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Green Build Options™
“Green” energy and environmental efficiency starts with planning and design. Green compliance is emerging in numerous industries, products and services. GreenBuildOptions™ delivers the latest news, articles, ratings systems, and compliance certificates with respect to the latest green related products or services.
Green Smart Construction™
GreenSmartConstruction™ is the use or disclosure of “Green” energy and environmentally efficient products and services in design, along with “green” legal or “green” tax alternatives that maximize economic efficiency at the same time. These include Tax-Favored Construction™ (e.g.: tax smart tax credits and Certificates,
www.TaxSmartConstruction.com ™, construction tax credits, www.ConstructionTaxCredits.Com ™,
www.GreenSmartConstruction.com ™, cost segregation ( www.forcostsegregation.com , etc.)
In the United States, buildings account for:
39 % of total energy use
12 % of the total water consumption
68 % of total electricity consumption
38 % of the carbon dioxide emissions
Statistics can be found at the US EPA at:
http://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/pubs/whybuild.htm
Did you know construction and maintenance of buildings consume 40% of the US energy and 30% of wood and raw materials. http://globalgreen.org/greenbuilding
GreenSmartConstructionDisclosures™ are legal disclosure forms to be used by construction companies in the contracting or bidding process. The owner (and owner reps) should sign-off on the contractor’s Tax-Favored & Green-Build Construction Disclosure Forms whether or not the contractor is retained concerning such services. Although arguably not a legal duty of the contractor, disclosure of such risks and options by the Contractor to the Owner (and owner reps) will mitigate risk exposure to the Contractor, and enhance the Contractor’s competitive advantage (and client loyalty). Trends in the law will ultimately make all those in a position of control or supervision responsible for disclosure. Failure to disclose important building choices or alternatives, which may result in the loss or gain of millions of dollars, should be an area of key concern for any risk management policy. Be ahead of the curve and implement optimal best practices with the official disclosure of GBO and Tax-Favored Construction alternatives to owners. Compliance with these “Optimal Best Practices” will substantially reduce risk and exposure, but build leadership and client loyalty as well.
LEED RATING SYSTEM - Leed Rating System ( http://www.usgbc.org ). LEED is a nationally accepted rating, benchmark or measuring system for design, construction and operation of green buildings. LEED means (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™).
LEED RATING is a green building rating system offered by the U.S. Green Building Council
( https://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19 )
Leed re New Construction: https://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=220
Leed re Existing Buildings: https://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=221
Industry Green Energy Products
Latest Green GeoThermal Energy Savings Systems
Geothermal/GeoExchange/Ground Source Heat Pumps
A significant portion of the energy consumed in America today is used for the purposes of heating and cooling our living and working spaces. With today’s concerns about global warming a technology that could reduce the energy consumed in this on-going heating – cooling cycle by up to 50% would be welcomed by all. Geothermal (also called geoexchange and ground source heat pump) systems offer this level of savings. GeoThermal is a cost effective, highly energy efficient and environmentally friendly way of heating and cooling all types and styles of residential, commercial and governmental buildings. These systems have been successfully employed for more than 30 years with more than one million geothermal systems installed to date. Both the DOE and the EPA have endorsed the technology and many states offer financial incentives to encourage the installation of these systems. Geothermal systems reliably deliver quality air-conditioning, heating and, in many cases, hot water on demand, in every season.
Geothermal Systems are appropriate for new construction as well as retrofits of older buildings. Their flexible design requirements make them a good choice for homes, schools, high-rises, government buildings, apartments, and restaurants - almost any residential or commercial property. Lower operating and maintenance costs, durability, and energy conservation make Geothermal Ground Source Heat Pumps the smart choice for heating and cooling interior spaces.
•Savings of 25-60% on energy costs
•Dramatically lower maintenance costs
•Lower lifecycle costs than traditional HVAC systems.
•Lower peak demand, lowering your operating costs
•Free hot water heated with waste heat from air conditioning in the summer and at substantial savings in the winter
Tax Incentives
The United States Energy Bill of 2005 offers incentives for geoexchange. One of the highlights of the bill addresses homeowners, who are granted up to $300 in tax credits for the cost of new Geoexchange systems.. However, the system must include a desuperheater or integrated water heating to meet the credit's criteria. Provisions also offer credit for construction of new energy efficient homes, up to $2,000, for homes that cut energy use for heating and cooling only (no hot water) by 50 percent. Producers of manufactured homes can also qualify for a tax credit of $1,000 for homes that save 30 percent. Another highlight of the 2005 Energy Policy Act addresses commercial facilities by awarding energy efficient commercial buildings deductions of up to $1.80 per square foot for buildings that achieve a 50% reduction in annual energy cost to the user, with partial credits offered at $0.60/sf. The amount of the deduction is the lesser of: 1) $1.80/sf or 2) the costs incurred or paid for the energy-efficient property. In addition, the property must 1) be otherwise depreciable property, 2) located in the United States, 3) paid to be constructed by the taxpayer seeking the deduction.
2007 Depreciation Tax Update
25C CREDIT | IRS NOTICE 2006-53: On February 22, 2006, the Service issued Notice 2006-26. This Notice clarifies that section 4.04 of Notice 2006-26 should read as follows:
.04 Specifically and Primarily Designed. A component is not specifically and primarily designed to reduce heat loss or gain of a dwelling unit if it provides structural support or a finished surface, as in the case of drywall or siding. In addition, a component is not specifically and primarily designed to reduce heat loss or gain of a dwelling unit if its principal purpose is to serve any function unrelated to the reduction of heat loss or gain. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the principal purpose of a component serves functions unrelated to the reduction of heat loss or gain if-
(1) Production costs attributable to features other than those that reduce heat loss or gain exceed production costs attributable to features that reduce heat loss or gain; or
(2) The facts and circumstances otherwise establish that the component’s principal purpose is to serve a function other than heat loss or gain.
IRS NOTICE 2006-53
Summary Conference Agreement Energy Tax Incentive Act 2005 (H.R. 6)
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 What the Energy Bill Means to You
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT), signed by President Bush on August 8, 2005, offers consumers and businesses federal tax credits beginning in January 2006 for purchasing fuel-efficient hybrid-electric vehicles and energy-efficient appliances and products. Most of these tax credits remain in effect through 2007.
U.S. Department of Energy Summary
IRS Highlights of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 for Individuals
IRS Forms
- Residential Energy Efficient Property: Form 5695
- New Homes: Form 8908
- Vehicle Incentives: Form 8910
- Commercial Solar Incentives: Form 3468 (Investment Credit)
Most states offer some tax incentives as well. In California homeowners can receive up to $300 for the installation of geothermal systems. Latest Green GeoThermal Energy Savings Systems
(Link to www.doublegreenenergy.com)
Latest Green Oil & Gas Savings Systems
The Hygr Fluid System - a revolutionary new pumping technology!
Pumps - A World Wide Problem - Throughout the world virtually all manufacturing plants, commercial operations, and public water/waste water handling systems are dependent on pumping systems for their daily operation. Pumping systems account for nearly 20% of the world’s electrical energy demand and range from 25-50% of the energy usage in many industrial plant operations. Because of this the pumping of fluids is a major source of carbon emissions throughout the world. In the US pumping systems consume 200 billion kWh of electricity each year (DOE). A new pumping technology that could eliminate as much as 50% of this pollution while at the same time save enormous amounts of money would be a significant benefit to the world at large.
The Solution - Hydro Pacific Pumps, Inc. has invented, developed and begun production of a revolutionary new pump, the Hygr Fluid System, capable of pumping virtually any type of fluid at a cost that is up to 80% less than that of existing pumping systems. Average savings from replacing traditional pump systems with this revolutionary technology will be in the range of 40% to 60%. This savings is based on all facets of the Life Cycle Costs including purchasing, operating and maintaining a fluids pump for any application.
Latest Green Oil & Gas Savings Systems
www.hydropacificpumps.com
Industry Links
www.taxfavoredconstruction.com
http://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/pubs/whybuild.htm
https://www.usgbc.org
http://www.greenbuilding.com
http://globalgreen.org/greenbuilding
www.greenbuildoptions.com
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