[magellan]

Originally Posted by Driller1

The environment and the economy will always be at odds with each other. There is just no other way to say it.

That used to be the case. It's not anymore.

Sustainable Business Strategies — The Triple Bottom Line

[Driller1]

Originally Posted by magellan

That used to be the case. It's not anymore.

Sustainable Business Strategies — The Triple Bottom Line

That is just an ad.

[Crustedfilth]

Originally Posted by magellan

Virtually every new building being built in West Michigan right now, and over the past few years, is LEED Certified. Pretty much every professional who works in the building, architecture and engineering trade in West Michigan is becoming LEED Accredited. It's obviously beneficial. What are you talking about?

Well I am LEED certified, NCARB certified and AIA licensed, yup I got all those fancy letters after my name. Been doing this for 12 yeras so I'm not a fresh geek out of college either. I'm aware of all the buildings that are LEED certified but I'm also aware of all the buildings that want to be LEED certified but aren't because of the cost and red tape. Every new project wants to be LEED rated, every single one. Less than 10% of those actually get the rating.

so you hear of that 10% because they are a success story. You don't hear about the miserable failures and blown budgets on the other 90%.

Seeing as that you are from Cali I'm sure you see more of it because they are actually on the cutting edge of this. More so than any other state.
I believe the CalTrans building is the only platinum cert building in the country. Correct me if I'm wrong here.

Are you an architect actually seeing whats going on? If so then you are doing a great job pioneering the success of this great idea.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by Crustedfilth

Well I am LEED certified, NCARB certified and AIA licensed, yup I got all those fancy letters after my name. Been doing this for 12 yeras so I'm not a fresh geek out of college either. I'm aware of all the buildings that are LEED certified but I'm also aware of all the buildings that want to be LEED certified but aren't because of the cost and red tape. Every new project wants to be LEED rated, every single one. Less than 10% of those actually get the rating.

so you hear of that 10% because they are a success story. You don't hear about the miserable failures and blown budgets on the other 90%.

Seeing as that you are from Cali I'm sure you see more of it because they are actually on the cutting edge of this. More so than any other state.
I believe the CalTrans building is the only platinum cert building in the country. Correct me if I'm wrong here.

Are you an architect actually seeing whats going on? If so then you are doing a great job pioneering the success of this great idea.

I'm not from California, I'm from Grand Rapids. I know and work with a lot of architects and engineers. I also have a good friend who is very active in the local chapter of USGBC. Yes, there are a lot of commercial buildings that want to be LEED that can't, but I think it's a lot less than 90%. If you take all of the suburban retail projects out (which shouldn't be LEED Certified anyway), the percentage attaining LEED is pretty high, as far as I know.

I don't know how we're doing it in West Michigan (which has a reputation for penny pinching) but we're doing it.

America's Greenest City - New Urban Eco-nomics - Steelcase - LEED-certified buildings | Fast Company

It might be a cultural difference between East and West Michigan.

[Crustedfilth]

Good to hear its catching on someplace.

I'm just miffed because I had to value engineer out a horizontal geothermal system. The field alone was 1.7 million and that doesn't include any of the 150 heat pumps in the building.

we are talking about a 7.5 acre field for the piping.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by Crustedfilth

Good to hear its catching on someplace.

I'm just miffed because I had to value engineer out a horizontal geothermal system. The field alone was 1.7 million and that doesn't include any of the 150 heat pumps in the building.

we are talking about a 7.5 acre field for the piping.

I can only think of one high profile project here that is looking at geothermal, and it's on a tight 1/2 acre or so urban site. Most of the projects seem to go for other points (water conservation, green roofs).

I just hate the term value engineering anyway. To me, it always seems to equal poor design.

In relation to the OP, I think like a lot of things, "Green" has become too much of a fashion trend. It's neither a savior or a failure, it's just a better way to do business if done the right way.

[Crustedfilth]

Originally Posted by magellan

I can only think of one high profile project here that is looking at geothermal, and it's on a tight 1/2 acre or so urban site. Most of the projects seem to go for other points (water conservation, green roofs).

I just hate the term value engineering anyway. To me, it always seems to equal poor design.

Trust me I hate it too.

You can get points for all kinds of crazy stuff. Having a bike rack gives you some, parking for car poolers gives you more.

1/2 acre site eh? Vertical well. Good luck.
My last vertical well project ended up with a leak in the well. total disaster. That was on the contractor tho. Not to mention the geotech people screwed up on the test borings.

Thats another issue, not many contractors have the right experience. You really have to be mindful of that.

[Driller1]

The trick to geo is pumping your grout, fast. I mean one person waiting just to open the valve.