Air Quality:
Green Building and
Community Planning
Judith Auer Shaw, Ph.D., AICP, PP
E. J. Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy
Rutgers University
Rutgers Center for Green Building
and
The National Center for Neighborhood and Brownfield
Redevelopment
April 14, 2010
New Jersey Clean Air Council
NJDEP
2007
NJ Global Warming Response Act
Settlement
Patterns
Landscape
Infrastructure
Buildings
Carbon
Sequestration
Transportation
Residential
Buildings
Deforestation
Electric T&D Loss
Commercial
Buildings
Urban Heat Island
Waste
Management
Industrial Facilities
CO2 Equivalent
Emissions
Land Use and GHG Emissions
Adopted from
http://public.fotki.com/MNCapital/twincitiespagecom2/saint_paul_neighborhoods/neighborhood_battle/dr11.html
Adopted from http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/newsuburbs.htm
Efficient Land Use Patterns
Adopted from
http://www.census.gov/pubinfo/www/photos/communities.htm
l
Traditional Neighborhood Design






Town Center
5-minute walk to most
everyday activities
Street network forms a
continuous web with high
inter-connectivity
Small, pedestrian-friendly
streets
Mixed uses and architectural
styles throughout
Civic and community sites:
“identity”
Duaney, Plater-Zyberk. 2001
Douglas Farr. 2008. Sustainable Urbanism.
Community Planning

Community Visioning Creates Focus
Air Quality/Greenhouse Gas Reduction

Provide Clear Data
Assess traffic patterns, energy usage, common practices
Review local ordinances relating to air quality

Establish objectives
 Reduce vehicular traffic
 Reduce greenhouse gases
 Promote green building
 Promote green rehabilitation for residences and businesses
Green Buildings
Benefits of Green Building
Average Savings of
Green Buildings
CARBON
SAVINGS
35%
ENERGY
SAVINGS
30%
WATER
USE
SAVINGS
30-50%
WASTE
COST
SAVINGS
50-90%
Green Building Links:
 Air Quality
 Lower Energy Consumption
 Greenhouse Gas Reduction
 Water Quality
 Reductions in Solid Waste
 Improved Economic Returns
 Improved Human Health Outcomes
 Better Neighborhood Design
Green Building Framework for
Overall Quality Improvements
Authorized in 2007 (C.52:27D-130.6):
 Guidance and consistent performance
criteria
 Owners, builders, and construction
professionals
 Programs that encourage/require green
building
 Resource for local governments and
private sector
 Residential and commercial buildings
NJ Green Building Manual
Foundations for GB Manual
 Performance
Based
 Tiered
Point-Based
System
 Web-based
Performance Metrics
Integrated System
Implementation
Tool
Reporting &
Verification
GB Manual Development
Tiered Performance
Metrics
& Targets
Cost
Impacts
Env.
Impacts
Green Building Strategies
Organization/Content
Impact Areas:
• Five green building categories
Methodology:
• “Eco-Efficiency”
• Cumulative Impacts
Stakeholder
Process
Technical Guidance & Resources:
• Case Studies
• Calculation Tools
• Illustrations/Diagrams
Implementation
Recommendations
Administration:
• Verification & Documentation
Evaluation Protocol
Ongoing Performance Evaluation:
• Evolution of Guidelines
Design… Build… Operate…
Evaluate
- FIRST COST
- OPERATION COST
(Energy, Maintenance, Remodeling)
+ HEALTH OF EMPLOYEES
+ COMFORT
+ PRODUCTIVITY
+ ENVIRONMENT
Points of Leverage:
Pre-Design
Programming
1.
Incentives
• Expedited Permitting/Permit Assistance
• Awards/Publicity
2.
Verification/Documentation for getting
incentives require:
• Integrated Design Meeting
• Performance Target Checklist/Management Plan
Resources:
 Best Practice Strategies
 Case Study Examples
 Integrated Design Tools
Commercial Building Process
Points of Leverage:
Schematic
Design
1.
Incentives
• Expedited Permitting/Permit Assistance
• Technical Assistance
• Awards/Publicity
2.
Resources:
 Best Practice Strategies
 Case Study
Examples
 Integrated Design Tools
Verification/Documentation for
getting incentives
• Require Schematic Drawings/ASHRAE
EQ (As Designed) modeling to show how
design helps project meet performance
targets
Commercial Building Process
Remodeling
Strategies
Description of
Strategy &
Recommended
Approaches
Impact Lenses
Energy
Efficiency/
CO2
Reduction
(high,
medium,
low)
Water
Conservation
&
Management
(high, medium,
low)
Indoor Air
Quality
(high,
medium,
low)
Resource
Conservation
(high, medium,
low)
Cost
(high,
medium,
low)
Difficulty
Level
(high,
medium,
low)
L
depends
on
course
of action
L
H- need
experts
to
assess!
Center for Green Building
EXAMPLES
A.Complete home
energy
performance audit
EA48
B. Test for and
install a radon
mitigation system
if required IEQ163
H
L
L
L
L
H-if
mitigation
required
Strategy Impacts
L
Post-Occupancy Evaluation
Energy Use Intensity (EUI) of LEED and national building
stock
54% of census tracts
building stock with a
majority of single family
detached units
20% attached/2/3/4 units
Greening NJ’s Existing Housing Stock
Green
Remodeling
Air
Quality
Indoor Air Quality


On average, Americans spend 90% of their time indoors, yet the
air inside buildings can be 5-10 times more polluted than outdoor
air, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Most common pollutants are:
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Radon
Combustion products
Molds, pet dander, pollen
VOCs
Lead dust and asbestos
Why green building?
Source: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/greenbuilding/index.html
NJ Green Home Remodeling
Sample Strategy Write-up
Weatherization & Energy
Consider
solar water
heating (EE)
High
Install
Programmable
Thermostats
(EE)
Conduct a home
performance audit
(EE)
Install attic insulation
(EE)
Consider a
Photovoltaic
System (EE)
Select high
efficiency HVAC
equipment (EE)
Impact Insulate Hot Water
Heater & Pipes
(EE)
Low
Provide Proper
Moisture
Management
Strategies (WC,
IAQ)
Weather-strip Doors
and Windows (WC,
EE)
$
Cost
$$$$
Energy Efficiency - Strategies
BUILDING DESIGN
Building Orientation
Advanced
Green Roofs
Moisture Control
Framing
Building Envelope
Air sealing
Insulation
Performanc
Energy Efficiency – Strategies
- Building Commissioning, Energy Audits
- Renewable Energy & Advanced Energy Systems
Building
Commissioning
Photovoltaics
Computer
Simulations
Wind Turbines
Products
Geothermal
Energy
Energy Audit
Solar Hot
Water
Green Design and Retrofitting
Philadelphia Water Company