USGBC Announces Research Grant Recipients

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced the recipients of grants from its Green Building Research Fund. USGBC committed $2 million to the program, and the fund is generating over $1 million in matching funds and partnerships. Grants ranged from $90,000 to $250,000 and were awarded to 13 research teams.

The recipients of USGBC research funding are:

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced the recipients of grants from its Green Building Research Fund. USGBC committed $2 million to the program, and the fund is generating over $1 million in matching funds and partnerships. Grants ranged from $90,000 to $250,000 and were awarded to 13 research teams.

The recipients of USGBC research funding are:

• Green roof energy calculator (David Sailor, Ph.D., Portland State University)—Based on energy simulations, this tool will help designers assess the energy implications of green roofs; it will include both a stand-alone program and detailed models for energy modeling programs.
• Impacts of environmental strategies on outcomes in healthcare facilities (Anjali Joseph, Ph.D., The Center for Health Design)—This project aims to identify and define standard metrics and data collection techniques for comparing the results of environmental strategies in healthcare settings; a searchable database will hold the data as it is collected.
• Design for reuse primer (Liz Ogbu, Public Architecture)—Working with the Building Materials Reuse Association, Public Architecture will develop a primer with case studies, techniques, and LEED credit opportunities for projects using salvaged and reused materials.
• Testing the ability of building materials to reduce indoor ozone (Richard Corsi, Ph.D., University of Texas–Austin)—Although many products add to indoor air quality programs, some can reduce chemicals in the air, including ozone. Researchers hope to develop a protocol for testing this ability in common building materials.
• Controlling mechanical systems in mixed-mode buildings (Gregor Henze, Ph.D., University of Colorado–Boulder)—This project seeks to create a energy-efficient control strategy for switching between natural and mechanical ventilation in mixed-mode buildings.
• Improving porous paving materials (Yohong Wang, Ph.D., P.E., East Carolina University)—Researchers in this study hope to improve the strength and solar reflectance of porous paving materials as well as increase the recycled content of those materials.
• Integrated building water management modeling tool (Daniel Yeh, Ph.D., University of South Florida)—This tool would integrate water use tracking with water quality, energy use, and costs to allow facilities managers and designers to make better water decisions.
• Simulating building occupant and operator behavior (Clinton Andrews, Ph.D., Rutgers Center for Green Building)—Researchers hope to develop a tool based on post-occupancy evaluations and other data that would simulate the behavior of building occupants and operators to help improve building designs.
• Study of stormwater best management practices (Jim Schuessler, BNIM architects)—This team will collect data on stormwater runoff over 22 months from several locations in Kansas City, Missouri, and use that data to examine current LEED credits and consider future credits.
• Quantifying the impact of daylight and electric lighting on K-12 students (Mariana Figueiro, Ph.D., Renssalaear Polytechnic Institute)—Researchers will look at the effect of daylit classrooms on circadian rhythms and stress levels in K-12 students.
• Evaluating green school building attributes and occupant health in New York (Shao Lin, Ph.D., Health Research, Inc., New York State Department of Health)—This team will develop an index of green building attributes in schools in New York State and relate those attributes to the health and performance of students and teachers.
• Transportation Energy Intensity Index (Peter Haas, Ph.D., Center for Neighborhood Technology)—Researchers hope to develop a transportation energy intensity index based on building location, alternative transportation amenities and incentives, and building type (see EBN Vol. 16 No. 9).
• Comparing classroom ventilation and student performance (Mark Mendell, Ph.D., Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)—Researchers in California will use web-connected carbon dioxide sensors to estimate the daily ventilation rate per person in over 80 classrooms, and compare that data to absentee rates and test scores.

A quarter of the grant money was reserved for research on the impacts of green building on occupants in K-12 schools as part of USGBC’s commitment to the area. This funding comes at a time when the 21st Century High-Performing Public School Facilities Act, passed by the House and being considered by the Senate, promises to provide $20 billion in funding for construction of green schools and renovation of older schools. Proponents of the bill argue that funding green schools will improve the performance of students and teachers and will save the schools money by cutting their fuel budgets and employee absentee rates.

– Allyson Wendt

For more information:

U.S. Green Building Council

List of Grant Recipients (Download)

www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=4698