Pertinent Policies
Attention! Attention! Change in LEED!
A significant change in LEED is just around the corner! In early March, USGBC membership approved a ballot measure to update the minimum energy efficiency requirements for LEED v2009 projects. The minimum energy efficiency requirement for LEED BD+C and ID+C v3 rating systems is getting more stringent on April 8, 2016. The new minimum threshold…
Read MoreMultifamily Influx and NGBS
As apartment buildings continue to emerge steadily in the greater Baltimore area, Lorax has found itself welcoming an influx of green multifamily residential projects into our portfolio. A contributing factor to the increase in green multifamily residential buildings is the recent update to the Baltimore City Green Construction Code (BCGCC) and Baltimore’s adoptions of the…
Read MoreContinuing Education and Energy Efficiency Payback
For Lorax, continuing education is a critical component of our ongoing development as a company. We are not only a relationships company, but also a company that is keyed into the industry and up to date on current technologies, sustainable strategies, and green building incentives. In March, Lorax attended both the American Council for an…
Read MoreBaltimore City Green Construction Code is Here!
Sustainable Development Land Since the Baltimore City Green Construction Code (BCGCC) was implemented in April 2015, navigating the new code has been a bit like playing a board game. We call the board game Sustainable Development Land; the goal is to reach Compliance Castle! Click on the picture to see Sustainable Development Land. At first,…
Read MoreGreen Code Mandatory on April 1 for All Building in Baltimore
By Jacqueline Lusk and Stuart Kaplow Baltimore City adopted the International Green Construction Code 2012 as an overlay to the City’s building, fire and related codes effective April 1, 2015. And despite that the IgCC becomes mandatory on April Fools’ Day, we are not playing a practical joke when we tell you that the effective…
Read MoreThe Single Most Significant Change in LEED
By Jacqueline Lusk and Stuart Kaplow The newest version of LEED, with the designation LEED v4 is not simply another step in the continuous improvement of the third party verified green building rating system, and while not paradigm shift equal to a Neil Armstrong “giant leap for mankind,” LEED v4 is an all but an…
Read MoreNew Green Building Rating Systems Striving for Market Share
By Katie Fink With an estimated 40-48% of new nonresidential construction expected to be built green by 2015, equating to a $120-145 billion opportunity, the green building industry is booming. Although the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system has, until now, held the largest percent of the green…
Read More