Green Compliance

Green building practices are far more involved than just better insulation and basic energy efficiency.  Going Green will involve  a whole building approach with analysis of building site selection, or existing site conditions, water efficiency, energy efficiency and conservation, green rated material selection and recycling issues, indoor environmental quality, and new innovations that improve the building products performance.  A successful green built project will require integrated design and integrated team approach.

Issues to Address

The Building Industry

The building industry is part of the existing problem.  Like many modern systems of mass production, it suffers from a race to the bottom.  Lowest price, fastest construction, maximum profit, deferred (environmental) costs.  All to often in traditional design, the contractor and end user are not included in the design process, and decisions are made without critical insight into the nuances that may effect the way the building will actually be constructed or occupied.  This often results in change orders, delayed fit out, and resulting scheduling, resource-consumption, and other (environmental) cost impacts.

Integrated Team

An integrated team approach is encouraged to achieve a particular green building goal.  The team would include the owner, project architect, civil and mechanical engineers, and any other appropriate stake holders, to all be involved at the conception of the project.  Effectively integrated design is the key to creating buildings that do a better job of serving their occupants, their owners, the community, and the environment.

 

Design Charrette

A design charrette is an intensive, collaborative workshop that assembles a group of stakeholders and experts to address planning and design.  It is generally focused on key issues and concepts rather than details.  Ideally a charrette is held at the outset of a project and at key points early in the design process.  They play a critical role in bringing together the full design team (site planners, architects, engineers, landscape architects, interior designers, lighting designers, and consultants) with outside experts and all key stakeholders (community members, local utilities, building owners, tenants, builders, building managers, and maintenance staff) to create a shared project vision, set of strategies and priorities, and a collective sense of ownership of the project direction.