SpecRight Program training has been successfully completed by 263 participants. SpecRight-trained contractors are able to provide the most up-to-date information to customers about sustainable, environmentally responsible, energy-efficient roof systems. In addition, the SpecRight Program helps contractors by giving them the tools needed to emphasize quality over cost.

The SpecRight Program stresses the importance of proper design, quality materials, proper installation and ongoing maintenance. Roofing contractors who participate in the SpecRight Program will be able to position themselves as consultants and stewards of the environment.

Click here to view a list of SpecRight-trained contractors. Testimonials of contractors who have participated in this program are also available by clicking here.

A SpecRight Program training session will be held Oct. 21 in Washington, D.C. To register, click here. The program also is available as a customized educational training class. For more information, contact Allison Noble, NRCA University's manager of customized education, at (800) 323-9545, ext. 7509 or anoble@nrca.net.
Web Link | Return to Headlines



As energy costs continue to escalate, many roofing contractors and building owners are beginning to turn to photovoltaic (PV) roofing options to save energy and money. Although only a small percentage of PV systems currently are in use, they offer great potential to remedy increasing building energy costs. As the popularity and economic viability of PV systems increase, it will be important to be well-versed and knowledgeable about their background, benefits and installation details. "PV rising" provides a history and explanation of PV cells and panels, outlines the two PV offerings available for roof system applications, explains why PV roof systems are beneficial and provides guidelines when considering PV systems. Click here to read the article.
Web Link | Return to Headlines



The results of a study comparing the performance of different types of green roofs have been completed by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas (UT) at Austin. Researchers studied six different roof designs including vegetated with native species, nonreflective (black) roofs and reflective (white) roofs. The researchers found differences between green and nonvegetated roofs, as well as among the green roofs. The green roofs varied greatly in capabilities, such as how much they cooled down a building's interior and how much rainwater they captured during downpours.

The study included an examination of 24 experimental rooftops during fall 2006 and spring 2007, and the results suggest a green roof could reduce a building's air-conditioning bills by about 21 percent compared with traditional roofs. A study of stormwater runoff varied among the six types of roofs included in the research. Some of the green roofs retained all the water during a 1/2-inch rainfall and just under half the water when 2 inches of rain fell. Other green roofs only retained about one-quarter of the water in a light, 1/2-inch rain and as little as 8 percent during deluges. Because of the variations in the results of the green roof study, the researchers suggest designing green roofs according to project-specific goals. The researchers published their findings in Urban Ecosystems. To view the abstract or purchase the article, click here.
Web Link | Return to Headlines



The California Academy of Sciences (CAS) has installed a 2.5-acre landscaped roof surrounded by a band of 60,000 photovoltaic solar panels on its 197,000-square-foot rooftop. The new 410,000-square-foot CAS building was constructed in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco and will house a planetarium, museum of natural history and aquarium. The landscaped roof, planted with plants native to Northern California, will keep about 2 million gallons of rainwater from becoming runoff. An open-air observation terrace will allow visitors to closely view the landscaped roof. The solar panels will generate about 213,000 kilowatt hours of energy per year, providing CAS with up to 10 percent of its electricity needs and preventing the release of 405,000 pounds of greenhouse emission into the air.

Upon inspection of the completed building, CAS hopes to earn Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED)® certification. LEED, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, is a voluntary rating system promoting the design and construction of sustainable buildings. To earn LEED certification, a building must perform well in the following areas: energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, materials selection, sustainable site development and water savings. To learn more about the new CAS building, click here.
Web Link | Return to Headlines



NRCA Bookstore is offering 25 percent off bundled technical manuals that complement one another. NRCA Bookstore is also offering up to $40 off NRLRC Contract Provisions and special NRCA pricing for ConsensusDocs. All orders qualify for a 30-day, risk-free guarantee.
Web Link | Return to Headlines



Giant Retailers Look to Sun for Energy Savings
New York Times (08/11/08) P. A1; Rosenbloom, Stephanie

More and more of America's largest retail chains are coming to see their immense, low-slope roofs as an untapped resource. In recent months, such retailers as Wal-Mart, Safeway, Kohl's and Whole Foods Market have installed solar panels on the rooftops of their stores to generate electricity on a large scale. One reason they are scrambling is to beat a Dec. 31, 2008, deadline to gain tax advantages for such projects. To date, though, most chains have outfitted fewer than 10 percent of their stores. Over the long run, assuming Capitol Hill lawmakers renew a favorable tax provision and more states offer incentives, the various retail companies promise to put panels atop nearly every big store nationwide. Daniel M. Kammen, an energy expert at the University of California, Berkeley, states: "It's very clear that green energy is now front and center in the minds of the business sector. Not only will you see panels on the roofs of your local stores, but I suspect very soon retailers will have stickers in their windows saying, 'This is a green energy store.'" The numbers are quite impressive. For instance, if Wal-Mart eventually covered the roofs of all its Sam's Club and Wal-Mart stores with solar panels, figures from the retailer show that the resulting solar acreage would roughly equal the size of Manhattan. Other chains are looking at additional ways to extend their use of renewable energy by testing such technologies as wind turbines and reflective white roofs, which keep buildings cooler in warmer climates.
Web Link | Return to Headlines


Shanghai Closes in on Green Roof Target
People's Daily (China) (08/12/08)

Shanghai's landscaping administration bureau recently stated that more than 95,000 square meters of city rooftops have been covered in grass and shrubs this year, which is close to the agency's annual target of 100,000 square meters. The city will spend approximately $710,000 this year on the green roof system campaign, with priority being given to such public buildings as City Hall in People's Square and the Armed Police Detachment building. Li Li of the landscaping bureau remarks: "It is not just for visual pleasure, but a measure to tackle air pollution and improve our ecological environment." Li said green roof systems absorb carbon dioxide and reduce heat and dust. Since the bureau's campaign began five years ago, a total of 500,000 square meters of Shanghai's rooftops have been covered.
Web Link | Return to Headlines


State Is First to OK Green Building Standards
San Francisco Chronicle (07/18/08) Yi, Matthew

California has become the first state in the country to approve green building standards to reduce energy and water usage. Adopted by the California Building Standards Commission, the plan requires that all new construction slash water use by 20 percent, energy usage by 15 percent and water for landscaping by 50 percent. A voluntary form of the code will go into effect on July 1, 2009. The code will be voluntary while the commission works on a mandatory regulation, which should be in place by early 2011. Commission Chairwoman Rosario Marin remarks: "There is no statewide standard in the nation such as our green building standard. In fact, we're the first one in the world, and we anticipate others to follow us." Although the rules do not specify how to make the reductions, ideas range from increasing natural lighting to using low-flow toilets and planting drought-resistant vegetation. Making buildings more efficient will be key to helping the Golden State meet its ambitious goals under AB32, the landmark law crafted to fight global warming by reducing the state's greenhouse gas emissions 30 percent by the end of the next decade. Carbon emissions related to buildings represent nearly 25 percent of California's total greenhouse gas emissions, second only to the transportation sector.
Web Link | Return to Headlines


Green Roofs Can Cut Electric Bills by 20 Percent
KXAN36 News (Austin, TX) (07/31/08)

In Texas, researchers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center have completed their first study comparing the effectiveness of different types of green roof systems against traditional roof systems. The study compared green roof systems created by a half-dozen different manufacturers to find out how much they cooled a building's interior and how much stormwater runoff they captured. Dr. Mark Simmons, the study's lead investigator, determined that not all green roof systems are created equal and that some do not capture rain and prevent it from reaching the ground. His team has been comparing temperatures from two dozen experimental rooftops since 2006. Based on their findings, Simmons says green roof systems could reduce a building's air conditioning bill by up to 21 percent when compared to traditional black tar roof systems. During one particularly hot day, for example, a black top box with no air conditioning reached 129 F inside, compared to 97 to 100 F inside the green roof box.
Web Link | Return to Headlines


Green Construction in Seattle Growing on the Nonprofit Sector
Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle) (08/05/08) Holtzman, Clay

In Seattle, construction has begun on the $500 million Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation campus, a 900,000-square-foot project that ranks as one of the largest energy-efficient projects in the state. Even the campus parking garage is covered with a green roof system designed to reduce storm runoff. Scheduled for completion in 2010, the campus is the largest among several green building projects currently under way for area nonprofits. Rising energy costs coupled with a growing awareness of climate change have prompted many groups to embrace green concepts. Looking ahead, the number of nonprofit green buildings is expected to rise as Washington state officials require more groups receiving state funds to build to energy-efficient standards.
Web Link | Return to Headlines


DOE to Pursue Zero-Net Energy Commercial Buildings
Department of Energy News Release (08/05/08)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently launched the Zero-Net Energy Commercial Building Initiative with the objective of developing new commercial buildings that produce as much energy as they use by 2025. Energy-efficiency technologies and on-site renewable energy generation systems, including solar power and geothermal energy, will help make this possible. DOE has also formed the National Laboratory Collaborative on Building Technologies, which will allow the department and five of its national laboratories to work together on the research, validation and commercialization priorities that are important to achieving zero-net energy buildings. "DOE's Commercial Building Initiative and the Collaborative are urgently needed to accelerate innovation and market adoption in the field of high performance buildings," says DOE Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency David Rodgers. "Now we are bringing to bear the unprecedented collaboration in scientific resources of five national laboratories to bring about the needed transformation of the built environment, lower our carbon footprint in buildings and accelerate commercial deployment of clean, efficient building technologies."
Web Link | Return to Headlines


Local College To Install 'Green' Roof
WLWT Channel Cincinnati (08/04/08)

In August, the College of Mount St. Joseph is installing a new green roof system on the Archbishop Alter Library, the second largest building on campus. When completed, it will contain approximately 8,880 plants that will filter rainwater and insulate the building to reduce energy consumption. When in full bloom, the yellow flowers and blue foliage will echo the school's official colors of blue and gold. The green roof system is not only designed to reduce heating and cooling costs but also extend the lifespan of the roof membrane and decrease stormwater runoff and pollutants into sewers. According to industry averages, storm runoff could be reduced by as much as 90 percent, and heating and cooling costs slashed between 25 percent and 50 percent. Based on the information that will be gained from this first green roof system, future green roof systems may be added throughout the campus.
Web Link | Return to Headlines


LoftWorks Plans $12.7 Million Renovation of Farm & Home
St. Louis Business Journal (08/01/08) Volkmann, Kelsey

LoftWorks has announced plans to renovate the long-vacant Farm & Home Building in downtown St. Louis into a 60,000-square-foot retail and office building. Dubbed "The 411," the building is a $12.7 million development project, with financing provided by Enterprise Bank. Construction is scheduled to begin by the end of the summer. LoftWorks intends to have the building certified via the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program. According to the locally based development firm, sustainable elements will include a green roof system and gray water recycling.
Web Link | Return to Headlines


Kohl's Earns Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star Label at 50 Stores
Business Wire (07/31/08)

Kohl's Department Stores confirms that it has received the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) coveted Energy Star label for 50 of its stores—the largest group of non-supermarket retail properties to earn this designation in the program's history. Energy Star labels recognize commercial buildings and industrial facilities that rate in the top 25 percent of structures in the country for energy efficiency. Kohl's stores that have earned the label are located in six states: Illinois (14), New York (12), Minnesota (8), Colorado (7), Wisconsin (5) and Utah (4). The retailer's policy is to incorporate energy-efficient practices and technology into all of its stores. Such features range from centralized energy management control systems to high-efficiency lighting, heating and cooling systems. Most stores also feature occupancy sensor lighting for their offices, stockrooms and break rooms. Ken Bonning, executive vice president of logistics for Kohl's, states: "The Energy Star label showcases how Kohl's is incorporating environmentally friendly practices that are also fiscally responsible. We are able to reduce our carbon footprint and reduce energy costs while maintaining a comfortable shopping environment for our customers."
Web Link | Return to Headlines


Net Zero Electric Building Is Model for Federal Facilities
Federal Times (08/04/08) Vol. 44, No. 24, P. 10; Kauffman, Tim

A 42,000-square-foot commercial building in Branchburg, N.J., is the first and only net zero electric building in the country. On the roof of the building, which a local road construction company calls home, there are 1,276 photovoltaic panels that convert the sun's rays to supply the building with all the energy it needs and to heat the tap water. A gas boiler heats water that is then distributed through 9 miles of tubing below the floors to warm the facility. There is also no need to switch on the compressor as the building boasts a smart heating and air conditioning unit that pulls cold air from outdoors into the building to cool the interior. To monitor and track the effectiveness of these systems, the project developers constructed a metering system, which enables building owners to record and confirm the amount of energy they are consuming and conserving in real time. Easy-to-read data appears on computer monitors in the lobby so that all of the employees could see how much energy was being used. This motivates employees to turn off their computers and lights when they were not using them, which has resulted in an 86 percent drop in carbon emissions, an 80 percent reduction in total energy use, and a perfect score from Energy Star. All federal agencies will be required to install similar monitoring systems to the one used in New Jersey within the next four years, thanks to legislation Congress approved in 2007.
Web Link | Return to Headlines


Indiana Going Green for Better Energy Efficiency
Gary Post Tribune (07/28/08) Laasby, Gitte

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels recently signed an executive order requiring all new state buildings to meet strict new energy-efficiency standards. As a result, a new beach pavilion in Portage, Ind., will feature a green roof system and geothermal heating by mid-October when the beach formally opens. The green roof system will "capture runoff and reduce heat impact," while the geothermal heating will "reduce the overall cost of energy consumption," said Garry Traynham, deputy superintendent of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The new pavilion will meet at least a silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard. The certification is based on such things as a building's water savings, energy efficiency, material selection and indoor environmental quality. The Centennial Park clubhouse in Munster, Ind., is also a LEED-certified facility. Trane Indiana District Manager Dave Summer believes Daniels' executive order should be broadened to include existing buildings, which consume more energy. He said heating and air-conditioning consumes 25 percent of U.S. energy consumption but could comprise 50 percent in a commercial building. The U.S. Green Building Council estimates that existing buildings represent 40 percent of U.S. energy consumption.
Web Link | Return to Headlines


Montessori School First 'Green' Building in Wheeling
Chicago Daily Herald (08/03/08) Malik, Nadia

The Alexander Graham Bell Montessori School's white roof system is one of the main features helping it become the first green building in Wheeling, Ill. The white roof system helps reflect sunlight so the building stays cooler. The school is moving into this larger location in the coming weeks. For its energy-efficient construction, the school received a $50,000 grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation. The building project itself is costing about $2.4 million to complete, which is likely more expensive than regular construction. The school is expected to save money in the long run. Principal Carol Martorano comments: "We're a private school. We have to watch the budget."
Web Link | Return to Headlines


USP Headquarters Named Best Biotech
Medical News Today (07/27/08)

The National Association of Industrial and Office Properties' (NAIOP's) Maryland/D.C. Chapter recently named the U.S. Pharmacopeial (USP) Convention's new headquarters as the Best BioTech Building in the region. The Rockville, Md., facility was designed to help the organization build on its core mission of setting official quality standards for legally marketed medicines, dietary supplements and food ingredients. Sustainability was a key factor in the design, as the building is constructed of high levels of recycled material and features a green roof system composed of vegetation that reduces energy consumption and improves stormwater management. The new headquarters, which opened in March, boasts more than 227,000 square feet of office, lab and meeting space.
Web Link | Return to Headlines


Cost of Going Green in Hospital Construction Lessening Over Time, Observers Say
Press Enterprise (Riverside, CA) (07/19/08) Hines, Lora

Analysts and healthcare professionals note that it is costing less to build energy-efficient and environmentally friendly hospitals. Wade Goehring, project manager at HDR, an Omaha, Neb.-based engineering and architectural firm, points out that including green products in hospital construction raised project costs by approximately 2 percent five years ago, but now there is no noticeable cost increase. He says: "Since then, it's gotten a lot easier to find green products. The bigger the project, the easier it is to be absorbed into the cost." This especially is true in California's Inland Empire, where such providers as Kaiser Permanente are making plans to replace and expand older facilities. In July, Kaiser announced plans to spend an estimated $700 million to replace the nearly 60-year-old Fontana hospital with a seven-story tower designed to provide more advanced medical care in a comfortable setting. Set to open in 2013, the project is to be one of at least three announced in the Inland area this year. Loma Linda University Medical Center and a doctors' group recently detailed plans to spend $211 million to build a 200-bed hospital and medical office buildings near Murrieta. Earlier in the year, Riverside Community Hospital launched a $400 million expansion that will more than double its space by 2013. On a national level, recommendations for greener hospitals started taking hold about five years ago with release of the Green Guide for Health Care. Developed by nonprofit environmental construction organizations, the guide is a tool healthcare providers can use when designing and erecting new facilities.
Web Link | Return to Headlines


Gundersen Parking Project Nears Completion
La Crosse Tribune (WI) (07/25/08) Rindfleisch, Terry

In Wisconsin, Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center's $10 million underground patient parking structure will add 200 more parking spaces to the facility's grounds when it opens Aug. 18. Solar panels on the roof are part of the facility's initiative to be a more environmentally friendly medical center. The structure, which is a part of a long-range construction and renovation project, will have 549 parking stalls on two underground levels and one above-ground level. Jerry Arndt, the health system's senior vice president of business services, states that the area around the surface level of the structure will be landscaped. When another planned ramp is built nearby, he adds, that surface parking level will become green space. In particular, the ramp will feature a white roof system to reflect sunlight and save money in cooling costs. Arndt further notes that the structure is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified.
Web Link | Return to Headlines


Green Building Council Set to Modify LEED Standards
St. Louis Business Journal (07/08/08)

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced that it is changing its certification process for green buildings through its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. The new version, dubbed LEED 2009, is set to debut in January. Since the program was launched in 2000, more than 1,500 buildings have received LEED certification and more than 11,000 are now seeking it. During the past eight years, the USGBC has changed the way architects, contractors and developers design and erect structures nationwide. Even buildings that do not pursue LEED certification are increasingly incorporating such sustainable practices as daylighting, non-polluting carpet and paint, and low-flow water fixtures and toilets. Anne Jackson, founding chair of the USGBC's Charlotte chapter, states: "The USGBC's mission is to transform the marketplace, and we've seen a tremendous amount of success in a short time." USGBC spokeswoman Ashley Katz reports that LEED 2009 will reorganize the commercial rating systems by consolidating, aligning and updating them into a single system that is "simpler and more elegant and committed to continuous improvement." Not only will points be allocated differently and reweighed, the entire process will be flexible to the point where it can adapt to changing technology and account for regional differences.
Web Link | Return to Headlines

---

Abstract News © Copyright 2008 INFORMATION, INC.