Using the Green Globesâ„¢ Online Application

Green Globesâ„¢ is suitable for any size commercial structure, from office buildings and multi-family residences, to schools, universities, and libraries. The ease of use and affordability make this rating system viable for smaller projects with limited budgets and schedules.

Projects are awarded up to 1,000 points, based on their performance in each of the assessment areas, with those achieving a score of 35 percent or more becoming eligible for a Green Globesâ„¢ rating of one, two, three or four globes. Categories include:

1. Project Management − 50 Points
The Green Globesâ„¢ system emphasizes integrated design, an approach that encourages multi-disciplinary collaboration from the earliest stages of a project, while considering the interaction among sustainability elements. Most decisions that influence a building's performance (such as siting, orientation, form, construction and building services) are made at the start of the project.

To ensure that all relevant players are involved, the system tailors questionnaires so that input from team members is captured in an interactive manner, even on those issues which may at first appear to fall outside their mandate. For example, while site design and landscaping may come under the purview of the landscape designers, the questionnaire prompts the electrical engineer to get involved with design issues such as outdoor lighting or security. Thus, the format promotes teamwork and prevents a situation where, despite strong individual resources, the combined effort falls short. Project management also includes environmental purchasing, commissioning, and emergency response.

2. Site − 115 Points
Site evaluations are based on the development area (including site selection, development density and site remediation), ecological impacts (on ecological integrity, biodiversity, air and water quality, microclimate, habitat, and nocturnal fauna and flora), watershed features (such as site grading, storm water management, pervious cover and rainwater capture), and site ecology enhancement.

3. Energy − 360 Points
To simplify the process of energy performance review, information submitted to the Green Globes system is routed seamlessly to the Energy Star Target Finder software, which generates a realistic energy target. Thus, an aggressive energy performance goal can be set and used as a benchmark for comparison with modeled energy data.

In addition to overall consumption, projects are evaluated based on the objectives of reduced energy demand (through space optimization, microclimatic response to site, daylighting, envelope design and metering), integration of "right sized" energy-efficient systems, on-site renewable energy sources, and access to energy-efficient transportation.

4. Water − 100 Points
Projects receive points for overall water efficiency and water conservation features (such as sub-metering, efficiency of cooling towers and irrigation strategies), and on- site treatment (of grey water and waste water).

5. Resources − 100 Points
The resources section covers building materials and solid waste. It includes points for materials with low environmental impact (based on life cycle assessment), minimal consumption and depletion of resources (with an emphasis on materials that are re- used, recycled, bio-based and, in the case of wood products, certified as having come from sustainable sources), re-use of existing structures, building durability, adaptability and disassembly, and waste reduction, re-use and recycling.

6. Emissions, Effluents and Other Impacts − 75 Points
Points in this section are awarded in six categories, including air emissions, ozone depletion, and global warming, protection of waterways and impact on municipal waste water treatment facilities, minimization of land and water pollution (and the associated risk to occupants' health and the local environment), integrated pest management, and storage of hazardous materials.

7. Indoor Environment − 200 Points
According to the EPA, indoor air can be up to 10 times more polluted than outdoor air, even in cities where the quality of outdoor air is poor. Along with health implications, the consequences are also economic. A study by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that improving indoor air at work could save U.S. businesses up to $58 billion in lost sick time each year, with another $200 billion earned in increased worker performance. This section evaluates the quality of the indoor environment based on the effectiveness of the ventilation system, the source control of indoor pollutants, lighting design, and the integration of lighting systems, thermal comfort, and acoustic comfort.

Because Green Globesâ„¢ is Web-based and formatted so that users are guided through process, there is a minimal learning curve, even for those with limited environmental design experience. Users can participate in online or in-person training sessions. (Send such requests to info@thegbi.org.). Training session participants can access the Green Globesâ„¢ system free for 30 days.