Value Beyond Cost Savings - Green Building Finance Consortium

Value Beyond Cost Savings: How to Underwrite Sustainable Properties• Drainage elements, such as drains, scuppers, and drainage conduits• Accessibility and intended use• Visibility, fit with architecture, and owner’s aesthetic preferences• Fit with other ‘green’ systems, such as solar panels• Costs of materials and laborGreen Roofs Resources:GreenRoofs.com:www.greenroofs.comDesign Guidelines for Green Roofs:http://www.greenroofs.com/Greenroofs101/how-tos.htmAIA Best Practices: Green Roof Design:http://www.greenbuildingfc.com/Home/DocumentDetails.aspx?id=772Additional information is available in the expanded book section on Green Roofs and onthe Consortium website in the Research Library or Industry Links sections under codes 6.0,12.0, 15.5, and 28.0.c. DaylightingDaylighting is the practice of using natural light to illuminate building spaces. 24 Rather thanrelying solely on electric lighting during the day, daylighting brings indirect natural lightinto the building through windows or skylights. Daylighting is a common green buildingstrategy, as it can allow for significant energy savings due to avoided energy use forlighting and heating while also improving occupant comfort and potentially increasingworker productivity.Daylighting systems typically involve a combination of architectural and other buildingelements that can include skylights, atriums, clerestories, light shelves, light pipes, windowglazing technologies, solar shading systems, and interior lighting systems with sensors anddimmable ballasts. A well-designed daylighting system minimizes thermal gains andexcessive brightness due to direct sunlight.Daylighting systems are more challenging to evaluate in new buildings than in existingbuildings because they do not yet exist. Some daylighting elements may not be physicallypossible or cost effective when retro-fitting an existing building versus a new building,making daylighting upgrades to an existing building more challenging and requiring morescrutiny on the part of underwriters.24 “What/Why/What,” Daylighting Collaborative, http://www.daylighting.org/what.php53