Pat
2008-03-05 16:08:31 UTC
I just finished a funding application and they wanted the building to
go green. In fact, it has to be an Energy Star rated building with
some sort of LEED certification. They also wanted "smart site
design".
I tell you, some of the hoops the architect had to jump through were
just incredibly stupid. Like, you had to "buy local". So, if I buy a
2x4 from a local supplier I get credit. If I order a truckload from
Canada and have it brought down directly to the site, I do not. They
don't take into account that the 2x4s all started in Canada and the
"local" ones come down, went to a warehouse, got moved around, went to
the distributor, got moved around, went to the local lumber yard, got
moved around and then ended up on the site. It would have been much
more "green" to avoid all of the extra handling and transportation.
Ugh.
Smart site selection was just total bunk. So I run a sidewalk that
out to a main street to connect to the sidewalk. That's "smart" when
people would have walked on the grass, anyway. "Smart" is ALWAYS
being in a downtown location in a rural area because it's the only
place near services. "Unsmart" is any other community in the entire
county because they don't have a hospital (and "smart" is being near a
hospital). Grrrrrrr.
I haven't checked lately, but last time I checked there were no
"Energy Star" electric stoves. So, how do you make "all" applianced
"Energy Star".
Man, I'm glad I kept out of that end of the application and let the
architect pull his hair out over it.
go green. In fact, it has to be an Energy Star rated building with
some sort of LEED certification. They also wanted "smart site
design".
I tell you, some of the hoops the architect had to jump through were
just incredibly stupid. Like, you had to "buy local". So, if I buy a
2x4 from a local supplier I get credit. If I order a truckload from
Canada and have it brought down directly to the site, I do not. They
don't take into account that the 2x4s all started in Canada and the
"local" ones come down, went to a warehouse, got moved around, went to
the distributor, got moved around, went to the local lumber yard, got
moved around and then ended up on the site. It would have been much
more "green" to avoid all of the extra handling and transportation.
Ugh.
Smart site selection was just total bunk. So I run a sidewalk that
out to a main street to connect to the sidewalk. That's "smart" when
people would have walked on the grass, anyway. "Smart" is ALWAYS
being in a downtown location in a rural area because it's the only
place near services. "Unsmart" is any other community in the entire
county because they don't have a hospital (and "smart" is being near a
hospital). Grrrrrrr.
I haven't checked lately, but last time I checked there were no
"Energy Star" electric stoves. So, how do you make "all" applianced
"Energy Star".
Man, I'm glad I kept out of that end of the application and let the
architect pull his hair out over it.