The USGBC-NJ Chapter: Building a Green Garden State

How Energy Initiatives Generate Economic Growth

By Ilene Dorf Manahan, Contributing Writer On Sep 26, 2014

When it comes to the greening of New Jersey’s building environment, no statewide organization is at the forefront of this movement as the 1,365-member US Green Building Council-New Jersey Chapter. Through its leadership, education and advocacy, the Chapter’s mission is to promote and advance planning, designing, constructing, operating and maintaining “high performance buildings and communities that are environmentally responsible, cost effective, productive and healthy places to live, learn and work.”

One high-profile way these goals are accomplished is by occupants and owners achieving LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification of their buildings. The globally recognized LEED rating system, which is evaluated by an independent third party, features best-in-class building strategies and practices. Buildings designed and built to LEED standards include the use of materials with prescribed recycled content, rapidly renewable materials and building products that reduce waste throughout their lifecycle, and are more environmentally friendly. The array of LEED categories includes energy and water efficiency and overall building performance.

LEED construction is spearheaded by LEED Accredited professionals in a range of building specialties. Today, New Jersey boasts 348 LEED Certified buildings – office buildings, industrial and manufacturing complexes, in both the private and public sectors, 2,625 LEED for Homes units, and 5,188 LEED-credentialed professionals.

“Builders and developers have become well aware of the added value of properties and projects that are LEED Certified, as companies report up to 25 to 30 percent energy savings, as well as improved employee retention,” reports USGBC NJ Executive Director Florence Block. “Employees take less time off and feel more valued working in a healthier, comfortable environment.” From an environmental perspective, LEED buildings can result in up to 95 percent of construction waste being diverted from landfills, Block adds. Further, there is a direct bottom-line, positive impact resulting from reduced energy and utility costs, as well as incentives offered by local and state governments.

Through a new Impact Grant received from USGBC National, USGBC NJ will be conducting a two-school pilot study in support of the Chapter’s ongoing efforts to “green” schools. “The urgent need for healthy and safe schools, combined with the need to lower operational costs positions this initiative to positively impact the greening of New Jersey schools and exposure of those industries to our students, who are our future workforce,” Block notes.

Education is one of the Chapter’s key initiatives and is integral to its mission. For the past several years, the Chapter has been awarded a number of Customized Training grants from the NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development. A USGBC Education Partner and recognized subject matter expert, USGBC NJ is a provider of the complete LEED Core Curriculum, related training tracks and LEED Accreditation Exam Preparation. The Chapter offers customized, goal-oriented training geared to virtually all business and industry sectors. In addition to Green Building Professionals such as architects and engineers, the Chapter provides education and training on green strategies and performance standards to construction companies, real estate developers, brokers, lawyers, product suppliers and other professionals involved in building construction, as well as to corporations with departments that address sustainability and the environment.

Other Department of Labor education grants to the Chapter have provided fully funded green building training for New Jersey veterans and the unemployed, to help them gain entry to green building and related professions.

The Chapter also offers special membership programs for Emerging Professionals.

At USGBC NJ’s 12th annual Awards Gala on November 7 at the LEED Certified Montclair State University Conference Center, nine projects will be recognized as exceptional sustainability-focused projects. The 2014 Gala Awards finalists are:  Corporate Culture: L’Oreal; Innovative Sustainability Initiative: Advancement of the Alternative Transportation Fuels from NJ Clean Cities; Not for Profit Green Project: Paterson Green from Paterson H4H (Hammering for Habitat/Habitat for Humanity); Urban Green Project: MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper; Suburban Green Project (tied): Kent Place School Upper School Academic Center and Bayer HealthCare East Coast US Headquarters.

Cited with Honorable Mention are: County College of Morris Landscape and Horticulture Technology Center, Fairleigh Dickinson University Monniger Center for Learning and Research, and DTCC Headquarters, Jersey City.