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S.F. JOINS THE GREEN TREND NEW DEVELOPMENT
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | Sunday, February 4, 2007 | Patrick Hoge

Posted on 02/04/2007 2:27:01 PM PST by MinorityRepublican

San Francisco is aiming to become one of nation's first large cities to require that new, privately developed buildings meet rigorous standards of environmental friendliness.

The decision to pursue such standards, which will need Board of Supervisors approval, follows similar actions taken in Boston and Washington. Smaller cities have also adopted such mandatory rules, including several in the Bay Area.

It is part of a nationwide "green building'' revolution that experts say is prompted by government incentives and mandates, growing consumer demand and fears of global warming.

"It's a virtual tsunami of green buildings,'' said Charles Lockwood, a real estate consultant in Southern California and New York, who has written articles about green building for Harvard Business Review and other publications. "Within the last year, the entire debate has shifted, and it's not a question of can we go green, it's how do we do it and how quickly."

Green buildings minimize environmental impacts with features such as natural lighting, solar power, low-flow water fixtures, no-flush urinals that use a chemical trap instead of water, and even use of nontoxic paints, glue, carpets and varnishes. A popular new product is an elevator that produces electricity as it descends.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, buildings use more than 70 percent of the nation's electricity and more than 50 percent of natural gas. Roughly 15 million new buildings are expected to be built by 2015.

A 2003 study sponsored by state of Massachusetts showed that the added cost of building according to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards was less than 2 percent, but the financial benefits 10 times that amount due to less energy and water use, waste production and maintenance costs. The study estimated that such buildings were, on average, 25 to 30 percent more energy-efficient...

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; US: California
KEYWORDS: environment; sanfrancisco; sf; skyscraper; skyscrapers
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1 posted on 02/04/2007 2:27:03 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

2 posted on 02/04/2007 2:27:30 PM PST by MinorityRepublican (Everyone that doesn't like what America and President Bush has done for Iraq can all go to HELL)
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To: MinorityRepublican

I'm not sure if I'll visit the "green" building, especially if it contains waterless urinals. Now what to do about that "smell"?


3 posted on 02/04/2007 2:29:42 PM PST by MinorityRepublican (Everyone that doesn't like what America and President Bush has done for Iraq can all go to HELL)
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To: MinorityRepublican
Believe it or not the waterless ones at one a place I've been to work fine, no smell. Pretty amazing. As with the 'global warming' stuff, once you get past the hype (and the B.S. of giving money to 3rd world countries) conservation and efficiency make good, old fashioned sense.
4 posted on 02/04/2007 2:32:39 PM PST by RedStateRocker (Nuke Mecca, Deport all illegals, abolish the IRS, ATF and DEA)
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To: MinorityRepublican

SF is Sodom & Gomorrah with nice decorating. The more stupid and self destructive their policies the better.


5 posted on 02/04/2007 2:33:56 PM PST by Anti-Bubba182
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To: MinorityRepublican

You mean the Eau du San Francisco smell ?


6 posted on 02/04/2007 2:36:17 PM PST by fieldmarshaldj (Cheney X -- Destroying the Liberal Democrat Traitors By Any Means Necessary -- Ya Dig ? Sho 'Nuff.)
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To: Andrewksu

ping


7 posted on 02/04/2007 2:38:54 PM PST by centurion316 (Democrats - Supporting Al Qaida Worldwide)
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To: MinorityRepublican

I especially like #9, Bicycle racks and staff showers.

Riding your bike to work is great (I've done it) but depending on how long, difficult, and/or how warm the weather is, it can make for a very uncomfortable start to your day. Showers would be great.


8 posted on 02/04/2007 2:39:26 PM PST by Swordfished
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To: MinorityRepublican
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, buildings use more than 70 percent of the nation's electricity and more than 50 percent of natural gas. Roughly 15 million new buildings are expected to be built by 2015.

Well the 'obvious' solution is that everyone live in Mud Huts lit by candles.

9 posted on 02/04/2007 2:42:08 PM PST by Condor51 (Where's Attila The Hun when you need him? [sit down Rudy. You &%$% undecided 'republican'])
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To: Swordfished

You're right. Personally I think much needs to be done to encourage more exercise at work, because it will make the workers healthier and thus more productive at the end.


10 posted on 02/04/2007 2:45:04 PM PST by MinorityRepublican (Everyone that doesn't like what America and President Bush has done for Iraq can all go to HELL)
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To: MinorityRepublican

It's San FranSicko. The whole city smells like that anyway.


11 posted on 02/04/2007 2:46:26 PM PST by lesser_satan (EKTHELTHIOR!!!)
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To: lesser_satan

Ah, yes. Butt and eggs.


12 posted on 02/04/2007 2:58:27 PM PST by fieldmarshaldj (Cheney X -- Destroying the Liberal Democrat Traitors By Any Means Necessary -- Ya Dig ? Sho 'Nuff.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Just pretend you're in Oakland.


13 posted on 02/04/2007 3:09:15 PM PST by Old Professer (The critic writes with rapier pen, dips it twice, and writes again.)
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To: RedStateRocker

It still comes down to, "Turn out the lights..."


14 posted on 02/04/2007 3:10:01 PM PST by Old Professer (The critic writes with rapier pen, dips it twice, and writes again.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Well it's find and dandy to be "green" as long as it's not against any law to just be alive.


15 posted on 02/04/2007 4:26:34 PM PST by Dallas59 (HAPPY NEW YEAR 2007!)
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To: MinorityRepublican; Professional Engineer
THis is all part of the "US Conference of Mayors Resolution No. 50". You want an interesting read, take a look at the Resolution #50 (PDF), in particular the last line to see how fiscally "responsible" this is.

This is echoing through my industry. As I recall from researching this a few months ago this resolution was orchestrated by the The American Institute of Architects (AIA), who then took it as a call by which they could then get the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) to push forward very quickly on its guidelines for green & energy-efficient buildings (not a bad thing in and of themselves, actually, but like any new technological direction quite expensive if pushed too far too soon), and the latest ASHRAE president is pushing this *very* hard.

IMHO, cities who push this too quickly will soon find themselves in decline, in terms of their building stock. The only thing that annoys me about seeing Seattle go down this route is that it will push more liberals out our way.

16 posted on 02/04/2007 5:30:52 PM PST by sionnsar (†trad-anglican.faithweb.com†|Iran Azadi| 5yst3m 0wn3d - it's N0t Y0ur5 (SONY) | UN: Useless Nations)
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To: Swordfished
I especially like #9, Bicycle racks and staff showers.
Riding your bike to work is great (I've done it) but depending on how long, difficult, and/or how warm the weather is, it can make for a very uncomfortable start to your day. Showers would be great.

I did that, summer and winter (excepting only illness and ice), until I bought a house from where it's too dangerous to ride. I miss the quiet ride along the river, away from the roads, even if it meant two showers a day.

17 posted on 02/04/2007 5:46:02 PM PST by sionnsar (†trad-anglican.faithweb.com†|Iran Azadi| 5yst3m 0wn3d - it's N0t Y0ur5 (SONY) | UN: Useless Nations)
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To: Dallas59
Well it's find and dandy to be "green" as long as it's not against any law to just be alive.

That's next.

18 posted on 02/04/2007 7:13:51 PM PST by elkfersupper
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To: MinorityRepublican; sionnsar; Peanut Gallery
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, buildings use more than 70 percent of the nation's electricity and more than 50 percent of natural gas.

Who'd have thought it. I mean, don't bicycles and footballs need power too.

19 posted on 02/04/2007 7:33:26 PM PST by Professional Engineer (So, when is the president going to announce his party change?)
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To: MinorityRepublican; sionnsar; NicknamedBob; Peanut Gallery
#6: $$

#3: $$$$$

#5: Something I'd like to try at home. Of course HOA "architectural " committees will have conniptions (NIMBY) about this idea.
20 posted on 02/04/2007 7:42:52 PM PST by Professional Engineer (So, when is the president going to announce his party change?)
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