There is a new LEED-like rating system focusing on road design. The Houston Chronicle and Ultimate Montrose Reports:

Similar to the LEED rating system for buildings, the Greenroads rating system was created at the University of Washington and measures sustainability features in roadway design, said Walter P. Moore engineer Camilo Daza, who expects the Bagby Street project to be certified at the silver level.

In addition to improving the pedestrian experience through Midtown with well-placed wider sidewalks, including a shaded boardwalk between Gray and Hadley, the Bagby Street design includes a series of rain gardens, special street-side landscaping features that will help filter storm water runoff, Daza said.

LEED-Like Road Design is a post from: Green Efficient LEED Blog

From the Houston Business Journal:

The office building at 717 Texas in downtown Houston has become the first Texas skyscraper to achieve LEED Platinum certification for existing buildings from the U.S. Green Building Council.The 33-story tower owned by Hines was the first downtown office building to receive LEED certification from the council when it was awarded a Silver certification in early 2009.Houston-based Hines made additional sustainable upgrades to the 696,000-square-foot building and sought recertification as LEED Platinum. Hines was successful in earning the designation with the help of Houston architecture firm Kirksey.Improvements from the building’s previous Silver certification included an Energy Star rating boost; increased waste diversion rates; further reductions in potable water use inside the building; zero potable water use for exterior landscaping; and improvements in green cleaning products and practices.

Read More Here at the Houston Business Journal.

Hines 717 Texas Earns LEED Platinum is a post from: Green Efficient LEED Blog

From today’s Houston Chronicle:

Principal Real Estate Investors has acquired the Westway III office building from DNA. The 182,000-square-foot building was completed in 2008 and has earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification status. CB Richard Ellis will handle management and leasing of the property on behalf of Principal Real Estate Investors.

Based on our research, Westway III has been vacant since it was built. It was previously managed & leased by Transwestern.

Empty Westway III Project Sold is a post from: Green Efficient LEED Blog

Enervest is making one LEED-EB project in downtown Houston, Texas very profitable. Enervest, which is an energy company based in Houston, recently expanded its headquarters offices by 37,000 square feet and renewed its lease for a total of 117,000 square feet at the First City Tower. The property is 95 percent leased with the Enervest lease deal.In this current economic climate, it is unusual to see such a large facility so full. Companies still want to be in the downtown business district despite it’s draw backs:1. More expensive office space2. Little surrounding housing for staff3. Limited parking4. Worse outdoor air qualityLEED helps overcome many of these drawbacks, that’s why we think Enervest chose this property.”First City Tower is a 1.3 million square foot, 49-story office building at 1001 Fannin St. and includes a 1,348-car parking garage. The property is LEED-EB and was the first office building in Texas to achieve this and receive a Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.”Source: Costar

First City Tower is Filling Up is a post from: Green Efficient LEED Blog

With the start of the Houston Rockets 2010-2011 season upon us, I felt it was important to help them remind the public of their commitment to LEED. Back in July of 2010, the marketing blitz told us all about how Toyota Center was now a LEED certified building. Good for them.Tad Brown, Rockets CEO stated:“This certification serves as validation that our aggressive approach to energy management, recycling and waste reduction programs have made a difference here at Toyota Center and in our community. Toyota Center has a unique opportunity to serve as an industry leader in the future of sustainability. We are operating in a more environmentally conscious manner and educating the millions of patrons that attend Toyota Center events each year regarding ways they can help.”

Fresh Houston Rockets Season – Fresher Indoor Air? is a post from: Green Efficient LEED Blog

India’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani, recently built an amazing building. In fact, the 3 helipads, health spa and 6 story parking garage mean that it’s a tier one green building with quite a list of amenities. Here’s the kicker: it’s Mr. Ambani’s home. Read more about it in the Houston Chronicle.

$1 Billion Green Building in India is a post from: Green Efficient LEED Blog

Congratulations to Anadarko, Crimson and the other team members who played a part in getting Anadarko’s Timberloch building in The Woodlands, Texas to LEED(r) Silver Certification. The US Green Building Council made the award recently and Anadarko sent out the following press release:”As an energy producer, we are keenly aware of the importance of energy conservation, and achieving back-to-back LEED certifications for both of our corporate office buildings in The Woodlands is a testament to that understanding and our commitment,” Anadarko Real Estate and Facilities Manager John Frere said. “I am very proud of the work by our facilities teams to improve conservation, achieve greater energy efficiency and enhance the overall environmental performance of the Timberloch building and our entire corporate office complex.”The Timberloch building, which is located at 1200 Timberloch Place, was completed in 1998. Under Anadarko’s ownership, the Timberloch building was upgraded to achieve LEED Silver certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use, as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. The LEED Silver certification of the Timberloch building follows last year’s LEED certification of the adjacent 30-story Anadarko Tower, which was the first office building in The Woodlands to achieve LEED certification. Both buildings also are recognized for their savings on energy consumption with the Energy Star Award given by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.The company has worked collaboratively with various vendors to upgrade and maximize features of both buildings such as the air filtration, the building automation system, and lighting infrastructure and controls. In addition, the team improved recycling programs and implemented green-cleaning and water-usage control programs.The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System(TM) is an internationally recognized green building certification system that provides independent, third-party verification that a building meets the highest green building and performance measures.Source: Anadarko Petroleum Corporation

Anadarko Building Awarded LEED is a post from: Green Efficient LEED Blog

LEED Buildings Deserve Only One Kind of Janitorial Service is a post from: Green Efficient LEED Blog

Our company, GreenEfficient, is working with the Energy Star program to encourage people to take the Energy Star Pledge. It only takes 60 seconds and will allow you to compute the amount of carbon you can save – either individually or as an organization.The calculator looks at light bulb use, HVAC system maintenance and even holiday lighting. Please join us today by taking the Energy Star Pledge: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=globalwarming.showPledgeHome

Energy Star Pledge is a post from: Green Efficient LEED Blog

Congrats to the new largest educational recipient of the LEED Platinum designation. The St. Olaf Regents Hall of Natural and Mathematical Sciences has been granted the highest level available from the respected Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. The nearly 200,000 sq ft facility cost nearly $63 Million.For more info, you can read St. Olaf’s press release here.

LEED Platnium is a post from: Green Efficient LEED Blog