your large-scale steel projects.

Before you begin the process of commissioning a steel warehouse, there are a few things that need to be taken into account, such as regulations and building codes, budget, projected timeline and any specs that might be important to the builder (such as the number of employees the warehouse will house, the amount of equipment and product that will be inside at any given time, the desired dimensions, etc.).  It is on the onus of the customer to provide a potential builder/contractor with as much information as available when commissioning a steel warehouse building.  This can save time, money and effort for all involved in the project.

Once a steel warehouse building has begun, you will need to consider how the warehouse is to be heated and cooled, among other things.  Another step in the post-construction process is the formal creation of specs and blueprints, both of which will need to be commissioned and drawn up by a professional.

Steel is a highly customizable building material, and all parts will be created to specs at a factory and then shipped in for onsite assembly.  This is a quick and efficient way to construct a building and, provided there are no unforeseen circumstances, the project should be complete in a timely manner.

A finished building requires insulation, paint, doors, windows, and exterior finishes before it can house people, machinery and/or product.  Once complete, a building must be inspected and cleared by an inspector before it is able to open for business.

Eight Fast Facts about Steel

Published August 15, 2011 going green 1 Comment
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Steel recycling bales. Image Credit: blahedo via Wikipedia.
  1. Steel is a “green” building material, mostly because it is highly recyclable.  According to the American Iron and Steel Institute, more than 80 million tons of steel are recycled each year in North America …
  2. … which saves enough energy to power approximately 18 million homes across North America every single year!
  3. While we are on the topic of green building, did you know that steel can actually be more environmentally friendly than wood? It’s true! It takes almost 40 trees to make a 2000 sq. ft. house, whereas a house of the same size can be constructed using steel from only four recycled cars. Furthermore, a steel house can easily be recycled into something else.  Wood is usually only good for one build.
  4. It takes A LOT of steel to engineer a building.  Did you know that it took 83000 tons of steel to build the Golden Gate Bridge?
  5. Steel is one of the most widely-used (and most heavily recycled) materials on the planet.
  6. According to the Canadian Steel Producers Association, the construction of Canadian steel takes on two forms: 1) the Integrated (BOF) process, which relies on high quality iron ore, coal and limestone to produce molten iron in a blast furnace, which combines molten iron and scrap steel to create a liquid Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) which is then cast into slabs, and 2) the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) process, which primarily uses reheated recycled scrap steel which has been purified and recast as new steel from an electric arc furnace.
  7. Steel is one of the strongest and most durable resilient materials out there.  In addition to its ability to withstand harsh weather conditions, steel is fire and weather resistant.
  8. Steel is easy to work with.  Pieces can come pre molded and are easy to assemble, meaning that a steel building is normally put together faster than that of a building constructed using other materials, lessening production costs.

The Steel Recycling Institute

Published August 1, 2011 going green , Steel Building Tips Leave a Comment
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Steel Recycling Institute Logo. Image Credit: Steel Recycling Institute Logo.

Steel is highly recyclable, just one of the many reasons it makes a great building material.

The Steel Recycling Institute (SRI) is an industry association that promotes and sustains the recycling of all steel products. It is a great information resource for finding about the solid waste industry as a whole as well as about government initiatives, business and the ways the North American steel industry is working to reduce its carbon footprint.

SRI works with steel industry professionals as well as recycling coordinators, to help facilitate a manufacturing culture focused on seeking out “previously unsought after” sources of steel, such as:  steel food containers and household items, cars, household appliances, construction and building material.

According to the SRI, steel is North America’s most recycled material, and more of it is recycled annually than paper, plastic, aluminum, glass and copper – all combined!

One positive result of the SRI’s efforts is that each year, millions of tons of steel are collected through recycling programs sponsored and promoted by the organization which are then used for the production of North American steel.

The SRI is also committed to developing new steelmaking processes which will, by design, emit less CO2 than the processes that are largely used today.  Taken from the SRI’s website:

“Steel is integral to a modern society that has a high quality of life. From the cars we drive, to the bridges we cross, packing the foods we eat, the appliances we use to the buildings that we live and work in. All of these steels will be recycled and re-appear as even better products ensuring a safe and secure future.”

Unlike other building materials, steel is continuously recyclable, meaning it can be used over and over again without losing integrity or performance ability.

Click here to learn more about this amazing material, and about some of its real-world applications.

The Heating and Cooling Properties of a Steel Building

Published July 28, 2011 Steel Building Tips Leave a Comment
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Installing a HVAC System. Image Source: Life123.

In addition to being affordable and dependable, steel is a preferred choice among “green” builders, largely because of its efficient heating and cooling properties.  Here’s a little more about this amazing material’s eco-friendly properties:

Steel is excellent at insulating – meaning it uses less energy and is more water efficient than other materials.  In fact, studies have shown that buildings with steel metals roofs can save “up to 40 percent in energy usage,” which is absolutely incredible when you think about it.  Not only does this lead to reduced air conditioning and heating costs, it is also great for the environment.

When a steel building has been assembled properly, it can create an incredibly sound structure that is weather resistant and energy efficient.

Most steel buildings, particularly those intended to house people and/or animals, contain built-in ventilation systems, which help facilitate that movement of air, helping to prevent a building from overheating in the summer and freezing in the winter.  A good ventilation system is a sound investment as it will work in conjunction with a building’s heating and cooling systems.

Insulation also helps regulate the temperature in a steel building.  One of the great properties of steel is the fact that it insulates well, and most steel buildings today are designed with easy insulation in mind.

HVAC systems are the heating and cooling mechanisms that go into steel buildings.  It is important to choose one that is made to work with the size of the building.  HVAC systems are rated in accordance to the square footage space they can properly heat and/or cool.  Choosing a system for a larger area creates extra cost and choosing a system rated for a smaller area puts extra stress on the HVAC, which can shorten its life.

Steel buildings are, by nature, created to be energy efficient.  However, choosing the right insulation, ventilation and HVAC system can further improve efficiency.

Is Steel ‘Crucial’ To the Future of Green Energy?

Published July 11, 2011 going green Leave a Comment
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Chris Huhne MP. Image Source: Public Domain.

A recent article posted by This is South Wales features a profile on Chris Huhne, the British Energy and Climate Change Secretary.  Huhne argues that the UK steel industry must become a pivotal player in the “green energy revolution”, arguing that the connection between big steel in the UK and green innovation is “crucial”.

Huhne’s comments are in response to proposed tax policies in the UK, which have the potential to raise the costs of generating electricity.  This would have a huge impact on energy-intensive industries such as steel. Since steel produced in other countries would not be subjected to these taxes, it has been widely feared that the new levy would make UK steel less competitive in the world market.

Mr. Huhne has announced that is working with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to create a package that will benefit energy-intensive industries, the steel industry being among them.

Part of this package will include an investment in green energy technologies which will allow UK steelmakers to keep their costs down, thus ensuring that the “demand for steel and aluminum stays in the United Kingdom.”

The UK steel industry has expressed an interest in working with the government to help develop these new technologies, with a view towards both helping to keep UK steel competitive, while addressing the important climate change issue.

While steel is an environmentally-friendly product that is a popular building product for LEED-certified buildings, it does take a lot of energy to produce the product.  It is interesting to see how the UK’s desire to tackle climate change will affect the UK steel industry, as well as the innovative technologies that will be borne out of these recent policy shifts.

Click here to read more about the proposed tax policy in the UK, as well as to read more about Chris Huhne’s comments.

Learning About LEED

Published June 15, 2011 going green Leave a Comment
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LEED banner. Image Credit: U.S. Green Building Council.

Here at the Norsteel blog, we talk a lot about LEED buildings and LEED certification.  So what exactly is LEED anyway? And what exactly does it do? Here’s a bit of a LEED primer.  We hope you find it useful!

LEED is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design which was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 2000.  It is an internationally-recognized, environmentally-friendly building certification system.

LEED buildings are constructed with a strict adherence to sustainable design codes and can be applied to commercial and residential buildings.  To date, over 9.7 billion square feet of construction space has been LEED certified in more than 120 countries. Additionally, nearly 10,000 homes have also been certified and nearly 30,000 homes have been registered under the LEED Home Rating System.

The LEED rating system is scored on a possible 100 points, as well as 6 additional points for design innovation.  There are four levels of certification, with “Certified” being the lowest and “Platinum” the highest.  A LEED “Certified” building has scored 40-49 points, while a “Platinum” building has a score of 80 points or above – at present, there are only four platinum-rated building in North America – one in Canada and three in the United States.

LEED rating systems are set and evaluated by LEED committees which are comprised of a group of volunteers from the building and construction industry.  LEED rating systems are not the same across the board.  According to the USGBC, the available LEED systems include:

  • LEED for New Construction (NC)
  • LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (EB: O&M)
  • LEED for Commercial Interiors (CI)
  • LEED for Core & Shell (CS)
  • LEED for Schools (SCH)
  • LEED for Retail
  • LEED for Healthcare (HC)
  • LEED for Homes
  • LEED for Neighborhood Development (ND)

Each rating system uses a different rating system specific to the type of building.  For more information on the LEED, visit USGBC.org.

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