WHAT IS GREEN BUILDING?
According to, the U.S. Green Building Council, “Green building is an effort to amplify the positive and mitigate the negative of these [the built environment and the people who inhabit the building] effects throughout the entire life cycle of a building.” Through their design, construction, or operation, “green” buildings reduce or eliminate negative impacts on our climate and environment while preserving natural resources and improving our quality of life. There are a variety of features which contribute to a building being “green,” with the most prevalent being: energy and water use, indoor environmental quality, material section and the building’s effects on its site.
Though there are many of the same features, not all “green” buildings are the same. Between different countries and regions, there are a variety of factors that influence the approach to green building such as their different climatic condition, culture and traditions, the types, and ages of their buildings, as well as their environmental, economic, and social priorities.
WHY BUILD GREEN?
Globally, green building enables us to achieve a variety of goals, such as combating climate change, fostering sustainable and thriving communities and boosting economic growth. The benefits can be grouped into three categories: environmental, economic, and social.
- Environmental: A major benefit of green buildings is the positive impact they have on the climate and natural environment. While some minimize or eliminate negative environmental impacts, others are built to generate their own energy. According to the World Green Building Council, “Green buildings achieving the LEED certification in the US and other countries have been shown to consume 25 percent less energy and 11 percent less water, than non-green buildings.”
- Economic: The economic benefits of green building effect everyone from those developing the building to those occupying. Not only are more jobs created ss a result of green building but, tenants experience cost savings on utility bills, developers see lower construction costs and higher property values, and building owners have increased occupancy rates or costs.
- Social: Many of the social benefits of green building revolve around the health and wellbeing of the people occupying green offices or homes. Green budling features such well-ventilated rooms, offices with windows and good indoor air quality have been related to improved performance and better sleep.
HOW DOES THIS PRACTICE RELATE TO NOVUS INNOVATION CORRIDOR?
Novus is a public/private partnership between Arizona State University, ranked as the nation’s “Most Innovative University” by U.S. News and World Report and master developer, Catellus Development Corporation. Envisioned as a model of sustainable and creative urban neighborhood design, Novus Innovation Corridor is an extension of ASU’s innovative educational environment—a place that will encourage the introduction of new ideas and methods to promote environmentally sensitive, carbon-neutral strategies along with integrating smart-city technology.
As a primary tenet, sustainability remains at the very core of the Novus. Committed to implementing best-practice solutions in transportation, resource and utility usage, responsible waste management and more, Novus received a LEED-ND Gold certification in April 2021, making it the first community certified at any level in Arizona and qualifies it nationally among the top ten best-scoring LEED-ND projects of all time. The LEED-ND (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – Neighborhood Development) program is designed to combat urban sprawl by inspiring and helping to create better, more sustainable, well-connected communities.
GREEN BUILDING WITHIN NOVUS
With sustainability at the core of the development, all vertical developers within Novus will pursue a LEED certification for their projects. This process is started with Novus’ Architectural Review Committee, which enforces LEED requirements, as they pertain to USGBC, as part of the submittal process. As Novus is currently in the third phase of development, below are the currently opened buildings with LEED certifications:
- 777 Tower: mixed-use Class A office building – LEED Gold Certified
- The Piedmont: mixed-use residential community – LEED Certified
- Hyatt Place/Hyatt House: dual branded hotel with 259 keys – LEED Certified
- Rob & Melani Center for Planetary Health: ASU research and science laboratories – LEED Platinum Certified
- Marina Heights: 2 million SF with five office buildings – LEED Silver Certified
April 2022
