FAQ

1. Is the Green Globes system new?

The Green Globes system was introduced in the United States in 2004. It was adapted from a Canadian protocol of the same name, and is one of only two green building rating systems recommended by the Canadian government. Under the trade name Go Green Comprehensive (soon to be Go Green Plus), it is the basis for the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Canada's national energy and environmental program for existing buildings and is also being used by the federal government for its entire existing building portfolio.

2. How was the Green Globes system modified for the U.S. market? Was the process consensus-based?

Development of the Green Globes system in Canada and its subsequent adaptation for the U.S. has involved many iterations and participation by a wide range of organizations and individuals.

The full history of Green Globes provides a detailed list of t hese organizations. Changes originally made to adapt Green Globes for the U.S. market were non-substantive—e.g. units of measurement, U.S. versus Canadian references and incorporation of U.S. programs such as the EPA Target Finder. These changes were made by Dr. Harvey Bryan, Ph.D., Arizona State University.

As GBI began the U.S. pilot of Green Globes for Design/New Construction, we also added a site inspection as an essential component prior to receiving a final verified rating of one, two, three or four Green Globes. For more information, please see "What does the verification process entail" below.

The GBI also sought and received accreditation as a standards developer by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and has begun the process to establish Green Globes as an official ANSI standard. The ANSI process is consensus-based and will involve further development of the system through a multi-stakeholder technical review. To learn more about the ANSI process, click here.

3. Who oversees the Green Globes system?

The Green Building Initiative owns the license to promote and further develop Green Globes in the United States. GBI is an accredited standards developer under the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and has begun the process to establish Green Globes as an official ANSI standard. The ANSI process is consensus-based and involves a balanced committee of users, producers, interested parties and NGOs. This committee will conduct a thorough technical review through an ANSI-approved open and transparent process. Moving forward, the standard will continue to be overseen by this committee and will continue to follow ANSI approved rules and procedures for updating the standard, which is the basis of the Green Globes system. If you are interested in serving on a GBI technical committee, please contact us at info@thegbi.org.

4. How long is the learning curve? What kind of training is available?

The strength of the Green Globes system is that it is written in plain language so it's easy for beginners as well as experienced practitioners to be up and running in minutes. The system is questionnaire-driven. At each stage of the design process, users are walked through a logical sequence of questions that guide their next steps and provide guidance for integrating important elements of sustainability. Answers consist of a combination of yes/no, multiple choice, data insertion, or non-applicable. Initial questionnaires are guidance driven and become more detailed as you progress through the design process, culminating in the data-driven construction documents questionnaire, which is the basis for the final rating. Once each questionnaire is complete, the system automatically generates a report written in lay terms with suggestions for improvement and helpful supplementary links and information.

Users can increase their comfort level with the Green Globes tool by participating in "webinar" training sessions. GBI also offers comprehensive training that involves walking participants through the integrated design process, including the creation of an energy model using the EPA's Target Finder and DOE2 or similar modeling software. To receive email announcements of upcoming training opportunities, email us at info@thegbi.org—or click here for information on web-based and in-person training opportunities. Participants in Green Globes training sessions receive a promotional code to access the Green Globes system free for 30 days. We encourage you to send feedback on the system to: Vicki Worden, Commercial Programs, at vworden@thegbi.org.

5. What's unique about the Green Globes system?

There is much agreement with regard to what constitutes best energy and environmental practices, so the major green building standards—such as Green Globes, LEED, BREEAM, the GBC tool, and the Minnesota Design Guidelines—have more similarities than differences.

However, the Green Globes system does have a number of distinct attributes. Too often, designers make their projects green by adding expensive technologies after many of the important decisions are made. This is costly as well as ineffective. In addition to being easy to use and affordable, Green Globes encourages designers to consider the elements of green design and sustainability early in the project. Because it generates a report written in plain language, Green Globes also promotes interaction between the building designers and client. Among its other attributes, it introduces users to the idea of incorporating Life Cycle Assessment into the decision making process for resource and material selection, encourages the use of EPA's EnergyStar Target Finder for developing building energy benchmarks, and gives points for using an integrated design process, addressing acoustical comfort, minimizing opportunities for pest intrusion, and reducing emissions and effluents.

6. Why does the market need more than one standard?

According to the Department of Energy, there are 81 million buildings in the United States and they consume more energy than any other segment of the economy, including industry and transportation. Green building represents an enormous opportunity to increase energy-efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions, but that doesn't mean there's a one-size-fits-all approach. By having a variety of credible options, people can choose the one that meets their needs—with the result that more buildings are built or retrofitted to high standards of energy performance.

7. Why an online system?

Because it's online and interactive, the Green Globes system enables you to change inputs in order to keep your assessment up-to-date. It also allows for multiple users and makes it easy to compare the different properties in a portfolio. It serves as a virtual consultant, providing instant feedback on the environmental aspects of a structure's design along with advice and resources for improvements. And, because much of the data is captured as users progress through the system, the final report helps to simplify the documentation process.

8. How much does Green Globes cost?

Priced at $500.00 per self-assessment, Green Globes is less expensive than other rating systems. To have a building third-party verified, there is an average additional total cost of $4,000-$5,000, which includes a conditional verification—at the construction documents stage—and final verification after a site inspection is conducted. Prices currently in use are for the U.S. pilot program and are subject to change

9. Why is Green Globes ideal for smaller projects?

The Green Globes system can be used with any size building. However, because of its flexiblity, it's easy to apply to smaller, lower budget buildings—and, in fact, one of our goals is to ensure that it remains affordable for smaller projects that can't justify an expensive assessment. You can also perform the assessment in-house (or anywhere there's Internet access), allowing you to try several schematics to see which offers the best results. The Green Globes system also offers practical resources for designing better performing buildings.

10. Does it cost more to have a building comply with Green Globes?

Depending on the region, building a structure to comply with Green Globes normally costs between 1% and 2% more. In regions with extreme temperatures, the additional costs can rise to 8%. This is similar to compliance with any green building standard. However, Green Globes' assessment and verification costs are lower than most, so it tends to be less expensive overall. Through use of an integrated design process, and particularly with a system like Green Globes, design and construction teams can also save time and hassle resulting in fewer change orders and costly adjustments to final plans. This, in combination with savings from efficiencies and lower maintenance requirements, can more than make up for slightly increased initial costs.

11. How does Green Globes improve building design?

The Green Globes system paints a clear picture of your building's sustainability and energy efficiency performance, giving practical advice for design improvements, offering resources for making upgrades, and providing additional information on relevant strategies and technologies.

12. Does the Green Globes system incorporate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)?

With the current Green Globes system, half of the points given in the resource section are for conducting a Life Cycle Assessment of the building assemblies and materials. However, the GBI has begun a process to further integrate LCA, so the cradle-to-grave environmental impacts of alternate designs can be compared more easily. As a first step, we are working to assess and rate various building assemblies using established LCA methodology. Once the results have been incorporated into the system, design teams will be able to receive credit for using highly ranked assemblies.

13. How does the Green Globes system ensure that a building's energy use is considered as a primary area for gaining efficiency?

The largest number of points in the Green Globes system are dedicated to energy. Green Globes uses performance benchmark criteria to evaluate the probable energy consumption of a building. However, instead of comparing a building design to the performance of a hypothetical structure designed to ASHRAE 90.1 standards, Green Globes compares against data generated by the EPA's Target Finder, which reflects real building performance—and specifically the better performing buildings in the Target Finder database. The difference in approaches is significant. The performance of a hypothetical design can be distorted to make the new design look good, while the Green Globes approach cannot be distorted. In addition to the energy performance benchmark criteria, the Green Globes system directly addresses microclimatic design considerations, space optimization and the use of energy efficient technologies.

14. How long can I use the Green Globes assessment for a given project?

You can change inputs as the building parameters change for up to one year after signing up, with an option to extend.

15. What does the verification process entail?

To receive a final rating of one, two, three or four globes, the data submitted online must be verified by a GBI-approved and Green Globes-trained licensed engineer or architect with significant experience in building sciences and sustainability. Using the project's working drawings, building specifications, waste disposal plans, evidence of energy and life cycle modeling, and other support materials, the verifier reviews the submission and confirms that the percentage of points achieved—which the system has determined on the basis of the answers to the Construction Documents questionnaire—is supported by fact. If the verifier finds that incorrect claims were made or a positive practice was not recorded, he or she modifies the input, justifying why the change was made. A quality assurance protocol helps to ensure that verifiers conduct their assessments properly and consistently.

Users can engage a Green Globes verifier immediately following completion of the Construction Documents questionnaire. A preliminary verification will be conducted using the evidence detailed above and a certificate recognizing the design achievement will be awarded as appropriate. The final verification allowing the architect, developer and owner to promote the building as having earned one, two, three, or four globes happens only after a site inspection has been completed by the Green Globes verifier following construction of the building.

16. Why should I obtain third-party verification?

By having an independent third party verify that your completed property reflects the achievements described in the self-assessment, you add value and credibility—in the market, the community, and among occupants and tenants.

17. How do I obtain third-party verification?

To have your project third-party verified, contact the GBI at info@thegbi.org. We will put you in touch with a qualified verifier in your area.

18. Is the Green Globes system required for use anywhere in the U.S.?

As of January 2006, Green Globes is not required for use by any government in the U.S. However, it has been recommended through laws passed in Arkansas and Maryland, which recommend either LEED or Green Globes, and other states which recommend using either LEED or another equally rigorous standard—which includes Green Globes.

The federal government has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding committing 17 federal agencies and the office of the President to leadership in the design, construction and operation of high performance and sustainable buildings. The wording is rating system neutral, which means it avoids mandating the use of any one particular system. Instead, it opens the door for any credible system, such as Green Globes, able to facilitate the achievement of sustainability goals for design, new construction and buildings in operation.