eVOL is changing the way owners certify their building portfolios By Lisa Stanley

Lisa Stanley is Director of Sustainable Facilities at CTG Energetics. She is a former property manager for Cushman & Wakefield. Lisa is based in CTG’s Denver office.

Since the beginning of the LEED EB Rating System, there have always been challenges for building owners and property managers wishing to achieve certification for their buildings: LEED EB seems cost-prohibitive on a per-building basis. Which buildings out of the many in my portfolio should I choose? There should be a way to bundle certain tasks together, and combine the efforts of individual buildings.

USGBC actively listens to feedback and is constantly improving their rating systems and programs. As a result of this improvement process, USGBC developed, tested, and recently launched the new LEED Volume Program, with tracks for both Design & Construction and Operations and Maintenance.

CTG has been closely following the development of the LEED Volume Program, especially the Operations and Maintenance track. We were the first company to successfully support submitting (and achieving) certification under the LEED EB Volume Pilot Program – an 18 building portfolio for a major property management firm. And in a current assignment with the U.S. General Services Administration, Public Building Service we were also the first to support submittal of the prototype to USGBC under the newly launched official LEED Volume Certification Process for Existing Buildings. The program we have developed to facilitate Volume Certification for LEED EB O+M is called eVOL™.

>> View Screenshots from the eVOL Program

A Game Changer
Speaking from the perspective of a former property manager, I can say that every so often a new tool or program is introduced which has the power to fundamentally change the way we work with commercial buildings – I call these "game changers." eVOL falls into this category. While many owners are either pursuing or would like to pursue a sustainable facilities program, they run into any number of roadblocks – the most common being: the per-building expense is too high, the logistics are too difficult to manage for an entire portfolio, and challenges of how to make the program long lasting, and not just an event that will fade. eVOL removes many of the barriers and complexities associated with pursuing a sustainable facilities program, and can be deployed for a fraction of the cost of traditional per-building programs.

USGBC conceived the Volume Certification Program to address the issues and drawbacks of a pursuing LEED certification on a building-by-building basis. CTG and our team have taken the backbone and methodology of the Volume Certification Program and built it into a user-friendly and web-enabled interface that is customizable to any number of parameters and systems a client might need. eVOL facilitates building assessments to help determine which buildings should be prioritized for certification, it allows owners to benchmark and compare performance of all buildings, either as a portfolio or as a discrete group, and it enables data management, documentation, and submittal via LEED Automation to USGBC.

Robust Capability
Put simply, eVOL was made to easily facilitate cost-effective greening of large building portfolios. The current version of the program was designed to support GSA in an effort to green their portfolio which consists of more than 9,200 buildings and more than 400 million square feet of development. Using eVOL, CTG and GSA are currently screening 1,000 buildings to find the best candidates to include in the initial phases of the program. More than 50 buildings have been selected for the first phase of GSA's volume certification program, and at least 200 will participate in the second phase.

Cost Savings
Because the USGBC Volume Certification Program is designed to work for portfolios of 25 or more buildings, there are inherent cost efficiencies which can be achieved by certifying multiple buildings at once. At CTG, we're estimating our clients will save as much as 70% on the per-building cost of achieving LEED EB certification by pursuing a portfolio approach. When it comes to customizing and deploying eVOL, the good news for future clients is that the program has already been developed, deployed, and tested, meaning you greatly benefit by leveraging technology which already exists. All you pay for is customization, program development, training, and submittal to USGBC.

If you're interested in learning more about eVOL, how the pricing structure works, or to schedule a demo, please give me a call. I'm based out of CTG's Denver office: 303-573-0070.

Thanks,



-Lisa



Contact: ctg@ctgenergetics.com

Changes Coming to ENERGY STAR By Jenna Lipscomb

Jenna Lipscomb is a Green Building Consultant with CTG Energetics. She specializes in sustainability for existing buildings, and has managed a variety of LEED EB O&M, LEED CI, and Retro-Commissioning Projects. Jenna is based in CTG’s Denver office.

I wanted to alert you of some recent Energy Star changes that may affect your building and Portfolio Manager account. If you only have time for the highlights, here they are:

• As of June, 2010 it is no longer permissible to subtract from building totals the square footage and metered energy consumption of data centers or server closets.


• Data Center Space Type should be used in place of subtracting data center SF and energy consumption


• Data center energy consumption data should ONLY include IT load, not cooling, lighting, etc. This might require a meter configuration change


• Consumption estimate function can be used until June 2012 if meters are not installed


• Data center meters required as of June 2012 in order to use the "Data Center" space type.

Details:

In June of 2010, the EPA reevaluated the way Data Centers should be classified and how their energy consumption should be reported. It is now no longer permissible to subtract the square footage and the metered energy consumption of the data centers out of the total building square footage and total building energy consumption. Data centers must be broken out into a 'data center' space type.

Data centers are now defined as "spaces specifically designed and equipped to meet the needs of high density computing equipment such as server racks used for data processing and storage. Typically these facilities require dedicated uninterruptible power supplies and cooling systems." This space type no longer includes server closets and computer training rooms. If there is any square footage in your portfolio previously defined as data center, please reevaluate what amount meets the new definition of data center. All other spaces (hot spots, data closets, computer rooms, etc) that do not meet this definition should be added back to the office space type. The energy being sub-metered from such non-data center spaces cannot be used (deducted) in Portfolio Manager.

By June 2012, the spaces meeting the definition of data center must to be sub metered in order to take credit for having a data center. The requirements for sub metering have also changed. It is no longer permissible to meter the entire disproportionate load on the data center (IT, cooling, lighting, etc). EPA now requires that only the IT load be measured and reported. This will most likely require a change to your metering configuration to accommodate this data collection.

At CTG we recently investigated the reasons for this seemingly strange requirement. We learned that the EPA has spent years collecting data on the energy consumption of data centers of various sizes and their cooling and lighting loads required to sustain the energy intense operation. As such, the EPA built the data center space type algorithm off of the IT load, such that an appropriate cooling load is allocated based on the IT consumption. In this way, the EPA is setting a baseline for the non-IT disproportionate power that adjusts based on the IT load the data center is carrying. The result is a standardized method of measuring the performance of data centers against each other, and incentivizes data centers to be run more efficiency (sizing cooling loads appropriately rather than just adding more cooling units when servers get added).

What this means for you

We've been working with our clients to determine whether metering configuration changes are required. Given that the 2-year window the EPA has allowed for metering changes is set to expire in June 2012, we are encouraging clients to make changes as soon as possible. After June 2012 you will no longer be able to use an 'estimate' function within the data center space type, and metered data will be required. If you install sub-meters by June, you'll be able to collect and report on a year's worth of accurate data.

... If you decide to wait

If you decide to wait and metered data is still unavailable as of June 2012, your data center square footage cannot be defined as "data center" and must be added back into the “office space” type. Needless to say, this will lower the building score and will not be an accurate reflection of your building performance. A little bit of work now will position you for an easy transition next June, and will help you maintain your ENERGY STAR rating.

What to do now

I recommend reviewing additional literature from the EPA that discusses these changes in greater detail – we've posted the document here.

If you have any further questions regarding these changes and how they affect your specific Portfolio Manager account, I'm happy to answer any questions you have. I can be reached in CTG's Denver office at 303-573-0070.

Thanks,

-Jenna

Contact: ctg@ctgenergetics.com

Pre-Greenbuild 2010 Blog By Malcolm Lewis

Malcolm Lewis is Chairman and CEO of CTG Energetics.


As everyone travels to Chicago for the annual Greenbuild Conference, one’s thoughts turn to what we might expect at this year’s conference: What will the mood be? What new trends and technologies will be revealed? My predictions are described below:

• The mood will be very upbeat, and there will be more attendees at this year’s Greenbuild than at any prior one.


• Green building is the major growth element in the real estate industry in 2010.


• The demand for booth space for the GreenBuild Expo has far out-stripped supply.


• The participants will report that their business is turning up faster than the general economy.


• International uptake of LEED continues to expand, making it the dominant global green brand.


• The proportion of total LEED registrations from outside the US has skyrocketed this year.


• A new LEED International Roundtable is being convened in Chicago with representatives from 18 countries to discuss how to make LEED more appropriate and adaptable worldwide.


• Increased adoption of sustainability as a major corporate driver.


• Many corporations now have CSO’s (Chief Sustainability Officers) and are integrating sustainability into every aspect of their business model.


• Evidence that LEED Certification is a value-added driver for commercial real estate.


• Developers and brokers are seeing green projects sell or lease more quickly.


• There is increased consumer awareness and expressed market demand for green building.


• Emergence of LEED-EB O&M as a major force in the real estate market.


• The proportion of LEED certifications for Existing Buildings is growing rapidly.


• The “Volume” path of certification for LEED-EB O&M is taking off for portfolio clients.


• Development of numerous web-based tools for applying sustainability.


• The new Green Building Information Gateway (GBIG) tool developed by USGBC will be introduced.


• The new Sustainable Workplace tool developed for US General Services Administration by CTG and Noblis will be introduced.


• Legitimization of GHG Emissions as a critical driver for public policy and private action.


• Work continues to move towards defining “regenerative buildings” ... buildings that actually improve the environment, rather than just being “less bad”.

So those are my quick predictions. We will report to you what our perspective is at the end of the conference. CTG will be set up at booth 1635 in hall F2 - please drop by and see us!!

Contact: ctg@ctgenergetics.com

Why CA Prop 23 is wrong By Malcolm Lewis

Malcolm Lewis is Chairman and CEO of CTG Energetics.

Somebody asked me recently what I thought of California’s Proposition 23 – a ballot proposition that will be on the November 2, 2010 statewide ballot that will suspend AB 32 – the landmark Global Warming Solutions Act passed in 2006. This is an incredibly important issue, and I thought it worthwhile to share my thoughts with you.


In sort, I think it’s a really bad proposition that should definitely be a NO vote.

Why do I say that?

• It is sponsored primarily by two oil companies, in a cynical attempt to avoid reducing their own pollution.


• There is some evidence that the net economic impact of AB32 will be positive, not negative as Prop 23 assumes.


• We need to be on a technical path to reduce emissions of CO2 and other GHGs, and without AB32 this won’t happen.


• There are actually many new venture start-ups that are focusing on CO2 reduction technologies, but these will likely wither if AB32 is put on hold, since AB32 is creating the demand for CO2 reduction. One of those ventures that is really cool, as an example, takes the CO2 from the stack of a power plant, runs it through seawater, and produces cement by reacting the CO2 and the seawater! Since cement is one of the most ubiquitous building materials, and also one of the highest in CO2 generation in its manufacture, it’s a win-win.


• Another venture produces cement from the Magnesium Oxide (MgO) that is a byproduct from pumping oil wells. MgO is a major chemical component of the brine that comes up with oil and the brine has to be separated and (currently) disposed of as a major pollution problem. By making cement, it eliminates both this pollution problem from the brine AND the pollution from CO2 emissions of manufacturing cement the old fashioned way, which is so energy (and CO2) intensive. Again, without the forcing function of an AB32 to put limits on CO2 emissions, it’s not clear if this would see the light of day any time soon.


• Prop 23 is indexed to the unemployment rate, on the unproven premise that AB32 will somehow increase unemployment. Given the kinds of ventures described above, it seems likely to me that AB32 could be the catalyst for creating new industries in California that would be based upon a "clean technology" model rather than a "pollute and let someone else deal with it" model. It's arguable that the 5.5% unemployment rate that is the trigger in Prop 23 hasn't been seen in over 20 years, so this effectively kills AB32 rather than merely delaying it.


• As an example of the kinds of positive impacts that AB32 is likely to have on fostering innovation and reducing negative impacts, it is instructive to look at the history of the Building Energy Efficiency Regulations that California has enacted over the past 32 years. Starting in 1978, the Title 24 Energy Efficiency Regulations have consistently raised the bar on requirements for allowable energy usage in buildings, and the result has been that CA is the only state in the US that has maintained its per capita energy usage at a flat number over the past 30 years, rather than continuous increases. In the process, it has spawned R&D on countless technologies for lighting, windows, heating and cooling, and others that have literally transformed the global markets for these products. It has also saved billions of dollars in avoided energy costs for CA consumers and businesses. But none of this would have happened without the forcing function of the Warren-Alquist Act in the mid-1970's that created the legislative basis for the Title 24 standards.


• So these are the arguments that can be made, whether or not one believes in "climate change." But if you do believe that climate change might be impacted by man-made actions, of which CO2 emissions are by far the largest, then it makes sense to keep moving forward on AB32 as a precautionary step. If you go further (as 95% of the scientific community does based upon work over the past 20 years by the IPCC) and conclude unequivocally that there is a link between CO2 and climate change, then it would be foolhardy to derail AB32 by passing Prop 23. We are already way behind the curve in terms of taking actions that could bring the CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere back to the climatically sustainable value of 350 ppm, and without AB32 as a starting point, we will likely be unable to ever achieve that.



• To me, this comes down in many ways to the famous argument to the atheist about the rational strategy for believing in God: if there is a God and you didn’t believe, you are doomed to eternal damnation; if there isn’t a God and you did believe, you probably led a better life than you otherwise would have. Substitute "climate change" for "God" in the above sentence and you get the point.


• On a related theological perspective, it seems clear to me that mankind is violently disobeying the biblical mandate to be good stewards of God's creation.
  

Contact: ctg@ctgenergetics.com

Sustainability & Healthcare

In recent months, CTG has noticed steadily rising growth in the demand for sustainability services in the Healthcare sector, and in response the firm is adding capacity to support new projects. CTG has hired new staff to provide support for a growing portfolio of healthcare assignments, and we are now better positioned to provide healthcare clients with a broad range of services, including:

• sustainability consulting


• energy master planning


• green operations and maintenance


• commissioning


• climate change planning


• green building certification support

CTG is currently engaged in several major healthcare and research laboratory projects, and this experience has provided the firm with deep insight into the industry. We are aware that hospital and clinic owners and operators are under increasing pressure to control costs and develop competitive advantages. Many are embracing sustainability as a way to build and maintain more efficient facilities. Industry-wide efforts, such as the development of the Green Guide for Health Care and the adaptation of the LEED rating system from the US Green Building Council to include a new LEED for Healthcare system, have helped direct the focus towards green alternatives.

Many healthcare providers are pursuing sustainability programs because government requirements are growing, and pursuing sustainability is viewed as an important risk management strategy. Some are interested in the cost savings realized through increased efficiency and lower utility bills. Still others view it as a logical extension of their core missions – green buildings are inherently healthier than their counterparts, so they recognize the value of treating patients in a sustainable facility.

As part of the services expansion, we are reaching out to industry contacts, setting up strategy sessions, hosting sustainability workshops, and providing gap assessment reports to help clients determine the appropriate path to sustainability. We are also eagerly anticipating the official launch of the LEED for Healthcare Rating System, and stand ready to help clients evaluate options for sustainability and pursue certification. If you have any questions about CTG’s expansion in the Healthcare sector, please feel free to contact us at 949-790-0010.

Contact: ctg@ctgenergetics.com

Climate Change Obligations By Matt Burris

As the topic of climate change becomes hotter and hotter, we at CTG are increasingly working with clients to help them understand their potential obligations under state laws such as AB 32 and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to engage in activities that are becoming commonly known as Climate Action Planning. As cities and counties update their General Plans, they are required to implement a climate change program in order to demonstrate how their communities will start transitioning to a low carbon future. What we have found is that there is a growing level of uncertainty as to what might be the appropriate scope of effort to in order to develop an appropriate emissions reduction program.

We are finding that there are generally three types of climate change programs that communities, colleges, and other organizations are developing. These types of programs are largely defined by their difference in detail of the input data, the type of verification or reductions (if any), and the nature of the implementation plan.

1. Policy Grade:
   
   Policy grade programs include GHG inventories that are comprised of a minimum level of detail and statistical data rather than measured data. They present a vision, high-level policies, and measures for the reduction of emissions, but likely do not have a detailed implementation plan. Their purpose is to provide enough information to begin a dialogue on reducing GHG emissions and to establish new policies for reducing GHG emissions.



2. Regulatory Grade:
   
   Regulatory grade programs present moderately detailed GHG inventories, specific emissions reduction measures with quantified emissions reductions potential, a clear foundation for project evaluation and approval, and clear guidance to the private sector on requirements and expectations. Their primary purpose is to assist communities with the review of development applications.



3. Registry Grade:
   
   Registry grade programs present detailed GHG inventories with quantified emissions reductions potential, an implementation framework, a process for verifying reductions in accordance with the procedures of a selected registry, and steps for reporting reductions to a registry. Their purpose is to provide a program for reporting emissions reductions to an organization such as the Climate Action Reserve.

One of the key steps a community must undertake before committing to an emissions reduction program is to determine which program approach is most appropriate. Community leaders should consider what their needs are and how their emissions reduction program will be used when it is complete. Is the program meant to be mainly inspirational and begin a community discussion on how to reduce emissions? Is the program meant to provide a framework for regulating new development? Is the program meant to measure actual fuel use and emissions for reporting to the Climate Action Reserve? Additionally, communities should consider the tiering guidance of SB 97 to ensure a seamless connection with future CEQA compliance.

Communities should also consider the resources they can commit to an emissions reduction program. Very generally speaking, the level of detail involved in developing the emissions inventory and in analyzing the emissions reduction potential of various strategies correlates to the level of effort needed to complete the program. However, this is not always the case as data availability, community involvement, and political environment can also strongly affect the program development process and require additional effort.


As more communities draft emissions reduction programs, the industry will begin to better understand the process and the merits and limitations of the various grades of emissions reduction programs. As the economy recovers and communities begin implementing their emissions reduction programs, this discipline will take a leap forward, informed with the knowledge of which data works and which emissions reductions strategies are most effective, helping to reduce the level of effort needed to prepares these programs and increasing the overall sophistication Climate Action Planning.

-Matt

Matt Burris is a Director with CTG Energetics based in CTG’s Irvine office. He manages the firm’s climate services team and is currently leading efforts to develop emissions reduction programs for communities in State of California.
ctg@ctgenergetics.com

CTG is Hiring Energy Analysts & Mechanical Engineers By Greg Shank

CTG Energetics, Inc. (CTG) is actively looking for talented Energy Analysts/Modelers and Mechanical Engineers to join our growing team of sustainability consulting professionals.

CTG is working on some of the most significant green building projects in the world, and is recognized worldwide as one of the leading sustainability consulting firms. Our team has consulted on over 130 LEED certified projects, including 9 Platinum and more than 50 Gold-rated projects. We have completed projects throughout the US and in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

If you are passionate about sustainability, enjoy working in a collaborative team-based environment, gravitate towards challenging projects and creative solutions, and excel communicating with clients, CTG could be an excellent fit for you.

Positions we’re hiring for currently include:

Energy Analyst/Modeler
Commissioning Project Engineer

A few benefits of working for CTG Energetics:

• Work for an industry leader – CTG has been in business since 1997, and in that time we’ve developed a solid reputation as one of the leading sustainability consulting firms in the world. CTG’s Chairman and CEO, Dr. Malcolm Lewis is widely recognized as one of the most experienced leaders in the green building industry, and many of our team members serve in leadership positions in many trade organizations including USGBC and ASHRAE.


• Raise the bar for technical excellence – at CTG you will find yourself working on some of the most interesting and challenging projects in the built environment today. CTG has a reputation for excelling on complex projects, and we are routinely requested to partner and propose on new high performance developments.


• Work-life balance – We work hard and play hard. At CTG we recognize the value of taking time to relax and recharge with friends and family, as well as supporting time off for health reasons. We offer competitive vacation and holiday packages, and encourage employees to take advantage of time off.


• Competitive compensation and benefits – We are committed to providing our team with a generous employment package which includes 401(k), Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), profit sharing and bonus potential, annual physical fitness benefit, and green transportation benefit.


• Share in the company’s success - CTG administers an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) which provides employees with the valuable benefit of sharing in the future growth and success of our organization.


• Opportunities for advancement – We believe in fostering employee development and have a strong culture of promoting leadership within the organization. Indeed, most of CTG’s senior management team has been promoted from within.


• Staff diversity – We pride ourselves on fostering a diverse workforce, and encourage candidates from all backgrounds. More than half of CTG’s staff is female, including two of five senior team leaders.


• Great workplaces – CTG maintains offices in Irvine, CA, Denver, CO, Oakland, CA, and Washington, DC. Current opportunities are available in CTG’s Irvine (central Orange County) and Denver (historic lower downtown Denver) offices.

I could go on, but I’ll leave it at this: we love our jobs and feel truly rewarded for the work we do. If you feel CTG could be a good fit for your career ambitions, we’d love to hear from you.

To learn more about available positions, please visit the careers section of our website at http://www.ctg-net.com/aboutUs/Careers.aspx. If you are interested in a position please email your resume along with references and a cover letter to careers@ctg-net.com.

Thanks, and we look forward to hearing from you!

-Greg

Greg Shank is President of CTG Energetics, Inc.

CTG is an equal employment opportunity employer and complies with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, marital status, medical condition, sexual orientation, citizenship, as well as any other category protected by federal, state, or local laws. In addition, CTG participates in an Affirmative Action Program.

LEED for Existing Buildings – We ALL Win By Lisa Stanley

Sustainable facilities. LEED EB. LEED Certified buildings. Greening operations practices. Why? Are you chasing a plaque? Competing with your peers? Another feather in your cap? Ego of the real estate owner? It’s not all about ego – but that does play a part. The good news – we are working with a win-win-win! The building owner, property manager, leasing agents and tenants crave the status of being associated with a LEED certified building. The result is that they are making changes to their day-to-day operations.

Even if getting a plaque is somewhat about ego, competition and prestige, that’s fine – chances are you also have a genuine interest in making a difference in the world. As a matter of fact, most people do want to have a positive impact on our environment and satisfy that ego. What I find so incredibly gratifying is supporting building teams as a green building consultant in this win-win-win concept. We all win when an office building chooses to invest in running a LEED EB certified facility: the building ownership and management team wins by showing that they rank among the best of the best and they get to put a “real” feather in their cap. The building owner wins because they will attract and retain more tenants at a higher rate. This clearly supports the owner’s goal in running the building as an investment by improving its value. The tenants also win – they reap the benefits of a comfortable and healthy workplace, and can promote the fact that they lease office space in a LEED certified “green” office building. And last, but most certainly not least, the environment wins.

We must focus on making the operations of our existing buildings more efficient and less toxic, and the good news is that Class A office buildings are getting on board. One by one they are reducing the amount of gas, electricity, and water consumed on site. They are reducing the amount of waste that hits the landfill, and they are reducing the amount of toxic chemicals on-site.

Simple low cost changes made to aerators, operating schedules, set points, and calibration plans are making a difference. As building systems reach the end of their useful life, more efficient systems are selected by building operating teams. Rather than routinely using the most toxic pest control chemicals once a month (because that is the way it was always done) buildings are taking more time to inspect and prevent pests in the first place.

Green cleaning is now common practice; two years ago a vendor thought I was crazy when I told them they had to use microfiber cleaning cloths rather than paper towels. Now it is common practice to not only see microfiber – but four colors: blue for glass, green for general cleaning, red for toilets & urinals in restrooms, and yellow for general restrooms cleaning. This is just one example of sweeping changes being made to the operations and maintenance practices in office buildings.

Little by little, the bar is being raised – and all are rising to the occasion. Here is to a win, win, win – let’s get those plaques on the walls!

-Lisa

Lisa Stanley is a Director with CTG Energetics. She leads LEED-EB certification efforts for portfolio and single-building projects for CTG. She is a former property manager for Cushman & Wakefield. Lisa is based in CTG’s Denver office.

ctg@ctgenergetics.com

Lessons from the field: LEED for Existing Buildings Volume Certification By Lisa Stanley

As the U.S. Green Building Council prepares to officially launch their Portfolio Program, I wanted to share some thoughts from my experience helping Cushman and Wakefield achieve 18 facility certifications under the pilot of the Portfolio Program.

The goal of the program as it relates to existing buildings is to scale the implementation of sustainable operations and maintenance practices so that multiple buildings within a company’s portfolio can pursue LEED certification in a streamlined and cost-effective way, while at the same time maintaining the rigor of the LEED rating system.

Cushman and Wakefield was one of 40 companies to participate in the USGBC Pilot Program for portfolio certification. The Pilot was launched in November 2006, and C&W joined in February 2008. When the company joined, 20 properties under their management were selected – a portfolio representing multiple clients and millions of square feet of commercial real estate.

Opportunities:
The opportunities posed by volume certification are obvious:

• implement green policies company-wide,


• impact a broad spectrum of facilities at once,


• influence market trends for commercial real estate,


• provide notable recognition for companies that embrace sustainability, and


• pave the way for more companies and institutions to follow.

One of the greatest benefits to companies pursuing portfolio certification is the ability to take advantage of the opportunity to adopt practices and processes that will provide continuous and persistent savings. At CTG, we always stress the fact that sustainability is an ongoing process, not a one-time event.

By implementing portfolio-wide green changes, organizations can position themselves to reap all the benefits of sustainable operations and maintenance (lower operating costs, increased asset value, prolonged equipment life, improved worker productivity, etc.) while also making the process for LEED re-certification much simpler and less expensive. In fact, we’ve found that facilities that pursue an ongoing certification maintenance program can save more than 40% in certification and consulting fees compared to pursuing certification as a one-time event.

Challenges:
Despite the obvious benefits of pursuing portfolio LEED certification, there are numerous obstacles to overcome. As a former portfolio manager for Cushman and Wakefield, I’m very familiar with some of the biggest challenges:

• How do you facilitate standardized data capture across a nationwide (or worldwide) portfolio of buildings?


• What is the best way to account for regional differences in operations and maintenance procedures (such as landscaping and waste management)


• How can local incentives (such as tax breaks and utility rebates) effectively be applied to select buildings within a portfolio?

What we learned:
We knew that in order to enable a successful large-scale LEED EB O&M program we would have to develop a variety of tools, resources, and training programs to assist C&W. Indeed, one of the points of participating in the Pilot program is to identify and solve challenges posed by applying a rating system which has traditionally been based on single-building implementation to a nationwide, multiple-building certification effort.

One of the cornerstones of successfully rolling out volume LEED certification is a robust comprehensive training program. Because multiple buildings adopt changes all at the same time each and every team member at the building level must be trained to understand and implement the portion of the sustainable program that they are responsible for maintaining.
Each policy, procedure, and tracking tool – at a minimum – must be rolled out and integrated into the building operating team’s day-to-day structure.

In addition to providing staff training, CTG delivered the following tools:

• Microsoft Excel-based applications for building-level credit compliance


• Documentation tracking tools


• Summary reporting for performance metrics


• Customized procedures manual


• Portfolio-level submittal package (including a portfolio report card, and summaries of portfolio performance by credit)

Results
Earlier this month, we received word from the USGBC that 18 C&W properties received final certification, including 4 Platinum and 7 Gold rated facilities. This accomplishment is the first of its kind for the Portfolio Program under the LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance rating system.

Looking forward
Based on our experience, the Portfolio Program was an extremely positive experience which represents a huge step forward in the practice of greening existing buildings. As the Portfolio Program opens to the public in an official launch this year we expect to see more companies with a portfolio of buildings begin to pursue volume certification strategies as opposed to limited one-off pursuits.

For any company considering portfolio certification, there are a few questions you should start off asking. Who from your staff is dedicated to supporting the program and how much time do they have to do so? How much money are you willing to invest in the tools and training programs required for your building teams?

We are excited about the official launch of this program, and interested to see how it is adopted by the market. If the early data is an indicator, we can expect to see more firms – particularly companies with large portfolios of Class A office space – pursuing volume certification and portfolio-wide sustainability programs.

-Lisa

Lisa Stanley is a Director with CTG Energetics based in CTG’s Denver office. She is a former Portfolio Manager with Cushman & Wakefield.
ctg@ctgenergetics.com

Thoughts on the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit By Malcolm Lewis

Well, here we are. The successor to Kyoto has finally arrived, and yet it’s a murky outlook. What will happen? Will mankind pull together to act for the well-being of the planet and all species, or are we doomed by self-interest and the "tragedy of the commons" to argue and temporize instead?

Of course, only time will tell, but there are some hopeful signs. Both the US and China have committed to specific reductions in GHG emissions, though not to the levels needed to achieve equilibrium. Both Barack Obama and Hu Jintao are scheduled to speak in Copenhagen, and one can only hope and pray that statesmanship will be more appealing than chest-thumping. It is possible that some progress will be made in setting global targets for national emissions reductions. And this would be far more progress than was achieved in Kyoto in 1997.

As we await the outcome of the Copenhagen discussions and negotiations, there is another story that needs to be told ... one that has been unfolding for the past few years and is accelerating. This is the story of the parallel efforts to reduce GHG emissions through enlightened actions of both private (non-governmental) and public (governmental) sectors to reduce GHG emissions through policy and actions that don’t require federal law or international agreement.

There is a widespread agreement among scientists and observers around the world that we need to reduce GHG emissions to the point where we can maintain a maximum of 350 ppm CO2 in the atmosphere. This has informed countless public and private programs to drive down GHG emissions from every possible source: power plants, buildings, transportation, and industry. These programs range from the State of California’s AB-32 Global Warming Solutions Act to the global network of activists at http://www.350.org/ to commitments by major corporations to reduce their carbon footprints.

The portion of this activity in which CTG is most active is the built environment (buildings, communities, and related infrastructure). We have been working for years in the area of carbon emissions reductions, pioneering techniques that can make this achievable both technically and economically. A summary of some of these activities includes:

• CTG developed its Climate Ready™ services to aid property owners and managers to assess and manage the implications of climate change on real estate portfolios.
• CTG developed one of the modeling approaches for assessing carbon mitigation strategies that was recommended by the State of California Attorney General's office for real estate project entitlements.
• CTG is currently leading a statewide team under the California Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program to develop protocols for prediction and measurement of GHG emissions from buildings and land use, which it is anticipated will be the basis for the state's implementation of AB-32.
• CTG performed the analysis underlying the inclusion in LEED of carbon weighting for LEED 2009, and is currently doing the same for LEED 2012.
• CTG has provided support to many of its real estate clients in assessing the “carbon footprint” of their portfolios and determining economically viable ways to reduce those footprints.

The point of summarizing these activities is to make clear that the world doesn’t need to sit on its hands pending agreements reached in Copenhagen. There are many tangible and practical steps that can be taken (and are being taken) by individuals and organizations to reduce GHG emissions now. If you’d like more insight as to how, contact John Irvine at jji@ctg-net.com / 949-428-6267.

In our next post we’d like to offer ideas about what more can be done to reduce the impacts the built environment has on climate change.

-Malcolm

Malcolm Lewis is President of CTG Energetics