Gathering data for greening the building industry just got a little easier. Earlier this month at the Greenbuild Expo in Los Angeles, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) introduced a new technology called arc. Arc is meant to serve as an online platform for projects such as those buildings already exceeding Platinum LEED certification levels to those not yet meeting basic green prerequisites.
Arc Platform Compliments LEED Certification and Other Green Building Rating Systems
GBCI developed arc, an organization that administers project certifications and professional credentials and certificates for various rating systems. Their goal is to make the green building industry more accessible by improving the data gathering process through an open platform built to integrate the current and future standards, guidelines, protocols and systems that enable a higher quality of life.
Set to launch later this year, Arc will give businesses the ability to participate and immediately start measuring performance across any rating system or standard, make improvements and benchmark against the rest of the industry. Buildings that have not certified yet will be able to use arc to make incremental sustainability improvements and eventually get LEED certified.
“The LEED rating system revolutionized the design, construction and operations of green buildings more than 16 years ago,” said Scot Horst, incoming CEO of arc. “Arc’s goal is to transform green performance technology and bring data, mobility and the most disruptive technologies available today to support a holistic approach to building our future. It will connect actions through a single platform that delivers a higher quality of life.”
Businesses Pursuing LEED Certification
Some of its key features include the ability to help AEC teams visualize large amounts of data. It also can convey information in a way that’s easy for everyone to understand. It will also provide users with a detailed list of analytics. This can impact an AEC’s team decision to move forward with sustainable building designs and pursing a LEED certification.
Performance data tells businesses where they are in relation to other programs. The score tells them how they compare to others. It will eventually allow users to see how LEED certification standards overlap with other green certification systems. Examples are WELL, SITES and PEER.
LEED Certification with KMB
The LEED certification provides independent verification of a building’s green features. Allowing for the design, construction, operations and maintenance of resource-efficient, high-performing, healthy, cost-effective buildings. It is the “triple bottom line” in action. It benefiting people, planet and profit.
The experts at KMB Design Group have always been passionate about improving energy efficiencies. Even the bottom line for businesses all over the United States. As a full-service engineering solutions provider licensed in the United States and Europe, we take a systematic approach to developing comprehensive engineering solutions for all our clients.
Contact us to learn more about pursuing a LEED Certification or incorporating green building practices into your next project!