Comments on: Breaking: USGBC Upholds LEED Gold Certification of Northland Pines High School http://www.greenrealestatelaw.com/2010/04/usgbc-upholds-leed-gold-certification-of-northland-pines-high-school/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=usgbc-upholds-leed-gold-certification-of-northland-pines-high-school Current issues in sustainable building law for owners, builders, and design professionals. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:57:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Stephen Del Percio http://www.greenrealestatelaw.com/2010/04/usgbc-upholds-leed-gold-certification-of-northland-pines-high-school/comment-page-1/#comment-1287 Stephen Del Percio Thu, 13 May 2010 23:14:09 +0000 http://www.greenrealestatelaw.com/?p=532#comment-1287 I haven't been ignoring your comment, Brian. I'm trying to get an answer on this and will follow up in this thread once I hear something. Thanks. I haven’t been ignoring your comment, Brian. I’m trying to get an answer on this and will follow up in this thread once I hear something. Thanks.

]]> By: Brian Anderson http://www.greenrealestatelaw.com/2010/04/usgbc-upholds-leed-gold-certification-of-northland-pines-high-school/comment-page-1/#comment-1283 Brian Anderson Tue, 11 May 2010 02:02:03 +0000 http://www.greenrealestatelaw.com/?p=532#comment-1283 When will the USGBC post these documents and make them publicly available? This was a public project, after all, correct? It would seem that the taxpayers of Wisconsin (or of this school district) who paid the certification fees and extra cash for their green building should be able to at least see these reports on their on own building. Recently (last month), Wisconsin passed a law mandating that all schools be LEED Silver + with Wisconsin state taxpayers on the hook for paying all certification costs. It's a little troubling that a government-mandated certification is subject to an utterly opaque process of decertification. When will the USGBC post these documents and make them publicly available? This was a public project, after all, correct? It would seem that the taxpayers of Wisconsin (or of this school district) who paid the certification fees and extra cash for their green building should be able to at least see these reports on their on own building.

Recently (last month), Wisconsin passed a law mandating that all schools be LEED Silver + with Wisconsin state taxpayers on the hook for paying all certification costs. It’s a little troubling that a government-mandated certification is subject to an utterly opaque process of decertification.

]]> By: Stephen Del Percio http://www.greenrealestatelaw.com/2010/04/usgbc-upholds-leed-gold-certification-of-northland-pines-high-school/comment-page-1/#comment-1277 Stephen Del Percio Tue, 04 May 2010 22:56:06 +0000 http://www.greenrealestatelaw.com/?p=532#comment-1277 Just a quick update to share with you - I received an email from Susan Dorn, General Counsel to USGBC, stating that "USGBC [has] concluded its review of a challenge to the certification of a Gold LEED for Schools, that of Northland Pines High School (NPHS) in Eagle River, Wisconsin. In the process of its review, USGBC engaged two extraordinarily qualified engineering consultants (Taylor Engineering and Horizon Engineering) to review the technical merits of the prerequisites and credits in question. Further, USGBC staff performed a site visit of the school. After an exhaustive review of the final engineering reports and documentation submitted by NPHS, USGBC concluded that there was sufficient evidence to show that the school’s perquisites and credits had been met. Thus, no adverse action will be taken as to the LEED certification of NPHS. Challenges to LEED certification advanced in the future will be undertaken by GBCI; the challenge to NPHS was reviewed by USGBC as a legacy project." Just a quick update to share with you – I received an email from Susan Dorn, General Counsel to USGBC, stating that “USGBC [has] concluded its review of a challenge to the certification of a Gold LEED for Schools, that of Northland Pines High School (NPHS) in Eagle River, Wisconsin. In the process of its review, USGBC engaged two extraordinarily qualified engineering consultants (Taylor Engineering and Horizon Engineering) to review the technical merits of the prerequisites and credits in question. Further, USGBC staff performed a site visit of the school. After an exhaustive review of the final engineering reports and documentation submitted by NPHS, USGBC concluded that there was sufficient evidence to show that the school’s perquisites and credits had been met. Thus, no adverse action will be taken as to the LEED certification of NPHS. Challenges to LEED certification advanced in the future will be undertaken by GBCI; the challenge to NPHS was reviewed by USGBC as a legacy project.”

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