A new law passed last week will require new government buildings over a certain size to be built according to stringent green building practices that would earn a "silver" rating through the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED - or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - certification.
"We need to be cognizant of energy costs, and LEED silver construction - even though it's a little more costly up front - has been proven to save money over the long haul," said Councilman Josh Cohen, D-Annapolis, one of the sponsors of...
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R. Black - 2009-07-31 18:04:14
No. Reread my post. It says I am FOR more efficient energy use, just not off the wall un-proven nutty ideas to appease certain special interest groups that in no way are acredited with REAL energy efficiency standards.
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Emma G. - West River, MD - Karma: Terrible
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@emma g - 2009-07-31 16:42:30
So let me get this straight...
You oppose building more energy efficient buildings so the county can save tax money over the long term on energy costs?
I just want to understand what you are opposing here.
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R. Black - Churchton, MD - Karma: Neutral
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Bamboo etc. - 2009-07-29 11:40:52
"To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."
---Thomas Jefferson
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Emma G. - West River, MD - Karma: Terrible
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County needs to - 2009-07-28 11:14:19
A move toward "green construction" is fantastic, but I tend to agree with Councilman Middlebrooks. This is something that should be happening anyway. My question to the county ( specifically the planning department) is what difference are a few green buildings (EVEN HUNDREDS of green buildings) going to make when the county continues to build on green spaces, tearing down swaths of forest and packing more and more residents into our already overcrowded county. As we speak, hundreds of acres of dense forest are being torn down in a small pocket of Northern Anne Arundel county to create housing to accomodate for BRAC. An area that is supposedly part of the "greenway network" that the planning department (on their website) pledged to preserve.
Why is the county doing this? There are already thousands of vacant homes on the market. The county is so eager to bring in new residents that can boost tax revenues but these revenues will end up being spent to accomodate this population increase. We will need to build more highways to accomodate for heavier traffic, having to maintain these already overburdened highways and end up costing us MORE in the long term? Not to mention laying water mains, sewage lines, and other necessary infrastructure.
Last week the county was so excited to break ground on a new commercial building outside of Ft. Meade (no mention of LEED certification in that artcle) after it was stated there are record high vacancies in office buildings. Where is the sense in building MORE when what we have currently is more than adequate? Spend the money to update what is there already.
Concentrate on intelligent "green planning" and THEN tackle buildings on an individual level.
The damage the county is doing to the environment with this reckless planning FAR outweighs the benefits of a single "green building."
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M. M - , - Karma: Excellent
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Re: Green Fad - 2009-07-28 10:17:34
WOW, a solar powered trash truck- that sounds like a great idea. Imagine how much oil we could save if we could figure out how to run all cars without using foreign oil! If we reduce our oil consumption we would then end the sending of money overseas to countries which sometimes aren't the "nicest" to the U.S. or buy any of our products. Now that makes economic sense doesn't it?
By the way- do you know the reason for an increase in commodity prices during the housing boom? It was a lack of raw material supplies on the market. If we start using things such as faster growing bamboo maybe we could prevent the ever increasing prices of construction materials- but what do I know anyway!
Maybe it's time we stop making green a "Fad" and start living it. I don't live in a mansion or the dirt- I'm in an average home in Edgewater and use renewable resources to power my home and on all construction projects. My electric bill was under $100, what was yours?
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Teri P. - Edgewater, MD - Karma: Neutral
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Green Fad - 2009-07-27 21:19:57
What's next? Bamboo Police cars? Solar powered garbage trucks? Foul smelling CO2 eating slime instead of grass? All to please Eco-Nazis living in mansions and Hippies squatting in the dirt. I have no problems with energy efficiency but this Green 'Fad' is just that, a FAD. All in a time when we can least afford it.
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Emma G. - West River, MD - Karma: Terrible
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