Sony Pictures Studios believes in creating a culture on their Culver City campus. For CEO Michael Lynton and Co-Chairman Amy Pascal this includes a culture of environmental responsibility and sustainable stewardship, according to Jon Corcoran, VP, Corporate Safety and Environmental Affairs and John Rego, Director, Environmental Sustainability for the movie studio.

During a recent tour of the facilities, they each pointed out that education and employee awareness were key to behavior changes when it comes to environmental stewardship. This philosophy is in keeping with the Japanese tradition of creating an employee culture, a loyalty that reaches beyond the standard employee-employer structure, and one that gives and takes both ways. [Pictured: John Rego, Sony Studios; Paige Donner, Greening Hollywood; and Jon Corcoran, Sony Studios; photo by Ann Burkart]

Case in point: On June 29th, as part of Sony Studios “Links Green Series” they hosted a lunch time “Residential Solar and Hybrid Car Program,” presentation. This is an incentive program, offered through the studio, that gives employees a check for up to $5000 when they either buy a hybrid electric vehicle or install solar voltaic panels on their residence. This incentive “payback” is above and beyond the State and Federal tax incentives. Believe me, I asked. Don’t everyone blast your resume off to Sony Pictures Entertainment now!

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In the race for being certified as a ‘green’ building, LEED has been the certification of choice thus far, but some are not feeling so eager to obtain certification any more.

While the majority of builders and building owners support building green, the popularity of LEED certification has slipped a bit according to a recent survey conducted by Allen Matkins/CTG/Green Building Insider. The consensus from 900 design professionals, contractors, constructions planners and building owners was that 93.4% agreed that it is worth the time and effort to build green, but only 66.2% believe that obtaining LEED certification is worth the effort.

Has LEED lost the lead in the green building certification race?

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While any structure built in a way that lessens its footprint is welcomed, some of the buildings that people try to turn green simply make no sense.

LEED certification, in all its greatness, does not take the building’s intended purpose into account; this leaves us with some hilarious, unabashedly self-contradicting buildings. Here are the ten of the most laughable green buildings:

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So you would think that to meet their new neighborhood certification, on-site renewable energy would be a LEED requirement, not just an option. But it won’t be. What’s worse, it will be worth a measly 3 points out of the total 110 possible points to get LEED certification.  But you can change that.

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Architecture Involution LLC (Ai3), a leading architect firm that specializes in educational design and Triumph Modular, the premier provider of temporary and permanent modular buildings have teamed up to launch the CASE 21 (Creative Academic Sustainable Environments for the 21st Century) classroom solution. CASE 21 is  a high-performance learning environment employing state-of-the-art green design, organizational layout and technology integration.

CASE 21 was conceived by Ai3 in response to the poorly designed classrooms with poor lighting, ventilation, acoustics and air quality.

Ai3 partner and co-founder Jim Jordan, who is credited with having designed the widely acclaimed Massachusetts School Building Authority Model School (Whitman-Hanson Regional High School ), has led the design charge regarding green design, sustainability, and LEED certification for the CASE 21 project.

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The Chicago Sun-Times reports that the new store took five years to develop, thanks to a slew of special engineering and site use requirements. Among the challenges: building the facility 25 feet over Metra’s train tracks to provide bridge access for local residents.

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So what’s so green about the new facility? Almost everything, from basement to rooftop. The building is designed to earn the top level — platinum — of LEED certification for green construction. A “living roof” will boost insulation and prevent 2 million gallons of stormwater runoff each year. A canopy of solar cells will generate 213,000 kilowatts of electricity each year, enough to meet 10 percent of the museum’s needs. And radiant-floor heating and denim insulation will keep temperatures comfortable while minimizing energy consumption.

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In 2006, Evanston, IL, which hugs Chicago’s border to the south, and Lake Michigan to the east, signed the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement along with more than 800 US cities. Those cities who signed the agreement aim to lower carbon emissions to 1990 levels by 2012.

In an effort to achieve carbon reduction to 1990 levels, more than 130 dedicated citizens formed nine task forces, and devised broad recommendations on how this progressive and diverse city, home to Northwestern University and a lively downtown, could reduce its carbon footprint. Last weekend, a broad coalition of citizens and city government workers unveiled a draft of the Evanston Climate Action Plan.

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Young children are especially susceptible to the negative effects of modern life, including indoor air quality and heavy metal exposure, such as lead. Many eco-living families feel like they have to sacrifice some of their green morals when placing their children in daycare or preschool. These families do the best they can by packing their children organic snacks, but there is little they can do about other aspects of the program. Now, parents in Atlanta, Georgia will have a choice to enroll their children in the first completely eco-friendly child care center FIO360.

What makes a child care facility eco-friendly? According to FIO360,

• Solar tubing to conserve energy and provide natural daylight throughout the facility;

• Radiant, heated floors in all classrooms-proven to reduce energy costs, enhance air quality and improve circulation, which contributes to a stronger immune system, a healthier heart and better sleep;

• Activclassroom whiteboard technology and software informed by teachers to foster an interactive learning environment that keeps students engaged, focused and enthusiastic;

• Streaming video capabilities in each classroom for parents who want to periodically join in on their children’s learning and play experiences throughout the day;

• Waterless urinals and sensor-activated faucets in all lavatories to preserve water;’

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Incorporating environmentally elements such as energy-efficient lighting, heating, and cooling, locally-sourced materials, renewable energy sources, non-toxic sealants, adhesives, and paints, green roofs, and greywater systems, schools are creating buildings that are working models of sustainability, providing excellent tools for lessons along with the obvious benefits to the environment.

Not only is the environment benefitting, but green school design serves other purposes, as well. The Elk River Area School District, located in Minnesota, has three LEED-certified schools, with a fourth, Twin Lakes Elementary, set to open in for 2007-2008 school year. District officials estimate that their green buildings will save the district $300,000 annually in operating costs, mostly due to decreased energy costs. Classrooms are designed to maximize natural light, using high, slanted windows to let in as much sunshine as possible. Light sensors automatically turn off lights in rooms when enough natural light is present. Light tubes line the hallways, funneling sunlight into the common areas.

Pine Jog Elementary School, which broke ground on Wednesday and will be Florida's first LEED-certified school, will use strategically-positioned "light shelves" to bounce sunlight around classrooms. Pine Jog officials note that although building costs will be 5-10% higher than a conventionally-built school, the district estimates that they will recoup that cost within five years due to energy and water savings. Greensboro, North Carolina's North Guilford Middle School even has three constructed wetlands that naturally filter sewage through a series of plants, grasses, and algae, with the cleansed wastewater used for athletic field irrigation.

Elk River officials cite research claiming that students who study in naturally-lit clasrooms performed 25% better on math and language arts tests. Their district, a previous winner of the EPA's Excellence Award in Indoor Air Quality, installs diffusers in all classrooms, which circulate clean air into classrooms, reducing airborne illnesses, which any teacher can tell you run rampant at elementary schools.

The buildings and their construction are environmentally-friendly, but thoughtful, user-friendly features will help promote sustainable-living habits among students, parents, and staff. Pine Jog will have ample bicycle parking, and preferential staff parking for those who drive hybrids. Great Seneca Creek Elementary School in Maryland has dual flush toilets, complete with (ahem) yellow and brown labels for the appropriate flush in the kindergarten rooms. All schools incorporate outdoor learning spaces and learning labs centered around the building design, seamlessly integrating sustainabilty across disciplines as a tool for learning traditional concepts.