In This Issue:

Electrical Alliance Supports Solar Decathlon
Consider LEED Professional Accreditation
Green Buildings Gaining Professional Status
COG Developing Regional Green Building Response to Growth

Electrical Alliance Supports Solar Decathlon

The Solar Decathlon is a competition for sustainable residential design sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and several cosponsors. Teams from 20 international universities have been selected to compete in the biannual event, where they will set up a solar village open to the public on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on October 12-20, 2007. Student teams compete to design, build, and operate highly energy-efficient, completely solar-powered houses that incorporate building integrated photovoltaics.

The Electrical Alliance is sponsoring the event by giving $15,000 to the teams from the Pennsylvania State University and the University of Maryland. In addition, the Alliance has offered to provide skilled electricians to complete the final wiring for the solar arrays, inverters, batteries, and charge controllers. The Electrical Alliance sees the Solar Decathlon as a means to demonstrate to the community its support of solar power and other aspects of sustainable building. Learn more about the Solar Decathlon at www.solardecathlon.org Images courtesy of Stefano Paltera / Solar Decathlon. [top]

Consider LEED Professional Accreditation

LEED Professional Accreditation issued by the USGBC distinguishes building professionals with the knowledge and skills to successfully steward the integrated design and LEED certification process. LEED Accredited Professionals have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles and familiarity with LEED requirements, resources, and processes. All Electrical Alliance members could benefit by obtaining the AP credential.

More than 37,000 people have become LEED accredited since 2001. USGBC offers three exam tracks for earning the LEED AP credential:

• LEED for New Construction, version 2.2
• LEED for Commercial Interiors, version 2.0
• LEED for Existing Buildings, version 2.0

You only need to pass one exam track to become a LEED Accredited Professional.

DOWNLOAD THE CANDIDATE HANDBOOK
for information about registration, scheduling, exam preparation, and test-day procedures. [top]

Green Buildings Gaining Professional Status

The movement toward green building is gathering steam among professional societies who develop design standards that impact the building industry. Three standards are currently under development under the provisions of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in cooperation with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). They include projects by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) in cooperation with the Intl. Code Council (ICC) and the Green Building Initiative of Canada.

ASHRAE/USGBC/IESNA Green Building Standard 189 will cover all commercial non-residential buildings. This standard targets new building projects, tenant finish-out in new and existing buildings, additions to existing buildings, and major remodeling projects. It is planned as an ANSI standard suitable for adoption as code regulation at the city, state, or other jurisdictional level and is based on the USGBC's LEED rating system. Standard 189 could be completed this year.

NAHB/ICC National Green Building Standard will cover all residential buildings and commercial buildings that also include multiple residential units. The standard targets new construction and additions and renovations to existing buildings. It is suitable for adoption as code regulation at the city, state, or other jurisdictional level and is based on NAHB's Green Home Building Guidelines. The development committee held its first meeting in April and the standard may be available by mid-2008.

ASTM E 06.71 Standard Subcommittee on Sustainability in the Performance of Buildings will cover all commercial non-residential buildings. This standard is likely to be developed as a document suitable for adoption as code regulation at the city, state, or other jurisdictional level. The final schedule is unpublished at this time. [top]

COG Developing Regional Green Building Response to Growth

The Washington region's first municipal green building program was established in Arlington County in 2000. In 2006, both the District of Columbia and Montgomery County passed legislation in support of green building. Currently, 12 of The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) jurisdictions have developed or are developing green building policies.

COG forecasts that by 2030, the region will gain 1.6 million new residents. How the region builds will determine the quality of life, the capacity of municipal governments to manage infrastructure needs, and conservation of the region's natural environment. COG believes that green building offers design and development practices that help protect natural resources while improving the performance of the region's building stock.

COG Resolution R55-06 was adopted in 2006 to establish an Intergovernment Green Building Group (IGBG) as a standing COG technical committee; to establish an ad hoc committee to advise on regional green building policy development; and to request a report from IGBG on options and recommendations for regional green building guidelines and implementation, and approaches to measuring regional progress. The interim report recognizes several approaches to green building methods-LEED, Green Globes, ENERGY STAR, and EarthCraft. It is available for download at www.mwcog.org. [top]