Page 263 - BWA FEB 2013

February 2013 | Business World Magazine | 263
the kind of data to show how a building per-
forms... in terms of the health of the environ-
ment, its functioning in the landscape, the ef-
ficiencies in its operation... the performance
of these buildings is now our number one
priority,” says Platt. USGBC is now certify-
ing 1.6 million square feet a day to LEED.
More than half of that is in existing build-
ings.
In gaining a better understanding of
performance measures, Platts says the USG-
BC will continue to find ways to better dem-
onstrate the full value and benefit of green
building. In this case, performance evalua-
tions will encompass measurements in effi-
ciency relating to energy use, water use, air
quality, and the impact that all these things
assert on the environment and operations in-
side the building.
There is a growing literature of green
building research, says Platt. He has been
particularly encouraged by a recent study
conducted by Notre Dame University. In
that study, researchers analyzed data pro-
duced by 100 retail locations of PNC Bank.
They found that the annual utilities cost
per employee in their LEED facilities was
$675.26 lower than in non-green facilities.
Better performance, in this case, included
increased productivity from employees and
lower costs of utility rates per square foot
than that of other branches. Platt says the
research appears sound, and it complements
other independent studies that show a stron-
ger value proposition for LEED buildings,
such as faster lease rates or higher occupancy
rates.
Platt says the USGBC will be under-
taking their own research, working with
owners and operators of LEED certified
buildings, and collect and compare data so
the organization can better provide insight
into opportunities to improve performance
in existing buildings.
The USGBC has created an online
resource known as the Green Building In-
formation Gateway (www.gbig.org). The
site provides an interface to compare and
contrast various LEED certified buildings
established throughout the world. Platt says
this Internet resource is helping to generate
a new era of analytical insight as well as en-
gagement and excitement (not to mention
bragging rights) among those who have un-
dergone LEED certification.
Another priority aim for the future re-