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Acquire the skills needed to apply the LEED-New Construction rating system to any green construction project.
The Engineering Guide to LEED-New Construction provides a solid understanding of the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED-NC rating system, explaining step-by-step how to apply it to real-world construction projects.
This up-to-date reference offers practical discussions of the main concepts of sustainability, and also presents detailed equations and exercises that can be used to perform the calculations outlined in LEED-NC. You will find authoritative information on sustainable sites . . . water efficiency . . . energy and atmosphere . . . materials and resources . . . indoor environmental quality . . . innovations in design
a systematic view of green . . . and many other topics related to sustainability in construction. A valuable tool for the office or job site, The Engineering Guide to LEED-New Construction features:
- A practical focus on the LEED-NC rating system and how to apply it.
- Numerous exercises and equations that can be used to perform the calculations outlined in LEED-NC.
- Expert guidance on the main concepts of sustainability.
- A wealth of information on innovation in design.
Inside this Cutting-Edge Guide to Sustainable Construction:
Introduction to the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED-NC Rating System Sustainable Sites Water Efficiency Energy and Atmosphere Materials and Resources Indoor Environmental Quality Innovation in Design A Systematic View of Green Department of Defense Sustainable Construction Low Impact Development
From the Preface
The Engineering Guide to LEED - New Construction is intended as a reference or a textbook to aid in the understanding and application of green building design concepts for the engineering and development community. It focuses on the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system as an example format for sustainable vertical construction.
Sustainability has many definitions. The definition that has been generally accepted in the context of human beings building and living in a more "sustainable" world was initially developed at the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) in 1987. It is simply this: "Sustainable Development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
Sustainable Construction is a subset of sustainability, which focuses more on the built environment, both during the construction phase and during the operational life cycle of the facility. However, both sustainability and sustainable construction are subject to interpretation and are very difficult to define. What may seem sustainable in one culture or per one set of values may not appear sustainable to another. Likewise, the concepts that may be viewed as more important for sustainability by some people may not be as important to others.
A very common term used for a major focus area in sustainable construction is Green Building. Green Building may not really represent true sustainable construction in some people's opinion, but it is an attempt to approach sustainability in a format that fits readily into our current culture. It is a movement that tries to put some of the concepts of sustainability into the construction or renovation of our buildings and facilities.
In like manner, even though this book has sustainable construction in its title, it by no means represents a fully comprehensive method to construct sustainably. This book is intended to be an introduction to some of the major concepts that are being accepted in methodologies to introduce sustainability into construction practices in the United States. It specifically covers the concepts that are currently being promoted by a rating system developed by the USGBC. The system is entitled LEED and has grown out of energy-saving efforts in the United States.
This book focuses more on the "Environmental" aspects of LEED. The "Energy" aspects have been fairly well developed and might require another volume or two to adequately explain in greater detail. In addition, this book expands on some of the environmental issues that are focused on in LEED and gives some direction into means to accomplish the goals, or gives more detailed background information on the environmental systems and impacts that many of the LEED subcategories are based on. In this way, an engineer or other professional may better grasp the intent of the proposed sustainability methods. A better understanding may result in better and more comprehensive, or perhaps alternative designs to obtain the goals. This book is meant to be a guide for all professionals working on sustainable construction in the United States.
The book is divided into three different types of sections. The first section, which consists of Chapter 1, gives an introduction to both sustainable construction and the USGBC LEED - New Construction rating system. The second section, Chapters 2 through 7, goes into detail on many of the prerequisites and credits used by the USGBC for certification through its rating system for new construction and major renovations. The last section, Chapters 8, 9, and 10, consists of several distinct parts broadening out from the specific rating system items with emphasis on application to various sectors of particular interest to many groups, management, the military and low-impact development (LID). Chapter 8 gives some overviews of construction management and organization for helping a green professional make a sustainable construction project successful. Chapter 9 gives a view of how the Federal Government and one of its largest departments, the Department of Defense (DoD), have evolved as major contributors to the sustainable development movement in the United States. This chapter starts with a broad overview of how the DoD is involved in the movement and gradually details it down to the example of how the DoD is starting to address the improving of indoor air quality. Chapter 10 gives a broad overview of how this rating system may effectively intersect with another growing movement in the sustainable construction arena in the United States, LID, which focuses on the outdoor impacts of construction, particularly with respect to stormwater.
The Engineering Guide to LEED - New Construction can be used either as a textbook, or a reference. The exercises in the chapters help to develop sustainable skills and understanding for the students, while also allowing them to research the new principles and guidances that may evolve after publication of the book. I hope that others find as great a satisfaction and enjoyment in becoming more green as I have over the past few years.
About the Author
Liv Haselbach is currently a faculty member in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of South Carolina. She is a licensed engineer and U.S. Green Building Council LEED Accredited Professional with 30 years of experience in the field. The author of numerous articles for industry journals, Dr. Haselbach was the founding owner of a civil/environmental engineering firm specializing in land development and regulatory compliance.
Table of Contents
Preface. Acknowledgments. Chapter 1: Introduction. Chapter 2: LEED Sustainable Sites. Chapter 3: LEED Water Efficiency. Chapter 4: LEED Energy and Atmosphere. Chapter 5: LEED Materials and Resources. Chapter 6: LEED Indoor Environmental Quality. Chapter 7: LEED Innovation and Design Process. Chapter 8: A Systematic View of Green. Chapter 9: Department of Defense (DoD) Sustainable Construction and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). Chapter 10: Low-Impact Development and Stormwater Issues. Appendix A: Notation. Appendix B: Definitions. Appendix C: Units. Index. |
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