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Inside This Issue
- Will Your Development Sell Faster With a LEED-ND Platinum Certification?
- Education
- Employment Opportunities
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- From the Desk of Michael Joachim
- EAR Deadline is Near!
- New Projects!
Is Being Green in Your Future?
Green buildings and developments are typically healthier than conventional projects, more environmentally friendly, and potentially more profitable . The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) established the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) as a voluntary rating for green buildings in 1999.
The USGBC designed a rating system that represents the work of design professionals, builders, developers, and the environmental community. Whereas other LEED has focused primarily on green building practices, LEED for Neighborhood Developments (LEED-ND) was created to emphasize smart growth aspects of development while still incorporating the most important green building practices.
This system represents a national standard for neighborhood design that integrates the principles of green building and smart growth. This partnership has established consensus-based standards for assessing the impacts of development projects using the rating framework of the LEED Green Building Rating System ™ that has already become the national standard for high performance buildings.
The additional scope of smart growth design is guided by the Smart Growth Network's ten principles. They include density, proximity to transit, mixed use, mixed housing type, and pedestrian- and bicycle- friendly design. LEED -ND provides an objective basis on which to certify developments as smart growth. Certificates are issued designating developments as silver, gold or platinum LEED-ND. This recognition creates a brand identity, as well as, a set of guidelines for decision-making, which could serve as a concrete standard and incentive for better location, design, and construction of neighborhoods and buildings. Important to builders and developers is that their recognition is folded into USGBC's existing and successful efforts to market LEED to developers, consumers, and policymakers.
Green Buildings and Developments will have a positive effect on development trends. It encourages the revitalization of existing urban areas, decrease land consumption, decrease vehicle miles traveled, improve air quality, decrease polluted stormwater runoff, decrease energy and water consumption. This methodology allows for demographic deferences by building communities where people of a variety of income levels can coexist, and where jobs and services are accessible by foot or transit. For the individual that will correspond to lower utility bills and direct economic and quality-of-life benefits. In a time in Florida when water issues have become critical and and many other environmental and infrastructure issues need to be adddressed this approach will help achieve a more efficient use of infrastructure. Will achieve recognition and higher profits for their efforts. By having recognition LEED-ND home or development will be considered a smart buy while buying into a development, which is un-certified, will be as desirable.
Sebring Community Redevelopment Agency
2005-2006 has been a busy one for the Downtown Sebring CRA. MJA Consulting has been working with the CRA to develop design standards, guidelines and implementation stratigies.
You can view some of these standards at the MJA Consulting LLC website: www.mjaplan.com
Ground Breaking News!
Michael Joachim, after 17 years as a sole proprietor last fall, took the big step up to incorporate MJA Consulting, LLC. Michael had for years sought out the assistance of talented and creative consultants. Taking advantage of retirements, Michael has Alan Klose, a 30-year veteran of Winter Haven , and Tracy Mullins, an internationally known geographer/planner.