LEED Volume Program: Cost Effective Method for Certifying a Large Number of LEED Buildings

USGBC came up with a smart solution for large volume organizations and companies that are large users of LEED. The LEED Volume Program was developed to offer a cost effective method that leverages uniformity in design and maintains the integrity of LEED standards. In lieu of certifying per building, LEED Volume Program offers organizations the option to create a prototype design that is then pre-certified and can be applied to certify like buildings and spaces throughout their building portfolios. Since the program is based on design uniformity, buildings in any geographical area are eligible for certification.

The LEED Volume Program was conceptualized in 2006 and officially launched at the Greenbuild 2010 Conference & Expo in Chicago. The process begins with interested companies applying to USGBC to use the LEED Volume Program. Once in the program, companies have access to services and online tools that help facilitate prototype development. The next step is creation of a prototype which is basically the design and plan for future volume projects to adhere to, providing sustainable design features and protocol. Once the prototype is approved, work can begin on all volume projects. Needless to say, this drastically reduces per building certification costs as the quantity of projects increases. To ensure these projects maintain the LEED standards, Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) will conduct random audits of a percentage of projects. This phase is referred to as "ongoing certification".

The LEED Volume Program reinforces USGBC's commitment to provide smart and cost effective solutions to large users of LEED. The benefits of sustainable construction have a huge impact that includes better performing buildings that save energy and reduce operating costs as well as reduce harmful environmental impact. Using the LEED Volume Program's streamlined certification process companies can take advantage of lower cost for LEED while still reaping the advantages that come with building sustainable buildings.

Gabriele Medley-Harry

Director of Sustainable Construction

HICAPS, Inc.

Making Smart Choices for a Sustainable Project

Green or Sustainable construction is a hot button topic these days. In our blog discussion on making choices that make $ense, solar options seem to be a more and more popular choice today for a renewable energy source. As always we are a proponent of planning. In the planning stage you will determine if this is the right option for your project and budget. Doing your homework will save you time and money later in the project. Below are good steps to follow as a rule of thumb to ensure solar is right for your project.

STEP 1 - FEASIBILITY:

·    Feasibility analysis – Be sure this will fit the OPR (Owners Project Requirements)

·    Preliminary proposal – Pricing is another key component

STEP 2 - FINANCING:

·    Available incentives (tax credits, accelerated depreciation, state and utility solar rebates)

·    Financing options, if needed (e.g. leases and power purchase agreements)

·   Non-tax based incentives: Incentives offered through local power companies.

STEP 3 - SITE PLANNING AND DESIGN:

·     System Design-Have a strategy in place

·     Project planning: Working with all parties involved in the project (perspective and feedback)

·     Analysis, scheduling and planning-tools

STEP 4 - PROCUREMENT AND INSTALLATION

·     Procurement of materials-Do some investigating and pricing

·     Solar Panel Installation-Use reputable firms with the qualifications to do the project

·      Inspections

·     System commissioning and testing

STEP 5 - OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE

·     Training of facilities personnel (system monitoring and maintenance)

·     Administration and execution of all warranty coverage

·     Field service and technical support, if required

Following these steps and knowing what the ROI (Return on Investment) will be, eliminates the unknown and unpleasant surprises. A significant portion of the commercial solar system's cost is paid for by taking advantage of state rebates, incentives and the 30 percent federal solar tax credit / grant and accelerated depreciation which makes this a good time to consider going solar if it fits.

Gabriele Medley-Harry, LEED AP BD&C

Director of Sustainable Construction

HICAPS, Inc.

Selecting Sustainable Commercial Interior Surfaces that fit Your Environment and Cleaning Processes

For years commercial buildings and surfaces were designed and manufactured to be impervious and withstand many environments and most cleaning compounds. Builder’s, designers and cleaning crews learned through trial and error, developing a knowledge base selecting materials suitable for a commercial structures form and function. Many of these surfaces were reliable, inexpensive and could be easily replaced if damaged.

Sustainable interior designs offer up a new pallet of surfaces and looks that are attractive and make environmental sense. Sometimes they may be an expensive initial investment but provide a longer term esthetic and financial benefit. Many of the these materials are new and there is very little experience with long term usage or interactions with cleaning chemicals, or soiling specific to the intended environment.

Therefore new surfaces require a new selection and evaluation process in that several decisions are necessary in making a sustainable surface evaluation or selection. They are the same decisions that had to be made previously but unlike those materials you no longer have a historical understanding of their performance and longevity.

1. Will the surface or equipment function adequately within the confines of the environments intended use? For example, a compressed sesame seed or sunflower seed table may work well in a commercial office or doctor's office, but is it adequate for the customer area in a restaurant with high levels of grease and oil and food spills?
2. Will the surface or equipment hold up to the cleaning requirements necessary for the environment? Hospital surfaces are exposed to high disinfectant levels; food service to high soil loads and sanitizers; with office buildings requiring high aesthetic value and clean ability with low soil loads.
3. Who selects and evaluates your cleaning products?
4. Is your cleaning program internal or is it performed by a third party?

Surface Selection-

· Make sure that the supplier bidding for your project understands where and how their surface will be used and do they have a history with your requirements. This should be in writing and specified to protect you from a product failure claim in that you used the material in a manner which it wasn’t intended.

· Request all supporting documentation for how the surface should be maintained along with cleaning recommendations. This should not be an issue if your project is going for LEED accreditation.

· Request 1-2 material samples from three different production lots to test under your intended conditions. This means testing the surface with soils that may be associated with your environment and the current cleaning program or new cleaners under consideration. A general test overview is provided at the end of the article.

Testing of new sustainable surfaces is an additional step that is new to the building process and can be difficult to manage and coordinate as well as to understand how much time should be allotted. The material supplier or chemical cleaning supplier may be willing to provide the testing if your account is substantial or they may be willing to provide the name of a third party evaluator and cover or share in the costs. Be leery of any material that does not have any historical data for you application. It’s not that it will not work but the supplier may not be aware of all of your applications. Document…document…document or test.

Contributing writer:

SSS-Cubed (Sustainable Scientific Solutions)

David Harry, Consultant

Gabriele Medley-Harry, LEED AP BD&C

Director of Sustainable Construction

HICAPS, Inc.

Sustainable Thinking Makes “Cents”

Making the right choices for the right reasons makes the difference. More and more building owners are seeing the value in energy efficiency which makes for sound sustainable business practice. With the right approach sustainability does not have to cost more and to get less. Energy efficiency is a driving factor in sustainable construction. In fact, states are placing more and more emphasis on code development and enforcement. The ASHRAE 90.1 energy code model has been widely adopted by federal, state and local governments. Of course it is always good to comply with code because it is the law, but, it is also good because it can save you money. As we move forward into 2011 we will see ASHRAE 189.1 become the new energy code model. The federal contracting world has already begun writing specs that will incorporate ASHRAE 189.1. Putting logical thinking into building projects and renovations can have a very positive ROI. Some energy efficient tips to consider are:

• Life Cycle cost analysis that takes into consideration how the facility will operate
• Daylighting
• Weigh the pros and cons of increasing insulation of the building envelope
• Use lighting controls
• Control the amount of outside air brought into the building. This will save energy by only cooling the amount of outside air needed for ventilation
• Measurement and verification- re-evaluate. Changes may be necessary to optimize the design in the system once it is being used
• When replacing lights consider updating, ie: change your T12 to T8 or T5 light and ballasts

The little things can add up to huge cost savings. That certainly makes $ense!

Gabriele Medley-Harry

Director of Sustainable Construction

HICAPS, Inc.

Commitment to Sustainable Construction

HICAPS has embraced sustainable building as part of our corporate culture and committed our resources to the training and accreditation of our associates in support of sustainable design and construction. We feel sustainability is the future of our industry. We recognize that it is important to be good stewards of the environment and HICAPS has worked hard to build a solid base of expertise in support of sustainable construction. HICAPS currently has five LEED AP associates with experience in all aspects of construction and sustainability. We are proud to support green building and be a part of the sustainable future.

HICAPS was proud to be on the Guilford County School team for Northern Middle and Northern High School. The project was a 120 acre site encompassing a 285,000 square foot High School, a 140,637 square foot Middle School, stadium, ball fields, and sustainable design features. This was one of the first sustainable projects of its kind at the time in 2004.

As Construction Manager for the project we were very involved with the sustainable goals and processes implemented in the construction of these schools. The goal of the program for the school was to reduce operating costs, protect the environment, design buildings as an educational tool and optimize facilities for health, safety and comfort. Some features of the schools were:

• A living machine (360,000 gallon tank collects rainwater for use in toilets, after the water is flushed it travels to a plant based cleansing wetland)
• Recycled water is used to water the athletic fields
• Daylighting
• Curved translucent light shelves
• Solar Thermal Panels
• Under floor air distribution

Since this time HICAPS has continued to support and play a role in being proactive in sustainable construction. Follow our blog posts on sustainability as we share information on projects and sustainable innovations as well as ways to be more energy efficient.

Gabriele Medley-Harry, LEED AP BD&C

Director of Sustainable Construction

HICAPS, Inc.