'LEED-New Construction is for sissies and wimps'

Rey Castro, LACC

Siemens' exhibit at the Nov. 14-16 Greenbuild 2012 conference in San Francisco showcased its longstanding partnership with the Los Angeles Convention Center – one of the "greenest" convention centers in the world, and a model of what can be achieved in pursuit of LEED for Existing Buildings certification.  

"This year we are highlight green buildings the make greener cities," said Ari Kobb, director of Green Building Solutions for Siemens' Building Technologies division. That includes the Los Angeles Convention Center, which earned LEED-EB twice, he said.

An interview with Rey Castro, the chief building engineer at LACC who describes himself as a "born-again 'green,'" is featured in Sustainable Industries' special Focus: Greenbuild 2012 video series. 

LEED-EB is comprised of rigorous performance standards in energy and water conservation, indoor environmental quality and operational effectiveness. Due to the unique challenges of upgrading a massive landmark building to earn LEED-EB, the folks at LACC have an expression, he added: "LEED for New Construction is for sissies and wimps."

Castro has worked with the convention center for more than 20 years, a time in which Siemens helped the project earn certifications and awards, as well as implement ambitious energy-efficiency systems and "more difficult programs" involving smoke evacuation and energy management, he said.