ManagingGreen August 2006 -

LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) was developed from 2000-2001, pilot tested from 2002-2004, updated based on what was learned in the pilot, and balloted by the U.S. Green Building Council members in 2004. The fundamental goal for LEED-EB is to help building owners and managers deliver a high quality indoor environment while reducing costs and environmental impacts by keeping buildings operating well over the long term. The key benefit of LEED-EB is that it helps avoid the all too frequent “Saw Tooth” approach to building performance …upgrade, decline, upgrade, decline … LEED-EB provides a framework for maintaining and improving building performance with an emphasis on continued building performance.

LEED-EB works well for a wide variety of building types and functions. The following building examples demonstrate the diversity of LEED-EB certified buildings:

As of July 2006, more that 30 buildings have been certified under LEED-EB and more than 200 buildings have registered to participate in LEED for Existing Buildings. Now that a sizable number of buildings have been certified under LEED-EB, we can examine how building owners and managers are using LEED-EB as a roadmap for ongoing building operation and management.

There are three main pathways that building owners and managers can follow to work towards LEED-EB certification for their building. All three paths lead to the ongoing use of LEED-EB as a roadmap for building operation and management

New Building Path #1 - independent implementation of LEED-NC and later LEED-EB
Because of the separate stepwise implementation of LEED-NC and LEED-EB, this approach has two serious short comings: (1) It misses the opportunity to build components into the new building that make it easy to earn points under LEED-EB. In many cases these components that support earning LEED-EB points are very low cost if included in the original building design and construction but can be expensive to retrofit into a building later, and (2) Fails to develop a well documented operating plan for the building that covers sustainable building operation and performance tracking.

New Building Path #2 - integrated implementation of LEED-NC and LEED-EB
Because of the integrated implementation of LEED-NC and LEED-EB, this approach has two major advantages over Path # 1: (1) It captures the opportunity to build components into the new building that make it easy to earn points under LEED-EB, and (2) Develops a well documented operating plan for the building that covers sustainable building operation and the tracking of building performance.

Existing Building Path – initial implementation of LEED-EB
This path brings all commercial buildings into LEED. This path starts from the current building condition with the objective of ongoing improvements in sustainability. There are several key program components for the ongoing implementation of LEED-EB:

This is the big picture on using LEED for Existing Buildings as a roadmap for ongoing building operations and maintenance. Please read the building specific case studies that are also included in this October edition of ManagingGreen and next month’s November issue of ManagingGreen. These case studies are:

October: The JohnsonDiversey Headquarters located in Strutevant, Wisconsin. This case study was written with information provided by Stu Carron, the Global Director of Facilities for JohnsonDiversey.
November: The J. Paul Getty Museum located in Los Angeles, CA. This case study was written with information provided by Jim Bullock, Director of Facilities of the J. Paul Getty Trust.

Please let me know if you have any comments or suggestions:
Michael Arny, President, Leonardo Academy
michaelarny@leonardoacademy.org

About the Author:
Michael Arny is frequently called the "Father of LEED-EB." He founded the Leonardo Academy in 1997 and has guided the continued growth and accelerating impact of this organization. He has worked on energy and environmental issues his entire career. After earning a BS and MS in mechanical engineering and a BA in Psychology and Russian language at the University of Wisconsin, Michael was on the Wisconsin Public Service Commission staff for 14 years. He was the chair of the State of Wisconsin committee that developed the State of Wisconsin Greenhouse Gas emissions inventory; emission reduction cost analysis and the economic benefits analysis for emissions reductions. He is a registered professional engineer in the State of Wisconsin and a LEED® Accredited Professional, was the Chair of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) Committee from 2001-2005 and continues to serve on this committee.


LEED For Existing Buildings is a Roadmap For Success
	By Michael Arny, President, Leonardo Academy LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) was developed from 2000-2001, pilot tested from 2002-2004, updated based on what was learned in the pilot, and balloted by the U.S. Green Building Council members in 2004. The fundamental goal for LEED-EB is to help building owners and managers deliver a high quality indoor environment while reducing costs and environmental impacts by keeping buildings operating well over the long term. The key benefit of LEED-EB is that it helps avoid the all too frequent “Saw Tooth” approach to building performance …upgrade, decline, upgrade, decline … LEED-EB provides a framework for maintaining and improving building performance with an emphasis on continued building performance. LEED-EB works well for a wide variety of building types and functions. The following building examples demonstrate the diversity of LEED-EB certified buildings: The Headquarters of Conservation Consultants Inc., located in Pittsburgh, PA, earned LEED-EB Gold Certification following the renovation and addition to the building that was originally constructed in 1910. The 355,000 sq. ft. Knoll Lubin Manufacturing Facility in East Greenville, PA, earned LEED-EB Gold. Johnson Control’s Brengel Technology Center in Milwaukee, WI, showcases advanced building technologies, office, and conference room space. This 330,000 sq. ft. building was constructed in 2000, was certified under LEED for New Construction earning LEED-NC Silver and recertified under LEED-EB to earn LEED-EB Gold. Karges-Faulconbridge used the shell of a former grocery store to create their engineering firm’s Corporate Headquarters in Roseville, MN, and earned LEED-EB Gold. As of July 2006, more that 30 buildings have been certified under LEED-EB and more than 200 buildings have registered to participate in LEED for Existing Buildings. Now that a sizable number of buildings have been certified under LEED-EB, we can examine how building owners and managers are using LEED-EB as a roadmap for ongoing building operation and management. There are three main pathways that building owners and managers can follow to work towards LEED-EB certification for their building. All three paths lead to the ongoing use of LEED-EB as a roadmap for building operation and management New Building Path #1 - independent implementation of LEED-NC and later LEED-EB Because of the separate stepwise implementation of LEED-NC and LEED-EB, this approach has two serious short comings: (1) It misses the opportunity to build components into the new building that make it easy to earn points under LEED-EB. In many cases these components that support earning LEED-EB points are very low cost if included in the original building design and construction but can be expensive to retrofit into a building later, and (2) Fails to develop a well documented operating plan for the building that covers sustainable building operation and performance tracking. New Building Path #2 - integrated implementation of LEED-NC and LEED-EB Because of the integrated implementation of LEED-NC and LEED-EB, this approach has two major advantages over Path # 1: (1) It captures the opportunity to build components into the new building that make it easy to earn points under LEED-EB, and (2) Develops a well documented operating plan for the building that covers sustainable building operation and the tracking of building performance. Existing Building Path – initial implementation of LEED-EB This path brings all commercial buildings into LEED. This path starts from the current building condition with the objective of ongoing improvements in sustainability. There are several key program components for the ongoing implementation of LEED-EB: Have a plan - Use LEED-EB as a framework for developing the plan, which includes policies, procedures, actions, performance tracking, and documentation that will bring your building closer to sustainable operations. Develop strategies to keep everyone motivated - LEED-EB lasts for the life of the building, so strategies need to be implemented as part of the program for the ongoing implementation of LEED-EB. Develop strategies for communicating achievements - Communications strategies need to address both internal and external communications. The internal communications strategies address how to communicate with each level of the organizations hierarchy and building occupants. This is the big picture on using LEED for Existing Buildings as a roadmap for ongoing building operations and maintenance. Please read the building specific case studies that are also included in this October edition of ManagingGreen and next month’s November issue of ManagingGreen. These case studies are: October: The JohnsonDiversey Headquarters located in Strutevant, Wisconsin. This case study was written with information provided by Stu Carron, the Global Director of Facilities for JohnsonDiversey. November: The J. Paul Getty Museum located in Los Angeles, CA. This case study was written with information provided by Jim Bullock, Director of Facilities of the J. Paul Getty Trust. Please let me know if you have any comments or suggestions: Michael Arny, President, Leonardo Academy michaelarny@leonardoacademy.org About the Author: Michael Arny is frequently called the "Father of LEED-EB." He founded the Leonardo Academy in 1997 and has guided the continued growth and accelerating impact of this organization. He has worked on energy and environmental issues his entire career. After earning a BS and MS in mechanical engineering and a BA in Psychology and Russian language at the University of Wisconsin, Michael was on the Wisconsin Public Service Commission staff for 14 years. He was the chair of the State of Wisconsin committee that developed the State of Wisconsin Greenhouse Gas emissions inventory; emission reduction cost analysis and the economic benefits analysis for emissions reductions. He is a registered professional engineer in the State of Wisconsin and a LEED® Accredited Professional, was the Chair of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) Committee from 2001-2005 and continues to serve on this committee.