Here in Vancouver, the city is abuzz with pre-Olympic enthusiasm, as the 2010 Winter Olympic Games brings our athletes, and our city, into the international limelight. It should be said that not everyone is on board with the Olympics, some arguing that there are more important issues to look at, and toward which to spend municipal and provincial monies. Yet, for me, the events represent more than just a two-week tourist attraction. The Olympics is a tradition that is many thousands of years … [Read more...]
LEED 2009: Significant Changes
January 21, 2009 By Leave a Comment
I think it was the Canadian media philosopher Marshall McLuhan who said: “The only way to keep up is to stay ahead.” These words might apply to LEED building standards. LEED certified professionals (LEED AP) will have some studying to do to get up to speed with proposed changes for LEED 2009, or LEED V3. LEED 2009 will incorporate New Construction, Core and Shell, Commercial Interiors, Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance and Schools. Several significant changes are … [Read more...]
NAHB National Green Building Standard: Not Here Yet
November 13, 2008 By Leave a Comment
A clarification here for anyone reading Floor Covering Weekly's October 13 2008 supplement "The Green Guide." A story on page 12 suggests the National Home Builders' Association Model Green Building Guide has already been declared a national standard by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The story says, "At the 2008 International Builders show, the NAHB launched its biggest initiative to date: the National Green Building Standard (NGBS), a joint effort of the NAHB and the International … [Read more...]
Green Building Councils Overreach Mandate
October 30, 2008 By Leave a Comment
As a vendor of a building material certified by the FSC. BuildDirect qualifies according toFSC rules to advertise the product (Kontiki Vifah Eucalyptus Deck Tile) with the FSC logo and name. BuildDirect satisfies all the requirements for FSC chain of custody regulations for using the FSC logo in its advertising, and the folks at FSC have given the green light to BuildDirect to promote its product. The rub comes from the CaGBC who says that a purchaser of the product from BuildDirect can’t … [Read more...]
LEED and FSC: Too Close for Comfort
October 30, 2008 By 1 Comment
LEED is currently the best known acronym in the green building industry. As a branding success, its meteoric rise is nothing if not phenomenal. What does it stand for? Unless you’re a LEED accredited professional (LEED AP), you probably can’t remember (and don’t care) if it stands for Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design or if it’s the other way around, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (it’s the latter). The important thing is that it’s the major certification needed … [Read more...]
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