SALMON, WA — According to the New Buildings Institute Inc., 10 billion square feet of new commercial space is expected to be built in the United States by 2010 — enough to cover an area larger than the entire city of New York. That is why the institute has developed its Advanced Building Guidelines to help builders to create new space that will perform to the benefits of occupants, the environment, and their bottom line.

The institute says that its Advanced Building Guidelines, which will include a set of voluntary criteria, design guidelines, and planning guides, is set to become influential in the design, construction, and operation of new and renovated nonresidential buildings. Members of the public and building professionals will have the opportunity this fall to comment on the first draft of the criteria, which is currently available.

“This is one place where good business and environmental stewardship intersect,” said Jim Edelson, Advanced Building Guidelines program manager. “Green buildings are the fastest growing part of the industry. Our goal is to get the entire industry looking to develop buildings in a different light.”

The institute believes that the guidelines will provide a comprehensive best practices reference for the commercial building sector, something that hasn’t been readily available in the U.S., according to Gregg C. Achtenhagen, mechanical engineer and president of Ring & DuChanteau Inc., an engineering firm in Milwaukee, WI. Achtenhagen and 20 other professionals from throughout the nation’s commercial building and energy industries have agreed to serve on a technical review committee for the Advanced Building Guidelines project.

“As I’ve designed buildings there hasn’t been a lot out there to help me,” said Achtenhagen. “I’ve had to make up a lot of it as I’ve gone along, and I’m sure others have felt the same way.”

The technical review committee will work under an objective review process modeled on the review process defined by the American National Standards Institute. The group will review project work and make recommendations to the project team. They will also meet Oct. 15, 2002 in Chicago to review the Advanced Building Guidelines criteria.

For more information, visit www.newbuildings.org/ABG.htm (website).

Publication date: 09/23/2002