PHILADELPHIA, PA–Following more than a year of work, PECO recently received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Existing Building (EB) silver and gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for five local buildings.

In total, PECO now operates six LEED certified buildings representing nearly half of all LEED-EB certified buildings in Pennsylvania.

“In 2007 we launched a major environmental initiative for our company and our customers. The work at these sites is our demonstration of how important it is to take steps to reduce energy use and how those steps will pay off by reducing energy costs and helping the environment.”

Work at the sites included lighting and HVAC upgrades and control systems, replacement and retrofit of existing plumbing fixtures, conversion of turf grass to native meadows, increased use of environmentally-preferable office supplies, the adoption of a comprehensive green cleaning program, increased recycling, improved indoor air quality management, and the creation of a Green Champion employee volunteer team. In total the work will reduce energy use by 40 to 50 percent and water consumption by nearly 50 percent at each site.

In Chester County, PECO’s Berwyn Campus, consisting of 3 buildings, received Silver LEED-EB certification. One of only five LEED Existing Building Campus’ in the United States, the $895,000 investment also included the creation of a native meadow, improving local habitat and reducing storm water run off. About $300,000 in work at PECO’s Phoenixville Service Center also resulted in Silver LEED-EB certification. PECO’s Berwyn Campus and Phoenixville Service Building also are the first LEED-EB certified buildings in Chester County.

In Bucks County, PECO’s Warminster Service Building was awarded Gold LEED-EB certification. The $750,000 project also included the creation of a local native meadow, providing additional local habitat and reducing storm water run off. The facility is the first LEED-EB certified building in Bucks County.

“These awards highlight a tremendous effort by our project team,” said Denis O’Brien, PECO president and CEO. “In 2007 we launched a major environmental initiative for our company and our customers. The work at these sites is our demonstration of how important it is to take steps to reduce energy use and how those steps will pay off by reducing energy costs and helping the environment.”

“PECO’s LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO & founding chair of the U.S. Green Building Council. “The urgency of our mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and PECO serves as a prime example of just how much we can accomplish.”

These LEED certified sites join PECO’s West Chester facility, previously awarded Silver LEED certification for New Construction. Other environmental projects include the installation of a new Crown Lights messaging system at the company’s Center City headquarters, additional upgrades to secure LEED certification for 5 additional company buildings, throughout the region, the increased use of hybrid and biodiesel vehicles, and support for community and customer environmental and energy efficiency projects.

PECO’s environmental efforts contribute to and support Exelon 2020: A Low-Carbon Roadmap, the comprehensive environmental plan of PECO’s parent company. Exelon 2020 sets the goal of reducing, offsetting or displacing more than 15 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year by 2020. The corporation will do this by reducing or offsetting the company’s carbon footprint, helping customers reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and providing more low-carbon electricity in the marketplace.

PECO also offers many programs to help customers save energy, reduce their environmental impact and save money. PECO Smart Ideas, our full suite of energy efficiency and demand reduction programs, provides valuable information, incentives and rebates for residential and business customers. Programs include a home energy e-audit, discounted CFL bulbs in stores across the region, a refrigerator pick-up and recycling program, and other money saving discounts and rebates.

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United States Green Building Council

Nicholas Tamarin — Interior Design, 4/30/2010

A new report by the United States Green Building Council and national energy, housing, environmental, and real estate organizations is sounding the alarm on America’s building stock while citing the many ways in which the Obama Administration can step up on the energy efficiency and sustainability of America’s multifamily and commercial buildings.

Entitled “Using Executive Authority to Achieve Greener Buildings: A Guide for Policymakers to Enhance Sustainability and Efficiency in Mulitfamily Housing and Commercial Buildings,” the study concludes that the current presidential administration has the unprecedented ability to use over 30 existing federal programs worth $72 billion to enhance efficiency in commercial buildings and multifamily housing with no new legislation needed.

The report was prepared by Washington, D.C.-based law firm Van Ness Feldman and sponsored by the Real Estate Roundtable, UDR, Johnson Controls, the Energy Foundation, Building Owners and Managers Association International, the American Institute of Architects, Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association, Natural Resources Defense Council, International Facility Management Association, Energy Future Coalition, and C3.

“As an early adopter of green buildings and the LEED green building certification system, the federal government has been a leader in bringing green buildings to cities and towns across America,” said Roger Platt, USGBC’s senior vice president of global policy and law. “This new report unveils an even larger opportunity for the Obama Administration to increase our nation’s energy efficiency, while creating thousands of jobs and saving taxpayers money.”

The report cites an extensive array of options which it says the Obama Administration could begin implementing immediately without having to seek new funds or authority from Congress. It states that some of the most promising options with the largest reach are reforming appraisal and underwriting practices at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; greening federal banking regulation; integrating energy efficiency and sustainability criteria into competitive grants and funding formula; strengthening minimum property standards for federal housing and economic development programs to reflect energy efficiency and sustainability standards; improving performance standards applicable to federal buildings and leases; and refining guidance applicable to the energy efficient commercial buildings tax deduction and the national historic preservation tax credit.

The full report can be downloaded at www.usgbc.org/government

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July 27, 2009
Building Design and Construction

Bowdoin College’s new Sidney J. Watson Arena, dedicated January 18, 2009, has become the first newly constructed ice arena in the United States to earn coveted LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).

The USGBC certified the Brunswick, Maine, ice arena’s LEED status July 16, 2009. Two Bowdoin College residence halls were granted LEED Silver certification in 2006.

“Sustainable design and construction have become a core philosophy at Bowdoin,” said Director of Capital Projects Don Borkowski. “Attaining LEED certification on any project is certainly notable. To be the first new hockey arena in the country to achieve certification on a complex project such as Watson Arena is something everyone at the College can be proud of. It’s a great achievement.”

LEED is a voluntary, consensus-based rating system for high-performance sustainable buildings that provides a measurable standard for building owners and occupants.

“It seems counterintuitive that an ice arena, a huge building that ordinarily would use so much energy, could be LEED-certified,” said S. Catherine Longley, who, as Bowdoin College’s senior vice president for finance and administration and treasurer, oversees the College’s many sustainability efforts.

“But when we discovered it was possible, we knew it was the environmentally responsible thing to do. The building’s mechanical, refrigeration and dehumidification systems were all chosen with energy optimization in mind. As a result, Watson Arena uses 14 percent less energy than a comparable facility would, reducing greenhouse gas emissions as well as operating costs.”

The USGBC awards points in six environmental categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design.

“The green building movement offers an unprecedented opportunity to respond to the most important challenges of our time, including global climate change, dependence on non-sustainable and expensive sources of energy, and threats to human health,” said Rick Fedrizzi, USGBC president, CEO and founding chair.

“The work of innovative building projects such as the Sidney J. Watson Arena is a fundamental driving force in the green building movement.”

Sustainable features and practices for which Watson Arena earned LEED credits include:

o Storm water management system includes two infiltration systems that divert clean rainwater from the roof into the aquifer, and two retention ponds to remove sedimentation and debris from storm water runoff while minimizing peak flow rates into the watershed.

o Preferred parking for low-emission and fuel-efficient vehicles.

o Landscaping with indigenous plants that require no irrigation minimizes maintenance, conserves potable water and avoids compromising water quality.

o Low-flow showers, faucets, toilets and urinals result in a 38 percent reduction in water use over that of typical fixtures.

o Eighty-two percent of generated construction waste (515 tons) was diverted from landfill to recycling.

o Thirty percent of the building products include pre- and post-consumer recycled material.

o Forty percent of building materials came from within 500 miles, reducing emissions from transportation while supporting the local economy. _

o All adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings and carpet systems used are low-VOC (volatile organic compounds).

The $20 million arena features a 90-ft. by 200-ft. ice surface and seating for 1,900 spectators.

In addition to Bowdoin’s men’s and women’s hockey teams, the arena is also used by nearly 600 skaters from the community, comprising hockey leagues and skating groups that serve everyone from so-called “pee-wees” to senior citizens.

The arena is named in honor of Sid Watson, who guided the Bowdoin hockey program to extraordinary heights during his career behind the bench. Watson was an inaugural member of Bowdoin’s Athletic Hall of Honor in 2002 and was awarded the Hobey Baker Legend of Hockey Award by the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001. He was also inducted into the Andover Hall of Fame, the Northeastern University Hall of Fame and the Maine Sports Hall of Fame. He passed away in April 2004 at the age of 71.

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Yum! Brands’ Environmentally-Friendly KFC and Taco Bell Restaurant Awarded LEED Gold Certification; Recognition Confirms Company’s On-Going Commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility

Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), the world’s largest restaurant company and parent of Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC, has constructed the Company’s first building under the United States Green Building Council’s LEED®(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program. Yum! Brands’ KFC-Taco Bell restaurant in Northampton, Massachusetts has been awarded LEED Gold certification.

Developed through the collaboration of architects, contractors, engineers, environmental groups, government agencies and more, LEED is a nationally accepted and independent system to measure environmental performance of buildings. LEED certification is determined by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).

Buildings granted LEED certification are recognized for their environmental commitment in the areas of sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality and innovation in design.

With the assistance of some of the leading sustainability and restaurant experts, Yum! Brands opened the KFC-Taco Bell restaurant in Northampton in December of 2008 as part of the Company’s on-going commitment to corporate social responsibility. The restaurant marks Yum’s first building constructed under the United States Green Building Council’s LEED program. More..

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