Jerry Yudelson - "Evangelist for the Obvious" - Energy Conference

This is the lunch talk.  Let me disclose that my media pass for this conference includes lunch.  Margie Bauman of Alaska Newspapers, Inc. won't accept a free lunch.  But as 'just a blogger' my standards aren't that high.  But I'll let you know that I'm getting fed so you can decide for yourself if it's corrupting me.  And since I'm posting this as it's happening, please forgive the typos and lack of better organization.

Yudelson eating before talk

Technical stuff is relatively easy.  My energy now is focused on showing people why this is good business.

Here are the Takeaways:

1.  Global Warming is happening - Green building is important for controlling CO2 production
2.  Green design/development is here to stay
3.  Benefits are signicatnt for all building types
4.  Cost premium is down -  now 2% or lower for large green buildings - for all the benefits, is not a bad deal

What is a green building?
energy efficient
land use and materials
Works better for people
Tested and certified by independent 3rd party
Performance verification - next trend in green building

We have lots of green buildings that don't perform as they should.

Business Case
CBRE/U San Diego
55% said gained in productivity - just the gain of productivity offsets energy costs
45% said fewer sick days - pays back

US is growing - Europe isn't
We're going to rebuild most of our building stock - just by building we make a huge impact

Life cycle postive solutions
Only things where you reduce carbon is building efficiency investments

US Green Building Association is the fastest growing non-profit in the US.
28,000 LEED registered projects
7,000 LEED certified projects
155,000 LEED accredited professionals - way over the number of architects in US.  It means we've got the trained people.  Now need to sell it to business.

This green building is growing during worst building crisis in 30 years.

We need to attack existing buildings, because we only add about 1% of building stock a year.  Economy based on cars.  Not cars and drugs, not manufacturing (that's gone to China), but buildings.   Not just the low hanging fruit, it's the fruit on the floor.

Merchandising Mart - largest US building - and now Empire State Building is going through LEED  refitting.  Replacing all the windows - 100 a night.  You don't have to accept a bad building.  You can remanufacture and reinstall all the windows.  Empire State Building has a five year payback.  $4.4 million a year savings.

First Green Building in Massachusetts - tech company - turnover dropped 5% and that alone paid for the energy upgrade.  People like to be in good buildings.

Co-Star study:  Compared their LEED buildings to non-LEED - $11.33 sf premium and 4% occupancy premium.  And LEED buildings, even in the recession, had a rent and occupancy premium.   Alaska is different, but happening over the US and Europe.  It will happen here too.

Productivity - studies showing 3% increase of productivity in LEED buildings.  1% already pays for the investment.

Here's a bit of video:




Q&A:  Energy storage is big future issue.  California desert now used as military bombing site could be solar farm to energize the US.  And Europeans are looking at Northern Africa for solar.  Once off the coast "there's nothing there." [Well, they say the same about the arctic.  NOT TRUE.  They may well be able to use it reasonably, but there is stuff there that needs to be taken into consideration.]

I feel like an evangelist for the obvious.   [Yes, that's how I feel about all this - it's obvious.]