The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Energy Star Portfolio Manager tool has been updated to factor in the costs and benefits of waste management.
Users can already track energy, water, and greenhouse gas data with the tool. The new feature measures 29 types of waste including building materials, plastic, glass, paper, and other rubbish.
More than 450,000 commercial buildings in the U.S. use the tool, or about 45% of the nation's commercial space. The EPA says that commercial buildings and manufacturing operations make up about 45% of the 150 million tons of waste generated in the U.S. every year.
Related Stories
BIM and Information Technology | Apr 24, 2017
Reconciling design energy models with real world results
Clark Nexsen’s Brian Turner explores the benefits and challenges of energy modeling and discusses how design firms can implement standards for the highest possible accuracy.
BIM and Information Technology | Apr 17, 2017
BIM: What do owners want?
Now more than ever, owners are becoming extremely focused on leveraging BIM to deliver their projects.
Sustainable Design and Construction | Apr 5, 2017
A new app brings precision to designing a building for higher performance
PlanIt Impact's sustainability scoring is based on myriad government and research data.
BIM and Information Technology | Mar 28, 2017
Digital tools accelerated the design and renovation of one contractor’s new office building
One shortcut: sending shop drawings created from laser scans directly to a wood panel fabricator.
BIM and Information Technology | Mar 13, 2017
Real-time, high-speed scanning – The latest in reality capture
Here are a few new reality capture products and platforms that caught our eye.
BIM and Information Technology | Mar 10, 2017
'Reality modeling' arrives
Advanced reality capture technologies are breaking down the barriers between the job site and project models.
BIM and Information Technology | Feb 6, 2017
BIM for O+M: Less about the model, more about the data
How one Building Team is giving a university client what its facilities staff really wants from BIM: information, please.
Codes and Standards | Jan 13, 2017
New BIM guide for owners released
National Institute of Building Sciences releases a manual for developing standard set of BIM documents.
Designers | Jan 13, 2017
The mind’s eye: Five thoughts on cognitive neuroscience and designing spaces
Measuring how the human mind responds to buildings could improve design.
Architects | Oct 11, 2016
A good imagination and a pile of junk: How maker culture is influencing the way AEC firms solve problems
“Fail” is no longer a dirty four-letter word: for maker culture, it has become a crucial stop along the way
