Throughout my travels, I am often asked why people choose to LEED certify their projects. My typical response is that there are as many reasons why an owner may choose to certify a project as there are certified projects. In truth, there is no one single reason, nor is there one single good reason. The rationale one might use may make no sense to someone else. Some owners choose to certify for the publicity, others choose to certify as a means to achieve some financial gain such as municipal incentives, and still others just want to demonstrate their stewardship of the environment. None of these reasons is any better than another. However, even when owners have a clear motivation behind certifying their project, they can easily miss the once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that may lie in front of them.
Seizing the Oportunity
Vertegy recently hit a milestone by assisting in our 32nd LEED certified facility. Working on this many successful projects in a short six-year history is something of which my team is very proud. This success could not have been accomplished without the faith and support of our clients. But this piece is not about the success of Vertegy, it is about lost opportunity! Mark Twain once said, “I was seldom able to see an opportunity until it had ceased to be one.” In all the projects we have worked on, and in all the projects we have had a chance to propose on, there are few in which the owners and delivery teams fully comprehend the true opportunity associated with pursuing LEED certification.
The opportunity that I am referring to is to change the mentality of delivering a project from that of completing a task or job, to delivering a building as a means to achieve something greater than what can be created with bricks and mortar, steel and glass. The opportunity is to use the experience of creating a building to stand for more than what the building is and look at it as what it might be or what it might be capable of. This sounds philosophical or perhaps mystical, especially coming from a guy with a hard bid construction background, but in the rare occasions in which I have seen an owner seize this opportunity, remarkable results occur.
An Opportunity Missed
Let me explain with an example of a project team that lost out when they did not comprehend the opportunity they had in front of them. I worked on a proposal with a design-build contractor for a science and history museum. The project was still in the early conceptual design phase and the design team was to be assigned to the design-build contractor. During the proposal stage, the design-build contractor asked the owner if they ever thought about making the building itself an exhibit, as opposed to simply creating a space to house exhibits. The owner responded that they had not, but they were intrigued by the idea. Despite sparking the owner’s interest, the contractor that asked the question was not successful in winning the project.
At an informal debriefing with the owner after the project had been awarded, it was discovered that the thought of turning the building into an exhibit was just too big of an idea, and they did not know how to react. The owner thought if they awarded the contract to this design-builder that they and the design team would lose control of the project. They were not prepared to let someone else control this project that they had spent the prior several years raising money to build, and they were also afraid such an idea would add to the amount of work ahead of them. It is unfortunate that a fear of the unknown kept a team from exploring a magnificent opportunity. There are not that many new science and history museums being built these days, and there are even fewer in which the building is used to teach about construction science and the importance of sustainability. Most science museums incorporate information on renewable energy technologies and provide examples of how you might cut energy costs from your home expense, but few actually use their buildings to demonstrate their definition of sustainability. Capitalizing on this opportunity would have brought recognition in the community, and perhaps nationally, because there are so few museums of this type.
The Benefits of Taking the Risk
On the other side of the coin, there is the firm that wanted to explore all the potential opportunities that came with delivering a LEED-certified building. They went to great lengths to solicit and incorporate ideas across each division of the company to make a better work environment for their employees. They took advantage of some of the LEED credits to assist them in changing the building from a closedwalled office to an open, collaborative workspace. From this building transformation, other initiatives sprang forward. All Styrofoam and plastic products were removed from the cafeteria and coffee areas and replaced with washable cups, glasses, plates and utensils. In a joint initiative to reduce monthly expenses on grounds maintenance while incorporating sustainability, the owner also looked for ways to use native plants that needed no irrigation and required only annual mowing. These and various other achievements earned the owner a LEED certification shortly after the project was complete.
Still More to Learn
But, for all of the success this project team enjoyed, the firm still missed some important opportunities. While the team was busy getting the project completed, they missed the opportunity to educate each of the employees on what the building was all about. They failed to communicate the message and the mission of the structure throughout the entire organization. As a result, many outside of the company knew more about the project than many company insiders. While this one building was a great success, the momentum created during the delivery of the project quickly faded once the project was complete. Consequently, no other buildings under the same ownership have followed this building’s lead.
But, for all of the success this project team enjoyed, the firm still missed some important opportunities. While the team was busy getting the project completed, they missed the opportunity to educate each of the employees on what the building was all about. They failed to communicate the message and the mission of the structure throughout the entire organization. As a result, many outside of the company knew more about the project than many company insiders. While this one building was a great success, the momentum created during the delivery of the project quickly faded once the project was complete. Consequently, no other buildings under the same ownership have followed this building’s lead.
Thomas Taylor, a 29-year veteran of the construction industry and noted expert on sustainability, is the general manager of St. Louis-based Vertegy. His recent book, “Guide to LEED 2009: Estimating and Preconstruction Strategies,” provides step-by-step information about the LEED 2009 for New Construction process. To learn more about Vertegy or Taylor’s new book, visit www.vertegyconsultants.com for more information.
