Latest news with #USGreenBuildingCouncil
Forbes
21-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Homebuilders Deliver Under Threat Of Wildfire Season
Hapi Homes uses light gauge steel replacing timber as a noncombustible frame solution to create ... More wildfire resilient, affordable homes. Record-breaking May temperatures in Texas—topping 100 degrees—are intensifying wildfire conditions, while more than 40,000 acres burn across Minnesota and parts of Canada. While wildfires are common in the Southwest, their growing presence in northern states signals a dangerous shift in wildfire patterns across the U.S. As climate change leads to more frequent and widespread wildfires, homebuyers, builders, and insurers are urgently seeking wildfire-resistant homes and climate-resilient construction strategies. Here's how innovators are building safer, more sustainable communities in high-risk areas. With rebuilding now a priority in many communities, California is leading the way. In April 2025, the U.S. Green Building Council California released the California Wildfire Rebuilding Guide, designed specifically to help homeowners rebuild after fire events. The guide incorporates input from CAL FIRE, the National Fire Protection Association, and the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety. It targets suburban and urban environments like Altadena and Pacific Palisades, where wildfire risks intersect with earthquakes and extreme heat. It also outlines cost-effective, sustainable rebuilding strategies at the community scale. The guide is tailored for areas with defined lot lines and limited space, where rebuilding must be efficient and disaster-conscious. 'Wildfire projections have increased in frequency,' said Jamie Knippen, senior product manager at Cotality, a property data analytics firm. 'Drought conditions are driving more fires in places we've never seen them before.' Using AI-powered property risk data, Cotality helps builders identify wildfire threats before development begins—critical insight for insurers evaluating new coverage options. Mitigation data is also being tied directly to insurance discounts. 'It's estimated that completing all 12 California-required mitigation actions can lead to a 20% insurance premium reduction,' Knippen said. Wildfire resiliency is evolving and will be able to better protect people and to provide much needed housing supply in areas that maybe didn't previously seem like options with more data and design innovation. A key part of wildfire-safe construction is material selection. Hapi Homes, a modular home company, is seeing skyrocketing demand thanks to its noncombustible light-gauge steel framing. 'We've seen a 300% to 400% increase in inquiries after the Los Angeles fires,' said CEO Mary O'Brien. 'Resiliency starts with the light-gauge steel. It forms the core frame, manufactured to spec using automated factory tools.' Hapi Homes kits range from $85 to $150 per square foot depending on finishes, with most averaging $100. Add another $105 to $115 per square foot for contractor buildout, and these affordable modular homes are still well below traditional costs. Each home is shipped from Salt Lake City in a single 14-foot container, which holds an entire 1,200-square-foot house. Once delivered, framing and panel assembly are faster and cheaper than conventional builds—cutting structural build time by 40% and labor costs by 20%. Because they are wildfire-hardened, homes built by Hapi also qualify for up to 20% insurance discounts. In 2024, Hapi future-proofed its business by moving its steel supply chain to the U.S., avoiding international delays and import tariffs. 'We're no longer exposed to overseas shipping disruptions, and the cost is comparable,' O'Brien said. This custom home was built with RSG 3-D panels in the roof, walls and floor to be wildfire and ... More earthquake resistant. Some companies are pushing the envelope on disaster-resilient housing. RSG 3-D, for example, uses a proprietary panel system made of concrete, steel trusses, and polystyrene insulation that resists not only wildfires but also hurricanes and earthquakes. 'The resiliency is our bag,' said CEO Ken Calligar. 'We've had 30 years of real-world testing in real-world conditions. On a wind rating basis, we're rated up to 300 to 321 mph. That's just an engineering calculation because there isn't equipment to test that kind of sustained wind force.' He said the panels' seismic testing was stopped to avoid damaging the equipment—despite no damage to the panels themselves. 'We tested up to a 9.4 Richter event and still didn't have a cosmetic or structural crack,' he said. 'The engineers took the panel apart to see if there was internal damage, and there was none. They rated it up to 11.0.' The strength comes from the panel's construction. Each 4-foot-wide panel includes solid-core polystyrene insulation, surrounded by pre-galvanized steel with a steel truss system. Once transported to the site, concrete is poured into the panel. The panels can be used for the entire structure—including walls, roofs, and floors. 'You can frame fast and precise with any building envelope you want, then apply the concrete and have a 500-year building,' Calligar said. The panels are cost-competitive and could be less expensive at scale. 'You can reduce mechanicals because the panels are 50% more energy efficient,' he said. 'On a lifecycle basis, we build the lowest-cost building because it saves 50% on energy, 50% on maintenance, and 40% on insurance.' MDLR Brands used wildfire resistant panels to build this proof-of-concept modular project in ... More California for an affordable, resilient construction process that can go to scale. In a high-wildfire-risk zone in California, builder Allen Lancaster and MDLR Brands are wrapping up framing on a 1,700-square-foot duplex using structural insulated panels. The framing took just two days—half the time of a standard build. The Bishop Modular Duplex is a pilot project showcasing modular construction for wildfire zones. MDLR's system offers a one-hour fire rating and self-extinguishing panels that are also rated for Category 5 hurricanes and are mold- and pest-resistant. While the fire-resistant materials slightly increased the manufacturing cost, MDLR is able to offset those increases with the reduced labor, faster build time, and long-term durability of the panel system. 'Overall, the cost-benefit is highly favorable when considering the avoided expenses related to fireproofing traditional framing methods,' said Harrison Langley, CEO at MDLR. 'Minimal maintenance is required. Unlike wood or traditional cladding, LiteSIP panels do not degrade with heat or exposure.' The product also comes in at an affordable $285 per square foot. The latest wildfires have caused severe damage across North America. But they've also spurred innovation and inspired the building industry to prioritize wildfire-resistant design, sustainable materials, and affordable rebuilding solutions. As climate risks escalate, making wildfire resiliency a priority is no longer optional. These builders and innovators are proving that safer homes don't have to be more expensive—they just need to be smarter.
Forbes
13-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
What Will Ending The Energy Star Program Mean For Shoppers?
Energy Star ratings have simplified appliance shopping for millions of consumers. If you've shopped for appliances in the last two decades, you've probably seen the yellow Energy Star product stickers showing your estimated electrical costs for using it. Maybe they helped you select one clothes washer over the other or narrowed your selection to three refrigerators from six. Other products that use gas or electricity, like water heaters and light fixtures, or that impact a home's energy efficiency, like windows and insulation, can also be Energy Star certified. This voluntary public-private partnership may be eliminated in a federal restructuring, and feelings among industry professionals about that are mixed. 'Energy Star is the most widely recognized symbol for energy efficiency in America,' announced the program on its website, touting close to 90% awareness. According to its 2023 Annual Overview Report, (the last I was able to find), approximately 1800 manufacturers participate in the program, with more than 80,000 product models in more than 75 categories. The report also notes that '48 local governments, seven states, two Canadian provinces, and three Canadian cities rely on the Energy Star Portfolio Manager tool as the foundation for their energy benchmarking and transparency policies.' The U.S. Green Building Council also uses Energy Star ratings for its Leadership in Energy Design (LEED) rating system. Ben Stapleton, the US Green Building Council California's executive director, points to the program's widespread benefits: 'Energy Star provides a trusted and critical resource for homeowners to assess all kinds of appliances for their energy use. The value of having a trusted third party for this cannot be understated.' He notes that there are other energy efficiency standards available, but many are more technically oriented and hard for consumers to understand. 'Energy Star has been one of the most effective programs ever put forth in this space, pushing the envelope for reducing energy use not just here in the US, but globally, this will create a vacuum that will be difficult to fill.' The Real Estate Roundtable, USGBC and the National Association of Home Builders have all co-signed a letter advocating for the program's continuation, shares Bill Darcy, CEO of the National Kitchen & Bath Association.* According to NKBA's sustainability study, he comments, 51% of homeowners consider energy efficiency as the most important factor when selecting eco-friendly products. NAHB published this statement on the program, attributed to its chairman, Buddy Hughes: 'Energy Star saves consumers and businesses $40 billion annually in energy costs while maximizing cost-effective energy efficiency improvements for homes and buildings. We hope the administration will reassess its decision to end Energy Star.' 'This change may require designers and contractors to spend more time on conducting detailed product research to recommend the most energy-efficient solutions and appliance offerings to their clients,' Darcy predicts. 'Our data suggests that consumers remain acutely interested in the cost savings that come with sustainable appliance options for their homes,' he adds. (I can see the extra time required to research the latest in energy efficiency ratings – rather than quickly consulting a searchable database – being passed along to some clients in higher hourly billings.) Washington, D.C.-based designer Rachel Cobbs recognizes the value of the program, she says, though it's not a major factor in her work. 'For homeowners navigating decisions without a designer, Energy Star has offered a rare, dependable point of reference. In my practice, performance, longevity, and visual harmony often outweigh certifications. But I understand the consequence of losing a tool that quietly encouraged better decisions across the market.' She primarily works on older and historic homes with unique specification challenges distinct from energy efficiency, she notes. 'Brands spent many millions ensuring that their products met the standards, and homeowners continue to benefit from the savings an Energy Star-rated product produces,' comments Jocelyn Hutt, a Boston-based home improvement products industry marketing consultant. 'Many major brands have written to the administration asking them not to roll this back,' she added. These include, she says, the Chamber of Commerce, Bosch, Carrier and the Air-Conditioning, Heating, & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) urging EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin not to end Energy Star because it was a good "non-regulatory" collaboration between the private sector and federal government. Tampa-based multi-location appliance chain Famous Tate marketing director Jason Horst sees some upsides to the program ending. 'Today's appliances are all very energy efficient, but the continued requirements to use less water and less electricity were causing performance issues in cleaning products and likely increased costs as well. Providing this relief to manufacturers will allow them to focus on product performance while still costing far less to operate than appliances from 30 to 40 years ago,' he predicts. Horst cites heat pump technology in dryers and water heaters as an example. 'For a long time, dryers that used heat pump technology still didn't provide the drying performance customers expected, but the new models today definitely do. All customers have wanted is a washer that uses enough water to truly soak their clothes, so this change does help manufacturers provide more of the deep fill wash options that customers are asking for.' He anticipates this saving consumers in the long run and increasing their satisfaction. Stuart Stone, chief commercial officer of New York area Royal Green appliance chain, agrees. 'One of the biggest complaints we get as a retailer is 'my dishwasher doesn't dry' or 'my dryer used to be faster.'' Air conditioners might also cool faster without the program's standards, he theorizes, without necessarily losing much in the way of efficiency. 'If you look at the actual annual cost rates between Energy Star and non-Energy Star in today's world, they are not much different,' he observes. 'I know this is a bit contrarian, but I think people will be happier with dishwashers and dryers again when the energy restrictions are lifted.' 'While the absence of the program's cost savings is expected to be felt by U.S. consumers and businesses, it could also open the door for new industry-led certification systems that better reflect this performance-driven product market,' Darcy suggests. 'The path toward a more sustainable future in home design has never been solely dependent on any single program, but rather on our collective commitment to responsible innovation.' For the benefit of homeowners who'd rather see their hard-earned dollars going into comfort, fitness, leisure, travel, family needs or just about anything other than their electric bills, the value of a program like Energy Star – if not that program itself – is considerable. Being open to innovation is ideal, of course, as long as the prioritization of energy efficiency doesn't get lost in the process and the new alternatives are user-friendly for consumers and industry professionals. *** Author's Notes: All interviews were conducted by email, except Cobb who commented in a professional Facebook group, the week ending May 11, 2025. *I've been a member of the National Kitchen & Bath Association since 2004.
Trade Arabia
28-04-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
US Green Building Council launches new LEED rating system
The US Green Building Council (USGBC) has launched LEED v5, the latest version of its flagship LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building programme. LEED v5 builds on the 25-year legacy and global impact of LEED, updating and strengthening the most widely recognised, influential sustainability standard for the building industry while providing user-friendly tools for building owners and teams to pursue certification through enhanced technology updates, a statement said. "Since its public launch 25 years ago, LEED has profoundly impacted millions of people in cities and communities around the world,' said Peter Templeton, President and CEO of USGBC. 'LEED v5 raises the bar, further defining and evolving best practices and giving stakeholders across the building industry clear pathways to address today's challenges to our health, climate, and communities.' Meeting today's challenges The newest version of the LEED standard was developed with input from thousands of green building professionals to respond to today's most pressing challenges and the significant opportunities at the intersection of sustainability and buildings. LEED v5 focuses on impact areas that touch decarbonization, human and ecological health and resilience. The new version further defines what it means to be a high-performance building today, creating even greater investment potential. Decarbonisation accounts for half of all points for LEED v5 certification to confront current climate needs. The new rating system provides clear, actionable steps to deliver ultra-low-carbon buildings by targeting emissions reductions across all aspects of the building lifecycle, including operations, embodied carbon, refrigerants, and transportation. All LEED v5 projects will complete an operational carbon projection and will be given tools to craft a comprehensive, long-term decarbonisation strategy, creating pathways for sustainable transformation. Quality of life credits focus on human-centric strategies that address the health and well-being of occupants and the communities in which buildings are located. Global demand for healthier and greener spaces has grown in recent years, with occupants increasingly demanding more transparency and accountability around sustainability and health in the built environment. Resilience is another major theme across the rating system, addressing both human and natural systems to strengthen communities. All LEED v5 projects will complete climate resilience assessments to enhance awareness of hazards, increase transparency of risks, reduce vulnerabilities and ensure long-term safety and sustainability. These assessments equip projects to conserve and restore ecosystems, mitigate risks, and minimize business disruptions while protecting asset value—contributing to economic prosperity and safety across communities. Once projects conduct their assessments, LEED v5 offers a variety of strategies that can be incorporated at every stage of the building lifecycle to reduce risk and enhance resilience. 'Investors, owners, occupants, and policymakers are asking for high-performing buildings that reduce emissions, mitigate climate risk, provide healthy, productive spaces, positively impact communities, and protect natural systems,' said Sarah Zaleski, chief products officer of USGBC. 'LEED v5 provides the best practices and accountability to drive performance across all these dimensions, delivering tangible benefits to building owners and their stakeholders.' A sound investment LEED-certified assets are proven to drive return on investment and greater future earning potential. Notably, LEED buildings achieve a 21.4% higher average market sales price per square foot over non-LEED buildings; average 11% higher rent rates; attract more favorable and stable financing options; and reduce water, energy and waste by more than 20%. These environments also result in healthier and more productive employees and occupants. "For more than two decades, LEED has played a critical role in transforming the real estate sector at a global scale by bridging the gap between sustainability and commercial value,' Anica Landreneau, senior principal and director of sustainability, HOK. 'It has empowered organizations to develop high-performance buildings that significantly reduce environmental impacts and provide healthier, more resilient spaces for occupants, while also supporting the achievement of business goals." A sustainability story for every project LEED is the most widely used and globally recognised leadership certification that helps building owners clearly articulate their sustainability commitment and achievement, which is verified through rigorous third-party certification. All projects certified under LEED v5 will receive impact reports to communicate their strategies and performance to internal and external stakeholders. In addition, the new project priorities category allows customization of LEED to meet the unique opportunities across all global regions and market sectors. LEED provides the necessary transparency and integrity for a project's certification, ensuring project teams deliver on design plans and goals. The standard drives additional accountability tied to project-specific goals and gives building owners the proof points to successfully meet goals and proudly articulate those outcomes. 'LEED v5 represents a bold step forward in transforming the built environment,' said Grace Kwok, chief sustainability strategist, AEC Capital Limited. 'It emphasises climate resilience, recognizing the need to adapt our built environment to a changing climate. We have the privilege to complete the first LEED v5 project in Asia, with ICC (International Commerce Centre) setting a new benchmark and leading the charge for innovation and excellence in green buildings.' LEED v5 was developed with the help and support of USGBC's vast global ecosystem of knowledgeable members and volunteers. In 2024, USGBC held two public comment periods, receiving more than 7,000 comments from LEED users worldwide that informed the final version of the rating system. USGBC members ratified the new version earlier this year, providing a final endorsement of the new rating system.
Zawya
28-03-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Fujairah hospital gets LEED Gold certification for energy efficiency
UAE - Emirates Health Services (EHS) announced that its hospital in Fujairah has secured the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification from the US Green Building Council (USGBC), in recognition of its adherence to the highest standards of sustainability and energy efficiency. LEED is one of the world's most recognised rating systems for assessing buildings based on environmental efficiency and sustainability. It is awarded to buildings that meet stringent criteria in energy efficiency, the use of sustainable materials, indoor environmental quality enhancement, and environmental impact reduction. With this achievement, Fujairah Hospital becomes the first government hospital in the UAE to receive this prestigious certification, underscoring EHS's ongoing commitment to sustainability, resource optimisation, and environmental impact reduction, said a top official. "Fujairah Hospital's attainment of LEED Gold certification reaffirms EHS's commitment to integrating best environmental practices across its healthcare facilities," remarked Dr Ahmed Obaid Al Khadim, the Director of Fujairah Hospital under EHS. "This milestone marks a significant step towards achieving our sustainability goals, including efforts to reduce carbon footprint and enhance the quality of the indoor environment for both patients and staff," he stated. Fujairah Hospital implemented a comprehensive plan to meet the criteria for this accreditation, which involved a thorough assessment of the medical centre's operational and infrastructural status, an analytical study of energy consumption and the adoption of green initiatives to enhance energy and water efficiency, improve waste management, and utilise environmentally friendly building materials. The hospital also implemented stringent regulatory policies to monitor environmental performance and collect the necessary data to ensure compliance with the requirements of the US Green Building Council. Waheed Al Mulla, Director of the Facility Management and Administrative Services Department at EHS, said this achievement reflects the success of EHS's strategic efforts to implement global sustainability standards across all its facilities. "EHS remains committed to leveraging advanced technologies and adopting effective strategies to minimise environmental impact, optimise costs and conserve resources. We will continue to enhance the efficiency of our facilities in alignment with the best environmental practices," he added.- TradeArabia News Service Copyright 2024 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Trade Arabia
27-03-2025
- Health
- Trade Arabia
Fujairah hospital gets LEED Gold certification for energy efficiency
Emirates Health Services (EHS) announced that its hospital in Fujairah has secured the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification from the US Green Building Council (USGBC), in recognition of its adherence to the highest standards of sustainability and energy efficiency. LEED is one of the world's most recognised rating systems for assessing buildings based on environmental efficiency and sustainability. It is awarded to buildings that meet stringent criteria in energy efficiency, the use of sustainable materials, indoor environmental quality enhancement, and environmental impact reduction. With this achievement, Fujairah Hospital becomes the first government hospital in the UAE to receive this prestigious certification, underscoring EHS's ongoing commitment to sustainability, resource optimisation, and environmental impact reduction, said a top official. "Fujairah Hospital's attainment of LEED Gold certification reaffirms EHS's commitment to integrating best environmental practices across its healthcare facilities," remarked Dr Ahmed Obaid Al Khadim, the Director of Fujairah Hospital under EHS. "This milestone marks a significant step towards achieving our sustainability goals, including efforts to reduce carbon footprint and enhance the quality of the indoor environment for both patients and staff," he stated. Fujairah Hospital implemented a comprehensive plan to meet the criteria for this accreditation, which involved a thorough assessment of the medical centre's operational and infrastructural status, an analytical study of energy consumption and the adoption of green initiatives to enhance energy and water efficiency, improve waste management, and utilise environmentally friendly building materials. The hospital also implemented stringent regulatory policies to monitor environmental performance and collect the necessary data to ensure compliance with the requirements of the US Green Building Council. Waheed Al Mulla, Director of the Facility Management and Administrative Services Department at EHS, said this achievement reflects the success of EHS's strategic efforts to implement global sustainability standards across all its facilities.
