Does the Responsible Developer aspire to LEED for health care facilities?

Local Washington cities and health care providers say, Yes!

The latest addition to Puyallup’s MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital, the nine-story, $300-million Dally Tower, has received the Green Building Institute’s LEED Gold award.

The hospital tower, which doubled the space at Good Samaritan, is the state’s first hospital structure to win the Gold award for energy and resources conservation, said Tacoma’s MultiCare Health System, the hospital’s parent company.

The gold award was based on the new building’s water and energy saving features and environment-friendly construction methods.  The building and parking structure replaced surface parking lots and a public street, and also replaced impervious surfaces with permeable green space. The structures added no new impacts to the stormwater system.

Other sustainable features include:

• Ecoroofs, bioswales and rain gardens that gather stormwater runoff.

• An energy-efficient building form that minimizes east-west exposure; sun shades on the windows to reduce heat gain.

• Renewable, recycled and regionally sourced materials; certified wood, low-VOC interior finishes and linoleum and rubber flooring.

• Reduction of potable water use by 20 percent compared with a normal hospital.

• HVAC system with low-velocity ducting, high-efficiency chillers and mid-building air handlers.

• Air drawn 100 percent from outside the building to help control infections, and a heat-recovery system to conserve energy.

The architect for the project was the Good Sam Design Collaborative which included Clark/Kjos Architects and GBJ Architecture. Skanska USA was the general contractor.

Another area hospital serving southeast King and northeast Pierce counties, Enumclaw’s St. Elizabeth Hospital, last summer was awarded a LEED Silver designation. St. Elizabeth is owned by Tacoma’s Franciscan Health System.

So to sum up the attributes of Green hospitals, its good for the environment, it saves energy and reduces costs, it's also gorgeous, and, it's undeniably healthy (see new USGBCCleanMed protocol).  

Is investment in green sustainable buildings still paying off?

Absolutely, according to a study of properties managed by CBRE Group Inc. ("CBRE").

Sustainable buildings generate stronger investment returns than traditional managed properties, according to the ongoing study of a national office portfolio managed by CBRE.  The study found that there is a higher value and an increased demand for green, and in particular for LEED® certified buildings, which is demonstrated by increased occupancy and rental rates in comparison with the general market.

The study, which surveys approximately 150 CBRE-managed office buildings and more than 2,500 building occupants, shows how green building performance continues to trend higher than the general market, establishing a clear economic case for the value of green in existing buildings, with mid-sized markets leading the trend.  In particular, aggregated data on LEED certified buildings over three years shows an average 3.1% improvement in both rental rates and building occupancy in comparison to the general market. The 2011 phase reinforces earlier findings that demonstrate sub metering of utilities for tenant space reduces energy costs by 21% on average.

This report should not surprise anyone.  It is the building equivalent of purchasing an electric or hybrid automobile for all the same reasons, it saves energy, costs less to operate and is better for the environment.  Why not build, buy, or invest in one. 

The CBRE report also noted that economic uncertainty can cause downward pressure on an any organization's continuing commitment to sustainability.  Still, survey respondents consider green features important when selecting office space, with a healthy indoor environment as the leading factor. This finding supports other results of the study in which 19% of tenant respondents reported increased productivity and 94% of tenant managers registered higher employee satisfaction in green office space.  The study also shows a growing general awareness of green.

CBRE was ranked #30 among Newsweek's greenest companies in America in 2010, and #1 among the financial services sector.

Recall also that earlier in 2011 the Green Building Opportunity Index came out with the first office market assessment tool to provide weighted comparisons of top U.S. office markets on the basis of both real estate fundamentals and green development considerations.  The Index focuses on the primary factors that influence successful development, retrofitting, leasing and sales of investment grade green office buildings in the largest U.S. Central Business Districts.  It compares a market's relative position to its peers in six categories: Office Market Conditions, Investment Outlook, Green Adoption & Implementation, Local Mandates & Incentives, State Energy Initiatives and Green Culture.  For 2011, the Index has been enhanced by adding five new markets and refining the methodology and data inputs - yielding a more comprehensive view into market influences that determine where sustainable development brings competitive advantages.

As a tool to examine the overall climate for green building, the Index assists a broad spectrum of professionals to determine where the favorable conditions exist.  Investment/pension fund managers and developers can use this data to consider where to put their money and why.  City policy makers, utility staff and planners can examine the data to understand what new policies and incentives might be useful to accelerate green building activity.  Building owners, architects and green building consultants can determine where green development brings competitive advantages, or where it is simply an emerging standard.

According to Cushman & Wakefield the 2011 Green Building Opportunity Index's top 10 markets overall shows that five cities on the West Coast are on that prestigious list:  (1. San Francisco; 5. Los Angeles; 8. Portland; 9. Seattle; and 10. Oakland).  One very recent entry into the green sustainable office market in Portland is making news.   

Portland’s city council approved plans for the Oregon Sustainability Center last week (see image above). The city and its project partners hope the Center will be the world’s first and tallest mixed-use office building to achieve Living Building status.  The decision to support the Center represents the city’s commitment to build (and pay for) a sustainable building.  With a construction budget of $62 million, the 150,000 square foot tower will cost 15 to 20 percent more than comparable buildings in Portland’s downtown area.  The city’s fiscal pledge to green building recognizes a return on investment bigger than rental income.

The project is jointly supported by the Oregon University system, the Portland Development Commission, the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, and an assortment of for-profit and non-profit groups with interests in sustainability and social equity.  In June of 2011, the Oregon state legislature held their approval for funds on the conditions that private sector tenants were found and signed to leases, and that the city of Portland foot the costs of architecture and engineering services.  Ultimately the Center will be owned by the city and the Oregon University system.

Sustainable buildings at the commercial and institutional scale are relatively expensive to build. Innovations, especially in the early stages, often come at a premium.  Some of the Center’s premium technologies include triple-glazed glass, solar panels, a high capacity underground water tank, and a geothermal well system that will provide heating and cooling.  The energy saving and energy generating materials make up a heavy, but worthwhile expense. 

Targeted for a 2012 groundbreaking, the Oregon Sustainability Center is an example of the importance of total buy-in for sustainable building.  Mayor Sam Adams understands the value of the experience: “We’re never going to be the biggest city, but I want us to be the scrappiest, most successful international city.  To do that you’ve got to invest in innovation.”

So not only is the market for green sustainable buildings currently viable, the City of Portland is betting $62 million that the trend will continue into 2013.  

At the end of last month, the City of Seattle broke ground on The Bullitt Center, located at 1501 East Madison Street, which is touted to be the greenest commercial building...in the world. 

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn claimed the $30 million Bullitt Center project will create green jobs on every level, the 94 jobs for the construction workers who will receive green building training on-site, the future 141 permanent jobs for employees in the building and the people in the green building industry who will teach classes and receive green building certificates at the project’s Center for Energy and Urban Ecology.

So Seattle voters, in recession, new jobs are good but is this project just another green monument that may prove to be a drain on taxpayers?  

• A triple-glazed curtain wall system
• Windows that open and close automatically depending on outside conditions
• A closed-loop geothermal system
• Radiant floor heating and cooling
• Extensive daylighting thanks, in part, to taller than average ceilings and windows
• Rooftop solar system designed to generate 100 percent of the building’s energy needs

Does the Responsible Municipal Developer and its citizens aspire to be the "Greenest?" 

Absolutely and the competition is fierce, as it should be, after all it's a matter of civic pride!

Our blog has showcased the many laudable efforts of local and state governments, citizens and private developers to implement green and sustainable development practices (the preservation of open spaces; control and capture of storm and rain water; energy savings; green electric highways; reclamation of brown fields and the construction of passive homes).

So how does our Emerald City compare to other great cities?  Well that depends on the source. 

We looked for objectivity and think we found it in Siemens Global's US and Canada Green City Index  (which was also cited by Time.com).  Siemens' rating was based on some fairly broad comprehensive objectives and methodology.

The objective criteria was to measure and compare the performance of 27 major US and Canadian cities, based on their commitment to reduce their future environmental impacts.  The goal of the index was to allow a comparison of cities against their peers and to study innovative projects which other cities may want to follow.

The methodology was based on the work of other Green City index sites (global) and included 31 quantitative and qualitative indicators in nine categories: CO2; energy; land use; buildings; transport; water; waste; air and environmental governance.

Based on the criteria and the fact the study included Canada, we should be proud that Seattle was #4 with a score of 79.10.  Our score was heavily based on the fact Seattle had set, and met, many environmental goals over the last 10 years and Seattle ranked #1 in the buildings category because it was among the first cities to mandate LEED-certification for municipal building projects.

The City of Seattle has done a fantastic job of setting goals and obtaining the necessary commitments from its citizens to create green and sustainable projects and communities.  Seattle's ranking was no accident but was a result of a great vision and a lot of hard work and expense.

Seattle is a great place to live and work and we can all be proud of this ranking.  

Previously, the Capitol Hill blog and the Responsible Developer blog reported on the project opponents’ attempt to block the State’s most sustainable building with, ironically, the State’s most fundamental environmental law (SEPA). Earlier this month, a Hearing Examiner heard the SEPA-based appeal, and the Bullitt Center substantially prevailed. Currently, the project opponents are contemplating appealing the Hearing Examiner’s decision to Superior Court. While the building is a prime example of sustainable development, the Cascadia Center is unfortunately also a prime example of how SEPA can be used to delay a project and increase project cost. Earlier this year the Responsible Developer blog discussed the role of SEPA and sustainable development, which is available here.

Bullitt Foundation (owner), Point32 (developer), Miller Hull (architect), and the project’s proponents for moving the Cascadia Center forward. I’m looking forward to learning more on May 4th.

The Bullit Foundtion’s Cascadia Center Event
Wednesday, May 4th
6:00 – 7:30pm
Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall
At Benaroya Hall
200 University Street
Seattle, WA  98101
www.cascadiacenter.info
 

Leaders in Livability: AIA Seattle Welcomes Dow Constantine:  April 7, 5:30pm - 7pm
Join AIA Seattle and Cascade Land Conservancy to get beyond the talk and the PowerPoint and hear from successful leaders who have used creativity to shape real change in our communities. King County Executive Dow Constantine will give his county-wide perspective on the challenges and opportunities of promoting livability on a region-wide basis. This is the second of a three-part series that provides unique and dynamic perspectives on building more livable, walkable and healthier cities. This program features a 45-minute interview with an opportunity for audience Q&A.

Introduction to Built Green®:  April 12, 2:30pm – 4:30pm
Thinking about joining Built Green®? Attend this two-hour introduction to the program to answer questions such as: How do I certify a project? How does the program work? Why should I become a member?

CREW Seattle & Sound:  April 14, 11:30am – 1:00pm
What if every act of design and construction made the world a better place? Come hear how the first project in Washington State built to the Living Building Challenge standard achieved the highest levels of sustainability. Buildings designed to Living Building Challenge standards are net zero energy and water, and all materials used in construction are scrupulously screened to avoid toxic ‘red list’ materials. Join Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Seattle & Sound for lunch to learn more about the Challenge and the construction of the Bertschi School Living Science Building on Seattle’s Capitol Hill.

SOUTHSound Green Tour and Seattle Green Tour:  April 16-17, 10:00am - 4:00pm, various locations
Hosted by the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild, both the South Sound Green Tour and the Seattle Green Home Tour are free and open to the general public. The tours will highlight a variety of green building, remodeling and retrofitting techniques. Learn more about how homes can approach net zero energy use, Built Green®, NW Energy Star for Homes, and LEED for Homes.

Pacific Northwest Regional Conference on Sustainability:  April 29 – May 1
This conference provides a unique opportunity for engineers and scientists in the Pacific Northwest to exchange ideas and learn about the sustainability of energy, water, and environmental systems. The conference will cover a wide range of topics including sustainable infrastructure development, industrial ecology, sustainability in process design, renewable energy, water conservation and waste minimization.

Green Festival:  May 21 – 22, Qwest Event Center
Green Festival inspires and promotes the connection between people, communities and businesses. Festivities include presentations by more than 125 authors, leaders and visionaries, informative workshops, films, activities for kids, organic beer and wine, food, live music, and a marketplace of more than 350 green local and national businesses and organizations. Keynote speakers include Amy Goodman, John Perkins, Jeffrey Smith, David Korten, Zoe Weil, and Edward Humes. Get a one-day pass for $10 or weekend pass for $15 when you purchase online.

Low Impact Development – Stormwater Management for Sustainable Design and Water Efficiency:  June 16, 9:00am – 5:00pm
This course provides an overview of low-impact development (“LID”) approaches and resources for building industry professionals. Critical for the Pacific Northwest where water quality and salmon habitat protection are key issues, LID offers opportunities for sustainable site design and water efficiency. Intended for environmental professionals, landscape architects, architects, facility managers, and those who are interested in incorporating LID into existing sites.
 

GBCI provides independent oversight of professional credentialing and project certification programs related to green building. GBCI is committed to ensuring precision in the design, development, and implementation of measurement processes for green building performance (through project certification) and green building practice (through professional credentials and certificates).

Established in 2008 to administer certifications and professional designations within the framework of the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® Green Building Rating Systems™, GBCI continues to develop new programs and offer the marketplace validation that building certifications and professional designations have met specific, rigorous criteria.

At Foster Pepper Kelly's practice is concentrated in real estate law with experience representing clients in acquisitions, dispositions, development, leasing, and financing of commercial, mixed use, retail, and multifamily projects. She is a regular contributor to Foster Pepper’s Better Building: The Responsible Developer’s blog at http://www.responsibledeveloper.com.