What is a "green" building?

There is a lot of buzz about green building these days. As a realtor, when I first heard the term, I thought, “Great, another new gimmick.” I doubted that it was a concept that was worth much, assuming that it was just a new way for builders to separate themselves from the pack, make their building stand out to buyers. I doubted whether the buildings in town claiming “green-ness” were doing much to help the environment. I also wondered whether the whole idea of “green” building was legitimate. What can I say? I’m a skeptic.

But according to the website www.greenbuildingnyc.com, two of the green builders working in town have successful track records and are promising newcomers to this new form of building. Web publisher Stephen T. Del Percio is an authority on green building. A green business and construction attorney who practices in New York and New Jersey, and a LEED Accredited Professional, Del Percio has a BS in civil engineering from Columbia and works for a Manhattan firm that “exclusively services the design, construction, and real estate industries.” In his December 2007 posted article, Stephen T. Del Percio Esq. writes extensively about SJP Properties and Bijou Properties.

New Jersey-based SJP Properties is responsible for the 14-story, 500,000 square foot Waterfront Corporate Center II, the building adjacent to the under-construction W Hotel being built on River Rd. SJP Properties is seeking the Silver level of LEED certification. Del Percio writes, “(the project) will feature the standard LEED features, will include low-flow plumbing, recycled-content construction materials, preferred parking for hybrid vehicles, and efficient HVAC systems.” Del Percio further states that SJP is responsible for 1.6 million square feet of upcoming sustainable real estate development in the New York City area.

In terms of residential real estate, the greenest builder in town seems to be Bijou Properties, the builders on the Garden Street Lofts at 1425 Garden (on 14^th Street). Detailed information on what makes them green is found on their website at www.gardenstreetlofts.com. Additionally, long –known on the realtor grapevine, the parking garage known as Park on Park will be converted by Bijou into residential space and parking. Bijou is responsible for the just-converted building now housing the New York Sports Club, CVS, and Washington Mutual and the plans for development of the parking garage are forthcoming. Del Percio writes: “It’s going to give way to a 12-story, 180 unit LEED Gold mixed-use condominium complex…the $100 million project, designed by Hoboken’s Dean Marchetto Architects, will offer 30,000 square feet of ground floor retail space, 371 parking spots, and a green roof, among numerous other sustainable design elements

So what are the advantages of green building? What is LEED? And why should buyers be interested? LEED certification has been established and defined by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and three designations are possible: bronze, silver, and gold. Designations are determined by a point system. Detailed information on the checklist and point system used to evaluate building construction can be found on www.usgbc.org. Sustainability is a cornerstone of green building. On the website for the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, www.ofee.gov, the 1987 Brundtland Commission Report is quoted: “Sustainable design optimizes resources, restores, and renews them…sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Green building is meant to optimize sustainability by an extensive list of measures. These measures range from water efficiency in the landscaping and heat island effect roofing (a nifty concept used to reduce microclimate change and that sometimes includes a vegetated roof) to indoor environmental quality that includes low-emitting construction materials and building design that optimizes light and air quality. Aside from the obvious intention to help save the environment one building at a time by using recycled wood and materials such as countertops made of recycled glass (which looks remarkably cool by the way), the idea is to reduce building cost in terms of construction and long-term costs for the upkeep and life of the building, thereby saving condo owners money through efficient light, heat and water usage. And not incidentally, to increase quality of life for inhabitants. Many sealants and building materials emit gases that silently can affect air quality and potentially cause long-term health issues in some people sensitive to them.

The downside of green building is accomplishing LEED certification while meeting local building code standards, long waits and additional cost for recycled materials that are not yet widely available, and creating an interest that the public can embrace. Ultimately, buyers must see the monetary value in buying green, in addition to the “feel good” aspect of buying a condo in a building that is designed to gently use the planet’s resources. Green builders must overcome skepticism in buyers who are already wary of the changing market. Buyers will ask themselves: “If I buy in a green building, will that add to my condo’s value in the long run or is this a passing fad? And will buying green reduce my maintenance charges for the common areas and/or reduce my energy and water bills?”

As a Hoboken realtor, I want the answers to these question too so that I can accurately inform my customers. I am hopeful that green building is here to stay and is as financially smart as it seems to be environmentally savvy. Of course, when our bodies and those of our children are bombarded by environmental poisons, anything that reduces our daily intact of environmental poisons can’t be a bad thing if it legitimately does so, right? And in an age where energy is precious, and increasingly alarmingly expensive, sustainable building and architectural design may well be the wave of the future.