The trend toward building environmentally friendly structures in downtown Ann Arbor continues.  Many developers are pursuing the use of materials and building techniques that comply with standards for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).  Alex de Parry’s City Place Apartments on South Fifth Avenue include an underground geothermal energy system and high-efficiency water fixtures.  This project is just one of three large residential projects to use green building standards recently.

To earn a LEEDS certification, buildings must earn a certain number of points by adding building elements to standards.  There are many combinations that can earn those points, for instance - a building could:

• Have vegetated surfaces such as a "green roof" to reduce stormwater runoff and heat reflection
• Use high-efficiency water fixtures and low-energy appliances
• Offer incentives for employees to carpool or bike to work
• Offer bike racks
• Use more insulation yet offer additional windows for light and ventilation

Green building in Ann Arbor is expensive upfront however and local developers would like to see more municipal incentives.  Do the buildings make economic sense?  Developers say there is more demand and rents are higher in green buildings.  The upfront investment in greater efficiencies also will pay off at some point in the long run.

The Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority used to focus on providing grants to private development projects.  These projects are now largely supported and being moved forward naturally by the marketplace.  Thus, these types of general partnership grants have mostly been eliminated.  For the next two years the DDA will focus mainly on energy conservation projects.  Their goal is to make downtown businesses and buildings as "green" as possible.

They have developed a new energy saving grant program that all businesses in the DDA area may apply for.  The program offers:

• A professional energy audit and consultation to develop improvements
• Installation of energy saving equipment such as windows and heating/cooling elements
• Matching grant participation in project costs up to $20,000

The Ann Arbor DDA has allocated $200,000 to furthering this project in the initial discovery stages.  This should allow 40 businesses to participate.  An additional $200,000 will be allocated for phase two which includes actually making energy saving improvements.

This new initiative is aligned with the DDA’s mission to use public money to spark private reinvestment.  

NSF International, an Ann Arbor based company, recently drafted new certification standards for "green" flooring.  The flooring certification will give US consumers an additional boost of confidence about credible green flooring products.  NSF also hopes that the standard will help companies earn points in the the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program (LEED).

The certification has not ignored the "human" factor - to qualify companies would need to verify that they meet social accountability goals such as complying with labor rules and assuring no workplace discrimination is taking place.  Some local Ann Arbor architects are concerned about such guidelines.  Similar programs with social responsibility criteria have lead to higher costs and fewer projects seeking certification diluting the original cause.

To date, Ann Arbor builders focusing on environmentally friendly processes have seen a healthy interest in "green" projects.  The use of green building materials seems to be a strong selling point.  They expect the NSF certification will add value to the real estate proposition.  Certification can take 2-3 months to achieve and even longer to prepare for. 

NSF is also in the process of drafting green standards for carpeting, textiles, furniture and roofing membranes. 

To find out more about Ann Arbor green building projects, please contact Kathy Toth and Team