GO GREEN

2B Green World is based in Tampa, FL specializing in LEED Certification Consulting. We are reliable, effective and efficient getting your project LEED Certified.  2B Green World has completed multiple Existing Building projects having an average payback less than 2 years!

Project – 100 North Tampa; Gross SF – 590,947

Total Project Cost – $155,000

Payback – 7 – 8 months

Project – 2525 Ponce de Leon; Gross SF – 263,118

Total Cost – est. $65,000

Payback – 7 -8 months

Project – 2555 Ponce de Leon; Gross SF – 112,711

Total Cost – est. $55,000

Payback – 1.34 years

We are the cost-effective route with obtaining LEED Certification through consulting.  We treat every client individually and develop a plan based on their goals.

Our LEED consulting fees vary, primarily based on Gross Square Feet, working within our clients budgets and time frames.

For more information call Bryan Lauer at 813.363.0861 or email at blauer123@hotmail.com

Please call with any questions or interest you may have.  Go Green!

Sustainable Consulting Solutions, in conjunction with CLW Real Estate Services Group, prove that going green saves green.  Please read the article here – http://www.review.net/section/detail/green-makes-green/

For more information on how to save money and LEED call Bryan Lauer at 813.363.0861.

2B Green World is a consulting firm specializing in Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Certification for Existing Buildings, including:

• Office Buildings
• Hospitals
• Hotels
• High-rise apartments/condo’s
• Government Buildings
• Retail Buildings

Benefits:

• Reduce Operating Expenditures (Electric & Water), Increase NOI
• Increase Building Equipment Efficiency and Longevity
• Increase Marketability
• Increase Occupancy Rate (if applicable)
• Increase Rental Rates (if applicable)
• Increase Sales Price
• Implement best management practices
• Increase Recycling Program
• Improve Building Operations
• Improve Indoor Air Quality Environment
• Utilize “Green”, environmentally friendly products

Mission Statement – To service building owners in reducing operating expenses, increasing marketing efforts and improving indoor and outdoor environments creating a healthier/sustainable workplace through LEED Certification.

Vision Statement – Preserve the World, one building at a time.

The following office buildings are past and current LEED EB projects:

These projects represent over 2 million square feet of Class A office space!

We can work on a project anywhere in the World.  How?  Technology.  We only need to visit the site a couple times, if at all!

For more information on LEED Consulting Services for Existing Buildings, please call Bryan Lauer at 813.363.0861 or blauer123@hotmail.com

Do your part to preserve our planet.

Straight from the Environmental Protection Agency, here are the top 10 cities with the most Energy Star labeled buildings (based on the # of EStar labeled building in 2009):

1. Los Angeles, CA
2. Washington, DC
3. San Francisco, CA
4. Denver, CO
5. Chicago, IL
6. Houston, TX
7. Lakeland, FL
8. Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
9. Atlanta, GA
10. New York, NY

Find labeled buildings in your city here – http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=labeled_buildings.locator

Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) is the most recognized standard when going “Green”.  “It’s (LEED) like ADA (American’s with Disability Act) when it first came into existence.”  LEED is becoming industry standard putting those Certified head and shoulders above others.  LEED has different meanings that everyone must be cognizant of.

LEED addresses the complete lifecycle of buildings.  There are different LEED systems to address different project types:  Homes, Neighborhood Development, Commercial Interiors, Core & Shell, New Construction, Schools, Healthcare, Retail and Operations & Maintenance.

Once the Operations and Maintenance of the various LEED project types begin creates sustainability, including cost savings.  The bulk of cost savings is realized through implementing energy efficient best management practices outlined in the LEED Reference Guide.   There are many benefits to LEED, including:  Increasing Occupancy Rate, Reposition Asset, Increase Asset Value, Reduce Operating Expenditures, Increase Marketability, Improve Corporate Image, Improve Indoor Air Quality, Utilize Environmentally Friendly Products.  The cost of LEED can typically be paid back within 3 to 5 years, sometimes sooner.

“The LEED Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based, market-driven building rating system based on existing proven technology.  It evaluates environmental performance from a whole-building perspective over a building’s life cycle, providing a definitive standard for what constitutes a green building…LEED has five environmental categories:  Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, and Indoor Environmental Quality…It is based on accepted energy and environmental principles and strikes a balance between known, established practices and emerging concepts. It is a performance-oriented system in which points are earned for satisfying criteria that address specific environmental impacts inherent in the design, construction, and operations and maintenance of buildings.” (USGBC- LEED EB: O&M manual)

There are different levels of certification (Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum) awarded based on the number of points earned.  The LEED process is very comprehensive in scope yet simple once established.

For further information please visit www.GoGreenCommercially.com or call Bryan Lauer at 813.349.8550, bblauer@clwrg.com

-Bryan Lauer, LEED AP

CLW Real Estate Services Group

I’m going to save about 2-4 gallons every time I shower now that I have a new eco-friendly shower-head.  I could save anywhere from 104 – 208 gallons every year and around $75 – $150/year just by turning the water off when I’m scrubbing down

The average person uses 100 gallons of water every day!  Do your part – save, be sustainable, act green, go green!

IF YOU DON’T KNOW, EARTH WEEK IS THIS WEEK AND EARTH DAY IS THURSDAY.

I hope everyone takes a moment to reflect on Mother Earth and how you treat Her.

Please be environmentally sensitive.

COMMENT to this post AND TELL US WHAT YOU DO TO BE SUSTAINABLE!

“I help existing buildings implement sustainable practices that meet LEED standards throughout Florida.  I’m looking to expand my LEED Certification for Existing Building expertise in hopes of reducing the US office building carbon footprint saving building owners money and much, much more.”

- Bryan Lauer, LEED AP

bblauer@clwrg.com

813.349.8550

This means that there are many articles about many different subjects that can be searched by using the search bar at the top of the website.  Enjoy!

This article was written by Houston Neal

In the next ten to twenty years, “electrical contractor” will no longer be a suitable job title for electricians. They will transition into “energy contractors” to support the fast-growing green construction market.

We see this as a coming renaissance in electrical contracting. There has been a revival of interest in the electrical trade as home owners and corporations adopt alternative methods (e.g. solar, wind, etc) to power buildings. What’s driving this? Federal incentives, lower material costs and savings from reduced energy spending.

A study by the American Solar Energy Society projects renewable energy jobs for electricians to grow approximately 900% by 2030, just in the state of Colorado.

To take advantage of upcoming opportunities, electricians will need to “green” their skill-set and re-brand themselves. We’ll share more on this later. First, let’s take a look at the trends driving this change.

Green Construction is on the Rise
According to a 2009 Booz Allen Hamilton study, green construction will skyrocket over the next five years. The report projects green construction to generate $554 billion dollars in GDP, provide $396 billion in labor earnings and support or create over 7.9 million jobs from 2009 to 2013. These figures are way up from the previous 8-year period. From 2000-2008, GDP from green construction was just $173 billion, labor earnings was $123 billion and number of jobs created was 2.4 million.

This growth comes directly from increased demand for green buildings, which is largely driven by cost savings from reduced property operating expenses, and by new regulations from federal legislation (e.g. American Clean Energy and Security Act).

Clearly, environmentally friendly construction affects the architecture engineering construction (AEC) industry collectively. But how will this impact electricians?

Electricians are in High Demand
The growing green construction market will create new demand for electricians. And to keep up with demand, electricians will need to diversify their skill-set. We obviously expect to see electricians working on solar photovoltaic and wind turbine installations, but that’s just the beginning. They’ll work on building retrofits, mass transit and light rail projects, “smart” electrical grid transmission systems and more. Here are a few examples of the unique places we expect electricians to find work:

• Lighting system upgrades – There are an estimated 2.2 million commercial buildings in the U.S. that have antiquated lighting systems (old fixtures, ballasts, lamps and controls). Additionally, all federal buildings are required to switch to Energy Star lighting products by the end of 2013 (in accordance with the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007). Some of these upgrades can be handled by the local maintenance guy, but others will require the expertise and skill of electrical contractors.

• Parking lot electrical outlets – A state bill in Minnesota will require half of new parking facilities to include outlets to charge electric vehicles. Who will install these docking stations? Electricians of course. Members of the Minnesota Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 292 are already preparing to provide labor for these projects. If successful, we expect other states and cities to follow Minnesota’s example.

• Wind turbine manufacturing – According to a report from the American Solar Energy Society (ASES), a typical 250-person wind turbine manufacturing company has two electricians as employees. This isn’t a large number, but it’s an example of the variety of job opportunities available.

• Electric vehicle electricians – Jobs for electricians will also emerge in adjacent industries. For example, electricians will need to be trained in auto mechanics – or auto mechanics will need to be trained in electrical contracting – in order to meet demand for electric vehicle maintenance. And the career outlook is good: electric vehicle electricians make an average of $39-$59 thousand a year.

For additional information on green job opportunities for electricians, check out this article from the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA).

LEED Creates New Opportunities
Projects applying for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) status are growing just as fast as the rest of the green construction market. With many LEED credits being electric- and energy-related, electricians will have an opportunity to win work on these projects. However, they’ll need to get versed on credit requirements, and should even consider becoming a LEED accredited professional (AP). LEED projects get an extra point for having an AP on the job, which could be a selling-point when bidding on jobs.

Here’s a sample of credits that require the knowledge and skill of electricians.

Electricians Must Act Now
With so many opportunities on the horizon, contractors need to make sure they’re ready to win jobs. To get started, they must gain the skills and knowledge to take on green projects. Both the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) offer education programs for green electrical work.

Next, contractors should market and promote their new green credentials. Update your website and other marketing materials, syndicate a press release to trade magazines and local media, and get more exposure online by joining directories (e.g. CalFinder.com) or advertising in search engines.

Finally, update your bidding process to make sure you win those green electrical jobs. You’ll need to bid accurately to ensure job profitability, but competitively to make sure you win the job. This means having up-to-date pricing information on materials and labor. Good electrical estimating software will have specific capabilities to estimate solar panel installations and other types of renewable energy jobs.

This article was written by Jack Lundee.

Mother Nature is one of, if not the, most destructive force on the planet and this was never more apparent then on January 12th, 2010 when the small island nation of Haiti was leveled by destructive and crippling earthquake. It is of grave importance that we do our best to take care of the Earth that is home to us all or we may find ourselves with such great natural tragedies as the people of Haiti. This is why the Clinton Global Initiative has taken the necessary steps to ensure a better, safer, and cleaner Earth for all of us with one of their many green initiatives of reducing fleet emissions in San Francisco. Machine behind the initiative, Doug Band, has lead the CGI to the forefront of international aid and philanthropy since its inception in 2005.  Their sights are set on preventing global warming from becoming a complete natural disaster, and this starts in the San Francisco bay area.

The CGI realizes that CO2 emissions that are being discharged into the San Fran atmosphere could be considerably cut down by changing the current route method for San Fran vehicle fleets. Luckily, the CGI has came up with a solution that both makes public service and fuel consumption more efficient in the area. Route optimization can not only help organize work assignments into real street time rather than a grid system, but also can be enhanced to minimize CO2 emissions by suggesting an optimized stop sequence for the fleets rather than leaving it up to the driver alone. This, the CGI feels, will not only help cut emissions in the San Francisco area but will ensure that a place that is very familiar with natural disasters helps prevent an even graver one from occurring.  To learn more about the practice areas of the CGI, including all green efforts, click here

February 8th, 2010

Most of the following tips were taken from various sources including myself.  The US EPA website is a good reference as well as this website.  Go Green!

Reduce your Carbon Footprint – don’t drive as much.

• Do not drive as much.  Only drive when necessary.  Turn your car off when waiting.
• Wait to run errands all at one time
• Ask your employer if you can work from home once or twice/week
• Carpool
• Begin purchasing Energy Efficient household items such as:  Light Bulbs, Washer/Dryer, Refrigerator, etc.
• Recycle
• Don’t purchase water bottles, use cups and reuse
• Don’t purchase as much to reduce your waste production

2010 World Challenge:  Save Water and Energy   d/b/a – Project Preserve

We need to preserve our planet for future generations.

How do you save water and energy?

How to save water:

• Invest in low-flow items or aerators (water-reducing devices – they are cheap) for:  faucets, shower-heads, toilets
• Turn shower off when scrubbing your body with soap.  If you do this every time you take a shower and you take an average of 1.25 showers/day you will save an estimated 1,003.74 gallons/year (2.2gpm flow rate * 1.25*365)! If 10% of America (30.8 million) committed to this challenge we would save thirty billion eight hundred ninety-two million four thousand
• Do not flush the toilet after you pee; wait 1 or 3 other times; this will save an estimated 803 – 2409 gallons/year.  If 10% of America committed to this challenge we would save twenty-four billion seven hundred thirty-two million four hundred thousand to seventy-four billion one hundred ninety-seven million two hundred thousand gallons of water/year.
• Combined water challenges would save $50-150/year for a combined total of one billion five hundred forty million to four billion six hundred twenty million dollars

How to save Energy

• Turn everything off, including A/C, and unplug appliances.  This could save 10% of your electric bill/year or 6.34205796 billion U.S. dollars if 10% of Americans took the 2010 Challenge d/b/a Project Preserve

LEED 2009 for Existing Buildings is the latest version the USGBC and GBCI have developed for existing buildings and is called Green Buildings Operations and Maintenance (GBOM).  The content within the reference guide is slightly different than the previous version – Existing Buildings Operation and Maintenance (EBOM), however, the credit points have changed significantly while the pre-requisites have stayed the same.

The credit points now have the following scale:  Certified – 40 – 49, Silver – 50 – 59, Gold – 60 – 79, Platinum – 80 – 110.  Although there are more points to be had, to achieve certification requires achieving more points than the EBOM version (32).

There is also a new version of LEED Online.  I used it today for the first time registering a project in Coral Gables.  Although different, it seems to be more user friendly once used to the formatting.  The submittal templates are also modified from the previous version making it more cumbersome.

In conclusion I believe the USGBC and GBCI need to stick with the same version of LEEDOnline and the Submittal Templates in order for people to be efficient and effective.  Changing these every year or two makes it much more difficult for LEED AP’s to master.

The article being reviewed was written by Joann Gonchar, AIA

If you have yet to hear about “cap and trade”, prepare yourself, as our Government has approved a bill known as the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES).  This bill will establish a type of “cap and trade” method which sets limits on greenhouse-gas emissions (carbon dioxide and 5 additional heat-trapping gases).  This bill was created for the purpose of reducing emissions 3% from 2005 levels by 2012.  ”The required reductions would surge up to 17 percent by 2020, and to 83 percent by mid-century.”

Refining sources, utilities, and other industrial sources of greenhouse gas emissions is who the bill would apply to.  The bill would not be directed toward individual commercial buildings.

What does all this mean?  It means the government is trying to save the world by reducing the deadly affects carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases cause.  To learn more about these deadly gases click here: Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

GreenSource Magazine

Energy and Atmosphere (EA)

EA pre-requisite 1:  Energy Efficiency Best Management Practices – Planning, Documenting, and Opportunity Assessment - Consists of the ASHRAE Energy Level I Audit, Running Energy Efficient- Infancy, Building Operating Plan (BOP), Systems Narrative, and other valuable information which begins your trek towards sustainable practices and financial savings through LEED Certification.  Go Green!

EA pre-requisite 2:  Minimum Energy Performance – Energy Star rating or comparable method of analysis For further information- www.energystar.gov

EA pre-requisite 3:  Refrigerant Management – Ozone Protection – Measure Air Handling Units (AHUs) and adjust according to ASHRAE Standards.

EA Credit 1:  Optimize Energy Performance – Energy Star Rating or comparable analysis rating.  energystar.gov

EA Credit 2.1:  Existing Building Commissioning – Investigation & Analysis - ASHRAE Energy Level II Audit, Money Saving Ideas for Energy Efficiency- Adolescents.  Idea generating thoughts for energy efficiency are developed to save money, illustrated with cost/benefit analysis.

EA Credit 2.2:  Existing Building Commissioning – Implementation – Begin no cost/low cost building improvement, energy efficient, options.  The genesis of financial benefit realization. 100 North Tampa is estimated to save  3.3 – 8.7% reducing energy consumption equating to $50,000-$130,000 per year! Go Green, LEED Certify your building.

EA Credit 2.3:  Existing Building Commissioning – Ongoing Commissioning – Commissioning plan, commissioning cycle, commissioning task/documentation.  Test and document all building exhaust systems for proper functioning to optimum levels.

EA Credit 5:  Refrigerant Management – Understand, track and record CFC, HCFC type refrigerants and consider replacement with non-CFC/HCFC based refrigerants.

EA Credit 6:  Emission Reduction Reporting – use third party (Energy Star) to track and verify your greenhouse gas emissions and written summary of GHG savings.

I convert existing buildings to become LEED (EBOM) Certified, Save Money and Go Green!

-Bryan Lauer, LEED AP

More case studies here – http://www.GoGreenCommercially.com/?s=leed+case+study&x=0&y=0

Welcome to Go Green World, a Blog about “Going Green”!  This Blog discusses benefits, strategies, facts and much more on going green.  The Blog is primarily directed towards Existing Commercial Buildings, however, most green strategies can be related to all aspects of life.  Help go green by browsing this site and providing feedback.

Your comments are welcomed and appreciated.

-Green Man