It's been awhile since I've posted. Below is an excerpt from an article published by the USGBC regarding building green schools in the 21st century. Happy reading....

Why green schools?

20% of America goes to school every day. More than a quarter of these students and teachers attend schools that are considered substandard or dangerous to occupant health.
Public and private schools alike are realizing that going green is a no-brainer. On average, green schools save $100,000 per year – enough to hire two new teachers, buy 200 new computers or purchase 5,000 new textbooks.

If all new school construction and school renovations went green starting today, energy savings alone would total more than $20 billion over the next 10 years.By promoting the design and construction of green schools, we can make a tremendous impact on student health, test scores, teacher retention, school operational costs and the environment.

Benefits of green schools
A healthy, productive learning environment
Improved teacher retention
Financial savings
Hands-on learning
Environmentally friendly

Certify your Green Building

LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building project meets the highest green building and performance measures. All certified projects receive a LEED plaque, which is the nationally recognized symbol demonstrating that a building is environmentally responsible, profitable and a healthy place to live and work.

There are both environmental and financial benefits to earning LEED certification.
LEED-certified buildings:
*Lower operating costs and increased asset value.
*Reduce waste sent to landfills.
*Conserve energy and water.
*Healthier and safer for occupants.
*Reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
*Qualify for tax rebates, zoning allowances and other incentives in hundreds of cities.
*Demonstrate an owner's commitment to environmental stewardship.

Eligibility
Commercial buildings as defined by standard building codes are eligible for certification under the LEED for New Construction, LEED for Existing Buildings, LEED for Commercial Interiors, LEED for Retail, LEED for Schools and LEED for Core & Shell rating systems. Building types include – but are not limited to – offices, retail and service establishments, institutional buildings (e.g., libraries, schools, museums and religious institutions), hotels and residential buildings of four or more habitable stories.

If you are unsure whether your building project is a candidate for LEED certification, review the LEED Rating System Checklist that applies to your project to tally a potential point total. Your project is a viable candidate for certification if it meets all prerequisites and can achieve the minimum number of points necessary to earn the Certified level.

Visit the LEED Rating System section to find the Rating System Checklist applicable to your project.

This article can be found on the U.S. Green Building Council's website at: http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=64

Now FSC Certified

I wanted to let you know that we have met the qualifications and are now able to offer FSC Certified lumber and OSB. Lumber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has been harvested from forests that meet stringentenvironmental, social and economic standards.

FSC has offices in more than 46 countries. It provides standard setting, trademark assurance and accreditation services for companies and organizations interested in responsible forestry.
Products carrying the FSC label are independently certified to assure consumers that they come from forests that are managed to meet the social, economic and ecological needs of present and future generations.

FSC tracks the use of these forest products from their planting & harvest through the final use in a given building project. We have found that FSC products are be specified more and more frequently in green building projects (including LEED projects).

FSC lumber and OSB is another option to Enercept SIP panels -and there is some additional cost for this option. We will alsocontinue to provide panels without the certification at the regularprice.

If you have any questions about FSC forest products please contact me at (800) 658-3303 or jquinn@enercept.com, or visit the FSC website at http://www.fsc.org/.

Submitted by: Roberta Bartel, Marketing Manager Enercept, Inc.
Contact Roberta at (800) 658-3303 with any questions.

Structural Insulated Panels, not just boxes...

Structural Insulated Panels, aka SIPs, are an alternative to tradional construction methods. SIPs have been tested to be approximately 2 1/2 times stronger than traditional stick-framed construction. SIPs are will also cut heating/cooling bills by 40-60%.

A structural insulated panel consists of a foam core "sandwiched" by sheeting material, typically OSB (oriented strand board) or plywood. Alternative materials have also been used as sheeting. The lamination of these products into a solid core building material provides both strength and a thermal barrier to prevent heat loss.

A building utilizing SIPs is environmentally friendly not only due to the energy efficiency, but also due to the fact that very little wood is utilized in SIP construction. A traditionally framed structure will consist of approximately 24% solid wood. The same structure utilizing SIPs will contain approximately 3% solid wood. SIPs require little or no harvesting of old growth forests to create larger framing members.

Many customers just learning about SIPs hear the word "panel" and think that they can only create boxes. The fact is that construction with SIPs is only limited by your imagination. A few photos are enclosed show the creative possibilities that can happen while building green.

To find out more about SIPs, visit www.sips.org or www.enercept.com.

What IS green construction?

What is green building?
Green buildings (sustainable buildings) are buildings that meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. They are designed to use environmental resources wisely. Green building employs materials and methods which reduce the depletion of non-renewable resources, and encourages innovations like recycling and pollution reduction.

Simply stated, Green buildings:* conserve energy and water* use resource-efficient materials* promote good indoor air quality* are integrated into the building site

According to the NAHB, 14,600 green homes were built in 2004, up from 2,500 in 2000.

Energy Efficiency
Key to green building is the reduction of energy consumption. Energy consumption occurs both in the operation of the home and in the production of the materials used to build the home.
Enercept uses OSB as the interior and exterior sheathing for our Structural Insulated Panels. OSB is an engineered wood product that is considered environmentally friendly because it is produced from fast growing, underutilized and less expensive trees grown on tree farms.

The Enercept system utilizes up to 80% recycled EPS (expanded polystyrene) insulation. A University of South Dakota test in 1984 found "No formaldehyde contained in the Enercept insulation". This has been the problem plaguing FEMA trailers used for “temporary” housing after Hurricane Katrina, among many other disasters.

What is R-Value?
The measure of the capacity of a material, such as insulation, to impede heat flow, with increasing values indicating a greater capacity. Colorado Energy.org features an R-Value table that is worth checking out. You can estimate the cost savings and greenhouse gas reductions you'll get by upgrading your insulation at Build It Solar.com

How can you plan your green building project? Pick a couple of green strategies and focus on them. Experts say energy efficiency is your best bet. Evaluate the payback of features carefully. Design with passive solar gain in mind. Use Enercept SIPS to create a tight envelope.

For more information about green building visit the Green Building Initiative website, www.enercept.com, or http://www.linkedin.com/in/buildgreen







Enercept, Inc., Custom SIPs Manufacturer, (800) 658-3303
3100 9th Ave SE Watertown, SD 57201
“Building today for a greener tomorrow.”


Joe Quinn
Regional Sales Manager
Enercept, Inc.