Page 19 - The Engineering Guide to LEED-New Construction Sustainable Construction for Engineers

2 Cha pte r O n e

be the same in all areas of the world and for all societies. Therefore, the rating systems
developed and the techniques used will differ. Energy efficiency is a high priority in
many countries, particularly in countries with cold winters. There has been much
publication and research into improving energy efficiencies internationally both for
new construction and as retrofits in existing buildings.
By looking at the green building movement in the United States, it is obvious that
the green rating system as developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
has had wide acceptance to date and is becoming more widespread. This system is
®
referred to as LEED , which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental
∗
Design. Since LEED grew out of energy program initiatives, it is already developed
in focus areas of both architects and mechanical engineers. Sometimes the construction
that focuses on energy efficiency and also water efficiency is referred to as high-
performance building.
Sustainable construction research and applications are still in their infancy. There is
a great need for research, education, and case studies from applications to further develop
a more sustainable future in development and construction. Even the definitions of
what is or what is not sustainable need to be researched and further evaluated. For instance,
certain people may believe that keeping as much as possible of the natural environment
pristine is one of the most important goals of sustainability, whereas others may believe
that an improved food supply for humans is more important. Thus, not only do the
principles behind sustainability differ from group to group, or may be in contrast or
seemingly incompatible with one another, but also the ranking or value judgments of
the importance of various impact factors of sustainability are very difficult to develop
and find consensus on.
To facilitate the further development and implementation of the green building
system in the United States, engineers and other professionals must be educated in the
rating systems used, and in the parameters and principles that have been established in
the use of these rating systems. The intention of the author is to develop a text that
educators can use to teach engineers and professionals about sustainable development,
particularly the LEED system. The emphasis is on the development of skills to facilitate
the use of this system, as well as guidance on potential additional research avenues to
further improve the green building movement, with stress on environmental aspects, as
future developments and needs arise.
The author likes to explain that a sustainable environmental goal will focus on both
how construction impacts the environment and how environmental decisions impact
development. It is a two-way road, and things must be looked at from both directions.
In addition, other impacts in the entire life cycle of the facilities or practices need to be
looked at. What may seem like an environmentally sound practice may in fact not turn
out quite that way when input into an anthropogenic world. Two examples which
follow are the sustainability of stormwater ponds and the use of certain additives in
gasoline.
A common form of stormwater management is the use of a retention or a detention
pond for storage and possibly infiltration of additional runoff caused by an increase in
paved or roofed areas. Therefore in an approved site plan set, a pond may be called for.
However, it has been shown that in many cases the specified ponds are not installed,
much less maintained to sustain a more manageable stormwater system. Why?

∗ LEED is a registered trademark of the U.S. Green Building Council.