<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1" ?>


<rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
	<channel>
	<atom:link href="http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/rss/rss.php" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
		<title>Design Green Construction </title>
		<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/</link>
		<description></description>
		<language>en-us</language>
		<lastBuildDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 01:35:22 CDT</lastBuildDate>
		<webMaster>webmaster@designgreenconstruction.com (Webmaster)</webMaster>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Designing Aluminum Structures]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7789</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7789</link>
			<description><![CDATA[There was a time when aluminum was considered such an expensive metal that its rates were quoted in ounces rather than in Pounds or Kilograms. However, if you were to look at cities in any first world or developing country, you are likely to see thousands of aluminum structures lining the skyline. Studies have shown that over 3 billion pounds of aluminum are now used in the United States construction projects every year. The metal has a number of advantages as compared to many other construction metals and we will explore all of these further...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jun 2013 11:47:30 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[LEED® Documentation and Recordkeeping Requirements]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7713</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7713</link>
			<description><![CDATA[LEED? stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is a reference guide for a rating system of buildings. The rating is specifically based on environmental performance. Different environmental categories get different weights. Energy and atmosphere gets 27 percent, while indoor environment gets 23 percent. The weight given to sustainable sites is 22 percent, while material and resource get 20 percent, and water gets 8 percent...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 09 May 2013 13:03:40 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Supporting Rooftop Equipment]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7593</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7593</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Rooftop support systems can be classified into three general categories namely, non-penetrating supports, flashed curbs supports, and flashed steel supports. The design of the supporting structure is based on two basic concepts; one consists of curbs with a metal cap sheet flashed into the roof, and the other has a structural steel frame supported by a vertical steel post embedded in the roof membrane...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 27 Mar 2013 08:59:56 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Protection Methods for Concrete Structures]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7592</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7592</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The continuing deterioration of concrete structures with time is a serious problem. Despite the tragic fall of some massive structures in the recent past, there seems to be lack of guidelines enlisting the dos and the donts when it comes to maintaining concrete structures all over the world. There is a need for such guidelines to enable classification, testing, assessment, and ultimately restoring the structures to their former conditions...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 27 Mar 2013 08:51:44 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7587</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7587</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Storm water runoff from industrial sites is a major environmental concern. Storm water discharge is the primary cause of water quality deterioration in arid and semi-arid parts of the US. To restore the water quality in the country the Federal regulations require companies to prepare a detailed Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), and upon its clearance obtain an industrial storm water permit. The SWPPP lists the mechanical and non-mechanical controls that will reduce the negative impact in the event of an...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:31:25 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Writing Construction Specifications]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7581</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7581</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Have you ever bought anything from IKEA, and assembled it later? You would have noticed how specifications matter while working on any project. If there is any ambiguity in a sentence, or obscurity in any step, you could go terribly wrong. Specifications are highly important in any job, especially in construction. They have to be well-worded since one single mistake can bring a building down. They should be precise, unambiguous, clear, and thorough to ensure that the reader would have no confusion about the project. Here are a few tips on writing construction specifications...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 25 Mar 2013 14:41:53 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Shop Drawings and Other Construction Submittals]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7473</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7473</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Shop drawings represent an elementary form of delegated design. The process involves contractors and suppliers who design the components for which they are responsible. If the project architect of a building had to design every single connection and interaction between systems and components, it would be an arduous process. Most architects do not have the skills to design to that level of detail and that would cause delays and frequent defects in design. Using shop drawings provide the contractor and the architect with an opportunity to review what the subcontractor or supplier intends to supply or construct before approving the fabrication or construction...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 06 Mar 2013 15:32:30 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Geometric Road Design Considerations]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7458</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7458</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Highway geometric design entails the analysis and calculations that are made by engineers regarding highways. This is done to ensure that the highway fits the topography of a particular site while ensuring service, performance, and safety at the same time. There are several considerations that need to be made that will determine the highway design, these include...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 04 Mar 2013 14:31:20 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Retaining Wall and Slope Design Considerations]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7457</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7457</link>
			<description><![CDATA[When you are designing and constructing a retaining wall, there are numerous factors to keep in mind. These include drainage, materials, design, foundations, type of wall, and anchors...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 04 Mar 2013 14:23:40 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Reading and Understanding Soil Reports]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7452</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7452</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Soil reports are designed to illustrate the properties of the examined soil and provide important findings about its type, possible uses, and suitability of the soil for various purposes. These reports are helpful for those who plan to build homes, plant crops or even do something as simple as plant a specific type of flower in their garden. There are various types of soil reports, and each one needs to be read differently in order to be understood...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 04 Mar 2013 14:05:53 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Quality Control of Deep Foundations]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7371</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7371</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Civil structures, especially tall buildings, have deep foundations for apparent reasons of rigidity, safety, and reliability of the concerned structures. Quality control of deep foundations is a critical component in the construction of such structures...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 06 Feb 2013 09:56:05 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Pipe Material Considerations in Infrastructure Design]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7360</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7360</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Any building or home is incomplete without a piping system in place. Piping is needed for the supply of water as well as for disposing waste water away from the structure. The material selection for piping is of prime importance. Improper material can lead to hazardous effects on public health and on the environment. It can easily reduce the life of the piping system and due to this, the buildings may need repair or replacement of piping systems often. It may increase the overall cost as well...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 04 Feb 2013 15:16:28 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Best Practices for Inspecting, Maintaining, and Repairing Dams]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7359</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7359</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Regular dam inspection is important for several reasons other than to protect its integrity and avoid costly repairs. If not maintained and inspected, dam failure might lead to loss of life, property, water supply, and livelihood. Additionally, severe environmental consequences may follow if dam maintenance and dam repair are not conducted regularly...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 04 Feb 2013 15:02:06 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Benefits of Pervious Pavement]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7358</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7358</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Concrete and asphalt do not offer comparable advantages as with a pervious material that allows water to seep through the material itself or through the joints of construction. This unique characteristic of pervious material alone outweighs cost or other advantages of concrete or asphalt. Here are some of the unique advantages of a permeable surface...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 04 Feb 2013 13:57:38 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Developing Around Underground Structures]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7309</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7309</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The seismic activity of underground structures that are enclosed in rock and soil varies quite distinctively from those of surface structures. Numerous considerations are observed in relation to the seismic activity of the structures that are underground...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:10:11 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Working with Structured Insulated Panels]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7196</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7196</link>
			<description><![CDATA[SIPs or structured insulated panels are high-quality panels used in walls, floors, and roofs for commercial and residential buildings. These panels are produced by putting together a core of strong plastic insulation foam between structural layers of OSB (oriented strand board). However, other materials can also be utilized, like plywood which is pressure-treated for low-grade foundation walls, aluminum, steel, cement board like hardibacker, and exotic materials such as stainless steel, magnesium oxide, and plastic that is fiber-reinforced. SIPs sometimes use fiber cement or sheets of plywood for panels and wheat straw for the core...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 04 Jan 2013 09:43:58 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[5 Low Cost Sustainable Design Ideas]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7195</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7195</link>
			<description><![CDATA[There is growing evidence that sustainable buildings are providing building operators, owners, and occupants with financial rewards. Such buildings are low on annual costs for water, energy, maintenance, repair, and other expenses. The reduced costs must never be achieved by spending more on the first costs which include the expenses involved in implementing the sustainable ideas. The first costs must always be lower than or the same as that of a traditional building with innovative use and integrated design of sustainable equipment and materials...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 04 Jan 2013 09:39:46 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Smart Building Technologies]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7184</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7184</link>
			<description><![CDATA[A smart building technology or an intelligent building technology is an integration of communication and control systems, which provide both the occupant and the building professional with a flexible, comfortable, effective, and secure environment. These systems enhance the building environment for the occupants, while controlling the costs. End user security, accessibility, and control can also be improved so as to increase user control levels and work productivity. There are many intelligent building technologies which can be incorporated in building constructions so as to lower the operating cost and improve the occupancy rates. A few such technologies are discussed below...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 02 Jan 2013 11:46:46 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Data Validation of a Superfund Site]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7183</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7183</link>
			<description><![CDATA[A superfund site is a land which is contaminated with toxic and hazardous waste materials. These sites are also placed on the NPL (National Priorities List) that contains the details of polluted sites in the United States, which require immediate clean-up. There are around 1,000 such sites in the US, according to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). After a site has been declared as superfund, technical data regarding the site is collected. This data helps to characterize the site conditions, assess the level of risk to humans and the environment, and determine the nature of the waste. The technical data that is obtained is validated so as to ensure that the data is of enough...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 02 Jan 2013 11:32:38 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Alternatives to Traditional Backfill]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7155</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7155</link>
			<description><![CDATA[There are many alternatives to traditional backfill that engineers and construction professionals should become familiar with. With green alternatives being a main focus of many environmentally conscious clients, alternative backfill materials like CSLM, recycled aggregates, and reclaimed backfill are options that should be employed by construction professionals and engineers. There can be some potential issues when using these materials, however, careful planning by a qualified professional can result in the proper implementation...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 28 Dec 2012 16:25:05 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Environmental Considerations with Land Use Redevelopment]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7084</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7084</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The range of land use in the United States is extensive, varying from agricultural land use to heavy industrial use. Not only do environmental considerations arise when redeveloping a Brownfields site, they must also be taken into account in nearly all redevelopment scenarios whether it is agricultural to residential or residential to commercial.  These environmental considerations should be looked at early in the redevelopment process and discussed with your environmental consultant in advance to minimize unforeseen expenses, delays, and project constraints.  Below are four redevelopment scenarios that are commonly encountered when conducting environmental assessments...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:41:14 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[What is the Purpose of a Concrete Storm Drain Structure?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7083</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7083</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Individuals hardly ever think about the purpose of a concrete storm drain structure. Even fewer people notice these structures because they are part of streets. However, drains play a vital role in public safety by swiftly eliminating water before it can accumulate on roads and cause flooding...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:34:29 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[What Potential Liability Issues Impact You and Your Designs?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7079</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7079</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Complex projects can easily create a myriad of issues, some good and some bad. Building roads, constructing buildings and planning transportation systems all carry an inherent responsibility to the end user of the design, known as a professional's duty of care...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 14 Dec 2012 08:05:56 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Handling Weather and Climate Challenges When Placing Concrete]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7004</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=7004</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Pouring and casting concrete occurs indoors, but the majority of work involving concrete takes place outside. A professional scheduling their pour is almost always subject to the elements. Be it too hot, too cold, or perhaps rain or snow, there are ways to resolve the problems that may arise...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 19 Nov 2012 15:20:57 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Proper Way to Determine an Overhead Rate in Government Contracts]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6901</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6901</link>
			<description><![CDATA[There are two very important factors that impact the overhead rate in government contracts the most: the time and labor. Time and labor for a government project is usually specified in the preliminary government bid before a final contract is signed by an engineering group who has been classified as a procured vendor. The difficulty for most engineering groups is maintaining time constraints as specified in the government contract and supplying labor approved for government projects. This conflicts with a direct method of determining overhead that exist in non-governmental projects...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 31 Oct 2012 08:42:19 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Be Aware of Risks Associated With Shop Drawings and Submittals]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6888</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6888</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Raising awareness of risks associated with shop drawings and submittals, design engineers produced a wide range of project drawings. Information contained in preliminary drawings is found in project bids or proposals, outlined in specifications within the scope of work. There are several risks associated with shop drawings and submittals that require awareness:...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 29 Oct 2012 11:22:05 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Proper Use of Geothermal in the Design Process]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6887</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6887</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Geothermal energy has long been considered a potentially powerful source of heat and power. When used correctly, geothermal energy can provide heat or energy at an incredibly low cost. There are, however, a number of factors involved, and geothermal energy must be used the right way. Here are a few tips on the proper use of geothermal in the design process...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 29 Oct 2012 11:12:02 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Sustainable Site Design]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6844</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6844</link>
			<description><![CDATA[When designing a home or business these days, many people wish to make their new building as sustainable as possible. For engineers, architects and other building professionals, this means delving into a whole new world of building and engineering concepts. To make a home or building sustainable, the selection of the site and how the building is constructed can make all the difference in the world. As more and more people are demanding sustainable homes, what are the main elements that engineers and other professionals need to keep in mind when developing a site?...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 23 Oct 2012 14:56:41 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Construction Submittals from an Engineers Perspective]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6774</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6774</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Construction submittals can take several forms. Generally the engineering group assigned the duties of a project receive their basic directives from a project manager who has thoroughly reviewed the basic project proposal accepted by the client. Once the proposal is submitted to the engineering group, this initiates the scope of the project as outlined in the project proposal. Depending on the terms of the accepted proposal, the engineering group may be required to submit a set of drawings to the local municipality engineering department for acceptance and alert other municipal departments such as...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 11 Oct 2012 10:11:59 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Understanding a Soil Report]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6773</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6773</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The soil beneath a structure can provide critical information about the viability of a particular building project. Geotechnical soil reports, also known as soil surveys, analyze the various types of soils in a particular area to reveal their unique properties and conditions. Some kinds of soils are better suited for construction than others. They can displace weight loads much more evenly without risking harm to the structure because of shifting. Soil reports are critical pieces of information to engineers, builders and inspectors. Understanding their contents can make or break a project...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 11 Oct 2012 10:02:18 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[ABCs of Writing Design Specifications]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6772</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6772</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Project-specific data is collected before writing design specifications. The type of data depends on the type of engineering to be performed. This may be mechanical, chemical, structural or architectural engineering. The data can be collected by aerial or land surveys of the structural site or through use of digital photography in the case of design of large industrial equipment. The basics of writing design specifications begin with...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 11 Oct 2012 09:54:18 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Engineers in the Courtroom]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6730</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6730</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Communicate clearly and a jury will listen to you. Communicate poorly and you will be ignored. The keys for effective testimony are simplicity and analogy. Of course, as an expert witness, most, if not all, of your testimony will be about complex matters. Your challenge is to take this complexity and answer the attorneys' questions in a way that a layperson can understand. The best example of an expert who knew how to make the complex simple was...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Oct 2012 09:36:20 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Updates on Geothermal Technologies]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6685</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6685</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Geothermal technology has been one of those terms associated with the "going green" movement that doesn't seem to be fully understood by the public. Geothermal technology is lumped in with wind energy technology and solar technology in the renewable energy category, but many people don't realize that it utilizes water, heat and steam from under the Earth's surface to produce energy...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 28 Sep 2012 08:35:30 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[When to Use Pervious Concrete]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6684</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6684</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Pervious concrete is a very useful form of concrete. It is a very porous mixture of concrete used for many different applications such as driveways, parking lots, streets, sidewalks, patios and much more. However, pervious concrete should be used in places where its porous features can be made useful.

When a material is very porous, it means the materials can absorb and release large amounts of water. Pervious concrete is very porous, which means that when it rains much of the water will...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 28 Sep 2012 08:23:36 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Risk and the Design Professional]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6624</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6624</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Professionals who work in the area of design are being called upon to handle increasingly challenging, complex projects. Design professionals who work in the construction, remodeling and architecture industries in particular carry the burden of heavy risks. Contractors and other design professionals should carefully consider the most common risks that they face, which are listed below. Proactive strategies to prevent, mitigate and manage risk should be put in place by such professionals...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 17 Sep 2012 14:21:43 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Considerations While Designing a Road]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6584</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6584</link>
			<description><![CDATA[It's easy to take roads for granted. Major new thoroughfares are rare, and the primary infrastructure used today was set in place during the 1950s and 1960s. When a new road is needed, however, careful considerations must be made prior to construction. An improperly-built road can cost human lives and millions of dollars in wasted taxpayer funding. Before finalizing a highway or country lane's design, engineers must first determine its necessity and find a solution to any negative environmental impacts or physical barriers...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 Sep 2012 10:08:59 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Wind Resistant Design Considerations]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6532</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6532</link>
			<description><![CDATA[With the increasing prevalence of hurricanes, tornadoes and other instances of heavy winds, constructing buildings with wind resistant design in mind has become even more important. Here are some considerations to keep in mind regarding wind resistance.

According to the Accomack County Eastern Shore of Virginia, the most basic construction factor is using...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 28 Aug 2012 11:02:04 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Considerations in Retaining Wall Design]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6466</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6466</link>
			<description><![CDATA[However, there are certain factors that contractors, city planners or do-it-yourself homeowners should consider before going through with their retaining wall design.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 16 Aug 2012 09:08:46 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Seeing Green? You're not alone]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6322</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6322</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Architects and engineers draw plans and contractors build buildings, but neither really controls what goes on there. The power of the bank account puts the owner in control of every project.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jul 2012 14:18:34 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Top 3 Techniques When Designing for Noise Control]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6286</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6286</link>
			<description><![CDATA[When a client approaches you about soundproofing, you'll want to be able to deliver as many options as possible.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 18 Jul 2012 08:12:27 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[How to Successfully Avoid Scope Creep]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6285</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6285</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Scope creep occurs when you find yourself expanding a construction project outside of its initial objectives.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 18 Jul 2012 08:12:01 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Minimizing Risk for Design Professionals]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6278</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6278</link>
			<description><![CDATA[In today's high-profile industries, even the best design professional can find himself or herself facing a lawsuit.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:02:04 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Solar Panel Construction and Installation]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6261</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6261</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Solar panels or solar modules are assemblies of PVs or photovoltaic cells. These PVs are used as a component of a larger system to produce and supply electricity for commercial and home use. A PV system usually consists of arrays of solar panels, battery, and inverter and wiring.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 13 Jul 2012 12:59:05 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Green House Plans: An Impact on the Environment]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6260</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6260</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The environment that we build has a tremendous impact on the natural environment that we live in, our health and our economy. Green homes are created to minimize the negative effects of the home on the atmosphere while at the same time increasing the health and well-being of the people who live there.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 13 Jul 2012 12:19:01 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Learn Effective Slope Stabilization Techniques]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6045</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=6045</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Slope stabilization is a system of measures used to effectively manage erosion from disturbed surfaces. Learning fast-acting slope stabilization techniques could help you stabilize soil, limit raindrop impact and prevent erosion.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 12 Jun 2012 11:03:34 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[IP Panels: The Next Big Thing When It Comes To Building Materials]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5999</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5999</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Construction can be such a tricky business. People involved in construction are constantly looking for ways to improve existing building technologies for the benefit of everyone.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 06 Jun 2012 14:11:18 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Most Common Slope Stabilization Failures]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5946</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5946</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Lets face it; the Earth is full of hills, valleys, gulches and slopes. Unless you're building on sand flats, you'll probably encounter some grading issues that need to be handled before construction begins.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 29 May 2012 11:28:24 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Tilt-Up vs. Steel Framed Construction]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5934</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5934</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Construction engineers and architects are trained in a number of different building methods, but two options that have recently become popular are tilt-up construction and steel frame construction.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 24 May 2012 09:32:37 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Green Roof Explosion: The Green Roof Revolution]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5914</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5914</link>
			<description><![CDATA[In the past decade, green roof construction experienced an explosion in popularity that has resulted in better sustainability and reduced energy costs.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 21 May 2012 14:08:39 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[What is Scope Creep?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5784</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5784</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Scope creep has many characteristics, but it is generally defined as the gradual shift in established project parameters.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 02 May 2012 09:11:50 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Best Practices for Slope Stabilization]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5739</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5739</link>
			<description><![CDATA[It goes without saying that homes and other buildings cannot be constructed on unstable ground.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:13:10 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Green Roof Sustainable Design Techniques]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5723</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5723</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Energy-efficient housing is at the forefront of the real estate market today.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:10:06 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Tilt-Up Construction and Its Features]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5692</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5692</link>
			<description><![CDATA[When building a large structure, there are hundreds of workers that need to be coordinated to ensure the project is completed safely.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:19:03 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Three Daylighting Design Tips]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5660</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5660</link>
			<description><![CDATA[According to the National Institute of Building Sciences, daylighting is the controlled admission of natural light, such as direct sunlight and skylights, into a building to reduce the need for electric lighting and increase energy savings for sustainability.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 12 Apr 2012 10:52:07 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Utilizing GIS and GPS]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5589</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5589</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Though everyone is familiar with TomToms and other mobile GPS devices, this technology has a number of different uses beyond navigating roads and highways.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 02 Apr 2012 10:26:43 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Tips on Preventing and Stopping Scope Creep]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5580</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5580</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Though many businesses and professionals are well-versed in corporate strategy, many of them often overlook the importance of preventing scope creep.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 30 Mar 2012 08:38:51 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Reading and Understanding Soil Reports]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5584</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5584</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Though there are a few exceptions, most building permits are not issued before the satisfactory completion of soil reports.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 30 Mar 2012 08:37:32 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Writing Construction Specifications]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5508</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5508</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Proper construction specs are critical to the success of any professional.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:34:25 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Pervious Pavement Alternatives]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5493</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5493</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Groundwater is a critical component of many ecosystems around the world.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 09 Mar 2012 13:58:18 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Energy Efficient Construction Gains Ground]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5482</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5482</link>
			<description><![CDATA[My Uncle Dave Wakefield lives in Anchorage, Alaska in a tiny house built when efficiency meant minimal construction cost and square footage.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:51:52 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Changes vs. Cardinal Changes: The Limit of Construction Contract Changes]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5375</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5375</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Changes in construction are unavoidable and even construction contracts allowing for changes have limits. The below article outlines this distinction.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:31:31 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Bonding Breakdown - A Primer on New York Construction Bonds]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5374</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5374</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Bonds are often required in New York construction, but misunderstood. This short article examines common bonds and contrasts them with insurance.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:29:43 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Construction Defects in New York; Part 6 of 6 - Time Limits]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5368</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5368</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Construction defects are everywhere, but which are actionable? This series of brief articles outline these issues and legal remedies in New York.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:27:49 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Construction Defects in New York; Part 5 of 6 - Improper Installation]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5369</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5369</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Construction defects are everywhere, but which are actionable? This series of brief articles outline these issues and legal remedies in New York.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:27:14 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Construction Defects in New York; Part 4 of 6 - Improper Materials]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5370</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5370</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Construction defects are everywhere, but which are actionable? This series of brief articles outline these issues and legal remedies in New York.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:26:43 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Construction Defects in New York; Part 3 of 6 - Defective Construction]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5371</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5371</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Construction defects are everywhere, but which are actionable? This series of brief articles outline these issues and legal remedies in New York.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:26:00 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Construction Defects in New York, Part 2 of 6 - Design Defects]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5372</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5372</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Construction defects are everywhere, but which are actionable? This series of brief articles outline these issues and legal remedies in New York.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:25:15 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Construction Defects in New York; Part 1 of 6 - An Introduction]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5373</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5373</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Construction defects are everywhere, but which are actionable? This series of brief articles outline these issues and legal remedies in New York.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:24:23 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Construction Warranties in New York, Sometimes Less is More]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5367</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5367</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Any property owner will want reassurance that the work will be done well, but not all projects receive the same warranty coverage.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:23:48 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Long Island - NYC Collaborative Files for Offshore Wind Farm Lease]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5366</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5366</link>
			<description><![CDATA[New York takes a step forward in renewable energy production by making application for an offshore wind farm.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:23:17 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Pitfalls in Extending Mechanic's Liens on Residential Properties]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5365</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5365</link>
			<description><![CDATA[A lien can be a powerful tool to obtain payment for work performed, but pitfalls exist for those who do not strictly comply with the lien law.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:22:42 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Inconvenient Termination for Convenience]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5364</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5364</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Many New York construction contracts allow one or both parties to terminate, but this may still prove costly and inconvenient for the contractor.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:22:17 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Considerations When Hiring an Architect]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5363</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5363</link>
			<description><![CDATA[For an Owner unfamiliar with construction, the following is an explanation of where an architect is needed, and the typical forms of contract used.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:21:32 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The 7 Major Delay Claims in New York]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5361</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5361</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Download our free paper on the 7 Major Construction Delay Claims in New York]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:20:49 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Defects By Design; Who is Liable for Bad Plans and Specs]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5362</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5362</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Problems stemming from inaccurate plans and specs can quickly become the problems of others beyond just the design professional.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:20:03 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Networking Opportunities in New York Construction]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5360</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5360</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Developments in online construction resources provide new networking opportunities in New York construction]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:19:31 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[New York Construction Case Makes Privacy Holding]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5359</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5359</link>
			<description><![CDATA[An Appellate holding prevents discovery of a plaintiff's Facebook page in construction action, but not due to the account's privacy settings]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:16:25 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Top 7 Owner Risks in New York Construction Contracts]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5358</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5358</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Each party to a construction contract will typically bear certain risks. Owners in New York typically bear the following 7 risks, unless otherwise negotiated.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:15:38 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA["Wall of Shame" for Contractors Pending Enactment in Suffolk]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5357</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5357</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Unscrupulous contractors may be identified, thanks to a new bill passed by the Suffolk County Legislature.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:13:35 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Homeowner Challenges to New York Mechanic's Liens]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5354</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5354</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Homeowners who find themselves with defective construction and a lien filed by their contractor have the following defenses under New York law.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:07:32 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[NY Supreme Court Strikes Contractor Liability Limitation Provision]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5353</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5353</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Construction contract limitations of liability are not automatically enforced in New York. Some are unenforceable and provide no protection.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:06:39 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[NY Appellate Court Limits Contractor Liability in Home Explosion]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5350</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5350</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The NY Appellate Division upholds trial court ruling limiting contractor liability in home explosion.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 09:54:12 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Sustainable Building With Fabric]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5292</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5292</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The essence of sustainable design is to produce products and supply services in a way that reduces the use of non-renewable resources, minimizes environmental impact, and lowers carbon footprint.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:12:14 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Tips on Sustainable Architecture]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5280</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5280</link>
			<description><![CDATA[One of the breakthrough concepts which emerged from the green construction is the idea of sustainable architecture. This simply means using Eco-friendly techniques and materials in the architectural field. The green building and green living techniques aims to create as little waste as possible. Sustainable architecture also promotes the use of clean and renewable energy with the use of building materials that do not damage the earth's environment.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:46:30 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Alternative Building Methods For a Custom Home - Log, Post and Beam, Ram Earth, ICF, and Tire]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5253</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5253</link>
			<description><![CDATA[According to a survey done by the NAHB in 2005, the "typical" home built in America is approximately 2200 square feet, 2 stories, 3 - 4 bedrooms, 2 full baths, powder room built on a concrete slab, uses gas forced air heat, is stick built on site (vs. modular), has a 2 car garage, vinyl siding (second place stucco), porch and a fireplace. Many "typical" practices are unique to each area of the country, such as a typical basement in the Northeast vs. a slab in the Southwest, but the overall numbers show the above example.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:22:54 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Future of Recycling: Local Initiative or National Policy]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5225</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5225</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Recycling is generally viewed as a responsibility of local governments. But increasing the national recycling rate will require going beyond the local playing field and creating an environment that favors recycling at the federal level.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:36:59 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[How Sustainable Development and Parks Can Contribute to Urban Renewal]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5224</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5224</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Humanity began the transition from nomadic farming to urban centers about 3,000 years ago. As urban life began to develop among the civilizations of ancient Sumer, Egypt, and India, the need for organized urban planning became increasingly apparent. Evidence of sophisticated urban planning can be seen in the ruins of many great ancient cities. Moreover, the need for cohesive urban planning has only increased with time, and is vital to ensuring a high standard of development in the modern world. But what exactly is urban planning, and how can it improve the life of city dwellers?]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:21:49 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Can Algae Replace Oil for Our Energy?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5152</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5152</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Anyone who drives a car can see that the cost of gas bounces up and down in the short term but in the end will always continue to move higher as our fossil fuel reserves diminish. This makes the development of alternative fuels an unavoidable necessity in the future. It's vital that we discover cost-effective and economically viable alternatives. Thankfully scientists are hard at work creating alternative fuel technologies that may be practical to implement and better for our environment. There is one alternative fuel source that hasn't garnered as much attention as wind or solar power. This under-appreciated potential new power source is algae. Algae is endlessly renewable and can be grown in basically endless quantities.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:16:54 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Pennsylvania Green Tax Credits: Money for Saving the Planet!]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5149</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5149</link>
			<description><![CDATA[$406 million of Pennsylvania's Recovery and Investment Act money is being spent on energy and the environment. Some of that must translate into Pennsylvania green tax credits. Let's watch Pennsylvania's tax dollars at work.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:09:54 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[How To Approach Insulation And Duct Contamination]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5147</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5147</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Let's look at what we do know. First, insulation in ducts provides noise control - and this is an important consideration. Air quality isn't the only thing that affects the indoor environment; noise is an important issue as well, and excess noise can lead to a general dissatisfaction with IEQ (Indoor Environmental Quality), which people often confuse with poor indoor air quality. Also, it is clear that any sufficiently wet and dirty surface can support microbial growth. However, it's not so clear that this entails an attitude that there's no difference in what you use in ducts.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:56:38 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Understanding the Importance of Construction Scheduling]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5143</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5143</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Though it may seem insignificant at first, construction scheduling is one of the most important aspects of a bid presentation and successful project. One of the most important things about it is the confidence it can bring to the client at the onset of a project. Having this road map helps clients envision their completed project.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:21:04 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Is Green Lending Your New Mortgage Niche?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5083</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5083</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The hot topic in real estate is green homes. People are building, buying, and remodeling existing homes to make them more energy efficient, healthy, and have less of an impact on the environment. While it is a fairly recent trend in housing, it started in commercial building more than two decades ago as owners looked for ways to cut rising utility bills. The field quickly grew beyond a concern with energy to incorporate materials, techniques, and products that conserve scarce resources, recycle used materials, and avoid the use of toxic ingredients and processes. As better and cheaper products and materials became available, green or eco-friendly building spread to residential construction.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:22:14 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Temperature and Spray Foam Insulation]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5085</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5085</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Before spray foam insulation (SFI) has been applied and had a chance to cure, it likes to be in a comfortable environment.  Think of it as Granny Polyurethane, she needs tender care and just the right environment to be at her best.  Everything needs to be just so, and when the setting is right then Granny is happy and more willing to offer protection against the harsh outside world.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:22:05 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Metal Roofing Is A Green Building Choice]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5084</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5084</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Metal roofing is part of a growing consumer demand for eco-friendly products. People are seeking out recycled, organic, and environmentally friendly products to supply many needs including food, clothing, household items, personal care items, home and building design, and building materials. Research and case studies show that use of these eco-friendly items are not only good for the individual in terms of natural health, comfort, or energy savings, but are also good for the environment in far-reaching ways.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:08:27 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Is Your LEED Certified Building Adequately Insured?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5079</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5079</link>
			<description><![CDATA[As a building developer/owner you invest a lot of money in building a LEED certified project. Has your broker discussed the potential gaps in a traditional property insurance policy versus a policy enhanced to include the 'green' endorsement now offered by many carriers?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6679262]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:28:09 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Green Washing - 3 Things That Are Really Brown Underneath]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5021</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5021</link>
			<description><![CDATA[We're bombarded daily with exhortations to live green and use green technologies in order to reduce our carbon footprint. (By the way, the debate on greenhouse gasses and climate change is apparently NOT over, since some 30,000 scientists, including the founder of the Weather Channel are all suing Al Gore and associates for fraud.) But have you ever asked yourself, "What is a carbon footprint, anyway?" and "Is it really that bad?" Those answers may surprise you. You may also be surprised to learn that some popular "solutions" amount to little more than green-washing - a term that refers to disguising something as environmentally safe or friendly when in fact, it's the same old garbage (or something even worse) in a green wrapper.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:47:07 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Is Wind Going To Fill The Sails Of The EU 2050 Roadmap?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5020</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5020</link>
			<description><![CDATA[On November 9th 2011, the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) published a new report revealing that European wind power production will meet a massive 31 percent of the emissions reduction required by the current EU climate targets. This report and the data presented in it indicate that wind energy can play a vital role in the EU's low-carbon future, outlined in the EU Commission's 2050 Roadmap.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:45:55 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[What's Tip Speed Ratio (TSR)?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5019</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5019</link>
			<description><![CDATA[I've had a couple people ask me what tip speed ratio is and why it's important in wind turbines. The tip speed ratio is simply a number from 0 - (theoretically a huge number, but usually 8 - 10) which tells you how fast the blades are moving in relation to the wind speed.
 
The formula for tip speed ratio is as follows:
 
TSR = Blade Tip Speed / Wind Speed]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:41:02 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Building a Pond: Time and Design Considerations]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5008</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5008</link>
			<description><![CDATA[When pondering how to rejuvenate a landscapes, what better way to do so then to create life by installing a pond which will eventually support an entire ecosystem?]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:06:07 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Implementing Stormwater Control Practices at Construction Sites]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5006</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=5006</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The leading cause of soil erosion and sediment runoff comes from constructions sites, both residential and commercial. Large amounts of runoff and erosion can cause major problems when it comes to pollutants entering our water systems. Often times this soil contains pesticides, fertilizers, petroleum products, construction chemicals, contaminated soils, paints, debris, and sanitary waste - all things that are detrimental once they enter our waterways.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 15 Nov 2011 10:58:12 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Simple Facts about Storm Drainage System Engineering and Design]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4915</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4915</link>
			<description><![CDATA[A storm drainage system is a sophisticated network of pipelines, catch basins and inlets that transport water for discharge into watersheds. Systems must be designed by engineers and installed by licensed pipeline contractors.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:58:57 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Postal Service Delivers Sustainable Messages for Business]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4843</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4843</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Reports abound about a potential United States Postal Service (USPS) bankruptcy, and there are many who advocate for this outcome as a necessary pivot point that would result in a more efficient and sustainable postal service. However, "doom and gloom" nay-sayers fail to acknowledge the many strides the USPS has made in its sustainability, the vital services it provides to help other businesses improve their performance in this arena, and the example it sets as it revamps to adjust to new dynamics of modern enterprise.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 26 Sep 2011 12:17:51 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Why Are So Many People Down On Wind Energy? The NIMBY Factor Considered]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4771</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4771</link>
			<description><![CDATA[When we read the news, and listen to the politicians and news media, you'd think everyone in the world just loves any type of alternative energy project. Still, you'd be very surprised how many folks stand up at City Planning Commissions with their lawyers in tow, and scream "Not in My Back Yard" or NIMBY. The other day, I was speaking to an inventor and innovator of a new wind turbine concept which might do quite well offshore, where there was a constant breeze. Yes, that's true, but who's going to put the transmission lines out there?]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 12 Sep 2011 14:03:26 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[What is Soil Liquefaction? Mitigation by Deep Soil Mixing Method]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4754</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4754</link>
			<description><![CDATA[When soil is stressed, it can liquefy, losing its stability and strength. The stress can be caused by extreme force such as an earthquake, or the introduction of too much water to the ground. The resulting soil liquefaction can occur, destabilizing the ground. Different types of soils react differently to stress, for example, soil that is mostly sand can liquefy faster than clay soils.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 09 Sep 2011 14:08:35 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Ernst & Young LLP launches academic case study on sustainability reporting]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4745</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4745</link>
			<description><![CDATA[As a professor of business administration at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, a college widely regarded for its ability to prepare students to meet the social, ethical, and environmental stewardship issues of tomorrow, Dr. Richard Brownlee II is well versed in teaching sustainability topics to future business professionals.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:37:43 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Waste to Energy Modification through the RDF Process]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4682</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4682</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Pursuing newer strategies towards proper waste management methods are driving a storm in the green market today. A handful of recovery facilities are set up that involves a unique technique known as the refuse derived fuel process (RDF process). This method is applied in waste to energy conversion to recover a sustainable and clean source of energy for industrial and residential use. It executes a specific program that abides regulations set forth in the green industry. More and more individuals are pursuing the use of energy generation in our world today.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 12 Aug 2011 09:54:46 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Government Rebates and Tax Advantages For LED Lighting]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4680</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4680</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Most of this site deals with the raw savings and comparison of bulbs and watts. Does LED make sense just comparing these two criteria at a minimum and the answer for any period of time greater than 1 year is a resounding "Yes". We want to be conservative because we know businesses and individuals are leery of promises made every day for 5000% savings and/or gains. We want to under promise and over perform in terms of LED savings. That being said, it would be remiss not to mention government's role in making LED's more attractive and when you take into account rebates and special tax applications for switching to LED lighting, the savings only magnify. Yes, we get a little excited about this so we're going to bring the LED government rebates and taxation out as our final straw to your utility's back.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 12 Aug 2011 09:35:50 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Rebate Programs With Solar Power]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4671</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4671</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Photo voltaic power is among the most essential and most plentiful in the sources within the universe. This can be 1 renewable power resource that may not be depleted even when we, and long term generations utilize it for&nbsp;the complete. The adhering to are a few of the rebate applications for your rebate on green power.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:32:00 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Discovering the Distinctions Between Geothermal Heating and Geothermal Power]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4660</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4660</link>
			<description><![CDATA[While the two are typically regarded as one and the same, geothermal power and geothermal heating (or ground source  heating) are, in reality, two completely different entities. Geothermal power,  to put it bluntly, is the process by which electricity is generated through a  turbine powered by heat drawn from miles below the surface of the earth. This  will be explained in further detail as we move forward. On the other hand,  geothermal heating (and cooling) draws energy from the dirt right beneath the  Earth's surface to heat and cool small  homes and businesses. In this case, there isn't any electricity generated.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:45:16 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Important Regulations On Sediment Control At Construction Sites - And The Simplest Way To Meet Them]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4663</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4663</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Sediment control at construction sites is not only an environmental   responsibility, it's the law. To protect our waterways, the oceans and  wildlife,  regulations pertaining to erosion and sediment control have  been in effect in  the United States since the Clean Water Act (CWA) was  passed in 1972.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:08:26 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Adhering to Environmental Responsibility through Environmental Consultancy]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4638</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4638</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The societies in which companies operate have the right to a healthy environment, a risk free community, a safe place for people. It is with this passion that companies should have policies that safeguard the welfare of the environment.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 25 Jul 2011 14:25:11 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[A Contractor's Guide to Selecting the Right Curb Inlet Filters for Any Storm Water Management Project]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4630</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4630</link>
			<description><![CDATA[When it comes to starting work on a new site, every contractor knows that providing storm inlet protection is one of the first things that must be done. Each site is unique, and different situations call for different storm and curb inlet filters.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:33:36 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Green Energy Public Relations Continues to Gain]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4625</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4625</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Retain an green energy public relations firm that will give you the best value for your money while keeping in mind the goal of reaching people and making them aware of the your company's endeavors.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 14 Jul 2011 09:33:07 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Saving Money through Texas Energy Efficiency Investments]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4618</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4618</link>
			<description><![CDATA[As one of the fastest growing states in the US, Texas is challenged with increasing its productivity and it can do this by increasing investments in energy efficiency initiatives that can save both residential and commercial users of Texas electricity literally billions of dollars over the next two decades. Seems like an impossible task? According to the American Council for the Energy-Efficient Economy or ACEEE, such proposition is not only possible but completely doable.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:47:13 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Cloud Computing: Trendy or Transformational]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4615</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4615</link>
			<description><![CDATA[In the world of information technology, it seems that every few years a new concept comes along that emerges as being the next great leap in technology. One of the current concepts that fits that description in the IT world is called cloud computing. However, before a company decides that it will embrace cloud computing, it needs to make sure that it understands all the implications of this new offering.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:52:16 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[What Should Be Included In An Environmental Impact Statement?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4547</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4547</link>
			<description><![CDATA[If a project is potentially environmentally significant and if it is federally controlled then an environmental impact statement (EIS) is required by the National Environmental Policy Act. Projects are federally controlled if they are undertaken by the federal government or if they require federal funding or federal licensing.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 06 Jun 2011 13:55:04 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Innovative Construction Machinery]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4546</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4546</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Construction machinery performs multi various tasks mostly using hydraulic power. Some of the recent innovations in the construction machinery industry carry fully computerized hydraulic control systems, energy-saving measures and features needed for comfortable and efficient operation. With the current focus on environment, most of the construction machinery is geared to perform with less noise, less vibration and low emissions.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 06 Jun 2011 13:27:46 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Building Information Models - BIM Basics]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4538</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4538</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Business Information Modelling (BIM) systems are to design systems what foundations are to buildings: Indispensable. It's an ultra-efficient way of managing information created by building data. These models are derived from data created by advanced 3D CAD building software, and they're designed to improve productivity. BIM can cover the entire construction life cycle, and retains the typical CAD-like characteristic of being able to deal with components and design elements.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 03 Jun 2011 12:58:54 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Climate Change and Commercial Construction]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4523</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4523</link>
			<description><![CDATA[At present, a commercial construction project is not just about assembling a huge mass of materials, personnel, and money, but also satisfying increasingly labyrinthine regulations and requirements. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Sticking to regulations from the very beginning of a project can ensure that legal or practical problems do not crop up later on. (Let us not forget the awful lesson learned from the earthquake in China, where government collusion in substandard projects led to huge loss of life.)]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 03 Jun 2011 12:54:43 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[General Green Roof Maintenance Practices]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4481</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4481</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The maintenance load of your green roof will depend on its type.Despite  the type of you have constructed, proper attention should be given to  it or you will end up with dead or listless vegetation in your roof. The  maintenance severity may depend on how much effort you have placed on  designing your roof and how accurate you were, when selecting the plants  suitable to your climatic zone. Your roof will depend on your  cultivation medium. Some growth media are readymade with slow releasing  fertilizers. When all the fertilizer content in the medium is utilized  by the plants you may need to add fertilizers to the green roof.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 13 May 2011 14:15:06 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Pardon Me Your SWPPP Is Showing]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4453</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4453</link>
			<description><![CDATA[It  was a dark and stormy night. You bolted upright in bed wondering if  your SWPPP, under the supervision of the PM using BMP's, would protect  the BSA and ESA from the SAP the next day by the RWQCB and the SWRCB.  You slept no more.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 09 May 2011 16:19:12 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Could you be breaking the law by not archiving e-mails?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4442</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4442</link>
			<description><![CDATA[It's 4:30 on Friday afternoon when you get the message that a key   vendor will not be able to deliver what was promised on time, which  will  in turn cause YOU to miss a critical deadline for your most  important  client. Frustrated, you call the vendor, who instantly denies  ever being  told about the deadline. You know deadlines were discussed  but can't  find it in your original written agreement. You then turn to  your e-mail  only to be forced to dig through hundreds of messages to  try and find  the e-mail where you conveyed the importance of this  project being  delivered on time, but you can't find it because it was  deleted.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 09 May 2011 15:23:22 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Benefits of Radiant Barrier Roof Sheathing]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4416</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4416</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benefits of Radiant Barrier Roof SheathingHomes in hot climates will often have high utility costs due to the need of  cooling the home during extremely high temperatures. To combat this many  homeowners turn to energy-efficient air-conditioning units and increased  insulation, but they often overlook one home improvement that could  significantly reduce their cooling costs. This green home improvement is a  radiant barrier. This article will take a look at the benefits of radiant  barrier roof sheathing when it comes to keeping your house comfortable while  reducing your energy bills.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 25 Apr 2011 15:23:56 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[E-permitting: Making the Building Permit Process Efficient]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4415</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4415</link>
			<description><![CDATA[One of the biggest hassles of building a home or other structure is getting  the paperwork finished. Because building codes and local laws are so  complicated, you may find yourself running back and forth, trying to get your  building permit approved. E-permitting is a new process that many cities and  states are implementing to try to streamline the permitting process. It works  entirely online, and allows you to apply for and receive a building permit  without ever leaving your computer.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 25 Apr 2011 15:12:15 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[What Are Sustainable Building Materials?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4372</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4372</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Research suggests that one of the biggest causes of carbon emissions into the  environment is the home. Through the use of non-environmentally friendly  building materials in the construction of central heating and electrical  systems, most homes contribute in a small way to the problem of carbon  emissions, which with the total number of homes across the world equates to one  big problem. This is why the "go green" movement is catching on with regard to  our homes. What this actually means is that sustainable building materials are  becoming a popular choice in which to build the homes and "green" energy such as  solar or wind power are being used more often.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:03:02 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[How Spray Foam Insulation Can Help Save The World]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4371</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4371</link>
			<description><![CDATA[We can all do our part to save the world from an early demise, and it doesn&rsquo;t  have stop at recycling either. Making an effort to bring re-usable bags when we  go shopping has become a growing trend, as well as paperless billing on behalf  of utility companies. The construction industry has been given many incentives  by local and federal governments to use green building materials and reduce  their emissions. As such, manufacturers of materials are falling into line,  offering materials that appeal to the environmentally conscious builder and  homeowner.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:56:32 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Residential Building Code Inspection]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4359</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4359</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Any time you apply for a building permit for a new house or remodel, you must  submit a set of plans to your city municipality for approval. The plans are  stamped with the plans examiner's official stamp once they're approved. Then, as  work progresses, the building inspector conducts inspections at required  intervals to ensure that the construction matches those approved plans and all  the new work conforms to the International Residential Code.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 12 Apr 2011 13:22:18 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Radiant Heat: Red Hot Retrofit]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4357</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4357</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Red hot as in sales, that is. The reasons behind the increasing  popularity of  radiant heat panels are ease of installation, quick warm  up, dust free heat, and  low cost relative to other retrofit heating  systems.For the same price as a pellet stove, you could heat a  1,500 square foot home  and not have to deal with locating, storing, and  lugging 40 pound bags of wood  pellets.A U.S. Department of  Energy sponsored study concluded that radiant heat  panels were 52% less  expensive to operate than electric baseboard heat and 33%  more cost  effective air to air heat pumps. The study concluded that &ldquo;energy   savings would be obtainable in a great portion of U.S. households&rdquo;.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 12 Apr 2011 11:36:14 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Owner's Rep in Real Estate Development: Instrumental in Project Success]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4312</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4312</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Steve Bentley is a high net-worth individual living in Los Angeles, CA. He  identifies a parcel of vacant land near his home&nbsp;that he believes would be ideal to build a  multi-family project on.  Without really looking at any other properties or  running any detailed  financial projections on the development, he acquires the  property.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 24 Mar 2011 13:55:05 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Pervious Concrete Paving: The Eco-Friendly Solution To Fight Water Pollution]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4292</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4292</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Paved concrete surfaces are a common sight today. From driveways to parking  lots we are accustomed to seeing these structures but we hardly realize what  crucial effect they play on the environment! As more land is paved each day more  rain water lands on the concrete pavements rather than percolating into the  soil. The standard techniques of paving generally result in creating impervious  surfaces which prohibits water from seeping into the soil. Experts have found  increased use of impervious paving to be one of the key factors responsible for  causing soil erosion, depletion of ground water level, flash floods and water  pollution.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:05:48 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Sustainable Development: Smart Growth Can Be Dumb - Respect The NIMBY]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4285</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4285</link>
			<description><![CDATA["Smart growth," i.e. the densification of development in both new and  established communities, especially along transportation corridors, is not only  a generally good objective, it's a necessity. Sprawling development has many  established negative impacts. The infrastructure to support it is  disproportionately expensive to build and maintain. Its environmental footprint  is disproportionately large and wasteful. It has been shown to create negative  impacts on the social and physical quality of people's lives. For example, it  has been shown to further segregate communities, isolate individuals, and add to  health problems related to obesity and lack of exercise as a result of the utter  reliance on the automobile for even the most mundane errands. These examples are  merely the most obvious and oft cited negative impacts of sprawl but there are  many others. Moreover, the negative impacts can be counter-intuitive in the  sense that the migration to sprawling suburbia has been driven in some degree by  a search for small town or rural community spirit yet commonly results in the  opposite.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 24 Feb 2011 14:15:21 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Advancing Sustainable Design With Environmentally Responsible, Exotic Hardwoods]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4265</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4265</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Builders and design professionals know first hand that tropical hardwoods are  desirable for numerous applications because of their beauty, natural warmth and  durability. Unfortunately, tropical hardwoods often come at a great cost to the  environment. Tropical forests typically take many years to rejuvenate after  harvest, and there is growing concern around illegal logging in numerous  tropical countries.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:21:40 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[LEED Points And Your Green Roof]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4235</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4235</link>
			<description><![CDATA[LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It was  established to recognize and identify various areas of energy saving during the  construction or reconstruction process of buildings and other areas within a  community, city, or municipality. This covers specific areas such a savings from  efficient energy use, using water efficiently, reducing CO2, making improvements  to the quality of living indoors, husbandry or conservation of resources, and  realizing what impact the construction or reconstruction process has on the  environment. This also includes green or eco roofs.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:53:21 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Mixing Green Space and Real Estate]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4236</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4236</link>
			<description><![CDATA[When  parks and real estate mix, there's often a hard working local  resident behind the plans. Or a couple. In the case of New York City's High Line green space and commercial  corridor, two unlikely promoters (a Chelsea artist and a Village painter) sat  down with developers and city planners to come up with something truly  innovative: an abandoned freight railway that quickly became the city's favorite  brand, and a model for how to make the most of an old industrial space.  Warehouse to condo conversions have long been a trendy ticket for developers and  high-end buyers, but projects like the High Line show how the non-wealthy  majority can participate in exciting urban renewal, leaving lots of room for  investors to make a buck.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 09 Feb 2011 12:18:31 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[LEED Rating System in Palm Coast Florida Green Homes]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4234</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4234</link>
			<description><![CDATA[LEED is a point-based method qualifies and calculates overall performance of  a "green" home, which needs to be engineered to have a  beneficial impact on energy efficiency, eco-performance and human well-being.  LEED is known as a voluntary rating system that stimulates the construction and  designs of high-performance "green" homes, which include easily affordable  houses, stand-alone custom designed single-family homes, town homes and  duplexes, urban and suburban apartments, condominiums and lofts in historic  buildings.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 07 Feb 2011 13:10:12 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Interval Electric Metering - Saving All Consumers Money]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4200</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4200</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Interval electric metering is hardly a new practice with respect to high  usage commercial customers. For decades large commercial electric consumers have  been given the option to buy electricity during "off peak" hours for a greatly  reduced per kilowatt hour rate.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 03 Feb 2011 16:30:29 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[ Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE): What's going to happen?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4142</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4142</link>
			<description><![CDATA[As  I walked out the front door of a beautiful new home in Central Florida recently,  satisfied with another successful geothermal air conditioning system install, I  felt a pang of guilt.&nbsp; This is one of those times where I could not quite put my  finger on the root cause of the feeling that nagged me.&nbsp; Maybe it was because so  many are out of work as a result of the economic downturn?&nbsp; No, that wasn't  it...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:59:59 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Energy and HVAC Optimization]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4104</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4104</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Let's talk about 30-40% of your electricity bill. That's how much it costs the average homeowner or commercial building owner to provide proper heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC).&nbsp; A good HVAC system is the key to maintaining a comfortable, healthy and interior environment.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 27 Dec 2010 16:21:17 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Are Regenerative Solar Panels the Wave of the Future?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4089</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4089</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Scientists at M.I.T. have developed microscopic solar cells which can  mimic the regenerative process that plants use during photosynthesis.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 21 Dec 2010 15:33:00 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Lean Construction - If Not Now, When?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4083</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=4083</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The Lean Construction Journal in a 2009 white paper pegs the ratio of  non-value-added or wasteful activities in a typical construction project at 55%  to 65%. The white paper-Creating Value: A Sufficient Way to Eliminate Waste  in Lean Design and Lean Production goes on to say, "Creating value and only  value is the best way to reduce waste in design and construction."Needless to say, the construction industry is badly broken and needs fixing.  How does the industry rise up and meet the challenges of customer demand for  higher quality, improved profitability, and the shortage of skilled workers? The  first step is to cast aside the not invented here syndrome and embrace a time  tested manufacturing solution -the Toyota Production System-commonly called  Lean.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:35:10 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Architectural Metal Canopies Makes Buildings Become Environment Friendly]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3682</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3682</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Most of the modern skyscrapers that we see do not sport architectural  metal canopies unlike most of the smaller buildings and structures do. A  canopy is considered to be an important element in the outdoor  structure of a building because it protects it from the elements  including the sun and rain. It also helps cool down the place without  the need for a powerful air conditioning system to be installed inside.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 18 Oct 2010 13:43:34 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Assessing the Pros and Cons of Unit Ventilators]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3681</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3681</link>
			<description><![CDATA[While unit ventilators are generally found in schools, or, more  specifically, in classrooms, they may be used in other industrial  conditions as well. Basically, any situation where there are outdoor air  requirements or room-byroom zoning can benefit from unit ventilators.  Hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities are also very  frequent customers of this system. As technology has progressed and  improved upon the unit ventilator, its use is still as popular today as  it was two decades ago.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 18 Oct 2010 13:38:37 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Buildings with Steel Offers Many Advantages Over Traditional Construction Materials]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3669</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3669</link>
			<description><![CDATA[With the green building movement continuously increasing  in popularity, it comes as no surprise that people are turning to more  recyclable, durable, and cost-effective building materials. Builders are  looking for answers to their construction needs while reducing the  impact of construction on the environment. These concerns, coupled with  recession related cutbacks, have turned countless builders on to steel  as a preferred building material.  Some of the numerous advantages to working with steel include:  Saving Costs There are a number of reasons why building with steel can help you cut  costs - both long-term and short - on any metal construction project.  Steel, for instance, does not chip; thus, repair costs over time are  limited]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 23 Sep 2010 16:32:34 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Getting Ahead in the Construction Industry]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3668</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3668</link>
			<description><![CDATA[With new regeneration and Government housing targets, the construction  industry is facing the toughest challenges yet. With new projects in  commercial and residential developments, growing pressures for  sustainable and low impact development and the need for low cost  housing, better and faster results are being expected from everyone  involved in the construction industry from planners to those on site  every day.  As a result of all these new opportunities and challenges in  construction there are new construction jobs becoming available every  day throughout the entire sphere of the industry. The experience and  level of qualification required is also changing, and may require due  consideration if you are searching for construction jobs.  Entry into the construction industry can come about at any level of  education with on the job training and work experience still seen as one  of the main requirements for any employer]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 23 Sep 2010 16:28:16 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Movement Toward Sustainable Land Development]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3667</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3667</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Urban planning and city construction have had trends and influences  affecting them (and on the cities that implement them) since John Nolan  at the turn of the 20th century, with his emphasis on weaving a network  of footpaths and parks through planned land development areas. As the  trends have waxed and waned, and different demographic elements have  come and gone, the tendency to think of cities as planned developments  has come back into style. One of the drivers to this trend towards  sustainable land development has been seeing the consequences of the  Interstate Highway System. The Interstate Highway System induced  families to move out of the tightly packed urban cores of cities and  into suburban land developments that offered a wide open back yard and  lower real estate prices, with the ability to just drive to work in the  financial district. This ex-urbanization caused much of the "inner city  rot" mentioned by Jane Jacobs and ineptly re-mediated by "the projects"  like Cabrini Green in Chicago]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 23 Sep 2010 16:24:33 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Importance of Sustainable Design & Construction in Buildings (LEED Ratings)]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3666</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3666</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Intelligent and responsible living means we are open to new ideas and  are constantly trying to improve. This is especially true as we rework  our ways of doing things to become greener and more environmentally  responsible.  Most people are aware of the dangers that older buildings can hold.  There are the hazards of lead paint and asbestos. Fortunately, today's  building professionals are creating healthy buildings using sustainable  design and construction...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 23 Sep 2010 13:48:54 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Cash for Caulkers - The Definitive Guide To The Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1934</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1934</link>
			<description><![CDATA["Cash for Caulkers&rdquo; is nearly here. Last month the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5019 &ndash; also known as the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010 or &ldquo;Cash for Caulkers&rdquo; &ndash; to kick-start construction, create jobs and cut back carbon emissions. While the bill still needs to clear the Senate, supporters predict it will pass this summer.In the meantime, homeowners and contractors need to do their homework. There are 13 types of retrofits eligible for funding under the Home Star bill. Each has unique requirements and rebate amounts. Fortunately Software Advice makes it very easy to wade through the legislation...In their post, "Cash for Caulkers - The Definitive Guide to the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010", Software Advice explains how homeowners can qualify for Home Star bill rebates. They have created an easy-to-read table that breaks down the 13 retrofits of the bill, along with the requirements and rebate amounts for each. But first, let's review the program details.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:51:37 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[20 Ways Your Independent Contractor Might Be an Employee]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1921</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1921</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Last month, the IRS began its first comprehensive audit of employment tax
issues in over 25 years. The IRS will audit 6000 companies in total over
the next three years. The main issues to be examined in these audits are
worker classification, executive compensation and taxable fringe benefits.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:34:26 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[New Rule Implements Executive Order Encouraging Project Labor Agreements for Federal Contractors]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1924</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1924</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Shortly after President Barack Obama took office in 2009, he signed an
Executive Order authorizing federal government agencies to require every
contractor or subcontractor on a large-scale construction project to
negotiate or become a party to a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) with one or
more labor organizations.&nbsp; The Defense Department, General Services
Administration, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which
together maintain the Federal Acquisition Regulation council, have
published a final rule, amending the FAR, to implement the Executive
Order.&nbsp;]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:34:23 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[From Green to Seeing Red]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1923</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1923</link>
			<description><![CDATA[There seem to be four stages (so far) of the green building movement in the
U.S. First there was Green for Green&rsquo;s sake: the altruistic goal of
environmental improvement. Then there was Green for Greenbacks: when it
became stylish to be green and there was a market premium in selling
green.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:34:22 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Site Data Disclaimers]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1922</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1922</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Owners commonly provide subsurface soil data and other site conditions
reports as part of the bid documents provided to prospective bidders.
Fearful of assuming liability for the accuracy of plans, borings, and
other subsurface data provided to contractors, owners traditionally
include exculpatory clauses that purport to shift the risk of inaccurate
data away to the contractor.&nbsp; These clauses typically state that the
data is provided for information only, the owner makes no warranties as to
the accuracy of the data, and the contractor expressly assumes all risk
that the conditions encountered differ from the conditions described in
the reports.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:34:19 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[EPA's New Stormwater Effluent Limitation Rules]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1891</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1891</link>
			<description><![CDATA[On December 1, 2009 the U.S. EPA issued a longanticipated final stormwater
rule, which impacts nearly every construction and development project in
the United States. EPA promulgated the rule, titled &ldquo;Effluent
Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Construction and Development
Point Source Category&rdquo;, pursuant to authority delegated it under the
federal Clean Water Act. &nbsp;Now, for the first time, construction
professionals are faced with an
enforceable&nbsp;numeric&nbsp;limit on stormwater discharges
from&nbsp;largeconstruction sites, and must monitor stormwater
discharge to ensure compliance with the numeric limit.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:11:50 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Unit Price Adjustments]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1893</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1893</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Contracts based on unit prices typically contain provisions for adjustment
of those prices if actual quantities differ substantially from those
estimated. These so-called &ldquo;variations in quantities&rdquo; clauses
afford some measure of protection to both the contractor and the owner if
quantity estimates are off and the actual costs incurred are either higher
or lower than anticipated. It is important that the parties to the contract
understand and follow the procedures set forth in such provisions or they
may not be able to enjoy that protection.&nbsp;Pavers, Inc. v. Board
of Regents of the University of Nebraska, 276 Neb. 559, 755 N.W.2d
400 (2008), provides a cautionary tale of what can happen if such a
contractual procedure is not followed.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:11:48 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Federal Contractors and Subcontractors: Hang 'Em High!]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1892</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1892</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Federal contractors and subcontractors are now required to post information
in the workplace regarding workers' rights under the National Labor
Relations Act (NLRA), according to Executive Order (EO) 13496 issued by
President Obama in January 2009, and implemented into a Final Rule by the
Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) on May 20, 2010.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:11:45 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Federal Bid Bond - Fatal Discrepancy]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1873</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1873</link>
			<description><![CDATA[In the current economy many contractors seek new business opportunities and
a primary target is federal government construction contracting. Upon
closer inspection, contractors quickly learn that competing in the
government contracting arena can prove difficult as many projects require
a commitment of resources and surety bonding capacity that exceeds the
capability of a single firm. As such, contractors have sought avenues such
as teaming agreements or joint ventures to pool resources to increase their
opportunities. ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:33:47 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[DOJ Outlines Environmental Enforcement Priorities]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1872</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1872</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Last week, on the fortieth anniversary of Earth Day, the United States
Department of Justice highlighted the accomplishments of its Environment
&amp; Natural Resources Division (ENRD or Division) during fiscal year
2009 by issuing the Division's Summary of Litigation Accomplishments
(Summary). The Summary features enforcement cases won or resolved by the
Division where civil penalties were imposed, corrective measures were
required or criminal convictions were obtained.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:33:45 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Another State Joins Ranks on "Pay-to-Play" Law for Government Contractors - McDonnell Signs Legislation]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1871</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1871</link>
			<description><![CDATA[April 15, 2010 &ndash; Virginia Governor Robert F. McDonnell today signed
Senate Bill 506, a &quot;pay-to-play&quot; law which prohibits political
contributions and gifts from government contractors in certain situations.
With this new law, Virginia joins a growing national trend of state and
local regulation of the political activities of government contractors,
including not only their political contributions and gifts, but also their
business-to-government sales programs and their compensation agreements. ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:33:43 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[How Green Roof Systems Save Your Business Money on Heating and Cooling]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1870</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1870</link>
			<description><![CDATA[There are many advancements in building materials that assist in saving
money and energy. Though research on this topic was initially launched for
energy preservation purposes, it also helps in saving money as well as
preserving the environment.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:33:42 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[5 "Green" Retrofits Electricians Should Be Pitching to Drive Business]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1849</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1849</link>
			<description><![CDATA[A fast growing segment of the green construction market is building retrofits. Numerous reports indicate retrofitting will become a huge market over the next three to four years. To take advantage of upcoming opportunities, electricians will need to &ldquo;green&rdquo; their skill-set.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 01 Jun 2010 10:09:57 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Top 4 Causes of Construction Safety Accidents]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1811</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1811</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Anyone involved in the construction industry would know that constructionsafety accidents are part and parcel of the industry. However, this onlymeans that you should be doing all you can to make sure that they don'toccur.&nbsp; The next best thing to completely eliminating accidents isreducing them, or at least reducing the risk of them occurring.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:22:11 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Major Title Insurance Companies Decline to Issue Creditors' Rights Endorsements]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1814</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1814</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Many major national title insurance companies have just announced they
will no longer provide &quot;creditors' rights&quot; coverage in
connection with new policies of title insurance. Therefore, commercial
real estate lenders and purchasers will now bear certain insolvency risks
that were often covered by title insurance endorsements in the past.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 09 Apr 2010 15:12:10 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Architects and Engineers Should Actively Manage Risk in Tougher Times]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1813</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1813</link>
			<description><![CDATA[BRAINTREE, Mass. (3/15/10)&mdash;Risk management is a topic of concern for
many types of professionals, none more so than those involved in the
building trades. &quot;Unfortunately, the stakes are raised in tough
economic times,&quot; said veteran attorney Jay S. Gregory, a shareholder
in LeClairRyan's Boston office who focuses his practice on construction
defect litigation and the defense of malpractice actions brought against
design professionals and real estate brokers. ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 09 Apr 2010 15:12:00 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Substantial Admendment to Chapter 558 - Construction Defects: Amendment Affects All Contracts Executed After October 1, 2009]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1812</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1812</link>
			<description><![CDATA[When applicable, Chapter 558, Fla. Stat. requires owners to give
contractors and professionals an opportunity to inspect and repair alleged
construction defects prior to owners being able to file lawsuits. The
intent of Chapter 558 is to foster amicable settlement agreements for
construction defects and reduce unnecessary litigation.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 09 Apr 2010 15:11:58 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Differing Site Condition Elements Applied]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1774</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1774</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Under the Federal Acquisition Regulation, the Differing Site Conditions
clause at FAR &sect; 52.236-2 is a mandatory clause in most fixed-price
federal government contracts. This provision operates to shift the risk of
certain unforeseen physical conditions to the government.&nbsp; As
discussed in Chapter 7 of Smith Currie&rsquo;s Federal Government
Construction Contracts (John Wiley &amp; Sons, 2008), the basic tests
to establish entitlement to relief under that clause are well established.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:09:24 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[New RESPA Rules for Consumer Protection in Real Estate Settlements and Loans]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1771</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1771</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently issued
new rules that modify the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA).
RESPA is a consumer-protection statute that was enacted to (1) help
consumers become better shoppers for settlement services and (2) eliminate
kickbacks and referral fees that unnecessarily increase the costs of
certain settlement services. Loans secured with a mortgage placed on a
one-to-four-family residential property are governed by RESPA. These loans
include most purchase loans, assumptions, refinances, property improvement
loans, and equity lines of credit. HUD's Office of RESPA and Interstate
Land Sales is responsible for enforcing RESPA.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:09:21 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Workouts Take Center State Amid Historic Real Estate Collapse]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1773</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1773</link>
			<description><![CDATA[NEW YORK, N.Y. (2/8/10) &ndash; The collapse of the U.S. housing and
mortgage-backed securities markets has raised the stakes in real estate
workouts and loan negotiations as never before&mdash;and both investors
and legal professionals must retool their strategies to reflect these new
realities, advised veteran bankruptcy and construction attorney Jeffrey M.
Zalkin, a partner in LeClairRyan, based in the firm&rsquo;s New York
office. ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:09:10 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Navigating the Confines of the Economic Loss Rule and Other Property Damage]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1772</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1772</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The economic loss rule is a rule frequently invoked in construction
disputes that operates to limit the types of damages that can be
recovered. Understanding the limits of the economic loss rule requires a
party to examine (1) the source of the duty at issue and (2) the nature of
the property damage claimed. ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:08:56 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[How Accounting Can Provide More Value to Your Construction Business]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1743</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1743</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Is your accounting department helping your construction business run
like a well-oiled machine? If you said no, perhaps your accounting gear
needs a little maintenance.&nbsp; The four key functions in your office
are accounting, estimating/sales, production and administration/sales.
(You can put sales in either place.) All four functions are
interdependent, like gears, and each one meshes with the others. If one
gear becomes stripped or broken, the other gears cannot function and they
all lose all their value.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:40:04 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[ARRA: Are You Ready to Receive Some Attention?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1749</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1749</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) was signed into
law by President Obama on February 17, 2009 and authorizes up to $787
billion in federal spending through September 30, 2010. Potential federal
spending includes funding for construction projects in all 50 states, the
District of Columbia, and U.S. territories, as well as the procurement of
supplies and services.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:39:53 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[No License - No Recovery]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1748</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1748</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Many states, including Georgia, require those desiring to engage in
construction-related activities to obtain a license or to associate with a
licensed individual. Failing to comply with the state&rsquo;s licensing
requirements can negatively affect a contractor&rsquo;s ability to enforce
a contract or recover costs for any work performed. For example, in JR
Construction/Electric, LLC v. Ordner Construction Co., 669 S.E.2d 224
(Ga. App.&nbsp; 2008), the court held that the subcontract for electrical
work between a contractor and a subcontractor was void as against public
policy and unenforceable because the subcontractor was unable to show that
it had conformed to the state&rsquo;s licensing requirements.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:39:42 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Federal Court Upholds OSHA Multi-Employer Policy]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1747</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1747</link>
			<description><![CDATA[OSHA may issue citations to general contractors who have the ability to
prevent or abate hazardous conditions at jobsites created by a
subcontractor through the reasonable exercise of supervisory authority,
regardless of whether the general contractor created the hazard or whether
the general contractor&rsquo;s own employees were exposed to the hazard.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:39:32 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Value of an "Additionally Insured" Status]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1746</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1746</link>
			<description><![CDATA[An Owner typically seeks to be protected from liability arising out of the
work of its contractor. Contractors also seek protection from the
subcontractors they hire. &ldquo;Additional Insured&rdquo; status provides
extra coverage to the owner or contractor in the event an insurance claim
is made. To receive this extra coverage, an owner (contractor) often
requires its contractor (subcontractors) to provide &ldquo;additional
insured&rdquo; status under a commercial general liability (CGL) policy.
&ldquo;Additional insured&rdquo; status provides a defense and indemnity
to the additional insured.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:39:19 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Following the New Leed: Version 3]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1745</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1745</link>
			<description><![CDATA[With the roll-out of Version 3, the new LEED certification and professional
accreditation systems are in effect.Vocabulary. &ldquo;LEED Version
3&rdquo; is the umbrella of changes to the certification and professional
accreditation systems. &ldquo;LEED 2009&rdquo; is the new version of the
rating system, for example, the successor to LEED v.2.2. ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:39:07 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Obama Administration Proposes New EPA Enforcement Priorities]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1744</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1744</link>
			<description><![CDATA[On January 4, 2010, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
formally solicited comments on what should be EPA's enforcement priorities
for fiscal years 2011 through 2013. The EPA's draft list of priorities
indicates a new emphasis on certain sectors of the economy, including
manufacturers that cause disproportionate environmental impact to minority
neighborhoods, manufacturers and users of pesticides, developers with
projects impacting wetlands, and owners, operators and industrial users of
municipal wastewater treatment facilities. EPA's request for public
comments is published at 75 Federal Register 146-148. ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:38:55 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Breath Easier With Construction Dust Control Measures]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1754</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1754</link>
			<description><![CDATA[With the problem of nuisance dust growing across the American, construction
dust control has become a requirement by most states. It is because of this
requirement that a construction dust control plan must be produced and
implemented on practically every construction site that is 1/2 acre in
size.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:38:48 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Balancing Risk and Reward in Construction Projects]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1753</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1753</link>
			<description><![CDATA[When determining what types of jobs you will take on, the first thing you
must do is determine where you are making the most profit-and the results
may surprise you. When I first started my construction company I targeted
large remodels because I was drawn to the large dollar figure. After all,
doing ONE $20,000 job is better than 10 $2,000 jobs, right?]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:38:42 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Green Architecture - Both Beautiful and Smart]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1752</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1752</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Does opting for green architecture mean sacrificing your picture perfect
dream house? How can green architecture be both aesthetically pleasing and
eco friendly? Read more to find out An interesting title appeared recently
in a reputable newspaper. The title was 'Beautiful and Smart,&quot; an
intriguing and confusing title choice considering the article appeared in
the real estate section of the newspaper.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:38:34 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Releases: Anticipate the Consequences]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1751</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1751</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Changes to construction projects are relatively common especially on public
projects. Revised requirements and the availability of additional funds
often prompt owners to modify a project while it is being constructed.
Depending upon the scope, number, and timing of the modifications, the
overall impact on a project can vary substantially. A single change, even
a relatively significant one, may be evaluated, priced, and implemented
without a major disruption to the overall project.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:38:28 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Construction Safety Management Plan]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1750</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1750</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Construction Safety Management Plans (CSMP) must be specific to the
organization and to the project, in other words you cannot have a generic
CSMP; they will not be accepted by OSHA inspectors when they visit and
audit your worksite.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:38:14 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[How to Handle Work in Progress (WIP) or Construction in Progress (CIP) in QuickBooks]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1756</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1756</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Builders and contractors who purchase land and then develop it have to
comply with accounting requirements for revenue and expense recognition
that are a little different and require a some modification of the
standard QuickBooks set up. The accounting rule is that revenue and costs
are not to be recognized on financial statements as income and expense
until the job is complete, or in some cases as certain milestones are
completed for the job.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:38:08 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Waterproofing Engineering Structures]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1755</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1755</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Engineering structures that are built at least partly underground need to
be waterproofed for protection from water infiltration due to close
contact with the surrounding ground. One common method involves the
application of waterproofing materials to the interior and exterior walls
of the structure, including the floors, to completely create a watertight
seal against ground contact. The waterproofing contractor installs the
system either during building construction or later as a retrofit
application for remedial waterproofing.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:38:01 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Meeting Minutes - Will Yours Stand Up In Court?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1757</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1757</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Now that I have your attention, one of the communication tools that project
teams use or should be using are Meeting Minutes. Meeting Minutes record
information shared,commitments, documents distributed or presented,
approvals, denials, completedactions and new actions.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:37:54 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Going Green! Understanding the Risks and Liabilities of Green Building]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1758</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1758</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Outlined below, the presenters from Going Green! Understanding
the Risks and Liabilities of Green Building offer the top
considerations for leaders tasked with identifying the risks and
opportunities inherent in green design, construction and ownership.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:37:28 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Getting Into The Spirit With Holiday Decor]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1681</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1681</link>
			<description><![CDATA[With winter just around the corner and department stores gearing up for the holiday season, there&rsquo;s no time like now to think about your house plans for this year&rsquo;s holiday decorations.&nbsp; You can continue traditions and look for new ideas that are both economical and easy to do.&nbsp; Treat your guests to a joyful experience by trying these great ideas and tips that help your home&rsquo;s d&eacute;cor spread cheer and warmth. ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:31:21 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Top Tips for a Healthier Home]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1323</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1323</link>
			<description><![CDATA[You can learn to live "green" by adopting new habits and ideas that not only reduce the impact our lifestyles have on our planet, but create a healthier home environment.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:22:18 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Green Architecture- Both Beautiful and Smart]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1671</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1671</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Does opting for green architecture mean sacrificing your picture perfect dream house? How can green architecture be both aesthetically pleasing and eco friendly? Read more to find out An interesting title appeared recently in a reputable newspaper. The title was 'Beautiful and Smart," an intriguing and confusing title choice considering the article appeared in the real estate section of the newspaper.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:41:32 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Is a National Energy Efficiency Building Code on the Horizon?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1650</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1650</link>
			<description><![CDATA[On September 8, the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate
reconvened to finish out the first session of the 111th Congress and
consider various legislative items that serve the basis of the Obama
Administration's policy agenda.&nbsp; One of the measures that could still
be considered is legislation passed by the House and approved by a key
Senate committee that would establish a national energy efficiency
building code (the &quot;National Code&quot;).&nbsp; The National Code
would require new residential and commercial buildings to use far less
energy than today's typical buildings.&nbsp; If signed into law by
President Obama, the legislation would represent a major shift in power
from local governments to the federal government in terms of
responsibility for setting building codes.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:28:27 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Closing Out Your Construction Project - Handling Claims and Disputes]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1641</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1641</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Closing out construction projects often involves the handling of claims and
disputes from the contractors.&nbsp; Contractor claims that have been
submitted during construction have not been resolved or contractor claims
are just being submitted because the construction is complete and the
contractors are just getting around to closing out the project and
tabulating costs.&nbsp; Regardless of the reason, contractor claims and
disputes can be a challenge to resolve.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:30:52 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[E-Verify Rule for Federal Contractors Will Take Effect September 8, 2009]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1643</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1643</link>
			<description><![CDATA[On August 27, 2009, Judge Alexander Williams, Jr., of the U.S. District
Court for the District of Maryland upheld the legality of a federal
regulation that will require many federal government contractors to use
the E-Verify system to verify the employment eligibility of new hires as
well as certain existing employees. The ruling in Chamber of Commerce
of the United States of America v. Janet Napolitano, Civil Action No.
AW-08-3444 (D. Md.), allows the regulation, published at 73 Fed. Reg.
67,651 (November 14, 2008), to take effect on September 8, 2009.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:30:31 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[What You Need to Know About Construction Insurance]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1642</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1642</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Residential and commercial contractors all need construction contractor
insurance. This is not a negotiable requirement. It will often spell the
difference between getting and losing a contract.&nbsp; Any party who
contracts services to others needs contractor insurance. This is required
when contracting services to the government on the federal, state or city
level. It is also most often required by private entities from
contractors.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:30:28 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[LEED 2009: New Certification Requirements Now in Place]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1625</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1625</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Because LEED certification has become increasingly mandatory in locations
across the United States, an understanding of the new LEED 2009 (a.k.a.
LEED v3) system promulgated by the United States Green Building Council
(USGBC) is crucial. As of June 27, 2009, all construction projects seeking
LEED certification must proceed under the new LEED 2009 system. While the
new system is substantially similar to the previous LEED system, there are
several notable improvements and differences that must be understood to
assure compliance with the new system and achievement of the desired level
of certification.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:59:09 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[IRS Rules that Developer Can Deduct Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOTs)]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1624</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1624</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Local governments frequently encourage economic development by acquiring
property with public bonds, then leasing the property to real estate
developers. Because the local government owns the property, it is exempt
from real property taxes. The local government can preserve its tax base
by requiring the real estate developer to make payments in lieu of taxes,
called PILOTs, to the local government. What has not been clear is whether
the federal income tax deduction for real property taxes applies to PILOTs.
The analysis used by the IRS in a recent Private Letter Ruling holding that
a real estate developer's PILOTs qualified as deductible real property
taxes for federal income tax purposes, will provide useful guidance for
real estate developers and their tax advisors facing this issue.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:59:06 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Breathing Easier With Construction Dust Control Measures]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1606</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1606</link>
			<description><![CDATA[With the problem of nuisance dust growing across the American, construction dust control has become a requirement by most states. It is because of this requirement that a construction dust control plan must be produced and implemented on practically every construction site that is 1/2 acre in size.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:29:22 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[What are the Different LEED Certification Specialties]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1575</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1575</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Mid-summer the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard has changed so that anyone pursuing a LEED certification in one of the areas of specialty must now take two exams instead of just one.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 06 Aug 2009 09:42:05 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Green Sustainable Architecture]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1531</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1531</link>
			<description><![CDATA[There is an approach to construction in today's world that has been around for almost 30 years that you may be unaware of. This approach is called the green architecture approach. This approach is set on lowering the damage done to the environment by putting up new buildings. While green architecture was once viewed as highly unconventional, it's getting a lot more acceptable and popular. The public and regulatory agencies are beginning to recognize the real benefits of this method of construction.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:19:29 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Green without LEED]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3333</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3333</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Green buildings and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) have become popular buzzwords in the design and construction industry.&nbsp; The dramatic increase in fuel and energy prices coupled with the discussion surrounding climate change have pushed the environment into the public consciousness in a way that we have never seen before.&nbsp; Even those who are not concerned with their environmental impact are now interested in energy use and how it affects their bottom line.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[LEED® 2009: Keeping Track of Evolving Green Building Standards and Legal Issues]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1510</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1510</link>
			<description><![CDATA[As green building standards evolve and are incorporated into everything
from regulatory requirements to lender criteria to tax credits, project
proponents must keep current on standards and protocols and ensure proper
documentation of expectations and understandings. This Alert
summarizes upcoming changes to the LEED&reg;[1] Green Building Rating
System, the most widely accepted national standard, and describes some of
the legal issues that can arise when building green.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:54:59 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Subcontractors Should Take the LEED]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1513</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1513</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The trend towards &ldquo;going green&rdquo; in building and construction is
here to stay.&nbsp; With rising energy prices and wide spread climate
awareness, residential and non-residential building is required to be more
eco-friendly than ever.&nbsp; The rise of green building and construction
projects is becoming visible across the country.&nbsp; ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:54:55 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Saving Green: Finding Ways to Protect the Environment and Our Budgets]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1373</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1373</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The recession has financially hit us all in some way. And for some, it keeps coming again and again, beating us down until we are forced to curl up and remain as still as possible, closing our eyes and hoping that it will just go away. But it doesn't. It keeps punishing our budgets and stripping clean our pockets, like an elementary school bully looking for lunch money. And we don't want to move for fear of our budgets. We can't handle going in any new directions, let alone the safe ones. Our budgets are too bruised and battered to venture out. So how then can we hear with open arms and willing hands these encouragements and admonishes to "Go Green" when we know that it will cost us precious money and perhaps even cost us more than before?]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:22:07 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Green Home Checklist]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1324</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1324</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Since green building is still a relatively new process, it's a good idea to research green building on your own so you know what to look for when choosing your site, home plan, builder and sustainable products.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:49:03 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Green Building And Home Improvement]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1249</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1249</link>
			<description><![CDATA[When building a new home, adding on an extension or even just a simple remodel within your home, you should always consider your local environment to maximize the efficiency of every aspect of your project. There are three main areas that need to be focused on when planning your building project. They include: water, energy, and building materials.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:49:31 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Movement Toward Sustainable Land Development]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1248</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1248</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Urban planning and city construction have had trends and influences affecting them (and on the cities that implement them) since John Nolan at the turn of the 20th century, with his emphasis on weaving a network of footpaths and parks through planned land development areas. As the trends have waxed and waned, and different demographic elements have come and gone, the tendency to think of cities as planned developments has come back into style. One of the drivers to this trend towards sustainable land development has been seeing the consequences of the Interstate Highway System. The Interstate Highway System induced families to move out of the tightly packed urban cores of cities and into suburban land developments that offered a wide open back yard and lower real estate prices, with the ability to just drive to work in the financial district. This ex-urbanization caused much of the "inner city rot" mentioned by Jane Jacobs and ineptly re-mediated by "the projects" like Cabrini Green in Chicago.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:11:08 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Defective Workmanship and Insurance]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1217</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1217</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Over the past decade, the construction industry has experienced significant growth, although recently it has waned due to the financial meltdown caused by subprime mortgages.&nbsp; Even with the recent abatement in construction, the growth of new construction over the last decade is apparent.&nbsp; Greater frequency of the discovery of, and ensuing litigation over, faulty or defective workmanship has followed this boom in construction and such exposure is not likely to end soon.&nbsp;]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:51:15 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Benefits of Building Green]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1208</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1208</link>
			<description><![CDATA[As consumers continue to learn more and more about green building, architects, designers and builders are starting to incorporate more green features into their new homes. Thanks to new technology and products, consumers can build their dream home without sacrificing aesthetics. Even though everyone in the home building industry is buzzing about the term 'green' building, many consumers are still confused as to exactly what it means to build a green home. Some of the benefits to building green are living in a healthier, more cost-efficient and environmentally friendly home.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:33:42 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Building a Green Home]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1207</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1207</link>
			<description><![CDATA[There are many things that go into making a kitchen green, beyond the appliances, countertops, lighting and floors. They are the paints and stains, boxes and drawers and corks and sealants that are used to build your new kitchen.&nbsp;Here are some things you might want to think about or at least know about before you start to pick out the products to build your new kitchen.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:32:54 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Green Home Experts to Enhance Your Building's Energy Efficiency]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1169</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1169</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Green home experts are of the opinion that a more environmentally friendly home can also be healthier and more comfortable. Improve your homes and make it more environment friendly by using environment friendly products, this way you can increase the energy efficiency of your building too.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:24:04 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Green Building and Its Advantages]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1168</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1168</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Green building concept has emerged from the need to meet high standards of energy efficiency and environmental responsibility. Focus is mainly on resources such as energy, water and materials and attains efficiency of these resources. It is said to reduce the energy bills and offer a healthier and more comfortable living environment. Reduce the effect of environmental hazards and ease its effects on human health and environment too. It is said that natural daylight design reduces a building's electricity needs, and improves people's health and productivity. Use of non-toxic materials and products will improve indoor air quality, and reduce the rate of asthma, allergy and sick building syndrome. These materials are emission-free, have low or no VOC content, and are moisture resistant to deter moulds, spores and other microbes.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:22:37 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[What Makes A Home Green]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1167</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1167</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Green building means designing, sitting and constructing a home as well as well as improving the way that homes use energy, water, and materials to provide a healthy living environment. Architects and designers make it their priority to embrace sustainable building practices and the use of eco-friendly products and materials whenever possible, which is why all their green plans have been awarded the "Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR&reg;." Our designers have taken into consideration all structural aspects, including insulation, window placement for natural lighting, air circulation, and the use of energy efficient appliances and lighting.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:18:33 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Turning Your Home In To Green]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1122</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1122</link>
			<description><![CDATA[In recent years we can see more and more people switching to buying green homes. This is either because they are getting concern about the environment or that the standards and techniques for building green houses have improved tremendously over the past years. In addition, sellers can also get a higher price for these green homes as they tend to save more on maintenance costs and utility bills. As such, if you are keen in purchasing a green home in Texas, how do you know that it is worth the price that you are paying for the house?]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:35:16 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Definition of Sustainable Development]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1129</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1129</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The definition of sustainable development is a broad concept that implements meeting the economic, environmental, and sociopolitical needs of the present generation without endangering future generations. In the workforce companies have personal sustainability projects which brings the definition of sustainable development down to a personal level. Recycling cardboard boxes, paper, aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and bags is something that the individual can do to maintain their environment.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:35:11 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Modular Housing Qualifies for Green Certification]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1121</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1121</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The coveted "NAHB Green" verification is now available for modular homes builders. This is a significant change to the residential sector that manufactures approximately 20 percent of the country's current housing stock. Also, expect this number to climb over the next few decades as new industry standards and technology hit the market... in addition to increased competition amongst modular home builders. The Modular Green Approved initiative was introduced on Nov. 25 by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the NAHB Building Systems Councils (BSC), and the NAHB Research Center. The Modular Green is a new program provided by the NAHB Research Center, the same group that oversees the National Green Building Certification initiative for standard single family homes.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 18 Dec 2008 12:24:58 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Post-Tensioned Buildings]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1081</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1081</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Buildings with monostrand unbonded tendons post-tensioned slabs are becoming a widely used application of prestressed concrete. This method achieves performance and construction improvements over other construction methods. However, in order to reap the benefits of this method, proficiency is required in both structural design and construction. Post-tensioned slabs is a preferred method for industrial, commercial and residential floor slab construction. The increasingly extensive use of this method is due to its advantages and its nature of easy application to a wide variety of structure geometry and design solutions.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:49:47 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[What's Important?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3271</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3271</link>
			<description><![CDATA[One of the mistakes that many designers and builders make in regard to green design is making it an "add-on".&nbsp; Good, sustainable design is integrated into the client's needs, desires and budget; it's not something that you tack on at the end so that you can label the project "green".&nbsp; A select number of clients are interested in making an environmental statement because they are environmentally conscious, but most client's first concern is how the project will satisfy their needs and how much it will cost them; being environmentally friendly is just an added bonus.&nbsp; The beauty of good green design is the synergies that result from an integrated approach to design.&nbsp; The best green strategies meet the client's needs, budget AND are environmentally friendly.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Choose A Radiant Floor Heat Mat For Alternative Heating]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1050</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1050</link>
			<description><![CDATA[When we call radiant floor heat mat, we generally mean electric radiant floor heat mat. These are designed to warm stone and tile floors in bathrooms, kitchens, entries and sunrooms--almost anytime anywhere. With the addition of almost tons of different products, you can also warm almost any floor without replacing or refinishing your existing one. Therefore, there is no need to replace, refinish or alter your existing room setup. Wherever you wish to put these radiant floor heat mats, you can do that easily. Radiant floor heat mat is an exclusive option in electric radiant heat offered by these specially designed floor mats.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:17:40 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Five Reasons For Installing Energy Efficient Lighting]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1049</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1049</link>
			<description><![CDATA[As the public sector becomes much more concerned about the cost and sustainability of energy in general, energy efficient lighting has a major point of focus in our industry. Since much of this technology is still very new and continually evolving (as in the case with LED and Induction), explaining the technical dynamics of new luminaires to your clients may not be the best way to sell them on the idea of an upgrade. Since engineers are constantly coming up with new ways to conserve power and extend lamp life, and since new ways of producing light itself are still emerging, it is best to talk about the general benefits that an upgrade will bring to organizations regardless of the actual fixtures and lamps ultimately chosen for the new system. The following summary represents the top five benefits that clients can expect from energy efficient lighting.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:11:23 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Construction Accounting and taxation]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1048</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1048</link>
			<description><![CDATA[For contractors and developers, a declining real estate market is a double whammy. Most conspicuous, of course, is the resultant decrease in new construction that ensues when the market slides. But more alarming is the correlation between a dipping market and the regularity of lawsuits against developers and contractors. Contractors Studies of dozens of insurance company filing s show a direct inverse correlation between the robustness of the real estate market and the number of insurance claims filed against developer and contractor's insurance policies]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:09:58 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[How to Paint Green with Eco-Friendly, Non Toxic Paints]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1043</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1043</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Making our dwellings gorgeous is nothing new. Humans have been decorating their homes for millennia. From the Australian Aborigines painting ochre onto cave walls over 40,000 years ago to the almost modern Egyptian pyramids of only 4,500 years ago we all have an innate desire to express ourselves and make our surroundings part of that expression. But we have always paid a price for this activity. Paints have always contained poisons and toxins that not only pollute the environment but the air within a home. Early paints famously contained lead, which had a sweet flavor tempting for kids to ingest. We all know the horrible affects of these paints that caused problems with developing nervous systems in children and kidney damage, mood changes, memory and high blood pressure in adults.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:39:44 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Why Green Roof Systems Are Environmentally Friendly]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1040</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1040</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Green roof systems seem very complicated, don't they? You might be wondering how they get installed, or where they can be used. Then again, what plants actually grow on a roof? And what is all the fuss about? The nuts and bolts is that green roofs are very good for the environment. Because plant material is the top roof layer, instead of typical roofing material, many positive situations are created. Here are some of them...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:32:12 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[10 Important Steps To Save Money And Energy In Your Home]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1031</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1031</link>
			<description><![CDATA[It doesn't matter if it's winter or summer. You can take steps to lower your energy costs. There are measures you can take to keep your home warm in the winter, cool in the summer and save money on your heating bill also. If you are a do it yourself person you can easily get your home weatherized on a weekend. Here are some important energy saving tips: 1. Make sure the hot and cold water pipes are insulated. There are two ways of doing this. You could wrap them with fiberglass insulation or you could use pre-formed foam pipe insulation sleeves. Simply measure the diameter and length of the pipes and purchase the size needed. These pipe insulation sleeves easily snap on to the pipes and fit securely...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:47:42 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Subcontractors Should Take the LEED]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3258</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3258</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The trend towards &ldquo;going green&rdquo; in building and construction is here to stay.&nbsp; With rising energy prices and wide spread climate awareness, residential and non-residential building is required to be more eco-friendly than ever.&nbsp; The rise of green building and construction projects is becoming visible across the country. With this trend, the potential for subcontractors, individual building trades and suppliers to win critical bids on green projects is clear.&nbsp; This is especially true for projects attempting to achieve a LEED certification.&nbsp; In order to obtain work on these projects, it will be necessary for a subcontractor to show its &ldquo;green&rdquo; know how.&nbsp; To this end, a working understanding of the LEED certification standards will better enable subcontractors, trades and suppliers to meet the needs of their individual clients and win bids on large construction and building projects.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Sun, 26 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Finding Investment Options with Green Real Estate]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1001</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1001</link>
			<description><![CDATA[There are many terms that are often used to describe real estate with environmentally friendly architecture. "Green," "eco-friendly," and "sustainable" buildings reduce energy and water use and may improve the quality of life for those who live or work inside it. Architects design green buildings using various design techniques, including...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 24 Oct 2008 11:25:44 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[How to Build Green]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1000</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=1000</link>
			<description><![CDATA[As most people know, the latest trend in construction is 'GREEN' or environmentally friendly buildings. As energy prices continue to soar and global warming attracts more attention, the GREEN construction trend is likely to escalate. The goal of this paper is to provide a brief overview of the benefits of GREEN construction and illustrate how...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 24 Oct 2008 11:11:57 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[What are green buildings?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3245</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3245</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Many people relate the term "green buildings" to radical environmentalism and disproportionately high construction costs. And it's a common misconception that green buildings cost a significant amount more than conventional structures and include extreme environmental measures. On the contrary, when considering life cycle cost rather than just first cost, green buildings can actually be less expensive than conventional facilities. And if you were to examine a sustainably designed (or "green") building, you would be more likely to find energy-efficient light fixtures and an abundance of windows than green roofs and solar panels.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Who Is a "Subcontractor Under the Miller Act?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=978</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=978</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Everyone who is in business is presumably in business to make
money.&nbsp;Those in the construction industry are no
different.&nbsp;Given the nature of the business contractors,
subcontractors and material suppliers are constantly dealing with new
people or companies, many of whom are unfamiliar. Accordingly, every
contractor, subcontractor or material supplier wants some assurance or
protection regarding payment.&nbsp;On private jobs, there are
mechanic&rsquo;s lien rights.&nbsp;On public jobs, however, such is not
the case.&nbsp;Since 1894, Congress has enacted laws to offer those
furnishing labor and materials for federal construction projects some
protection.&nbsp;Currently, the Miller Act is the federal statute which
provides this protection.&nbsp;(40 U.S.C. &sect; 3131, et seq.).]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:47:39 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Environmentally-Responsible Wood Furniture]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=915</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=915</link>
			<description><![CDATA[With green products swiftly making their way into mainstream consumer products, icons of trees and leaves can be seen everywhere as symbols of environmentally-conscious products.But you may be surprised at how you can directly impact trees.....]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:27:10 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Part 1: Green Buildings - They aren't for just new construction anymore]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3218</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3218</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Green buildings, energy savings, and sustainable designs continue to be the hottest topics in the real estate and building industries.&nbsp; But if you own, manage or invest in existing buildings, do you sometimes wonder how to take advantage of this dramatic movement?&nbsp; If so, there is good news. The US Green Building Council (USGBC) recently released its latest (January 2008) certification update for existing buildings.&nbsp; For a number of years now, the council&rsquo;s increasingly adopted Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED&reg; ) rating system has been available in versions that apply to New Construction (LEED-NC), Core and Shell construction (LEED-CS) and Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI).&nbsp; The updated program for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) applies specifically to the operations and maintenance of those buildings.&nbsp; So what does that mean?]]></description>
			<pubDate>Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[592 Federal Government Contracting: New Obligations and Risks]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=871</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=871</link>
			<description><![CDATA[In recent months, the nature of obligations and risks that may face a
federal government construction contractor are clearly changing.&nbsp;One
rapidly evolving area relates to corporate ethics and compliance.&nbsp;The
second involves the basis for obtaining time extensions for weather delays
and the third relates to screening undocumented workers using the federal
government&rsquo;s E-Verify System. The following articles provide a
summary of these trends and developments.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 02 Sep 2008 07:14:36 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Tackling Envrionmental Issues In Real Estate Agreements - Addressing the Potential Issues]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=872</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=872</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Addressing environmental issues has emerged as one of the most significant
concerns in commercial real estate transactions today. The strict
liability nature of environmental laws has resulted in a heightened
awareness of environmental issues in real estate transactions for decades
now. Dealing with environmental concerns, however, has become increasingly
important in recent years, due to rigid state and federal environmental
requirements and the fact that many New Jersey developers, investors and
property owners are now acquiring existing and/or redeveloping abandoned
or underutilized sites.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 02 Sep 2008 07:14:25 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Green Roof Constructability]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3216</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3216</link>
			<description><![CDATA[An analysis of green roof constructability concerns was conducted by Ryan Kline, an experienced LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-accredited professional and superintendent for Turner Construction Company. Mr. Kline reported that green roofing technologies, whether intensive or extensive, continue to evolve as design professionals and builders retool their skills in response to emerging technology in improvements to insulation, water retention and drainage, and habitability. Through continuing education and active participation, project teams can minimize constructability concerns involving this dynamic roofing system, and many industry experts encourage the interactive synergy gleaned from the collaboration-in-design approach to construction.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[LEED® Commissioning]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=861</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=861</link>
			<description><![CDATA[PerceptionThe perception of some building ownersis that designing, buying and constructing a building is like buying aHonda Accord.&nbsp;When shopping for the Accord, you can get competitivebids from multiple dealers for exactly the same car.&nbsp;The soledifference is price.&nbsp;Design and constrcution teams are many timesselected in the same way - price.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:24:00 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Tips for Building Green With Off-Site Construction & Modular Buildings]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3225</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3225</link>
			<description><![CDATA[As most people know, the latest trend in construction is &ldquo;GREEN&rdquo; or environmentally friendly buildings. As energy prices continue to soar and global warming attracts more attention, the GREEN construction trend is likely to escalate. The goal of this paper is to provide a brief overview of the benefits of GREEN construction and illustrate how Off-Site Construction &amp; modular buildings complement GREEN construction. Over the last several years, various GREEN projects have been designed and constructed, therefore customers and contractors are familiar with the concept. Many users are initially interested in obtaining the US Green Building Council&rsquo;s LEED Certification, however there are numerous other tangible benefits which can be obtained by using GREEN construction.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA["Extreme Makeover" for AIA Design Build Documents]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=759</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=759</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Over the last fifteen years, the design-build project delivery system has
increased dramatically in popularity on traditional vertical construction
projects. Project owners however, have become increasingly concerned that
the standard forms of agreement for design build projects do not
adequately address their needs.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 14 Aug 2008 07:35:43 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Green Subcontractor- One Way Subcontractors Can Reduce Risks on Green Building Projects]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3193</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=3193</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Green building is here to stay and is expected to become increasingly in demand for both commercial and residential building projects.&nbsp; Green building provides a unique opportunity for the small to mid-sized subcontractor.&nbsp; In fact, an integrated approach for green design, building and construction will be essential to efficiently building green projects.&nbsp; Subcontractors and material providers can greatly benefit from the green building trend by understanding certification requirements, becoming familiar with green practices for their particular trade and being familiar with green materials.&nbsp;]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Green Buildings - They aren't just for new construction anymore]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=631</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=631</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Green buildings, energy savings, and sustainable designs continue to be the hottest topics in the real estate and building industries.&nbsp; But if you own, manage or invest in existing buildings, do you sometimes wonder how to take advantage of this dramatic movement?&nbsp; If so, there is good news.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:24:31 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Energy Efficient Commercial Building Deduction will Expire January 1, 2009]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=650</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=650</link>
			<description><![CDATA[On August 8, 2005, President Bush signed H.R. 6, The Energy Policy Act of
2005 into law. This legislation created a new tax incentive for
constructing energy efficient commercial buildings. This deduction is only
applicable to building systems installed before January 1, 2009, so it is
important to take advantage of this deduction before its expiration.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:24:04 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA["Green Building":What You Need to Know]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=655</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=655</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Although so-called &ldquo;green building&rdquo; is the latest trend in the
construction industry, it can be hard to define what makes a project
&ldquo;green.&rdquo; The United States Green Building Council &mdash; a
nonprofit organization comprised of owners, developers, facility managers,
design professionals, general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and
government agencies &mdash; tasked itself with identifying green building
practices. The result was the Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design&nbsp;Green Building Rating System.&trade;]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:23:15 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Hidden Risks of Green Buildings: Why Moisture & Mold Problems are Likely]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=666</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=666</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The great irony of building green is that the very concepts that are
intended to enhance a building's performance over its lifetime are many of
the same things that also make it highly susceptible to catastrophic
moisture&nbsp;and mold problems during the first few years of operation.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:22:27 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[What is a 'Carbon Footprint' and How Can You Reduce Yours?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=672</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=672</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Over the past several years, terms such as &ldquo;green building&rdquo;,
&ldquo;sustainable design&rdquo;, and &ldquo;LEED certified&rdquo; have
become commonplace within the design and construction industry.&nbsp;The
trend toward more environmentally conscious buildings is gaining
momentum.&nbsp;In fact, many government and private organizations are
beginning to require that all of their new and renovated buildings be
designed and constructed to obtain LEED certification through the U.S.
Green Building Council.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:20:53 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[LEED®: Added Cost or Sound Investment?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=684</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=684</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Probably the single biggest barrier to building green is the perceived
added cost.Consider this: the added cost is about 0.04% of the
total cost to build and operate a facility for 20 years.&nbsp; This tiny
investment can produce great returns on the other 99.96%.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:20:19 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Making It Easier to Be Green: Financial Incentives for Energy-Efficient Buildings]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=698</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=698</link>
			<description><![CDATA[As the energy-efficiency movement continues to gain momentum, the challenge
for professionals in the field is to remain informed of and well-versed in
its various requirements and advantages.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:19:59 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[U.S. Supreme Court Struggles to Define Wetlands Covered By The Clean Water Act]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=731</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=731</link>
			<description><![CDATA[In a long-awaited decision, a majority of the U.S.
Supreme Court overturned  two Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals decisions
finding that certain wetlands  constituted &ldquo;waters of the United
States&rdquo; under the Clean Water Act.  Without a clear majority
opinion, the legal effect of  this decision is uncertain.  But it does
provide valuable guidance  on the Corps&rsquo; jurisdictional reach over
certain bodies of water, such as  man-made ditches, desert washes, and
ephemeral streams.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:19:00 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Notice of Differing Site Conditions]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=713</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=713</link>
			<description><![CDATA[A recent ASBCA ruling awarded a federal government contractor damages for
Type II differing site conditions even where there was no evidence of
formal notice. While this is not a common outcome in federal government
contract claims, this case indicates that contractors can recover for
these claims.&nbsp; A review of the pertinent facts shows that
contemporaneous documentation of both project conditions and the conduct
of the parties during the course of the work can carry the day.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:18:22 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[How to Go From Good to Great in the Construction Industry]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=739</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=739</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Doing business in the construction industry means operating under some of
the most challenging conditions faced by any industry (see sidebar).
Contractors must overcome many obstacles including fierce competition,
dangerous work, material supply disruptions and price fluctuations, labor
issues, complex and ever-changing regulations, litigation, and numerous
project uncertainties. Is it any wonder that the construction industry
suffers the second highest failure rate out of all industries?]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:13:57 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[How Conservation Easements Work]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=742</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=742</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Conservation easements offer benefits to landowners and the public,
allowing historic, scenic and ecologically significant lands to be
protected from development in perpetuity. If you are considering placing
property under a conservation easement for personal or tax reasons, you
should be aware of the stringent requirements governing these transfers of
interests in land. ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:13:37 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[New EPA Rule Reduces RCRA Reporting Requirements]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=746</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=746</link>
			<description><![CDATA[On April 4, 2006, EPA published a new rule regarding federal hazardous
waste regulations in an effort to reduce recordkeeping, reporting, and
inspection requirements imposed on businesses, states, and the public. 
The new rule, which becomes effective May 4, 2006, is intended to reduce
the paperwork burden imposed under the Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act (RCRA).  Industries affected by the new rule include manufacturing,
transportation, waste treatment, utilities and mineral processing
operations.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:13:14 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Faulty Construction - GSL Coverage]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=758</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=758</link>
			<description><![CDATA[During construction, faulty workmanship may not only require rework, but
also may result in damage to construction work performed by others.  In a
recent case, a contractor claimed that ripping out completed work
performed by its subcontractors was covered under its CGL policy despite
the defective workmanship exclusion that excluded coverage for property
damage to &ldquo;your work.&rdquo;]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:12:17 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Contractor and Surety: Till Death Do Us Part (Part II)]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=760</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=760</link>
			<description><![CDATA[When the surety receives notice of a payment bond claim, it typically
embarks upon a number of simultaneous inquiries to explore the legitimacy
of the claim, any disputes regarding the claim and to determine whether
contractual or bond defenses exist. Payment bond forms typically have
limits on how many tiers of subcontractors may make a claim on the bond,
how long rights to claim against the bond survive and particular notice
requirements &mdash; all of which may differ from form to form and any of
which may serve to form the basis of a surety claim defense.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:37:05 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Concurrent Delay: It's Not As Easy To Prove As You Thought]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=763</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=763</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Claims of concurrent delay are used as both a sword and a shield in
fighting delay claims. A contractor may use concurrency to defend against
a claim for liquidated damages by an owner, while an owner may use it to
ward off the contractor&rsquo;s pursuit of delay costs. The question of
what is truly a concurrent delay, however, is facing heightened scrutiny.
Not surprisingly, this grows out of the developing trend by courts and
arbitration panels to require and rely upon more sophisticated delay
analyses in order to prove or defend against delay claims. Recently, the
United States Court of Federal Claims addressed the concept of concurrent
delay in R.P. Wallace, Inc. v. U.S. 63 Fed. Cl. 402 (2004).]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:36:52 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Why Do We Need Good Construction Cost Management?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=762</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=762</link>
			<description><![CDATA[In planning, designing and constructing a project, cost is of prime
importance. This is true today more than ever due to rampant escalation.
Cost considerations are continually present from concept budget, through
to successful building occupation and use. So what does Construction Cost
Management really encompass?]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:36:39 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[On-Time Completion - Not a Bar to Damages for Government Delay]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=764</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=764</link>
			<description><![CDATA[On time and on budget completion are the hallmarks of efficient
contracting. However, many contractors who finish on time, but not on
budget, fail to pursue rightful damages for government-caused delay. From
the contractor&rsquo;s perspective, what is the value of on-time
performance when the company suffers a loss? It depends. A contractor can
obtain damages for government-caused delay where it can prove that it
planned to (and would have) actually finished the contract prior to the
contract completion date but for certain government-caused acts and/or
omissions.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:36:27 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Without a Net: Subcontractor Has No Recourse Against Municipality for Failure to Require Bonds]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=765</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=765</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The scenario is not uncommon. An unpaid subcontractor on a public
construction project seeks to bring a claim against the general
contractor&rsquo;s statutorily mandated payment bond, only to realize that
no such bond exists. Although many state &ldquo;Little Miller Acts,&rdquo;
which are modeled on the Federal Miller Act, contain provisions requiring
general contractors to post payment and performance bonds for public
projects exceeding a certain dollar threshold, oftentimes a municipality
will fail to require the general contractor to post such a bond.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:36:12 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Contractor and Surety: Till Death Do Us Part]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=766</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=766</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The well-publicized contraction of the surety market, resulting from
aggressive surety underwriting in the late 1990s, the general economic dip
in the early 2000s and the post-9/11 insurance industry crunch, has
refocused industry attention on surety bonds, principally because bonds
are increasingly difficult to procure.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:36:00 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Recent Developments in Wetlands Law Under the Clean Water Act]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=767</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=767</link>
			<description><![CDATA[There have been several recent developments concerning
the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (&ldquo;Corps&rdquo;)
over wetlands under the Clean Water Act:  the U.S. Supreme Court&rsquo;s
agreeing to hear two wetlands cases, the Ninth Circuit&rsquo;s issuing a
decision regarding the Corps&rsquo; jurisdiction over wetlands, and the
Corps&rsquo; publishing a draft regional supplement to its 1987 wetland
delineation manual for the arid west.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:35:47 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Katrina - Issues  For Contractors]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=769</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=769</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The physical and economic devastation as well as the human misery and loss
of life caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita are difficult to comprehend,
notwithstanding the first-hand video reports by the various television
networks. Even as other events come to dominate the evening news reports,
the immense reconstruction effort will continue for months, if not years
to come. Both the hurricanes and the resulting massive reconstruction
effort raise issues and questions for construction contractors throughout
the country. This article attempts to identify some of these issues which
warrant thoughtful consideration by everyone.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:35:30 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Accounting Choices For Long-Term Contracts]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=768</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=768</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The IRS defines a long-term contract as a contract that lasts beyond the
end of the contractor&rsquo;s tax year. For example, assuming a calendar
year-end contractor, a contract started in December that is completed in
January of the following year is a long-term contract for tax purposes. As
a result, almost all contractors have long-term contracts.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:35:18 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[What Project Delivery Approach Should I Use? Part III]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=770</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=770</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Because major     capital projects are designed and built (delivered) using
many different approaches these     days, this is a question that is heard
time and again.  The choice is sometimes made     more confusing by the
lack of understanding or consistency in the naming of the     approach. 
This is the last article in a series providing an introduction and guide  
  to each of the core project delivery approaches and emerging trends
choosing and     implementing these approaches.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:35:06 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Regulation of Stormwater Pollution: An Area of Increasing Importance to the Construction Industry]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=771</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=771</link>
			<description><![CDATA[In May 2004, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
announced a major new enforcement initiative related to compliance with
its regulatory regime for stormwater management at construction sites.
Since then, EPA has initiated numerous enforcement actions seeking
millions of dollars in penalties from developers and builders for failure
to obtain and comply with permits for stormwater discharge. Given this
regulatory climate, it is important to ensure compliance with the
requirements of the stormwater permit regime, including maintenance of
sediment controls such as silt fences, inlet protection and site
stabilization. However, the question of what constitutes failure to comply
with permit requirements can be a matter of interpretation &ndash; coming
down to questions such as whether the stormwater measures in place were
the best &ldquo;practicable.&rdquo; Consequently, it is important to
utilize experienced design professionals to ensure that the management
design meets all federal and local requirements and to be zealous in
inspecting and maintaining sediment control measures once implemented.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:34:53 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Managing Contract Changes]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=773</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=773</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Change orders are modifications to construction contracts arising out of
necessity in the ordinary course of contract completion. Because there are
so many factors that can cause contract changes, contractors must be
proficient in dealing with these modifications to minimize their impact on
project profitability. This can be accomplished through complete and
accurate project planning, identification and authorization of contract
changes, and effective communication to all involved parties.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:34:34 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[An Alternative to Performance Bonds -- Advantages and Disadvantages of Subcontractor Default Insurance for the General Contractor]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=772</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=772</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Over the last 10 years, the insurance industry has produced a product that,
in some situations, provides an attractive alternative to performance
bonds. Subcontractor Default Insurance (SDI) can provide security for
contractors when a subcontractor breaches its contract and is terminated.
There are many potential advantages to the contractor: (1) lower premium
costs; (2) control over the prequalification of subcontractors; (3) no
investigation period by a surety after a subcontractor defaults; and (4)
coverage of entities otherwise unqualified for a bond. From a
contractor&rsquo;s perspective, there are also shortcomings with SDI,
especially on public projects. This article will attempt to describe the
pros and cons of SDI, as well as explain the workings of this relatively
new product in the construction industry.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:34:21 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[What Project Delivery Approach Should I Use? Part II]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=775</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=775</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Because major     capital projects are designed and built (delivered) using
many different approaches these     days, this is a question that is heard
time and again.  The choice is sometimes made     more confusing by the
lack of understanding or consistency in the naming of the     approach. 
This series of articles provides an introduction to each of the core    
project delivery approaches and emerging trends.  It will also serve as a
simple     guide to help any owner decide on the approach best suited for
their project.  One     thing you will quickly learn is that there is no
perfect project delivery approach.      If there were, there would be only
one!]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:34:08 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Davis-Bacon Act Disputes: The Importance of Documentation]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=774</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=774</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Many different circumstances can delay or disrupt a construction project,
placing intolerable risk and expense on the contractor. Factors such as
adverse weather, differing site conditions, strikes, regulatory issues,
and material cost escalation, to name a few, can have a major impact on
the progress of the construction project and the contractor&rsquo;s bottom
line. However, a contractor that keeps detailed records and promptly
responds to owner inquiries concerning these problems will be better
prepared to successfully resolve the matter without a costly dispute than
a contractor, which keeps few records and does not bother to explain the
problem to the owner.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:33:55 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Successful Contracting Organizations Know Finance]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=776</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=776</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Construction companies have long neglected the idea that their employees
should understand financial management. This is madness. Owners trying to
create personal wealth with employees who do not know money management
fundamentals. If your employees don&rsquo;t know financial concepts, how
can they deliberately influence it?]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:33:43 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[What Project Delivery Approach Should I Use?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=778</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=778</link>
			<description><![CDATA[In years past, virtually all owners conceived a project, hired an architect
and/or engineer to design it, and then obtained bids from contractors and
contracted with the lowest bidder to build it (i.e. Design/Bid/Build). 
This was for a time the only way the public sector could approach the
design and construction of a project.  On the other hand, the private
sector has for many years utilized other approaches that provided for
selection on factors other than just lowest price.  Recognizing the
potential benefits, the Federal Government took the lead and many states
have followed in allowing now what is called Alternative Delivery Methods.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:33:31 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Mechanics' Liens -- An International Perspective]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=777</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=777</link>
			<description><![CDATA[One of the most important concerns for any contractor is receipt of
payment. Wherever construction contractors seek opportunities, it is
critical that they carefully investigate and understand their rights in
the event of nonpayment. This investigation must start in the pre-bidding
phase of a project. Although various legislatures in the United States
have assisted contractors and suppliers in dealing with the risk of
nonpayment by enacting what are commonly called mechanics&rsquo; lien
laws, such statutory protections generally do not exist elsewhere. Even in
the United States, the substantive protections afforded by these laws
often vary dramatically from state to state. As a result, U.S. contractors
performing work outside of the U.S. must typically pursue other means to
ensure payment, and non-U.S. contractors performing work within the U.S.
need to be aware of these laws to fully understand their payment rights
and remedies.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:33:18 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Current Issues to Watch For in Construction Claims]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=780</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=780</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Both owners and contractors should be apprised of current issues that
concern the prosecution and defense of construction claims.  &quot;Total
Cost&quot; claims are still used by contractors, although they are
difficult to prove.  &quot;Cumulative Impact&quot; has become a popular
avenue for contractor claims to recover cost overruns.  &quot;Delay
Claims&quot; are difficult to prepare, to analyze and to defend due to the
many pitfalls in the use of CPM scheduling on construction projects.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:33:06 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA["Pass-Through" Agreements Minimize Costs, But Are Not Without Potential Pitfalls]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=779</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=779</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Liquidation or &ldquo;pass-through&rdquo; agreements are becoming an
increasingly popular option in both public and private construction
disputes. Although these types of agreements can be used in several
different scenarios, the most common example involves situations in which
a subcontractor and general contractor agree that the owner is responsible
for the damages claimed by the subcontractor.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:32:54 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Change Order Management]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=781</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=781</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Changed conditions or changing project demands lead to schedule and financial impacts. Both cost the same thing: money. To an owner, general contractor, subcontractor, supplier or service provider, there is a cost to change. Either increasing or decreasing, both have to be formally managed and documented. Without a process, chaos will consume all project stakeholders.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:32:41 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[U.S. Supreme Court Issues Two Property Rights Rulings in Closing Days of the 2004-2005 Term]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=782</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=782</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The United States Supreme Court has issued the second and third decisions in its expected trilogy of property rights decisions for the just concluded 2004-2005 term. First, in Kelo v. City of New London, the Court rejected an argument by private landowners in Connecticut that a city&rsquo;s taking of their property for development by a private developer would violate the &ldquo;public use&rdquo; provision in the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution. Second, in San Remo Hotel v. San Francisco, the Court ruled that when federal takings claims are brought in state court (as they must be brought under prior U.S. Supreme Court decisions), then the final decision of the state court must be honored under the Federal Full Faith and Credit Statute, which implements the full faith and credit clause of the U.S. Constitution. Both of these decisions make it more difficult for private landowners to prevail against public agencies in the complex realm of property rights takings litigation. ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:32:26 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Possible Design-Build Team Structures]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=784</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=784</link>
			<description><![CDATA[A Design-Build organization with the Design Professional as Prime is created when an Owner contracts with the Design Professional to provide all of the design and construction services required to deliver the project. The Design Professional thus becomes responsible to the Owner for the means and methods, including ensuring that the project is built in accordance with the Design Professional's design.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:32:12 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Current Issues to Watch For in Construction Claims, Part III:  Overhead Claims]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=785</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=785</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Contractor project costs are usually grouped either as &ldquo;direct costs&rdquo; or &ldquo;indirect costs.&rdquo; Direct costs include labor, material and equipment installed as part of the work, and construction tools and equipment, all of which are charged to specific construction tasks. Indirect costs are those that cannot be identified with a specific construction activity but support the project as a whole, as, for example, costs of the project site management staff and the site office. Indirect costs are usually called &ldquo;site or project overhead.&rdquo; They are also called &ldquo;general conditions,&rdquo; since the site management usually performs tasks required by the general conditions of the contract. Some indirect costs are one-time costs, e.g. setting up the job trailer, and others are time-related, e.g. the monthly rental cost for the job trailer or salaries for the project site management.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:31:57 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Closing Out a Project - Bringing It Home]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=786</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=786</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The close-out phase of the project is one the most important factors in determining how a project ends. Does it end with a strong finish and the owner is delighted at how quickly they received occupancy? Or did the last 10% of the job drag on forever and it seemed as though you would never finish? Customers remember most vividly the last 10% of the project. How you close-out a project will leave a lasting impression in the owner&rsquo;s mind. Unfortunately, they won&rsquo;t remember all the hoops you jumped through to get the job started in the dead of winter, but they will remember that it took three weeks longer than expected to patch the drywall or to broom rocks.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:31:42 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Design-Build Procurement Process]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=787</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=787</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The Design/Build and DBB procurement processes are similar in that the Owner hires a Contractor to build a project in each, but the two systems differ as to the stage at which the design is provided to potential bidders. The following is an example of the typical steps involved in the D/B project procurement process:]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:31:29 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Basics Of Design-Build]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=788</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=788</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Universally, construction project owners, whether in the public, or
private sectors seek timely and cost-effective construction. 
While there are a variety of views on how best to achieve schedule,
budget, and quality, recently there has been a focus upon the method of
construction project delivery.  There are various construction
project delivery systems, the most traditional of which is
Design/Bid/Build ("DBB").  For generations, this was the
predominately accepted means by which construction projects were
developed and delivered.  Today there is also a focus on the owner
having one primary contractual relationship with an entity that is
responsible both for the design and building of the construction
project.  This project delivery method is called Design/Build
("D/B").]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:31:15 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Better Scheduling Through Resource Forecasting - A Practical Approach]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=790</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=790</link>
			<description><![CDATA[If there is a problem with the current construction culture, it is the
coordination inside and outside the office. A common complaint is that
labor, and to some extent equipment, have to be someplace else. Field
management may be taking and holding these resources needlessly or
project managers are not communicating with the field well. Everyone is
trying to do a good job so, what is the problem? It is the process.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:31:01 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Current Issues to Watch For In Construction Claims Part II]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=792</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=792</link>
			<description><![CDATA[It is imperative that project oversight include management of claims
and disputes, whether arising during the construction or continuing
thereafter.&#160; It behooves the owner, construction manager, contractor
and the designer, to be familiar with the various contemporary issues
affecting claims.&#160; Last month&#39;s article on &quot;Current Issues to Watch For
in Construction Claims&quot; discussed Total Cost Claims, Cumulative Impact
Claims and Delay Claims.&#160; This article continues the discussion with
three other contemporary construction claims issues:&#160; False Claims, the
&quot;No Damage for Delay&quot; clause, and &quot;Abandonment of Contract&quot; claims.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:30:50 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Getting Paid When The Project Stalls Before It Begins]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=793</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=793</link>
			<description><![CDATA[With the increasing use of Design/ Build as the project delivery
system, the contractor is taking on greater financial risk for the
project&#39;s up front costs of design and other&#160; preconstruction
services. The risk will quickly turn into a liability if the project
stalls before construction begins due to factors not within the control
of the contractor such as lack of project funding. The first line of
protection to ensure payment for these up front costs is through the
parties&#39; contract. But other traditional methods of ensuring payment of
these fees, such as recording a mechanic&#39;s lien or serving a stop
notice, may not be available to the contractor as demonstrated in the
recent decision in D&#39;Orsay International Partners v. Superior Court
(Jeffrey Stone, Inc.), (10-29-04) 04 C. D.O.S. 9721 (Cal. App. 2d
Dist.). ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:30:37 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Code Violations After Issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=794</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=794</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Over the past year to year and one-half, developers in New Jersey have
benefited from the decision of the Superior Court Appellate Division in
the case of DKM Residential Properties Corp. v. Township of Montgomery
where the Court determined that once a Certificate of Occupancy had
been issued on a home by the municipal code office, the developer would
then be immune from future efforts by the municipality to issue Notices
of Violation of the Uniform Construction Code.&#160; Prior to that decision,
municipalities had frequently engaged in the practice of making further
investigations even after a Certificate of Occupancy had been issued
and title to the home had been transferred to the buyer.&#160; Based on
their findings they would frequently issue a Notice of Violation to the
builder/developer even though title had passed.&#160; The Appellate Division
decision ruled that once the Certificate of Occupancy had been issued,
the municipality had relinquished its authority and jurisdiction to
pursue the developer for any subsequently discovered code violations in
the homes.&#160; ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:30:25 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Product Submittals - Approval means Installation]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=795</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=795</link>
			<description><![CDATA[A free market society benefits from innovation. Products that
perform better or cost less (or both) give projects benefits during
construction and many years after. Communicating these types of
products is one function of the submital process. There are several
other reasons such as dimension coordination and color selection.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:30:10 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Enforcing Your Right To Payment - Payment Bond Claims Under The Miller Act]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=797</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=797</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The Miller Act provides the exclusive payment remedy available to a
subcontractor or a supplier on a federal contract for the construction
or improvement of a public work. Under the Miller Act, a payment bond
in an amount equal to the total amount payable by the terms of the
prime contract must be posted. Note that, on occasion, the contracting
officer for the federal project may reduce the amount of the Miller Act
payment bond, but the amount of the payment bond cannot be less than
the amount of the performance bond; the performance bond is also set by
the contracting officer at the amount he or she determines is adequate
to protect the Government&#39;s interest.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:29:45 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Selecting the Right Construction Project Delivery System]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=798</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=798</link>
			<description><![CDATA[For a construction project to get off on the right foot, it is
important for the owner to select the right project delivery
system.&#160; There are a wide range of construction project delivery
systems.&#160; These include the design-bid-build system, the
design-build system, the construction management model, and other
methods such as program manager and bridging.&#160; Each of these
systems has its advantages and disadvantages which the owner must
consider before the project begins.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:29:33 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Contracts With Public Entities -Formality Required]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=740</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=740</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The ability of public entities to enter into contracts is often limited
by law. Such limitations often take the form of procedures that must be
followed before an enforceable contract can arise. These procedures may
appear to be mere formalities that require agreed upon contracts to be
presented to and passed by a board of commissioners and recorded on
meeting minutes or they can be bidding mechanisms that must be followed in
order for the public entity to be empowered to enter into any agreement in
the first place. Regardless of whether such procedures appear to be mere
formalities or take the form of systems designed to obtain favorable
pricing, they all share common characteristics.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:29:20 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Warrantless OSHA Inspections]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=749</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=749</link>
			<description><![CDATA[In Lakeland Enterprises of Rhinelander, Inc. v. Chao, a sewer and
water contractorwas performing excavation work at an industrial park when
an OSHA inspector, driving by on the public street, decided to stop and
perform an impromptu inspection. After walking past traffic cones that
were blocking street traffic from the project site, the inspector observed
a Lakeland employee excavating a trench with a backhoe while another
employee worked at the bottom of the trench. The trench was approximately
eighteen feet deep and six feet wide at the bottom and did not contain a
ladder or trench box. ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:59:02 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[EPA Cooling Water Intake Rules Add New Hurdle to Clean Water Act Permitting]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=783</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=783</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act requires that NPDES permits include &ldquo;best technology available for minimizing adverse environmental impact&rdquo; from cooling water intake structures (&ldquo;CWIS&rdquo;). This requirement is designed to protect fish from becoming trapped in CWIS or entrained through a plant&rsquo;s cooling system. However, EPA did not issue specific rules for implementing this mandate until 2001, when EPA finalized the first in what will be a three-phase program creating a standard approach to Section 316(b). The Phase I rule, finalized in 2001, covers new facilities, while Phase II and proposed Phase III rules cover existing facilities. EPA finalized the Phase II rule, which covers existing electric power producing plants, last summer. More recently, EPA has proposed regulations for Phase III, which will cover existing non-power sources. When EPA&rsquo;s Phase III rulemaking is complete, specific performance standards and permitting requirements will apply to many new and existing large users of cooling water. Because of the impact of the new Phase II rule and proposed Phase III rule on existing facilities, this Advisory will focus on them.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:47:48 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Managing Mold: Defining the Standard of Care]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=789</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=789</link>
			<description><![CDATA[When mold is encountered in a building, the owner is faced with a
number of complex legal, public relations, and building science
issues.&#160; Before undertaking mold remediation, an owner is
well-advised to take a few steps back and assess the situation.&#160;
Identifying the cast of characters is an important first step,
especially those responsible for the problem and those potentially
involved with finding and implementing solutions to the problem.&#160;
The owner should also determine the standard of care appropriate to
mitigate the problem, by carefully considering business risk, the
potential for future liability, and recognized industry guidelines.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:39:26 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Why Mold Growth Presents Problems In Buildings]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=791</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=791</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Mold has become a major indoor air quality issue and a perceived public
health problem in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe.&#160;
Mold-laden, moisture-damaged buildings correlate with
higher-than-average incidences of occupant complaints and reports of
non-specific health symptoms.&#160; Molds and some other fungi cause
problems in buildings because they are decomposers.&#160; As long as
adequate moisture is available, mold will grow.&#160; Through the
process of decay, mold destroys building materials and furnishings
composed of organic carbon-based compounds.&#160; ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:38:50 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Managing Mold: Defining the Standard of Care]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=796</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=796</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Traditionally, industrial hygienists have focused their careers on anticipating, recognizing, evaluating and controlling hazards in the workplace.&#160; Nowadays industrial hygienists spend a good deal of their time in non-industrial settings and on the witness stand.&#160; Because mold growth and contamination are not specifically regulated, industrial hygienists increasingly find themselves defending their discipline, their professional judgment, and their actions including: the manner(s) in which mold and moisture problems are evaluated; how data are collected, analyzed and interpreted; and the principles that support sound scientific conclusions, and justifiable recommendations.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:37:58 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Estimating the Costs of Project Management Information Systems]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=729</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=729</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Based on 46,500 projects, 67 percent of OCPM investors are owners, general
contractors, or construction managers, with the majority being public and
private owners. The ultimate reason for investing in OCPM technology is to
facilitate transparent and continuous communication with the entire
project team, as well as with internal staff.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:27:26 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Tips for Building Green With Off-Site Construction & Modular Buildings]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=632</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/articles/view.php?article_id=632</link>
			<description><![CDATA[As most people know, the latest trend in construction is &ldquo;Green&rdquo; or environmentally friendly buildings. As energy prices continue to soar and global warming attracts more attention, the&nbsp;green construction trend is likely to escalate. The goal of this paper is to provide a brief overview of the benefits of&nbsp;green construction and illustrate how Off-Site Construction &amp; modular buildings complement&nbsp;green construction.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:30:14 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Cost-Plus vs. Fixed Price Construction Contracts: Pros and Cons]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/whitepapers/view.php?whitepaper_id=156</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/whitepapers/view.php?whitepaper_id=156</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Cost-plus and fixed price comprise the two most popular ways to contract a construction project. Each type of contract is advantageous under certain circumstances. Download this white paper to understand the differences between different contract types and their variables.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:02:30 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Preventing Construction Defects]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/whitepapers/view.php?whitepaper_id=146</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/whitepapers/view.php?whitepaper_id=146</link>
			<description><![CDATA[
With the amount of litigation surrounding construction defects, it may be hard to believe that construction defects are easily avoided. There are several levels of peer review, building department review, planning, and checks and balances that take place prior to the provenance of a construction defect.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:43:48 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[BIM For Lifecycle Services]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/whitepapers/view.php?whitepaper_id=127</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/whitepapers/view.php?whitepaper_id=127</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Most will agree that a successful project is the result of a good team and a good process. BIM is a tool that can support the team and enhance the process at most any point throughout a project&rsquo;slifecycle. For BIM to be used effectively across the lifecycle though, the technology needs to be implemented strategically ensuring that information created early in the process supports theefforts further downstream. This process is ever developing and will become easier once building information technology further develops the capability to share information across platforms &ndash;which the industry is quickly trending towards. Although a seamless process for implementing BIM from early planning to facility operation still looms at large we are able to do a great deal with thecurrently available technology. The technology discussed in this section presents the use of different BIM tools to support the project delivery process throughout the lifecycle of planning,design, preconstruction, construction, and facility operations.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 03 May 2011 14:24:35 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[INTERNATIONAL green CONSTRUCTION CODE® (IgCC®)]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/whitepapers/view.php?whitepaper_id=114</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/whitepapers/view.php?whitepaper_id=114</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The  following are based on excerpts from information regarding the  International Green Construction Code and its Synopsis. Complete copies  of the Public Version 2.0, November 2010 of the IGCC and its Synopsis  can be obtained through http://www.iccsafe.org/cs/igcc/pages/default.aspx.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 02 Mar 2011 11:02:53 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Compensatory Mitigation Under Clean Water Act Section 404]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/whitepapers/view.php?whitepaper_id=95</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/whitepapers/view.php?whitepaper_id=95</link>
			<description><![CDATA[In 2004, Congress asked the US Army Corps of Engineers ("Army Corps") and the US Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") to develop comprehensive regulations that establish equivalent standards and criteria for mitigation banks, in-lieu fee projects and permittee responsible mitigation required pursuant to section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 USC &sect; 1251 et seq., the "CWA") and sections 9 and 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act (33 USC &sect; 401). Congress sought the new rules because the Army Corps and EPA had taken a piecemealapproach to compensatory mitigation with a variety of guidance documents published over the 30-year course of their implementation of the CWA regulatory programs.In response, the Army Corps and EPA published a proposed rule on Compensatory Mitigation for Losses of Aquatic Resources on March 28, 2006 (71 Fed. Reg. 15,520). After considering approximately 12,000 comments (identified as 850 distinct comments and 11,150 additionalsubstantially identical comments) received during the 90-day public comment period for the proposed rule, the agencies published their Final Rule on April 10, 2008. 73 Fed. Reg. 19,594 (the "Final Rule").]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 03 Feb 2011 11:01:32 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Key Contract Concepts]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/whitepapers/view.php?whitepaper_id=81</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/whitepapers/view.php?whitepaper_id=81</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Construction contracts are not always &ldquo;fair&rdquo; in the abstract sense and are not&nbsp;always the result of equal bargaining power. Often contracts are presented on virtually a&nbsp;&ldquo;take it or leave it&rdquo; basis. This does not mean, however, that the contractor must&nbsp;surrender and merely sign the document that is put in front of him.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 26 Jan 2011 14:38:20 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Purposes of a Geotechnical Report or Design Differ For Different Parties]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/whitepapers/view.php?whitepaper_id=61</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/whitepapers/view.php?whitepaper_id=61</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Just as many of you, I have long been fascinated by mathematics, geology, physics, and heavy equipment. I thought everyone was. Believe it or not, there are people who are not moved by math, science and thundering iron.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:14:51 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Green Building - What Is It?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/whitepapers/view.php?whitepaper_id=22</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/whitepapers/view.php?whitepaper_id=22</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Multiple studies have concluded that about 31.5 million tons of construction waste are produced in the United States annually. Building operations consume approximately 70 percent of all the electricity and 40 to 48 percent of all energy used in the United States, produce one-third of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, create storm water runoff and contribute to urban heat islands. Building construction uses enormous amounts of wood, asphalt, concrete, glass, metal, and plastic. Buildings also develop their own indoor environments that can present an array of health challenges. Where and how buildings are built affects wildlife habitat and corridors and the hydrologic cycle, while influencing the overall quality of human community life.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:18:41 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[What Is Sustainable Design and LEED?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/whitepapers/view.php?whitepaper_id=21</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/whitepapers/view.php?whitepaper_id=21</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Have you heard alot about sustainable design and LEED, but are not sure you cleary understand what each of them is? Sustainable design is design that reduces the possible negative effects on the environment as far as possible and makes most of the social and economic benefits. Though there is no widely accepted definition, the main components are clear: meeting the needs of the present without compromising the future and the promotion of biodiversity, renewability and resource productivity.LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a voluntary third party rating system where credits are earned for satisfying specified green building criteria. This program was created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:15:38 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Financial Aspects of Green Building: Tax and Other Government Incentives for Green Projects]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/whitepapers/view.php?whitepaper_id=20</guid>
			<link>http://www.designgreenconstruction.com/whitepapers/view.php?whitepaper_id=20</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Until recently cost has been one of the biggest obstacles to developing green buildings. While the costs of developing green buildings are beginning to approach those of traditional buildings, new tax credit and financial incentive programs also are helping to make green building projects more attractive. The federal government and various states are discovering that high performance buildings, including both new construction and retrofits of existing buildings, are not only good for the environment but also generate economic benefits by reducing building operations and maintenance costs. Reflecting this new understanding, a variety of state and federal legislation has been passed that provides a mixture of tax incentives, rebates, and other financial assistance to encourage additional growth in the rapidly developing green building industry.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:59:58 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>