I came across some good news this morning: Construction of new homes and apartments actually rose in May by 17 percent. Because new home construction is a key indicator of how the economy is doing, economists say it's an encouraging sign that the home recession is bottoming out.

It's also good news for the self-storage industry as retail always follows rooftops. As new communities pop up, there will be more opportunities for new self-storage developments as well.

New construction has always been a huge part of the ISS Expos, and this year is no different. Although the new construction landscape has changed, there are still some fundamentals: like getting the most out of the selected site, cost-savings and building design.

This year's show will also include information about green building. Buster Owens, president of The Rabco Corp., recently earned LEED certification. We've tapped him to speak about how LEED works and where self-storage fits in.

Are you interested in green construction? Are you confused about LEED? What kind of information do you want from a green-building seminar? Let us know what you think.

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Amy Campbell
Editor
Inside Self-Storage
acampbell@vpico.com

Well... I'm not an owner, and we already exist but I still have questions.

Since we're already built, we've been doing our best to 'go green' anyway.
Is there a use for green building if you start with an empty, pre-existing shell?

What exactly is LEED? I have a general idea but since we hear it often, I'd like to hear from an 'insider' what it all means, and how that fits into the scope of the self storage industry.

How or can a LEED accredited person help existing facilities go greener?

If the answer is yes, then should an existing site owner consider hiring a LEED certified person, at least as a consultant? What parameters should we consider? Are there retro-fit options for re-purposing or re-design of existing sites? Therefore, is there either an intrinsic or perceived value if a LEED certified person puts their seal of approval on your business?

One more thought; I know bamboo is a quickly renewable resource and utilizing recycled blue jeans insulation is becoming popular, but what other materials are available to us for use in self storage? Are there renewable construction materials that fit into the self storage scheme, or are there new construction concepts upcoming?

Okay, now that I'm thinking on this topic, I'm convinced. I will be at the LEED seminar. Quick, someone warn Mr. Owens!

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Gina 6k
CochraneStorage dot com
Morgan Hill, California
You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough!

I am a newbie to the SSI forum and one day hoping to own my own facility. I have 15+ years in the commercial construction industry and have watched developers put deals together from the side lines and hope to develop my on facility one day. With that said, I have become a LEED Accredited Professional...... meaning I am recognized by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to coordinate the development and construction of LEED Certified Buildings.

In a nut shell it.. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.. There is a rating system in which a project can apply for (ie. LEED Silver, LEED Gold) by implementing high performance, environmentally sound means and methods to design and build a sustainable building. You can also implement this into existing buildings via LEED for Existing Buildings. This would address things like your roof system (heat island affect) HVAC system (refrigerant type used, commissioning of the system, etc) Lighting and plumbing fixtures, etc) Also looks at your waste management policies and recycle policies.

I think there is a great opportunity in the self storage facility to take advantage of the Government incentives to build a LEED Certified project.
Given the recycled content of metal buildings, site selection, heat island affect in terms of roofing and paved areas, climate controls, lighting controls, water efficient landscaping, etc. all lend themselves to achieving a LEED Certified building fairly simply.

Note: When it comes to LEED - Buildings become certified - People are accredited.

Here's a link to learn more about LEED: http://www.usgbc.org/

One of the things that can help towards LEED status is using recycled materials. Steel building material is around 90% recycled content (yes that old Pinto was melted down and now houses old mattresses and bowling shoes) which makes it an inherently green material. Additionally it is easily recycled when the building reaches the end of its useful life.

So in a way, steel buildings have been green all along.

Steve
www.trachte.com