LEED CATEGORIES
EZ LEED POINTS TO ATTAIN
LEED POINTS
FOR AUTOMATIC WINDOW SHADING
Designing with daylight can be somewhat of a double-edged sword. While studies have shown that exposure to useful daylight levels helps to regulate circadian rhythms, improve mood and satisfaction, and create interior spaces where people learn and heal faster, exposure to glare causes discomfort and damages productivity. The previous credit, LIGHT 56, enables people in the building to prevent glare exposure by lowering a shade, either manually or automatically. Unfortunately, studies, such as “Measuring the Daylighting Impact of Automated and Manually Operated Shades” authored by Mudit Saxena, principal, Vistar Energy, and funded by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, through the California Emerging Technologies Coordinating Council, have concluded that the unpredictable control of manual shades and the likelihood that the shades will be pulled down even when diffuse, ambient daylight conditions exist undermines the original intent of the design and diminishes the positive impact that useful daylight can have in a space. The intent of this optimization credit is to encourage the use of automated shading systems so that the interior is protected from glare when direct and overly intense daylight conditions exist, and usable daylight is allowed into the building whenever it is available.
Beyond automated shading, this credit encourages lighting systems to be equipped to reduce lighting energy use. The credit specifically requires that the lighting system be able to dim lights or turn them off when the space is unoccupied or when sufficient daylight is available. Because automated shading systems are designed to maximize the amount of usable daylight in the interior, the potential energy savings can be significant. In fact, coordinating the presence of electric light and daylight in a space equipped with automated shading systems can reduce daytime lighting energy usage by 65 percent or more.
LEED FOR INNOVATIVE PLUMBING
Plumbing
Part of Spartan’s mission has been to look for the greenest building products available and to share that knowledge to build more livable, more efficient, healthier buildings.
People like a clean flush and a long shower, but water is getting scarcer. Selecting the right building products can meet both needs. People want a hot, luxurious shower or bath. They want a toilet that doesn’t make them think. People want to use the urinal, not smell it. They want the faucet water to wet their hands—not bounce off them. And most people don’t want to think about water scarcity, especially when they’re enjoying that shower. The good news is that plumbing fixtures and accessories have come a long way in the last 20 years. Even as some project teams continue to install ultra-luxurious, ultra-wasteful baths, it’s more common to see efficient, easy choices that satisfy first-world sensibilities and sustainability objectives.
LEAD POINTS FOR LIGHTING
Indoor / Outdoor / LED lighting
As a primary building system, lighting has a critical role to play in sustainable buildings. At first glance, “sustainable lighting” appears to be a fancy way of saying energy-efficient lighting. However, it encompasses the satisfaction of the lighting system’s design intent for the lowest life-cycle environmental impact. And, it has become associated with quality lighting practices that do not directly save energy but are related to worker or inhabitant satisfaction, such as providing access to daylight and views.
Lighting relates directly to 23 points in the Green Building Design & Construction rating system, most of them tied to energy savings that compare to American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 90.1-2007.
Indoor Lighting
Indoor lighting system improvements can be roughly sorted into two categories: optimizing energy efficiency or turning off lights.
To optimize efficiency, indoor light fixtures should be energy-efficient. The baseline rating is an ENERGY STAR rating of 69. To add to efficiency while controlling glare and light pollution, LEED also offers credit for lights with a luminance (a measure of light intensity) of less than 2,500 candelas per square meter.
Energy efficiency can also be targeted by lower levels of lighting; all lighting in shared spaces must have a mid-level or dimming option.
Recessed LED lighting will make any room look larger and more open
One reason for this is because recessed lights are concealed in the ceiling, they do not interrupt the visual space of the ceiling. Not having a fixture hanging down from the ceiling will create the feeling of a taller ceiling and larger room.
Another way recessed lighting makes a room look bigger is through wall washing. This effect involves reflecting light on the wall to wash the wall in overlapping ambient light creating a feeling of more space.
Turning off the lights can be controlled easily by motion activation and part of automation system, and results in money savings.
Outdoor Lighting
According to the International Dark-Sky Association, at least 10 percent of all outdoor lighting, even fully-shielded lighting, creates light pollution. LEED incorporates some credits based on this issue into their certification, with the goal to reduce light trespass between properties, improve nighttime visibility, and reduce the impact on nocturnal ecology.
LEED Points For Landscape
LEED Landscape Certification
LEED Landscape Certification verifies that a building was designed and built using strategies friendly to the environment and to human health, including sustainable site development, water savings, natural pest control, friendly materials selection and outdoor environmental quality.
Use Less Water - Less Turf Means Less Mowing
Removing turf reduces emissions from gas mowers, blowers and weed whackers and is a huge step in reducing your property’s carbon footprint.”
Native plants automatically love living on your property. That means they need less care — including less water. They naturally resist diseases and pests. They provide berries, nuts and seeds for animals and nectar for hummingbirds and insects.
Drainage Solutions
Managing storm water runoff is a key element of LEED landscaping.
Rainwater Harvesting Systems
One way to prevent excess water on your property is to capture it — then reuse it. Commercial properties like apartment buildings, shopping centers and office buildings, with their often large, flat roofs, are great for rainwater harvesting.
When rain falls onto a roof, a system of gutters and pipes channels it and stores it. Use it to flush toilets, do laundry, water the property, wash vehicles.
LEAD POINTS For BUILDING ENVELOPE
The Building Envelope
SIP Building Advantages
- SIP buildings use approximately half the energy of conventional buildings.
- SIPs can be used for virtually any building design and are particularly useful when open designs with long roof spans are desired.
- SIPs can be erected 3x’s faster than conventional building.
- SIPs are an engineered product that can be designed to meet the required loads and are inherently stronger than conventional framing.
- Owners of SIP buildings report less interior noise, fewer drafts, and more consistent interior temperatures due to the continuous foam core inside every SIP.
- Due to their inherent air-tightness, SIPs make control of indoor air quality possible since incoming air can be filtered and stale air can be expelled in a controlled manner.
- SIP buildings may be insured for less, specifically in high wind areas due to their superior strength.
- Building with SIPs helps earn LEED points.
SIP Building Envelope
Projects pursuing LEED certification earn points for various green building strategies across several categories based on the number of points achieved, a project earns one of four LEED rating levels: Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum.
Using Spartan to build a SIP Building Structure will earn you a LEED Certified Category Award.
LEAD POINTS For WINDOWS
Energy-efficient window
Energy-efficient window technologies and design for maximum service life of the installation play an essential part in ensuring the sustainability of windows.
The best strategy for durability of windows is to employ good design practices to ensure the maximum service life of the installation.
Energy efficiency can be maximized by using low-E coatings, low-conductance frames and other technologies that improve the thermal efficiency of the window system. Windows built by window manufacturers (as opposed to site-built windows) can be designated as qualifying for the ENERGY STAR®, a government-backed program aimed to protect the environment by promoting energy efficiency.
Spartan supplies high performing windows and doors that conserve energy, increase thermal performance, and reduce noise. By balancing superb energy efficiency, affordability, and versatility, Spartan offers sustainable buildings and with that supplies many window choices, for any type of home and commercial project in the U.S.
The source of nearly 48% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions are from buildings; windows and doors are key to dramatically increasing the energy efficiency of buildings and decreasing wasted energy. Spartan is committed to providing innovative solutions for SIP Building envelopes, and offer customers a innovative way to deliver new E Glass to their building choices. SIP buildings can be designed to buy the best widow glass and install into SIP Walls easily and custom made form the factory.
Through our customizable solutions it is now possible to balance costs, long-term performance, and secure savings on the ever- rising cost of energy. Spartan windows conserve energy, increase thermal performance, reduce noise, and are diversely stylish.
Impact Windows
Impact Window Solutions are a different type of window manufacturer and installer available to Southern homeowners. We proudly offer durable products that are built to resist the impact of flying debris which can even eliminate the need for adding additional protection to your home during the stress of pre-hurricane preparations.
Also known as hurricane rated windows or impact resistant windows, these products are built to resist the impact of flying debris as a result of hurricane force winds. With the correct approval for their specific zone, a homeowner will not be required to provide additional window or door coverings. This eliminates the need to put up coverings or scramble for plywood during the stress of pre-hurricane preparations. In addition, with our impact windows that we custom manufacture ourselves at our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, we offer impressive products that will instantly enhance your home.
- Extend the life of your HVAC system
- Add value to your home
- Increase the security of your residence against forced-entry attempts
- Boost the curb appeal of your residence
Impact Resistant Equals Intruder Resistant
The additional benefits of impact windows include intruder protection. A would be intruder would have to bring special equipment and work very hard to gain access through the impact resistant windows and doors, and would likely move on to a home with easier access.
Noise Reduction
An unexpected benefit from hurricane resistant windows is the reduction of outdoor sound transmittance. While the windows are not soundproof, you can turn down the volume on outside noise for a quieter inside of your home.
Solar Control and Passive Low‑E Glasses
Glass is one of the most popular and versatile building materials used today, and it provides a dramatic aesthetic. But the beauty of glass is pointless if the people inside the building are uncomfortable or if energy inefficiency makes the building too expensive to operate.
Low-emissivity (low-e) glass coatings were developed to minimize the amount of ultraviolet and infrared light that can pass through glass without compromising the amount of visible light that is transmitted. A microscopically thin transparent coating allows low-e glass to reflect exterior heat in warm temperatures and hold in heat during cold temperatures, making buildings light, bright and energy-efficient.
Great Impact
Great Impact on amount of LEED points
Spartan Buildings
Spartan Buildings is a systems integration and technology consulting company that aims to help solve sustainability challenges. We deliver smart building technologies, with the objective to apply the most modern smart building concepts and net zero energy innovations towards LEED Certification. read more..