Harmon was GREEN before GREEN was cool, decades before. Photo (left): 2101 L Street Headquarters for the USGBC Washington, DC Architect: WDG Developer: Vornado

Long before there was a formalized concept of Green, we took a proactive approach in focusing on providing the best performance and value for our customers and safety for our employees. With that in mind, system design, product selection, internal training, manufacturing procedures and construction methods were implemented to minimize waste and optimize efficiency. As the USGBC developed, Harmon found that its "thrifty" efforts fell right in line with much of what is Green.

Our customers count on our 30-plus years of design experience for expert advice and proven products to meet their sustainable design goals. The fact is, we've worked on hundreds of projects certified through the LEED® Green Building Rating System™.

Sustainable glass design takes into account several building factors including climate zone, required performance values, size of the structure, aesthetics, glare and total energy consumption. Harmon has the expertise to help you build green by recommending the best glazing solutions that meet strict LEED credit requirements—all without compromising aesthetics, energy efficiency and budget considerations.

It just comes naturally to us.

Here are a few breakthroughs where Harmon lead the way:

• Known for both our long service life and efficient recycling, the majority of our work is in glass and aluminum.
• By using high performance sealants and non-hazardous cleaners, we eliminate solvent release caulking and toxic solvents.
• Through energy efficient designs, recommending upgrades in glass and framing, integrating sunshades and light shelves, and choosing long-term performance over lower cost components.
• Using unitized, pre-glazed framing systems and reusable bunking systems which improves quality, eliminates jobsite waste and facilitates efficient recycling.
• By focusing on design assistance for new construction, established procedures for renovation (adaptive reuse) and skilled personnel for service and upgrades to increase building longevity.

Count on Harmon's Sustainable Design expertise for:

• Advice and counsel through our on-staff LEED Accredited Professional.
• Pre-engineered exterior "brise soleil" sun shades.
• Recycled and regional material options such as high-quality, post-industrial, recycled aluminum.
• Shared knowledge through our representation on the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory High Performance Building Façades Public Advisory Committee and leadership on the American Architectural Manufacturers Association's Green and Sustainability Task Group.

Harmon Sustainable Design Resources:
Facts, figures and information.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
The U.S. Green Building Council is an organization of leaders from across the building industry working to produce a new generation of high performance building through promoting buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®). LEED® is a rating system developed by the USGBC as a national standard for high performance sustainable buildings. It was created to define green buildings through a standard of measurements and raise consumer awareness of green building benefits. For the previous version, LEED NC Version 2.2, please click here. The latest version, LEED 2009, covers design, construction and major renovations of commercial and institutional buildings including core and shell and K-12 school projects. Within LEED 2009, there are four levels of certification: Certified: 40-49 points Silver: 50-59 points Gold: 60-79 points Platinum: 80 points and above

For complete information on LEED® and its certification process, you can access the USGBC website at www.usgbc.org/leed.

Climate Zone Map (PDF format) There are 100 base points, six possible for Innovation in Design and four Regional Priority points. The points cover the entire building process including everything from site selection all the way through building occupancy and are broken into five base categories and two bonus categories.

Out of the seven total categories, glass selection from Harmon may be able to help in these four:

Energy and Atmosphere (EA)
Materials and Resources (MR)
Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)
Innovation in Design Process (ID).
The following illustrates which credits glass may affect within each category.

Energy & Atmosphere (EA).

There are three prerequisites in the Energy and Atmosphere category. A prerequisite is worth no points, however they must be done in order to achieve any LEED® certification. In addition to the prerequisite there are six credits. In the LEED® rating system a credit is not the same as a point. A credit is essentially an area of emphasis within the category, each credit has a set number of points available within it. Glass selection may be able to help with one of the three prerequisites and one of the six credits in this area.

EA Prerequisite 2: Minimum Energy Performance.

Option 1 requires software energy simulation; Options 2 and 3 do not require modeling.

Option 1 - Whole Building Energy Simulation
Demonstrate a 10% improvement in the proposed building performance rating for new buildings. Calculate the baseline building performance rating according to the building performance rating method in Appendix G of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007 using a computer simulation model for the whole building project. See Section 5 of the Standard for the specific Building Envelope Requirements.

Option 2 - Prescriptive Compliance Path: Advanced Energy Design Guide.
This option only applies to office buildings or retail buildings under 20,000 square feet, small warehouses under 50,000 square feet or schools under 200,000 square feet.

Option 3 - Prescriptive Compliance Path: Advanced Buildings Core Performance Guide.
This option only applies to projects less than 100,000 square feet. Healthcare, warehouse and laboratory projects are ineligible for this path.

EA Credit 1: Optimize Energy Performance, 1-19 points possible for NC and Schools, 3-21 points for CS.
Select one of the following three compliance paths. Option 1 requires software energy simulation; Options 2 and 3 do not require modeling. Achieving points through any of the three options assumes compliance with EA Prerequisite 2: Minimum Energy Performance.

Option 1 - Whole Building Energy Simulation (1-19 points possible for NC and Schools, 3-21 points for CS).
Demonstrate a percentage improvement in the proposed building performance rating compared with the baseline building performance rating according to ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007 using a computer simulation model for the whole building project. The further the Standard is exceeded the more points are achieved. For example, exceeding the standard by 14% provides 2 points, 22%, 6 points, etc. all the way to a maximum of 19 points available for exceeding the standard by 48%.

Option 2- Prescriptive Compliance Path: Advanced Energy Design Guide (1 point).
This option only applies to office buildings or retail buildings under 20,000 square feet, small warehouses under 50,000 square feet or schools under 200,000 square feet.

Option 3- Prescriptive Compliance Path: Advanced Buildings Core Performance Guide (1-3 points).
This option only applies to projects less than 100,000 square feet. Healthcare, warehouse and laboratory projects are ineligible for this path. One point is available for projects complying with Sections 1 and 2 of the Core Performance Guide and up to two additional points for implementing strategies in Section 3.

Glass Products for EA Prerequisite and Credit 1.
Exceeding ASHRAE 90.1-2007 involves more than just selecting a glass product. First, it's necessary to decide the goal. By what percentage will the building's efficiency need to exceed ASHRAE? This percentage improvement will help determine—typically through energy modeling—the specific glass performance requirements. Once you have these requirements, feel free to contact Harmon to help find products that will meet your requirements. You can also narrow down the options through the use of our Climate Zone Chart.

Materials & Resources (MR).
There is one prerequisite along with seven credits available in Materials and Resources. Glass selection may be able to help with two of the seven credits in this area.

MR Credit 4: Recycled Content, 2 points possible.
Specify materials with recycled content.

LEED 2009 shall be defined in accordance with the International Organization of Standards document–ISO 1402–Environmental labels and declarations-self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labeling). Pre-consumer material is defined as material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Reutilization of materials (i.e., rework, regrind, or scrap generated in a process capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it) is excluded.

Glass Products for MR Credit 4.
Float glass used in commercial applications contains recycled material, however, per the USGBC definition, waste generated within the float manufacturing process is specifically excluded from being counted toward recycled content. The only content meeting the definition of recycled content is glass returned to a float manufacturer from another source, such as a fabrication facility. Exact percentages vary by manufacturer and are deemed proprietary. As a result, Harmon's glass products contain recycled content, but do not contribute to this credit per LEED® guidelines.

MR Credit 5: Regional Materials, 2 points possible.
Specify materials that have been extracted, harvested or recovered, as well as manufactured within 500 miles of the project site.

Glass Products for MR Credit 5.
The material Harmon uses in the glass fabrication process comes from a variety of suppliers. Each supplier uses raw materials extracted from multiple locations. It is not possible, with the current fabrication systems, to track each fabricated glass unit back through these processes to a specific point of extraction.

Indoor Environment (IEQ).
There are three prerequisites along with ten credits available in the Indoor Environmental Quality category. Glass selection may be able to help with one of the credits in this area.

IEQ Credit 8.1: Daylight and Views - Daylight, 1 point possible NC and CS, 1-3 points for Schools.
For NC and CS, daylight 75% of regularly occupied spaces. Compliance is determined through one of four methods:

Option 1 - Simulation
Demonstrate through computer simulations that 75% of all regularly occupied spaces achieve daylight illuminance levels of a minimum of 25 footcandles (fc) and a maximum of 500 fc.

Option 2 - Prescriptive
Comply with requirements outlined in LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Design and Construction.

Option 3 – Measurement
Demonstrate through records of indoor light measurements that a minimum daylight illumination level of 25 fc has been achieved in at least 75% of all regularly occupied spaces

Option 4 – Combination
Any of the above calculation methods may be combined to document the minimum daylight illumination:
For Schools, daylight 75% of the classrooms for 1 point, 90% for two points and 75% of all other regularly occupied spaces for 1 additional point.

Glass Products for EQ Credit 8.1.
Daylighting is best achieved through an integrated design approach. Computer simulation can provide valuable input by showing the combined effects of multiple windows within a daylit space. The visible light transmittance of the glazing should be taken into consideration.

Using clear glass may not be the best solution, daylighting is about selecting the right amount of light, not the most light possible. When too much light is introduced glare becomes a concern. The USGBC offers the following list of common strategies to control glare:

• Fixed exterior shading devices
• Exterior light shelves
• Interior light shelves
• Interior blinds and louvers
• Operable draperies and blinds
• Fritted glazing
• Electronic blackout glazing.

Note: Adding large spans of glass can increase the risk of birds flying into the glass. In areas where this is a concern treat the window glazing through the use of exterior shading devices or introduce patterns on the glass, such as a ceramic frit silk-screen pattern to help reduce the risk.

EQ Credit 8.2 – Daylight and Views, 1 point possible.
Achieve a direct line of sight to the outdoor environment via vision glazing between 30 inches and 90 inches above the finish floor for building occupants in 90% of all regularly occupied areas.

Glass Products for EQ Credit 8.2.
Harmon offers an extensive line of vision glazing products; each of these products can be used to provide the appropriate amount of daylight so the use of glass can be extended throughout the building.

Innovation in Design (ID).
There are three credits available in the Innovation in Design category. Glass selection may be able to help with one of the credits in this area.

ID Credit 1 – Innovation in Design, 1-5 points possible NC and CS, 1-4 points for Schools. Using an innovative technology or achieving exemplary performance.

Path 1 – Innovation in Design, 1-5 points for NC and CS, 1-4 points for schools.
One point for each innovation.

Path 2 – Exemplary Performance, 1-3 points.
May be earned for achieving double the credit requirements and/or achieving the next incremental threshold of an existing credit in LEED.

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