Wellspring Development Company and Belcher Homes LLC, will break ground this month on Rock Hill Trails, billed as “the area’s first totally ‘green’ new home community.”

Located in Woodriver, Illinois, the development will feature about 290 single family homes, multi–family units, and neighborhood commercial properties. Rock Hill Trails will offer high-performance homes, open spaces with trails and nature corridors, and neighborhood amenities to support social interaction.

According to Wellspring, all homes in the development will conform to National Association of Home Builders Green Building Guidelines and will be eligible for LEED certification. Homeowners will be able to “up-green” with other energy savings and conservation features. The landscape plan will provide natural habitat for wildlife and native plant species.

Wellspring plans to begin home construction on Phase I by first quarter 2008.

The Clinton Foundation announced four new partnerships in their Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) at the Greenbuild conference in Chicago, the world’s largest green building event.

City of Chicago
The Sears Tower and the Merchandise Mart will receive energy-enhancing retrofits. The Clinton Foundation and the City of Chicago also have teamed with multi-tenant housing owners to retrofit their private buildings. Over time, the energy savings will finance the cost of the projects.

GE Real Estate
One of the world’s most significant commercial real estate companies, GE Real Estate will retrofit buildings they own in CCI partner cities around the world. Greenhouse gases emitted from commercial buildings contribute 30-40 percent of emissions annually.

U.S. Green Building Council
CCI and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) will work with K-12 schools throughout the nation to establish a Green Schools Program to reduce energy consumption. Besides lowering energy costs, the partnership will show the next generation the importance of using green technology to stop global warming.

American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment
CCI and the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) will retrofit hundreds of colleges and universities across the US, helping them attain climate neutrality while lowering energy bills.

Source: Clinton Foundation

Seventy percent of of architects say client demand is driving green building, and owners and developers are demanding greener buildings to reduce operating costs, according to the third annual Green Index. The survey of green building practices by Autodesk, Inc. and the American Institute of Architects looked at the motivations and acceptance of nearly 350 practicing architects in the United States.

According to study results published in Building Design + Management, less than half of architects were incorporating sustainable design practices into their projects five years ago. Today, 90% of architects expect to incorporate some sustainable elements by 2012.

Source: Building Design + Management

Novus International has broken ground on a new global headquarters at the 200-acre Missouri Research Park in St. Charles. The $20 million project will include the renovation of Novus’ existing 42,000-square-foot facility and construction of a 48,000-square-foot addition.

The new building will feature 10 research laboratories, an employee and customer-training center, a fitness center, a library, and a coffee bar and lounge. The project will seek platinum-level LEED certification, with energy-efficient electrical and mechanical systems, bamboo wood flooring and doors, skylights and floor-to-ceiling windows for natural light, and zero-irrigation landscaping. Forum Studio is providing design services for the project and Clayco is general contractor.

Source: REBusiness Online

The retail sector is lagging behind the pack in green building, according to The U.S. Green Building Council. They report that LEED project certifications for green buildings overall were up 67% from 2005 to 2006. But of the more than 800 LEED certified projects to-date, only 50 retail projects have been certified.

The key issue is real cost vs. spec benefits. Developers would pay more for green features and may not be able to recoup those costs in higher rents or faster lease-up. Still, the number of large retailers announcing green building initiatives has accelerated in 2007 and should peak in 2008-2009.
For more on the factors driving the green retail market, see Greening the Retail Sector in Building Design + Construction.

Building Design + Construction

A survey of mayors across the United States shows that most cities are adopting policies to encourage sustainable construction and energy efficiency in municipal buildings. The survey results were released at the 75th anniversary meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors held in June.

The City of St. Louis is keeping pace, according to Mayor Francis Slay’s office.

“We have an ordinance which requires that all newly constructed buildings meet LEED Silver standards,” Barbara Geisman, the City’s deputy mayor for development, told AEC St. Louis.

The St. Louis ordinance also requires that LEED principles be included in LEED-New Construction, and that LEED-Commercial Interiors and LEED-Existing Buildings principles be applied during retrofit and renovation projects of current standing facilities, whenever practicable. Sponsored by Alderman Fred Wessels, the ordinance was signed into law by Mayor Francis Slay in 2006.

Three St. Louis public buildings currently under development that will meet at least LEED Silver standards include two new recreation centers and the Animal House, one of the first “green building” animal shelters in the nation. The Lambert-St. Louis airport renovations will incorporate LEED principles for existing buildings wherever possible, according to the Mayor’s office.

Nationwide, nearly nine in 10 of the cities require that new city government buildings be more energy efficient and environmentally sustainable, or anticipate making that requirement in the next year. Ninety seven percent are using more energy-efficient lighting in public buildings, streetlights, parks, traffic signals, or expect to by next year.