George Fujii, LEED AP, Senior Project Manager -- Sustainability has clearly gone past the education / awareness stage and has grown to become the mainstream in our culture. In conjunction with this growth, the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program has exploded. LEED is the gold standard for most clients and has become synonymous with sustainable building in much the way people call any cola product a “Coke.” That’s because the USGBC has put together a wonderful product and process, also working hard to raise awareness and educate building owners and the construction industry about sustainable building.
Some owners are taken aback by the added fees and registration / application / processing costs associated with USGBC LEED certification, in part because they have read that building green “does not cost any more money.” That may the case in some instances, but if you’re an owner who plans to seek LEED certification, prepare for additional costs upfront. Understand that the payback, at least in most instances, comes down the road in energy savings, workers’ satisfaction and many other factors that vary based on the design and construction of the building.
There are other third-party accrediting agencies an owner might consider, although I’d say at this stage the USGBC is akin to how Anheuser-Busch dominates the beer market in terms of overall market share (more beverage analogies). Still, owners embarking on a project have options when it comes to going green – including incorporating sustainable building practices even if not seeking certification. The owner can require the selected project team to meet specific goals, such as separating and recycling construction waste, increasing water efficiency by a certain percentage or providing an outside view for a high percentage of a building’s offices or work stations. The more, the better!
If you’re looking to learn more about going green, the USGBC website is a great place to start - www.usgbc.org