A WaterShed Moment at the 2011 Solar Decathlon
by: Shannon D. Sentman, Co-Founder & Principal, Sol Vista Consulting | Of the 19 entries in the 2011 Solar Decathlon, there are plenty to gawk at. There is one shaped like a turtle, another that would steal every scene in a 'Miami Vice' reboot, and another that looks astonishingly like a giant, white, puffy ski parka with a couple of windows carved out.
Like I said - amazing to stare at - but there was only one home in the temporary village that sprung up in this little corner of the National Mall that our tour group wanted to move into - immediately - 'WaterShed;' designed and built by a team from the University of Maryland.
From the very first step of our tour, team members were touting the home's 'wet core.' Now, to most homeowners, a 'wet core' sounds like something to avoid like the plague - conjuring up thoughts of flooded basements, sump pumps, and mold. But, water is at the heart of this home. WaterShed's design was inspired by the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and includes technologies to save water as well as energy.
WaterShed collects, filters, recycles, and reuses water. With a roof that looks like two inverted butterfly wings, the design highlights the path of a water drop. Storm water collected from a sloped, modular, green roof is directed down a central axis to the 'wet core' of the home, where it intersects with grey water used inside. To regulate humidity, the living space also features two indoor 'waterfalls; - a UMD invention by the way.
With 42 photovoltaic panels and a solar water heating system, WaterShed's power system is designed to harvest 100% of its electrical energy needs from the sun. And, there is no need to keep one finger on the thermostat in this home. WaterShed's central controller is linked to sensors throughout the house in order to monitor and adjust temperature, humidity, and light levels.
Quite frankly, it is a gorgeous one-bedroom home: A whole lot of purpose built into an aesthetically pleasing package. The layman among us (a self-professed fan of 'small spaces') was enthralled by an innovative layout that made a very small house feel very spacious and comfortable. Each piece of furniture is designed for double (even triple) duty: the bed transforms into a conference table; the kitchen counter can morph into a kitchen island or a kitchen table. The interior is also remarkably bright thanks to translucent panels that let in light while transferring less heat than a traditional window.
Admittedly, my role as an adjunct lecturer at University of Maryland may tarnish my objectivity, but I am supported by the current standings for the contest, which show WaterShed as the lead. You can decide if it is the best entry for yourself by stopping by the Solar Decathlon. The contest is open through October 2nd at West Potomac Park, and is free and open to the public. Click here for more information.
Story originally posted at http://www.usgbcncr.org.
LEED Passes Major Milestone—Over One Billion Square Feet Certified in U.S.
by: Shannon D. Sentman, Sol Vista Consulting | According to the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) public directory of LEED projects, the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System has now certified over one billion square feet of space in the U.S. This major milestone comes only a decade after USGBC certified its first green building, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Phillip Merrill Environmental Center, in 2000.
Since its inception, the LEED Green Building Rating System has continually grown in popularity, quickly becoming the most widely-recognized and accepted system for rating the environmental friendliness of buildings in the U.S. With over 340,000,000 square feet certified in 2010 alone, LEED's popularity has continued to grow despite the impact of the economic downturn.
LEED's popularity results from a convergence of several factors, including the growing public awareness of the impact buildings have on the environment. In the U.S., buildings account for nearly 40% of carbon dioxide emissions, more than both the industrial and transportation sectors.
Beyond the environment, the real estate industry has also found economic reasons for building greener. A primary driver is the reduction in operating costs resulting from higher-efficiency buildings using less energy. This is a major consideration given the volatility of energy prices in many U.S. markets.
Looking beyond 2010, the factors that have led to LEED’s popularity will likely become even more pressing, which bodes well for its continued exponential growth in the U.S. and beyond.
Sol Vista Announces Partnership with ENERGY STAR®
Sol Vista Consulting, LLC today announced its partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR Program. Sol Vista, through its voluntary partnership, will continue to work on behalf of its clients to improve energy efficiency and fight global warming. Sol Vista believes that the partnership with ENERGY STAR allows us to provide our clients with more tools for implementation of strategic, corporate energy management programs that will further help us to enhance their financial health and aid in preserving the environment for future generations.
"This partnership further solidifies our ongoing relationship with ENERGY STAR, and will allow us to better serve our clients and continue to grow our business," said Sol Vista Principal Shannon D. Sentman. "Our clients are really the beneficiaries; they'll now have even more tools and resources at their disposal."
"This is especially true for our clients in the Washington, DC area,” added Sol Vista Principal Zack Moore. “DC's Clean and Affordable Energy Act, which mandates Energy Star benchmarking and disclosure for many commercial buildings, is being phased in over the next few years, and Sol Vista is prepared to assist our clients in complying with these new regulations."
In partnership with ENERGY STAR, Sol Vista will:
- Measure and track the energy performance of our clients’ facilities where possible by using tools such as those offered through ENERGY STAR;
- Develop and implement plans consistent with the ENERGY STAR Energy Management Guidelines to achieve energy savings;
- Support the ENERGY STAR Challenge, a national call-to-action to help improve the energy efficiency of America’s commercial and industrial buildings by 10 percent or more;
- Highlight our achievements with recognition offered through ENERGY STAR.
"Environmental responsibility is everyone's responsibility - and today I'm pleased Sol Vista Consulting is taking this motto to heart," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "By making smart energy choices, Sol Vista is helping improve our nation's energy and environmental outlook."
For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov.
Sol Vista Selected to Join Maryland Business Innovation Network as Incubator Company
Sol Vista Consulting, a building optimization technology and services firm, today accepted an invitation to join Montgomery County, Maryland’s prestigious Business Innovation Network. Sol Vista will move into the network’s Silver Spring Innovation Center, which is one of five campuses that house many of the region’s most innovative technology companies.
In learning of Sol Vista’s selection, co-founder Zack Moore commented “our focus on introducing new building optimization technology to the real estate industry is an attractive proposition, even in a tough commercial real estate market. We’re happy that the Business Innovation Network recognizes Sol Vista’s rapid growth potential.”
Agreeing with Mr. Moore, Sol Vista principal Shannon Sentman stated “our focus on improving building efficiency to increase asset value is responsive to both the tough market conditions facing real estate owners and to the increasing pressure for greener buildings. Sol Vista will use the opportunity granted by the Business Innovation Network to help grow the region’s green economy.”
With its new location in the Silver Spring Innovation Center, Sol Vista plans to quickly begin filling “green jobs” from the large pool of talent surrounding the Washington, DC area. Current job openings are available on the company’s website at www.solvistaconsulting.com/careers.
Sol Vista Listed As BGE Energy Efficiency Service Provider
Sol Vista Consulting, a building optimization technology and services firm, is certified as an Energy Efficiency Service Provider by Baltimore Gas and Electric.
“This partnership puts us in close contact to the program administrators and engineers for BGE’s Smart Energy Savers program, which allows us to offer our clients the latest BGE incentives,” noted Sol Vista co-founder, Zack Moore. “We’re already utilizing their rebate programs on behalf of many of our clients, and have pushed the program to provide incentives for many of the newer, more innovative technologies that we offer.”
BGE’s Smart Energy Savers program offers a comprehensive portfolio of energy efficiency programs to assist businesses with saving energy. The program includes large financial incentives to cover the costs of energy efficiency projects performed by BGE business customers.
Sol Vista Founder Speaks to Federal Agencies About Building Technology
Sol Vista co-founder Shannon D. Sentman, along with representatives from Cisco Systems, Panduit Corp., and Tridium Systems, met today with government representatives to discuss how new building technologies can help the federal government increase the energy efficiency of its buildings. The discussion focused on reliable technologies that would help agencies meet the efficiency requirements of new federal requirements, such as those included in Executive Order 13514.
An article about the meeting can be found at nextgov.com.
Sol Vista Speaks at Greenbuild
Sol Vista co-founder Shannon D. Sentman was among a select group of green building experts to receive an invitation from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to present at this year's Greenbuild in Phoenix, Arizona. Greenbuild is the USGBC's premier annual event and attracts thousands of real estate professionals from around the world.
Mr. Sentman and three other panelists were invited by USGBC to educate conference attendees on the newly released LEED Green Building Rating System version 3. The panel discussion proved popular among attendees, who packed a large ballroom for the two hour program and then stuck around for another hour of run-over discussion and Q&A.
More information on the conference can be found here.
Sol Vista Speaks at McGraw Hill's Green Retrofit Conference
Sol Vista co-founder Shannon D. Sentman today spoke at McGraw-Hill Construction's Green Retrofit Conference in New York City. The two-day conference focused on the factors that influence real estate owners to "green" their existing buildings, and included many of the nation's foremost experts.
At the conference, McGraw-Hill Construction released a landmark market research study that includes first-ever content on the market activity and opportunity for green in retrofit. This report entitled Green Building Retrofit & Renovation: Rapidly Expanding Market Opportunities through Existing Buildings is the latest in McGraw-Hill Construction's landmark SmartMarket Report and research studies series.
More information on the conference can be found here.
USGBC Releases Green Office Guide
Sol Vista co-founder Shannon D. Sentman is a contributing author for the U.S. Green Building Council's newly released “Green Office Guide: Integrating LEED into Your Leasing Process.” The guide provides tools and ideas that will help integrate green decision-making throughout the leasing process. Geared mainly towards office tenants and brokers, and to a lesser extent, attorneys, the new guide provides specific tools that help teams navigate the nuances of successful execution. Tools incorporated into the guide include site selection questionnaires, sample RFP language, criteria for qualifying professionals, and sample lease provisions with extensive drafting notes.
More information available at: USGBC Book Store.
American Bar Association Releases Green Building Book
Sol Vista co-founder Shannon D. Sentman is lead editor and co-author of the American Bar Association's newly released "Green Building and Sustainable Development: The Practical Legal Guide." The book gives lawyers the necessary information to understand and assist their clients in establishing themselves as leaders in green building and sustainable development, helping them meet growing demand, take advantage of government incentive programs, enhance marketing opportunities, lower operating expenses in anticipation of rising utility costs, and manage risks.
More information available at: ABA Book Store.
Sol Vista Speaks at ULI's Investing and Developing Green Conference
Sol Vista co-founder Shannon D. Sentman spoke at today's Investing and Developing Green Conference hosted by the Urban Land Institute. The conference focused on opportunities for private developers to profit from green building, and included discussions on financing, regulations, and cost savings from energy efficiency.
More information on the conference can be found here.