< Back to front page Text size +

When is a green building really 'green'?

Posted by David Beard, Globe Staff  March 25, 2008 05:17 PM
  • E-mail
  • E-mail this article

    Invalid E-mail address
    Invalid E-mail address

    Sending your article

    Your article has been sent.

E-mail this article

Invalid email address
Invalid email address

Sending your article

Your article has been sent.

By Thomas C. Palmer Jr.

Some "green" buildings look "green" -- for example, they have solar panels on the roof -- and some don't. Provocative architectural statements can be combined with green, or environmentally friendly, technologies. But some highly conventional looking buildings have a so-called carbon footprint as faint as a moccasin.

Those were just a few of the insights from "The Business Case for Sustainable Design," a seminar held this morning at the Hyatt Regency Boston hotel, organized by Nitsch Engineering of Boston and attended by more than 150 people.

Speakers were Vivian Loftness, professor of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University; Nico Kienzl, director and building physics analyst for the New York office of atelier ten, which consults on environmental design and construction; Nicole Holmes, project manager at Nitsch Engineering; and Judith Nitsch, president of the firm.

Topics included "Sustainable Design for Health & Productivity," "Sustainable Design Process and Projects," and "Rainwater Harvesting." "High-performance buildings" described were Federation Square in Melbourne, Australia, Esplanade Theatres in Singapore, The Plaza at PPL Center in Allentown, Pa., and the Kroon Building at the Yale University School of Forestry, in New Haven, Conn.

Highlights of the presentation are here.
(By Thomas C. Palmer Jr., Globe Staff)

  • E-mail
  • E-mail this article

    Invalid E-mail address
    Invalid E-mail address

    Sending your article

    Your article has been sent.

About the green blog

Helping Boston live a greener, more environmentally friendly life.

Contributors

Beth Daley covers environmental issues for the Globe.

Gideon Gil is the Globe's Health/Science editor.

Erin Ailworth covers energy and the business of the environment for the Globe.

Christopher Reidy covers business for the Globe.

Glenn Yoder produces Boston.com's Lifestyle pages.

Eric Bauer is site architect of Boston.com.

Bennie DiNardo is the Boston Globe's deputy managing editor/multimedia.

Dara Olmsted is a local sustainability professional focusing on green living.

archives