Last month, Washington, D.C. became the first city in the world to receive a LEED for Cities Platinum leadership certification, the highest award bestowed upon cities by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). D.C. has 120 LEED-certified projects, with 29.04 square feet of LEED space per resident, far ahead of the top LEED state, … Continue reading Insight: Why Is D.C. Tops In LEED?
Even the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the organization responsible for the LEED green building program, must keep an eye on their own LEED performance. As waste consultants for the USGBC, Great Forest helps the organization monitor their sustainability efforts through quarterly waste audits. Waste is one of five categories used to determine a building’s … Continue reading Client Spotlight: The How And Why Of Waste Audits At The USGBC
What are the latest sustainability trends and challenges facing buildings and businesses? A recent panel on the topic organized by the Apartment and Office Building Association (AOBA) and the Downtown D.C. Business Improvement District (BID) drew about 60 people from across the industry, including representatives from local government and property management companies. Keynote speaker Brendan Shane, C40 Cities’ regional director … Continue reading Panel – Latest Sustainability Trends, Challenges
Did you know that you can use events and outreach activities you are planning for America Recycles Day (which falls on November 15) to earn extra LEED credit for your building? This “design yourself” Innovation in Operations (IO) credit is not assigned to any one LEED category. Instead, it allows you the freedom to present “new and creative solutions to … Continue reading Earn Extra LEED Credit For America Recycles Day?
What were the top states for LEED in 2013? Illinois topped the list, with Washington, D.C. coming in at #10. Within the top ten states there were 1,777 projects certified, covering 226.8 million square feet. Did your state make the list? See the top ten states for LEED (Infographic). * Read the rest of the Feb. 2014 … Continue reading Is Your State in the Top Ten for LEED?
Congratulations to the Paramount Group. Their building at 440 9th Avenue in NYC has been certified LEED O+M: Existing Buildings (v2008), achieving 37 out of 38 attempted points. Great Forest managed the LEED certification process and guided the building on upgrades and credits required. Work performed included waste audits, a transit survey, as well as … Continue reading New LEED Achievement – 440 9th Avenue Certified
Is your LEED status about to expire? For a small but growing number of buildings, the answer is Yes. LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance (LEED: EB O&M) requires recertification every five years. Recertification takes about a year to complete so if your building obtained LEED on or before 2009, it is time to start the process. … Continue reading Time to Recertify Your LEED Building?
This fall, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is rolling out the G4, a new set of sustainability reporting guidelines. This is the first major revision of the guidelines since 2006, and it aims to deliver more meaningful reports by focusing on documenting what really matters to the organization. “The new framework moves away from broad, … Continue reading New Sustainability Standards Coming
Existing buildings can receive high scores without dragging out the LEED process if they follow these 8 steps, according to Buildings Magazine, which put together this tip sheet with advice from Great Forest and other industry experts. It may seem like common sense, but some gung-ho teams end up focusing too much on optional credits … Continue reading 8 Tips to Fast-Track LEED
A recent survey of academic, business, and government leaders found that they believe sustainability issues are among the top ten issues facing the world today. A recent survey of academic, business, and government leaders found that they believe sustainability issues are among the top ten issues facing the world today. The report – entitled the Global … Continue reading Did You Know? Sustainability Issues Among Top 10 Concerns
Great Forest was recently awarded a contract for LEED consulting at five additional Paramount buildings in New York City, after successfully achieving LEED certified status at 900 Third Avenue. We are now working with 712 Fifth Avenue, 745 Fifth Avenue, 31 West 52nd Street, 440 Ninth Avenue, and 220 West 42nd Street using the LEED … Continue reading Paramount Buildings Pursue LEED-EB
NYC just got a little greener with Paramount Group’s 900 Third Avenue earning the LEED certification for Existing Buildings. Great Forest managed the certification process, which boosted sustainability on several fronts. New waste and recycling initiatives increased the building’s diversion rate to 60%, energy efficiency efforts helped the building achieve an ENERGY STAR rating of 77, … Continue reading 900 Third Avenue Achieves LEED
Great Forest on Life beyond LEED in Greenbiz.com Congratulations. You’ve been LEED certified. Now what? That is the question Great Forest answers in the current edition of Greenbiz.com, one of the leading sources for news, opinion and best practices for green business. The article, co-authored by Great Forest President Richard Fuller … Continue reading Sustainability Beyond Certification
Great Forest is proud to announce two new LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certifications: In March, Citibank’s Operations and Technology office at 111 Wall Street was awarded LEED Gold under the LEED CI (Commercial Interiors) Version 2.0 rating system. Project highlights include a 46% water use reduction, 80% demolition and construction waste diversion, … Continue reading New LEED Certifications
Two Vornado Realty properties – 330 Madison and 770 Broadway – have achieved LEED certification for Existing Buildings, Operations and Maintenance. Great Forest managed and guided the successful LEED EB: O&M process for both buildings. Congratulations!
ISO 14001 is an international framework used by business, industry and service-orientated organizations to develop and implement an environmental management system that promotes continual improvement towards higher environmental stewardship. The ISO 14001 standard allows an organization to identify, execute and measure green programs that make sense for the company and its resources. Obtaining an ISO … Continue reading Q&A: What is ISO 14001?
In early December, Great Forest client Deutsche Bank hosted a Sustainability Tour for students at Hunter College to showcase the green elements of its Americas headquarters at 60 Wall Street. The tour was attended by students enrolled in the “Sustainability, Green Buildings and Health,” course taught by Professor Jack Caravanos and Great Forest Director of … Continue reading Hunter College Students Take 60 Wall Street Sustainability Tour
In early December, Great Forest client Deutsche Bank hosted a Sustainability Tour for students at Hunter College to showcase the green elements of its Americas headquarters at 60 Wall Street. The tour was attended by students enrolled in the “Sustainability, Green Buildings and Health,” course taught by Professor Jack Caravanos and Great Forest Director of … Continue reading Hunter College Students Take 60 Wall Street Sustainability Tour
Read about two innovative ways NYC is cultivating green building upgrades. The article reiterates that “energy savings from buildings is the lowest-cost method of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, according to the consulting firm McKinsey & Company. In addition, greener buildings could save the New York real estate industry as much as $230 million a … Continue reading One Year, One Thousand Green Supers
Green roofs are becoming a major urban trend as cities see the benefits of reduced stormwater runoff, lower summer energy bills, and overall reduced ‘heat island’ effect. Cities offering incentives for green roofing include Toronto, Chicago, Portland, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, and others are expected to follow. For example, since 2008, building owners in … Continue reading Incentives for Greening (and Whitening) Your Roof
Among Great Forest’s LEED clients is the grand 77-year-old neo-classical building at 515 Madison Avenue. Following a $5 million reovation, the Newmark Knight Frank building is expected to achieve LEED certification (LEED-EB and LEED-CI) by the U.S. Green Building Council in the near future. Great Forest consultants are facilitating work that includes the upgrading of … Continue reading Great Forest Provides LEED Guidance for Neo-Classical Gem in NYC
Mayor Michael Bloomberg joined city officials in a groundbreaking ceremony on July 6 for the highly-anticipated Bushwick Inlet Park project in Brooklyn. Great Forest client W.A. Gross Construction Associates and the NYC Parks Department are working on the 28 acre park, which will include a multipurpose athletic field. Great Forest is guiding the LEED process for the first … Continue reading Bloomberg Breaks Ground on LEED Project on Williamsburg Waterfront
