Clean Air Success Stories
Emily Andrews “LEED”s the way to a more sustainable future
Emily Andrews, executive director of the St. Louis Regional Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC-STL) is greening the region one building at a time.
As executive director of the USGBC-STL, Andrews has emerged as a leading advocate for cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings in St. Louis. Her primary responsibilities with USGBC-STL include providing outreach, education and advocacy for green building principles and practices throughout the region. With green building design continuing to grow in popularity, Andrews is focused on demonstrating the many benefits that can be derived from green building practices.
“There’s nothing typical about this job,” Andrews said. “Really it’s about making sure that we’re transforming the built environment into a healthier, more environmentally friendly and more profitable place to live and work.”
St. Louis established its own chapter with the USGBC in 2001. Since then, the chapter has grown to include more than 700 architects, engineers, developers and other stakeholders. By bringing together individuals from many different sectors of the building process, the chapter allows project teams to create a shared vision of a project that takes an integrated, holistic approach to the design and construction of a building.
The USGBC’s national office is most recognized for the development of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, the primary benchmark tool for green building in the country. Although the St. Louis Chapter doesn’t oversee the LEED certification process, it does aggressively promote the benefits of LEED to various developers and stakeholders within the region.
The LEED rating system is composed of five categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, indoor environmental quality and materials and resources. Within each category are minimum prerequisites for obtaining the basic level of LEED certification. However, it is primarily a voluntary rating system where project teams can pick and choose which elements they want to focus on most heavily.
LEED certification can have a big impact on both air quality and the bottom line. Buildings account for approximately 76 percent of all electricity consumption in the country. Since the St. Louis region gets a majority of its energy from coal, energy efficient buildings are vital to clean air within the region. LEED also provides credits for buildings that utilize materials produced within a 500-mile radius of the construction site. Not only does this reduce emissions from transportation, it also benefits the local economy because materials are being purchased from local sources. Additionally, LEED certification helps improve indoor air quality, which often can be three times more polluted than the air outside.
“A really key piece of the puzzle is looking at ways you can make the indoor environment not only more healthy but more comfortable,” Andrews said. “There’s a huge opportunity to impact the bottom line when you have a healthier, more productive and happier workforce.”
In addition to her work supporting environmental initiatives with USGBC, Andrews has been serving on the St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership’s Advisory Council for the past eight years. She also oversaw the community outreach program for the St. Louis Community Air Project, an initiative of the St. Louis Association for Community Organizations (SLACO). Currently, Andrews serves on the board of the Old North St. Louis Restoration Group and the Forest Park Advisory Board.
To learn more about green building and the USGBC’s St. Louis Chapter, visit http://www.usgbc-stl.org. For more innovative ways you can improve the region’s air quality, visit www.cleanair-stlouis.com or call the American Lung Association at (314) 645-5505, ext. 1007.
