Gretchen Heberling
Gretchen Heberling

Gretchen Heberling was a 2014 MAP Sustainable Energy Fellow at the USGBC, where she investigated quantitative and qualitative scoring of commercial buildings, the industry impact of LEED v4, and geothermal energy. She graduated with her MS in Civil Engineering (Sustainable Design & Construction–Energy) from Stanford, and holds a BS in Architectural Engineering from the University of Wyoming.

LEED v4 Impact Brief: Geothermal Energy
08 Jun 2015 • openbook 6 minute read
The 2015 release of LEED v4 ushers in strong business opportunities for industry leaders. Advancements in the LEED building rating system incentivize projects to increase efficiency gains in energy, water and waste, while furthering the human experience components that …
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Energy Generation in Iceland: Part II – Hydroelectric
28 May 2015 • openbook 5 minute read
Iceland’s location and geology have provided the country with a wealth of natural resources. The island is the size of the state of Kentucky with a population of approximately 325,000, and is located over a hot spot on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge; for this reason, the isla …
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Energy Generation in Iceland: Part I – Geothermal
09 Mar 2015 • openbook 5 minute read
Iceland’s location and geology have provided the country with a wealth of natural resources. The island is the size of the state of Kentucky with a population of approximately 325,000, and is located over a hot spot on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge; for this reason, the isla …
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Building Profile: Harpa Concert Hall
21 Nov 2014 • openbook 2 minute read
The Harpa Concert Hall & Conference Centre sits on the water at the northern edge of downtown Reykjavik, offering fantastic views of the harbor and downtown. The site is isolated, with no adjacent neighbors, which allows the building to reflect the scenery without d …
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Building Profile: Reykjavik University
28 Oct 2014 • openbook 3 minute read
Reykjavik University is located in the southern part of Iceland's capital, a ten minute drive from downtown. The school is situated between the Reykjavik Airport, Öskjuhlíð (a public park with geothermal hot water storage tanks and the landmark Perlan (The Pearl) res …
https://www.flickr.com/photos/glennharper/6283226514

State of Sustainability in the Building Industry
28 Jul 2014 • openbook 2 minute read
Since LEED’s inception in 2000, the green building industry has flourished, with sustainable projects comprising an increasing proportion of the construction industry’s market share each year. Green building certification has grown as well; as of June 2014, there …
navigating sustainability