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GBI offers Green Globes continual improvement module

06/23/08 -- To complement its Green Globes environmental assessment and rating system for New Construction, the Green Building Initiative (GBI) recently began offering the Green Globes for Continual Improvement of Existing Buildings (Green Globes-CIEB) module, which is being used by various organizations as a component of their greening strategies.

Green Globes-CIEB is an interactive online system designed to give building owners and facility managers a practical and cost-effective way to assess and improve the performance of commercial and institutional buildings. Flexible and user-friendly, it allows users to assess ongoing building performance in a seamless continuum, making it possible to establish a baseline, prioritize and plan improvements, monitor success, and compare multiple buildings within a portfolio.

GCP news

GCP Wire

National Semiconductor enters PV market
06/30/08 -- National Semiconductor Corp. has entered the photovoltaic market with new technology designed to increase the overall energy output of solar electric power generating systems.

Integrity Block nabs $2.7 million for manufacturing development
06/30/08 -- Integrity Block, a manufacturer of sustainable building materials, closed $2.7 million in equity & debt financing, led by Navitas Capital, including a secured lease line from Western Technology Investment (WTI) for capital expenditures related to manufacturing operations.

Public comment period ends for GBI/ANSI green building standard
06/30/08 -- The Green Building Initiative (GBI) has completed the first public comment period for its proposed American National Standard for commercial green buildings, known officially as the "GBI Proposed American National Standard 01-200XP: Green Building Assessment Protocol for Commercial Buildings."

SBIC opens entries for 2008 Beyond Green High-Performance Building Awards
06/27/08 -- The Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC) is accepting entries for its 2008 Beyond Green High-Performance Building Awards. This unique program recognizes the initiatives that shape, inform and grow the high-performance building market, and rewards the real-world application of high-performance design and construction practices.

Council considers tax breaks for green buildings 07/01/08
(News-Leader.com

Canon's new HQ to be Long Island's largest green project 07/01/08
(Newsday.com)

LEED standards gain acceptance 06/30/08
(FWBusinessPress.com)

Huntington, N.Y., adopts green building measures 06/30/08
(Newsday.com)

Profile: He's LEEDing the way 06/30/08
(ChicagoBusiness.com)

Phoenix convention center wins LEED Silver 06/27/08
(ExhibitorOnline.com)

Banks, retailers embrace LEED certification 06/27/08
(SeattleTimes.NWSource.com)

GBI president discusses competition between rating systems 06/26/08
(EENews.com)

For green buildings' payoff, look inside 06/26/08
(CNET.com)

Queen City Square commits to green design, practices 06/24/08
(SunHerald.com)

Vanderbilt dining center wins LEED Gold 06/24/08
(BizJournals.com)

Green building blogs

Draft LEED 2009 review and discussion
07/01/08 -- As we noted here a few weeks ago, the draft for a new version of U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program was released for public comment and review. In general, as a LEED Accredited Professional, what I saw in the program looked good. The changes that are proposed will make improvements to the system. Below is a discussion of changes we can look forward to in the next generation of LEED. (JetsonGreen.com)

Overview of LEED and Green Globes rating systems
07/01/08 -- As the green building market increases, a growing number of states, cities and municipalities have passed green building legislation. The level of enforcement and certification varies greatly, but most green building legislation references a green building rating system. (GreenLaw.Blogspot.com)

Report looks at costs of LEED for Existing Buildings
06/26/08 -- The majority of measures associated with gaining LEED-Existing Building status include low or no costs, according to a survey of LEED-EB owners and managers. In “The Economics of LEED for Existing Buildings for Individual Buildings,” the nonprofit Leonardo Academy looks at the costs of implementing LEED-EB and how operating costs compare to other buildings. (GreenLodgingNews.com)

Green buildings bring in more money
06/23/08 -- According to a recent study by CoStar Group, LEED or Energy Star certified buildings have higher lease rates and lease for more dollars per square foot than buildings that are not certified. (GreenBuildingElements.com)

Why doesn't USGBC sell a PDF of the LEED Reference Guide?
06/13/08 -- In studying for the LEED-AP exam, the best advice I received was to read the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED for New Construction Reference Guide version 2.2 -- and read it again, and memorize as much specific credit by credit information as possible. Since passing the exam, that's become the advice I give most often. (BuildingGreen.com)

Green Building News - USGBC to Accredit LEED Certifiers - Two Cheers!
06/06/08 -- Last week it went unnoticed in the Mainstream Media, but it was very big green news. The U.S. Green Building Council announced that starting next year it will abandon certifying green buildings to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. (HuffingtonPost.com)

Related’s Time Warner Center seeks LEED-EB
06/04/08 -- Related is currently seeking a LEED-EB rating for the 80-story, 2.8 million-square foot tower, which was completed back in 2004. (GreenerBuildingsNYC.com)

Economic reports

Private nonresidential construction spending reaches record high
07/03/08 -- Private nonresidential construction spending hit an all-time high of $405.3 billion in May 2008, according to a July 1 report by the U.S. Department of Commerce. This represents a 0.2 percent rise on a monthly, seasonally-adjusted basis compared to April 2008. (ABC.org)

Construction jobs plummet again in June
07/03/08 -- Nonfarm payroll employment continued to trend down in June (-62,000), while the unemployment rate held at 5.5 percent, the U.S. Department of Labor reported. Employment continued to fall in construction. Average hourly earnings rose by 6 cents, or 0.3 percent, over the month.

Construction spending dips in May
07/01/08 -- Construction spending during May 2008 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,085.2 billion, 0.4 percent below the revised April estimate of $1,089.3 billion. The May figure is 6.0 percent below the May 2007 estimate of $1,154.6 billion.

Productivity climbs during first quarter 2008
06/03/08 -- During the first quarter of 2008, productivity rose 2.6 percent in the nonfarm business sector; output increased 0.7 percent and hours of all persons fell 1.8 percent (seasonally-adjusted annual rates), according to the Labor Department.

Producer Price Index climbs in April
05/20/08 -- The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods increased 0.2 percent in April, seasonally adjusted, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. This rise followed a 1.1-percent advance in March and a 0.3-percent increase in February.

Online Exclusives

Employee motivation, whose job is it anyway?
05/29/08 -- When employees are asked this question, you might think the response would be "It's my job to keep myself motivated." But, in reality, the most frequent answer is, "It's my boss's job." Surprised? Don't be.

Coatings for a better world
04/14/08 -- Low-VOC coatings are more environmentally friendly, but are they as easy to apply and last as long as conventional coatings?

The hottest job around
03/25/08 -- Cleaning up legacy waste from the Hanford Site’s plutonium production facility offers design, construction and environmental challenges. It’s the largest construction project underway in the United States.

Six ways to manage your anxiety at work
03/07/08 -- If you're a leader, you feel it in your gut: Stress is at an all-time high. No wonder. The uncertain economy keeps everyone, even those who work for successful companies, slightly off balance. Doing more with less has become a way of life.

Disrepair, danger and dollars ill-spent
02/15/08 -- With the release of the NTSB’s report on the I-35 bridge collapse in Minneapolis come new revelations about out-of-control infrastructure problems have gotten in the U.S.

Negotiation strategies of the pros
01/11/08 -- Most executives relish upcoming major business negotiating sessions with about the same zest as they do a root canal. They know the stakes are always high: Negotiate too hard and the deal is lost; be too timid and they may leave money on the table, which in today’s economy is nearly as bad as losing.