Sustainability E-News
Energy Efficient Buildings
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From The Editor
We have several articles in this edition that relate to energy use in buildings, from complying with energy codes with the help of tools like
COM
check
to achieving net-zero buildings. But it is the focus on existing buildings that is somewhat new. The District of Columbia is taking the lead on requiring energy efficiency improvements in existing buildings that do not meet performance targets, and they are not alone in advocating for energy efficiency retrofits of existing buildings. Read more in the articles below.
I would also like to invite you to join the TMS Sustainability Committee upcoming web meeting
on April 1 from 1:30 - 3pm EDT. The topic of our call with considering the comments received on the proposed new name, scope and goals for the committee. For more information and a meeting link,
contact the TMS office
.
Christine "Tina" Subasic, PE, LEED AP
CSubasicPE@aol.com
NOTE: Inclusion in this newsletter is not an endorsement of the products and materials featured, nor have these products been evaluated by TMS or the editor. Furthermore, the views expressed in the articles featured are those of the article authors.
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GREEN BUILDING NEWS
As the green building industry matures the focus is shifting from energy efficient buildings to net-zero energy and zero carbon buildings. ~Tina
Report: Zero-Carbon Buildings "Definitively" Attainable
CONSTRUCTION CANADA ONLINE
Zero-carbon buildings provide substantial greenhouse gas reductions as well as cost savings over a 25-year life cycle, according to a Canada Green Building Council report. "This study shows us definitively zero-carbon buildings can be achieved with existing market-ready technologies and approaches for most building types, and that operating cost savings will cover the needed investments," President Thomas Mueller says in
this article
.
More Net-Zero Buildings, Retrofits Needed to Meet Emissions Goals
LIVING BUILDING CHRONICLE
A greater proportion of new commercial buildings will need to be designed for net-zero emissions if the overall industry wants to meet carbon emissions goals, Ken Edelstein writes. While the number of net-zero buildings constructed each year has steadily risen, a meaningful number of retrofits must be undertaken too.
Read more
.
The Impact of School Infrastructure on Learning: A Synthesis of the Evidence
QKA.COM
Principal Aaron Jobson of QKA offers his thoughts on this recently published
report
by World Bank Group. Jonson notes that it is an excellent summary of current research findings that demonstrate a significant link between the quality of a school’s infrastructure and the learning that happens within it. The authors reviewed literature and research from around the world on a variety of topics related to the design and construction of school buildings, which generated important insights on approaching school facility design here in California. Read more
here
.
Startup Tackles Housing Crisis with "Lavacrete" 3D Printing
SILICON HILLS (Wimberly, Texas)
Texas-based startup ICON has unveiled Vulcan II, a cutting-edge 3D printer that can build up to 2,000-square-foot homes faster and at half the cost of traditional construction methods, while also making them resilient. ICON's printer, which uses a proprietary concrete mixture known as "lavacrete," could be one solution to the housing affordability crisis, said Jason Ballard, the company's co-founder and CEO, in
this article
.
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CODES and STANDARDS NEWS
The recently passed District of Columbia law noted in the article below is unique among energy efficiency laws in that it will increase efficiency of
existing
buildings that do not meet performance targets. Most proposals target new construction, but this one will require current buildings to make changes. ~Tina
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District of Columbia Passes Building Efficiency and Renewable Energy Policy
USGBC.ORG
The law will create a new program to increase efficiency of existing buildings that do not meet performance targets. The Building Energy Performance Standard (BEPS) will require all existing buildings over 50,000 square feet to reach minimum levels of energy efficiency, or be required to increase that performance by 2026.
Read more
.
Resilience is the Future of Real Estate and USGBC Spells it RELi
GREEN BUILDING LAW UPDATE
Hudson Yards, the largest private real estate development in the country recently opened, but what the $25 Billion project may become best known for is that is designed for resilience from its giant “submarine doors” underground that can be closed to keep out storm surges to its own power plant that can keep the lights on even if New York City’s power grid goes down. Read more
here
.
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GREEN PRODUCT NEWS
Changes in concrete and cement production can improve concrete masonry production as well. ~Tina
Q&A: Initiative Aims to Convert CO2 into Limestone for Concrete
THRIVE GLOBAL
Peter Fiekowsky, a physicist and founder of the Foundation for Climate Restoration and the Healthy Climate Alliance, is spearheading a number of climate initiatives, including one that aims to use carbon sequestration technology to turn carbon dioxide into limestone aggregate for concrete. "This solution is commercially viable and is an incredible game changer for climate change," he says in
this article
.
Cement Firms Take Steps Toward More Sustainable Industry
GREENBIZ.COM
The cement industry is working to develop a sustainable product using alternative materials such as fly ash and slag, while companies such as CarbonCure have captured carbon dioxide from industrial processes and injected it into concrete during production. "With potential pressure coming from multiple sources, including down the value chain in the form of building and city regulation, cement companies need to invest and innovate in order to avoid impending risks to their operations and the wider world," CDP CEO Paul Simpson says.
Read more
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Maintenance Guidelines for Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavement Systems
RESEARCH GATE
This paper provides operation and maintenance guidance to ensure that permeable pavements function properly by providing stormwater infiltration and structural support for the anticipated traffic loading. Get the paper
here
.
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EDUCATIONAL NEWS
REScheck and COMcheck are commonly used tools to demonstrate energy code compliance for masonry buildings. The free webinar below offers tips on how to use these programs. ~Tina
Webinar: Troubleshooting RES
check
and COM
check
Projects
NCMA.ORG
Hosted by Bob Schultz of PNNL, this webinar will present case studies reviewing challenges that can be addressed via RES
check
and COM
check
software, the popular compliance software tool supported by the U.S. Department of Energy. Both residential and commercial projects will be covered, as will distinctions between various energy editions of model codes. To register now,
click here
.
Register Now for The Masonry Society Spring Meetings
MASONRYSOCIETY.ORG
Registration is now open for the TMS Spring Meetings to be held in Salt Lake City, UT June 14-16, 2019. For more information on the upcoming meeting and TMS Committee activities, check out
this link
or
listen to a recording of the recent
Virtual Town Hall
and review the Presentation pdf
.
Registration Open for 13th North American Masonry Conference
TMS
The 13th North American Masonry Conference will be held June 16–19, 2019, in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Conference is hosted by Brigham Young University and is the latest in a series of quadrennial conferences sponsored by The Masonry Society. More than 150 papers from more than 20 countries are anticipated to be presented on a wide array of masonry topics. For more information and to register visit the conference
website
.
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