When VEing your project turns out to stand for Very Expensive
We all know that value engineering, or VEing, is a process to help control costs in a construction project by selecting alternatives to the current design that are more affordable or more readily obtainable. For example, VCA Green’s return on investment approach has...
2023 Los Angeles Green Building Code Updates
The City of Los Angeles has announced its amendments to its previous code, the 2020 Los Angeles Green Building Code. The 2023 LA GBC provides increased requirements for electric vehicle parking. No other amendments have been identified yet. (Note: these requirements...
2022 Denver Green and Energy Code Updates Are Here
As of May 1st, all new projects submitted to plan check in Denver, Colorado, for the first time are subject to the 2022 Denver green and energy codes. Here are some key points to remember: Denver Green Code Applies to all new construction projects and the below types...
Optimizing Thermal Performance: A Strategic Investment for Building Owners
More than 100 million leaky American homes need insulation and air-tight sealing measures to improve energy efficiency. While the Biden Administration and international coalitions have set goals to cut energy emissions by about 45 percent by 2030, green builder and...
Earning Building Product Credits for LEED BD+C Projects
Some LEED credits are simple to achieve, but others pose a greater challenge. LEED v4 EPD Optimization and Material Ingredient Optimization credits that fall under the Building Product and Disclosure Optimization (BPDO) group are associated with the latter. Strict...
VCA Principal Named 2022 NGBS Green Partner of Excellence
Market research and product-testing agency Home Innovation Research Labs has recognized VCA Principal Moe Fakih as a 2022 National Green Building Standard (NGBS) Green Partner of Excellence. NGBS is an American National Standards Institute-approved green building...
California Energy Code Solar PV Update
Good news from the California Energy Commission (CEC)! The CEC has clarified that areas of the roof “required to be used by other provisions of the California Building Standards Code” can be deducted from the Solar Access Roof Area (SARA). Here are the relevant...
Modular in Motion
Interest in modular housing construction for multifamily development has steadily increased over the last three years. Prefabricated construction, which includes modular and manufactured homes, involves a mix of on- and off-site processes woven together to reduce...
SUCCESS STORY: VCA Green Secures GreenPoint Rated Platinum Certification at VOX Residences
Many hands make light work – especially when tackling a nearly 1,000-unit project with 100,000 square feet of retail space! Over the course of seven years, VCA Green’s project management, energy modeling and field teams coalesced to conduct CALGreen consulting, CA...
How to Pass Whole House Fan Inspections
Whole house fans (WHF) have been around for decades, but the 2022 California Energy Code now requires them to be tested in Climate Zones 8 through 14 (1). In 2022, VCA tested hundreds of these fans in newly constructed housing and encountered many issues with getting...