As a sustainability consultant, I am often asked to review projects and calculate their potential LEED rating. Typically, projects teams that make this request already have a basic design concept and want to explore the possibility of going green. In those situations, a certain amount of time has been put into the design, and the priorities for the project have been established.
The prioritization of sustainability options must start early in the process to avoid missing opportunities to incorporate features at no or low cost. Such options should be introduced early enough to avoid having to redo portions of the design. In almost all cases, a decision about the building or its systems are linked to sustainability. Prioritizing these goals is as important as the basic decisions that are made about the building. One way to set these goals is to start early and test each of the choices using one of the sustainability rating systems that are available.
Location
In many cases, the building options chosen have a direct impact on the level of sustainability sought for a project. One example can be seen in the site selection. Many factors go into making a decision on where to construct a building. An owner may take into account the location in proximity to major transportation hubs, access for their employees, available land, tax incentives or proximity to a dense urban core.
Location has a direct impact on how well a project performs in the sustainable sites category. If the decision on where to build was based on available land and that land happens to be in the suburbs, located in a flood plain, several of the site’s credits will not be available. The first of the LEED credits in this category would be lost due to the site being located in a flood plain. If the site is in the suburbs, there is a fair chance it wouldn’t qualify for the alternative transportation credit, which requires the building to be close to public transit. Conversely, if the owner decided to place his building in an urban infill land, the project most likely would achieve the site selection credit, as well as the public transportation credit.
Water Conservation
Building location is not the only determining factor in prioritizing sustainability goals. Water usage and the conservation of water resources is the next credit category in LEED. The amount of conservation is linked to an owner’s desire or goals for the building. If an owner has no concern for the water used in the building, then the design team probably has not thought much about achieving the water reduction credits.
For example, if the owner envisions a finely manicured lawn, a permanent irrigation system will most likely be incorporated. Those systems are typically fed from the building’s potable water supply. This decision would directly impact the team’s ability to achieve at least one of the water reduction credits. Conversely, if an owner puts a high priority on water conservation, then the selection of fixtures becomes more focused on conservation than other things that might affect the design.
Energy
The LEED energy section has more available points than any other category. Like the other categories, the owner’s decisions have a direct impact on the level of sustainability the building might achieve.
Owners must make numerous decisions, such as how long they plan on staying in the building and how important the monthly utility bills are to the building operation. If an owner intends on keeping the building for more than 10 years, then it is good to look at the building systems as there should be some concern with the overall life cycle cost of the systems being installed. A more robust system may cost a little more up front but will save an owner money, through reduced utility bills, for years after the construction is finished.
Selection of the building’s HVAC system is not the only place where an owner’s decision could affect the building performance. In a situation where an owner is not concerned with the type of system going into the building, then the design team may look for the most economical system. While this option may be attractive in the short-term, over time, these systems will cost more to operate than a more efficient system.
Indoor Air Quality
At the beginning of the design process, an owner also needs to decide if and to what extent the indoor environment ranks in importance. If an owner is concerned about the indoor environment, the team is going to alter the design to ensure that the air quality is higher than in a typical building, that there is a view to the outdoors, that the lighting is appropriate for the task being conducted in the building and that the acoustics will not disrupt the business activities conducted. A focus on indoor air quality will steer the team in the finish material selected for the building, as well as the overall efficiency of the HVAC systems.
When prioritizing sustainability features into their buildings, owners should start by evaluating what is most important to them. Determining those priorities will help establish the sustainability goals for the project. When it comes to sustainability, a person cannot make one decision without affecting several others. Even a simple question, like “What do you want the building to look like?” can alter how environmentally friendly and sustainable a building is.
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Thomas Taylor, a 30-year veteran of the construction industry and noted expert on sustainability, is a principal and co-founder of St. Louis-based Vertegy. To learn more about Vertegy or Taylor, visit www.vertegyconsultants.com.