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The new Kuwait Gulf Oil Company Headquarters main office building is a unique architectural edifice in Kuwait, being one of the leading Green Buildings in the country to be awarded the LEED-Gold Certificate from USGBC. The LEED-Gold certificate characterizes the new KGOC main office building with 30% less energy consumption […]
Three Prosoco products – Interior Masonry Dustproofer, Siloxane WB Concentrate, and BMC II, now contribute to LEED v4 low-emitting materials credits after independent testing by Berkeley Analytical. This development is Prosoco’s response to demand within the LEED commercial and interior design community, according to Dwayne Fuhlhage, Sustainability Director for Prosoco. […]
One of the latest additions to the MGM Resorts International portfolio is the new landmark MGM National Harbor which sits on the eastern shore of the Potomac River, just south of Washington, D.C. A showcase for sustainability, it features 1 million square feet of gaming, lodging, entertaining, dining, retail and parking space.
Whether you realize it or not, the decorative concrete industry is firmly involved in the green building movement. Manufacturers are developing more water-based stains, sealers and color systems. Installers are offering low-VOC options to clients.
I’ve talked to experts on everything from LEED terminology and concrete polishing to sustainable coatings and organic materials. In this process, I’ve noticed that just when you think you know what green means, something changes.
Just a few short years ago, saying that concrete was a green building material was sufficient. It was taken for granted that concrete, being locally produced, durable and nontoxic, was a sound, sustainable choice.
There’s no way around the fact that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are nasty stuff. They smell bad, they are highly flammable, they damage the atmosphere, and they can be acutely toxic to human and other living beings.
Sustainable design is a big part of what makes a building green – especially in terms of earning LEED points – but sustainable construction techniques can add a few points and can also prove to an owner or designer that your company is serious about the issue.
I’m not exactly the poster boy for the LEED program, as you can guess. However, with so much chatter about "sustainable sites" and "Energy Star scores" these days, I was kind of thinking it might be a good time to clear the air.
Concrete contractors often tell me that they don’t have any input in the green aspects of the jobs they work on. By the time the concrete sub is hired, those decisions have been made, so what’s the use of even bothering?
