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| Conference room at the LEED Platinum Great River Energy building in Maple Grove, Minn. Note the underfloor air diffusers in the floor and high windows for daylighting. |
Summary
Sustainable building trends are gaining steam, even in the current economic downturn. More than five billion square feet of commercial space has either been certified by the U.S. Green Building Council under its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program or is registered with LEED. It is projected that the green building market's dollar value could more than double by 2013, to as much as $140 billion.
This interest in sustainability is sparking technological innovation, too, as Building Teams and manufacturers work together to make systems that use resources more efficiently. This is evident in the steadily growing number of sustainable mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) technologies—notably displacement ventilation, power metering and monitoring, integrated daylighting and dimming systems, and hands-free, low-flow plumbing fixtures. Take this free AIA/CEU course from Building Design+Construction.
What you will learn
After reading this article, you should be able to:
* List mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) system approaches that offer savings in energy and resources.
* Describe why buildings using underfloor air distribution (UFAD) must be different from those employing standard ducted systems.
* Discuss how power monitoring and metering support green building.
* Explain how integrated daylighting-and-dimming systems work.
Take this free AIA course at:
http://www.bdcuniversity.com/mep-technologies-eco-effective-buildings?courseid=1732 (one-time registration required)
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