The Future is Triple Zero Supergreen Building

by Diana Volovelskay, San Francisco Marketing Coordinator and Donald McCleary, P.E., San Francisco Electrical Engineer

Building Commissioning and LEED Impacts



by Lauren Kuntz, LEED^®AP, San Francisco Commissioning Agent

Commissioning is the process of verifying that a building's energy-related systems and equipment are installed and functioning as intended. Energy-related systems include Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC), Electrical, Plumbing, Fire & Life Safety and sometimes Building Security systems and Renewable Energy Systems, as applicable.

Background

Until recently, commissioning was typically done only on data centers and other mission critical facilities, where electrical demands are incredibly high and system failures would be extremely detrimental. Commissioning of these facilities not only ensures that systems are functioning as efficiently as possible, but also dramatically reduces the possibility of failure. For over 18 years, Glumac has been providing building commissioning services starting with the Nike World Campus. Our commissioning experience expanded to include data centers and mission critical facilities around the world.

Western States Carbon Policy

by Josh Fleischmann, San Francisco Mechanical Designer

There has been considerable movement in both state and federal legislature to bring about carbon policy change in recent months. Individual states have taken the lead in developing comprehensive programs of regulatory and market mechanisms that have thus far earned large support. Cap-and-trade systems in concept will either auction off emission allowances or allocate them for free, both system designs carry with them advantages and disadvantages. California's carbon emissions legislation is considered to be one of the most comprehensive, achieving real, quantifiable, cost-effective solutions to GHG emissions.

 

Vancouver Hilton Hotel: Sustainable Operations Validate First LEED Certified Hotel

by Bill Parry, LEED^®AP, Portland Associate Principal

The 226-guestroom Hilton Vancouver Conference Center & Hotel, designed by architects Fletcher Farr Ayotte (FFA Design) and Glumac as the first LEED Certified major hotel in the United States, recently took further measures towards sustainability by achieving Green Seal certification for its operations. Green Seal, an independent non-profit organization, addresses Lodging Properties specifically in its GS-33 certification standard. The standard addresses operations in terms of Waste, Energy, Water, Hazardous Substances, and Purchasing. Hilton Vancouver is undertaking a Comprehensive Environmental Management Program which meets certification requirements in these areas. This program dovetails with and builds upon the LEED design and construction criteria to show that the sustainable goals of the building are realized in the ongoing operation. Hilton Vancouver is the first hotel in the world to achieve both LEED and Green Seal certification.

Career Opportunities

Glumac is looking for talented, creative, energetic professionals to participate in our continued success. If you are interested in sustainability and working with other talented people, we want to talk to you. We offer outstanding compensation and benefits. Send your resume to careers@glumac.com today!