As our planet’s natural resources continue to diminish, you may wonder how you can help by going green. Some homeowners have chosen to install their own wind turbines or solar panels to generate their own energy. This can be a big help; however, this is simply not obtainable for everyone. You can still help save the environment and live a greener life by making a few simple lifestyle changes. Even though this may take some effort, there are many benefits.

The read more »

Overview
In general, there are five steps involving getting a building certified with LEED. The exact course of these steps can depend on the level of certification desired as well as what will be required for an individual building to get certified at all. The rating systems for certification to choose from include LEED for: homes, new construction and major renovations, schools, and neighborhood development.
Step One
The first step in going after LEED certification is to find out the rating systems that most read more »

There are tons of people looking into electricity providers in New York and starting compost bins on their fire escapes but what about the big corporations doing something to make Manhattan greener? If you’ve been wondering about the best LEED certified buildings in the city here are a few of our favorites
The Lucida – Located on the Upper East Side this new condo development is quite a sight to behold. It’s totally LEED certified and the building has all kinds of great green features – if you’re looking to live environmentally friendly in a luxury space this is the building for you.
Millennium Towers – Located in the Battery Park area the towers are huge and they’re pretty, too. They’re a mixed use development and have a Gold LEED rating so you can rest assured if you’re patronizing them you’re doing your part.
Village Green – as the name attests, this building is all about the green touches. It’s got a Gold certification when it comes to environmentalism and it’s located in the trendiest part of the Village – a great place to put down roots.

Skylights are nice to have. They allow natural light in and studies indicate they improve mood and productivity. More importantly, skylights can lower your electric bill.

The key is the natural light. By placing a skylight above your hobby room or home office, you negate the need to have a light turned on during the day. Windows seldom provide the right kind of light in the right direction. Another good place to put a skylight is a kitchen. A skylight that can be opened is perfect read more »

At one time the only way to get LEED certified was to attend a class on LEED certification, submit a time consuming project, register it with LEED and attend another class to take the final test. This whole process and depending on the size of your project could take from several months for a few years. But now you can go “green’ faster with the help of the internet. You can get your LEED certification quickly read more »

LEED Certification: Separating Myth from Fact

LEED stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design”. It is an internationally recognized certification system for green buildings. That is, buildings which conform to environmentally sound standards. Though it is not required for engineers to be LEED certified, it is certainly a helpful thing to have on a resume when bidding on jobs. The LEED certification can yield benefits such as lower operating costs, tax rebates and zoning allowances. It demonstrates a verifiable commitment read more »

What exactly is a green building? A green building is one that efficiently uses energy, water and other resources. Green building also protects occupants health and improves employee productivity, while reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation. With today’s economy and soaring energy prices its important that buildings use as less fuel as possible so why not go green? Green does everything including saving our environment, increasing employment and helping the animals on the planet. Have you ever considered making your home read more »