Blog

By Bobbi Pinkert, Class of 1999

Buildings are our business, but they are not healthy for the environment or other living things. Consider the facts.

• Chicago is responsible for 2.6% of the nation’s carbon emissions.
• Seventy percent of Chicago’s carbon emissions come from buildings.
• Elevators are responsible for between 5-25% of the energy use in high rises, depending on the height.
• Windows provide 1/5 the insulation against carbon emissions as the worst wall materials.
• The average person spends 90% of his or her time indoors, which can enhance or detract from one’s physical and mental well-being.

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Two different organizations are addressing these issues by providing a roadmap for combatting the problems: LEED and WELL Certification.

Since 1994, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) has grown into the world’s most widely-used green building rating system. Developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) with about 80,000 projects participating across 162 countries. LEED was created to measure and define a universally agreed-upon, holistic system for reducing environmental impacts, saving resources, impacting human health, reducing carbon emissions, and addressing climate change. Besides saving our planet, LEED has proven to deliver solid bottom line returns for its participants.

LEED certification involves eight major factors:

Each of these major factors have several subfactors that provide points that qualify a building for LEED Certified; Silver; Gold; or Platinum certification.

Building construction and building operations continue to affect our planet in a negative way, and show no sign of stopping. Forecasters predict an additional 2 trillion square feet of new building space by the year 2060. That is equivalent to building an entire New York City every month for 40 years.

During construction, the production of steel and concrete release greenhouse gasses, and getting these materials to the building site uses fossil fuels. Once the structures are up and running, heating, air conditioning, water consumption, and air quality add to the problems.  Estimates suggest that emissions from commercial buildings will grow up to 1.8 percent by 2030.

So how does this transfer to everyday life? Developers and builders can make a Green difference by reducing parking and increasing bicycle accommodations. Building close to public transportation gives people a non-polluting vehicle for getting to work. Green space, green roofs, and rainwater and river recycling can help reduce water consumption while the use of green cleaning and construction materials cut down on pollution.

In addition, USGBC has developed LEED Zero as a way to recognize the achievement of Net Zero goals in existing buildings, implying that the buildings are self-sustaining. These include: LEED Zero Carbon, LEED Zero Energy, LEED Zero Water, and LEED Zero Waste.

LEED certification is not just a public relations and marketing advantage, it is, literally, a chance to save our planet.

• LEED certification implies better air quality through green HVAC systems that are equipped with antimicrobial and anti-allergy filters.
• LEED certification improves health through the reduction of air pollution. Breathing healthy air can improve the mental performance of workers by up to 25%.
• LEED certification can lead to employee satisfaction by reducing sick days and employee turnover. Many prospective employees are looking for LEED certified places of employment.
• LEED certifications can save money through a reduction in utility costs, tax incentives, and building/zoning advantages.
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As evidence of LEED’s benefits, USGBC asserts that by 2030 the program will have diverted 540 million tons of waste from landfills, avoided nearly 4 billion vehicle miles of travel, and will have incentivized the purchase of over $100 Billon in Green Materials.

In terms of our individual health, and the health of our environment, LEED has created a win/win situation and a chance to avoid the worst possible scenario. In a bit of personal pride, Illinois has been named the #1 state in certified Green buildings for the year 2021.

Let’s All Get WELL

Although there are signs pointing to a LEED victory over climatic catastrophe, the buildings that we work and live in can make us sick. Even before we began living the life of COVID, there was cognition that our indoor environment was not serving us well.

During the 1970’s oil crisis, buildings were hermetically sealed to avoid heat loss, thereby sealing in airborne viruses. Following the millennium, open plan offices were the rage. Working close to one another was supposed to increase productivity and communication. Unfortunately, it also provided the perfect breeding ground for noise pollution while allowing germs to roam free.

COVID has raised everyone’s anxiety about the health and safety of returning to the office. Old practices of interactive community and physical closeness is no longer a tolerable situation.

Enter the WELL Building Standard. Launched by design agency Delos in 2013 to “improve people’ lives by developing standards for spaces that enhance both mental and physical health”. It is managed by the WELL Building Institute and has overseen health related improvements in over 35,103 projects in 109 countries. It is administered by the same third-party group that administers the LEED certification program. It has become the new “sustainability”, raising the workplace standard from physical protection to mental and emotional enhancement.

WELL BUILDING STANDARD:

As people return to the workplace, the stamp of approval from an independent third party will help erase some anxiety. Simple improvements such as indoor plants, operable windows, views of green space, wellness rooms, well-lit staircases for avoiding elevators, artwork, natural light, and quiet areas can lead to increased productivity and job satisfaction.

Riverside Investments, developer of 110 N. Wacker (Bank of America Building) and 320 S. Canal (BMO Harris Building) are using WELL certification to boost their market visibility and distinguish themselves from the competition.

If, in the end, LEED and WELL certification lead to a cleaner environment and healthier spaces, it will be worth both the time and the effort.