EMAIL INTERVIEW - George Elvin & Ken Sinclair

George Elvin, PhD, LEED AP, trainer Masterclass Cost-Effective Intelligent Green Building

Cost-Effective Green Building Seminar
1 – 2 March 2010 in Singapore

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Sinclair:  What are the “next generation trends” in intelligent green buildings?

Elvin:  One of the most surprising advances in green building materials is nanotechnology, the design of materials at the molecular scale. In many of our buildings, including green ones, we are already surrounded by nanoparticles. They reside in paint, insulation and solar panels, and soon they will be commonplace in gypsum board and even air and water filters. They make windows and facades self-cleaning and interior surfaces antimicrobial, keeping away germs and viruses like H1N1. They’re making it possible to print solar cells the way we print newspapers, and in fact some the world’s largest solar manufacturers are already using this thin film technology. Of course, nanotechnology isn’t the only next generation trend in intelligent green building, and we’ll be discussing them all in our Singapore course, from new energy management software and green leasing to natural daylighting and life cycle costs.

Sinclair:  Isn’t the economic downturn curtailing investments in green construction?

Elvin:  Quite the opposite, actually. While the recession has slowed construction as a whole, green building is really taking off. In fact, the U.S. Green Building Council predicts that green building will grow from US$12 billion in 2008 to US$60 billion in 2010. If architects, engineers, owners and contractors want to grow, they need to respond to client demand for healthier, more energy efficient buildings.

Sinclair:  What significant role does latest technology play in overcoming the above challenge?

Elvin:  Green technology is responsible for much of the growth we’ve seen during this economic slump. In fact, it’s been the largest growth sector in the U.S. economy over the past year. And while people often expect new technologies to be expensive, they can often reduce life cycle costs and have surprisingly short payback periods. A detailed study on this just came out of Ryerson University in Toronto showing that much of new technology does not reduce profitability but increases it. Occupancy sensors, for example, have a relatively lost first cost and can reduce energy bills for lighting by over 30 percent.

[an error occurred while processing this directive] Sinclair:  So, what specific topics will be covered at "Cost-Effective Intelligent Green Building'?

Elvin:  We will explore factors accelerating the rapid adoption of green building practices, green building rating systems, life cycle costing techniques, water management, on-site renewable energy, energy conservation, new materials, lighting, indoor air quality, automation and controls, financial assessment of intelligent building systems, and detailed case studies illustrating all of these topics.

Sinclair:  What else makes the CEIGB a “must attend” event?

Elvin:  We will have a short, intensive design charrette where teams of participants will incorporate the latest green building technologies into a design project. That’s important because it’s essential to integrate the two and not try to simply add on technologies at the end of the design process. After all, sustainable design and green building technologies are really just means to an end – creating great buildings and healthy, satisfied customers while creating growth, prosperity and success for your company.

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