White House goes for LEED rating
The White House is to get a 'green' makeover despite the relative difficulty of retrofitting energy efficient systems in such an historic building.
President Obama is said to be determined to see his Washington residence upgraded to LEED standards and to show that his administration "walks the talk" on environmental issues.
The LEED certification scheme, which rates buildings as gold, silver or platinum standard for sustainable design, was developed by the US Green Building Council. Its CEO Rick Fedrizzi said it would be possible for the White House to reach the approved standards and has offered assistance. However, Mr Fedrizzi said it would not be easy "because of the building’s historic status and the security required to protect the President and his family".
Among the strategies being considered are energy management systems; upgraded heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning with variable speed control; automatic light sensors that shut off lights in unoccupied areas; low-flow water valves in the bathrooms. Some existing air conditioning systems will be replaced.
Mr Fedrizzi added that normally windows would be replaced, but that might be a problem at the White House because of their historic status. Thin film could be applied to the glazing to reduce solar glare, however.
The White House already has some solar water heating and President George W. Bush installed some photovoltaic panels despite his reputation as a climate change denier and champion of the oil industry.
* California is now committed to receiving 33 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020 following an executive order issued by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger this week. Only Hawaii, at 40 per cent, has a tougher target.