Re: SB 556
USGBC NORTH CAROLINA
P.O. BOX 31384
CHARLOTTE, NC 28231-1384
www.usgbcnc.org
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Emily Scofield, LEED® AP ID+C
USGBC North Carolina
704-608-1999
[email protected]
OFFICERS
CHAIR
Bae-W on Koh, LEED® AP BD+C
Innovative Design, Inc.
VICE-CHAIR
Shaun Ferguson
Morgan Stanley W ealth
Management
SECRETARY
Misty Beller, LEED® AP ID+C
Office Environments
TREASURER
Shane Nault, LEED® AP BD+C
Building EnergetiCx, PLLC
DIRECTORS
Tony Santoro, LEED® AP
Piedmont Natural Gas
Jeff Beam, LEED® AP BD+C
Balfour Beatty Construction
Jim Fields
Superior Mechanical
Services, Inc.
Nick Lauretta, LEED® AP
McKim & Creed
Towanda Long
Charlotte Pipe & Foundry
Dr. Rosa Otero
Salem College
Stephen Thomas, LEED® AP
URS Corporation
Donovan Everett
D.A. Everett Construction Group
Aimee Adams, LEED® AP BD+C
Lincoln Harris
April 9, 2015
Dear Senator _____:
Thank you for your service to North Carolina. I am writing to share
concerns about prohibitive language in SB 556, Capital Improvement
Reform.
Prohibitive language is written in section (c)(9) “The agency agrees not to spend
any of the funds allocated to it from the Capital Improvement Planning Fund to
seek LEED Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council"
This bill sends a negative message about Leadership in Energy & Environmental
Design (LEED), a third party rating system that has been used in 661 commercial
projects in our state. The U.S. Green Building Council – North Carolina Chapter
(USGBC NC) is against any bill restricting resource efficient construction.
In 2014, North Carolina was 7th in the nation for LEED building activity.
During the Great Recession years of 2007-2009, LEED certifications in
our state more than doubled year over year speaking to the
affordability and economic viability of the rating system. LEED is a
framework for the design, construction and operation of buildings that
maximizes efficiency, reduces waste, and lowers impacts on our health
and our environment.
Many iconic companies in North Carolina, such as Columbia Forest
Products, Roanoke Cement, Nucor, Ingersoll Rand, BASF, Wells Fargo,
Bank of America, Google, Duke Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas and CocaCola, rely on LEED certification. Federal, state and local governments
have followed in using LEED including 201 projects on military bases.
Cost Effective
The 250,000 square foot Green Square Complex encompasses two state
buildings - the Nature Research Center (NRC) and the Environment and
Natural Resources (ENR) Building. Both buildings achieved LEED
Platinum and incorporate smart features serving as teaching tools for
future state construction projects.
The green roof and water channel system reclaim about 1 million
gallons of water/year that is used for toilets and cooling tower. The
collection and use of rainwater conserves city water, reduces runoff
and reduces water expenses.
USGBC NORTH CAROLINA
P.O. BOX 31384
CHARLOTTE, NC 28231-1384
www.usgbcnc.org
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Emily Scofield, LEED® AP ID+C
USGBC North Carolina
704-608-1999
[email protected]
OFFICERS
CHAIR
Bae-W on Koh, LEED® AP BD+C
Innovative Design, Inc.
VICE-CHAIR
Shaun Ferguson
Morgan Stanley W ealth
Management
SECRETARY
Misty Beller, LEED® AP ID+C
Office Environments
TREASURER
Shane Nault, LEED® AP BD+C
Building EnergetiCx, PLLC
DIRECTORS
Tony Santoro, LEED® AP
Piedmont Natural Gas
Jeff Beam, LEED® AP BD+C
Balfour Beatty Construction
Jim Fields
Superior Mechanical
Services, Inc.
Nick Lauretta, LEED® AP
McKim & Creed
Towanda Long
Charlotte Pipe & Foundry
Dr. Rosa Otero
Salem College
Stephen Thomas, LEED® AP
URS Corporation
Donovan Everett
D.A. Everett Construction Group
Aimee Adams, LEED® AP BD+C
Lincoln Harris
NCDENR has documented the energy savings at its Green Square
building compared to what the building would have used if designed
and built to meet the energy code that was in effect at the time of design
(the baseline). From Oct 2012 to Sept 2013 the building was shown to
use 15% less energy and saved ~$107k in annual energy costs
compared to the baseline. From fiscal year July 2013 to June 2014, the
building data showed it used 20% less energy and reduced annual
energy cost by about ~$106k per year.
Lower Operating Costs
 LEED-certified buildings have been proven to use 25% less
energy and a 19% reduction in aggregate operational costs in
comparison to non-certified buildings.41
 24 LEED certified schools in North Carolina provide a healthy
learning environment and can save an average of $100,000/year on
operational expenses.
Increased Productivity and Worker/Student Satisfaction
 A Museum of Natural Sciences employee often chooses to work
in the LEED part of the museum because it's a provides a more
comfortable temperature. Occupancy comfort is a benefit to LEED
certified spaces.
 Employees working in the LEED-certified branches of a financial
institution were found to be "more productive and engaged in their
work." 17
 Using LEED-certified buildings increases revenue generated by
bank branches even when they offer the same products and services.18
 Other research has found that office workers with the best
possible view, as opposed to no view, performed 10% to 25% better on
tests of mental function and memory recall.20
 LEED-certified buildings are also demonstrating increased
recruitment and retention rates and increased productivity benefits for
employers and schools. 2.5 million employees are currently
experiencing better indoor environmental quality in LEED buildings in
the nation. This group of employees is expected to exceed 21 million by
2030, resulting in an economic value of $90 billion from increased
productivity.21
Better Health Standards for Commercial Building Tenants
 People in the U.S. spend about 90% of their time indoors23. EPA
studies indicate indoor levels of pollutants may be up to ten times
higher than outdoor levels24. LEED-certified buildings are designed to
have healthier, cleaner indoor environmental quality, which means
health benefits for occupants.25
 Additional scholarly research into the health affects of
USGBC NORTH CAROLINA
P.O. BOX 31384
CHARLOTTE, NC 28231-1384
www.usgbcnc.org
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Emily Scofield, LEED® AP ID+C
USGBC North Carolina
704-608-1999
[email protected]
ergonomic design have established a definitive link between improved
lighting design and a 27% reduction in the incidence of headaches,
which accounts for 0.7% of the overall cost of employee health
insurance.26 This equals approximately $70 per employee annually.27
LEED’s holistic approach to creating a healthy built environment is
designed to help companies maximize these savings through
substantially improving the quality of life for their labor forces.
The USGBC NC asks that you remove section (c)(9) from SB 556 since
the ongoing positive human, economic and environmental benefits of
LEED certification outweigh the first costs of the project.
Thank you for your consideration of the important facts and research
presented herein.
OFFICERS
CHAIR
Bae-W on Koh, LEED® AP BD+C
Innovative Design, Inc.
VICE-CHAIR
Shaun Ferguson
Morgan Stanley W ealth
Management
SECRETARY
Misty Beller, LEED® AP ID+C
Office Environments
Sincerely,
Emily Scofield
Executive Director
USGBC NC
Bae-Won Koh
Board Chair
USGBC NC
TREASURER
Shane Nault, LEED® AP BD+C
Building EnergetiCx, PLLC
DIRECTORS
Tony Santoro, LEED® AP
Piedmont Natural Gas
Jeff Beam, LEED® AP BD+C
Balfour Beatty Construction
Jim Fields
Superior Mechanical
Services, Inc.
Nick Lauretta, LEED® AP
McKim & Creed
Towanda Long
Charlotte Pipe & Foundry
Dr. Rosa Otero
Salem College
Stephen Thomas, LEED® AP
URS Corporation
Donovan Everett
D.A. Everett Construction Group
Aimee Adams, LEED® AP BD+C
Lincoln Harris
References:
41GSA, "Green building performance A Post occupancy evaluation of 22
GSA buildings," August 2011.
17Conlon, E. and Glavas, A. (2012). The Relationship Between Corporate
Sustainability and Firm Financial Performance. Accessed March 27,
2012
18Conlon, E. and Glavas, A. (2012). The Relationship Between Corporate
Sustainability and Firm Financial Performance. Accessed March 27,
2012
20Heschong Mahone Group, Inc. (2003). Windows and Offices: A Study
of Office Worker Performance and the Indoor Environment –CEC Pier
2003. Accessed Nov. 22, 2011
21Watson, Rob. Green Building and Market Impact Report – 2011.
Accessed Nov. 15, 2011
23Environmental Protection Agency (1987). The Total Exposure
Assessment Methodology (TEAM) Study.
24Environmental Protection Agency (2008). An Introduction to Indoor
Air Quality.
25U.S. Green Building Council (2013). Health is a Human Right. Green
Building Can Help. Accessed Jan. 27 2015
27Business
Insurance (2011). Group health care costs rise 6.1%.
Accessed Nov. 30, 2011
USGBC NORTH CAROLINA
P.O. BOX 31384
CHARLOTTE, NC 28231-1384
www.usgbcnc.org
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Emily Scofield, LEED® AP ID+C
USGBC North Carolina
704-608-1999
[email protected]
OFFICERS
CHAIR
Bae-W on Koh, LEED® AP BD+C
Innovative Design, Inc.
VICE-CHAIR
Shaun Ferguson
Morgan Stanley W ealth
Management
SECRETARY
Misty Beller, LEED® AP ID+C
Office Environments
TREASURER
Shane Nault, LEED® AP BD+C
Building EnergetiCx, PLLC
DIRECTORS
Tony Santoro, LEED® AP
Piedmont Natural Gas
Jeff Beam, LEED® AP BD+C
Balfour Beatty Construction
Jim Fields
Superior Mechanical
Services, Inc.
Nick Lauretta, LEED® AP
McKim & Creed
Towanda Long
Charlotte Pipe & Foundry
Dr. Rosa Otero
Salem College
Stephen Thomas, LEED® AP
URS Corporation
Donovan Everett
D.A. Everett Construction Group
Aimee Adams, LEED® AP BD+C
Lincoln Harris