Expertise / Sustainability and LEED
Green design is here to stay. C3 made an early commitment to sustainability by becoming one of the charter members of the USGBC, and our numerous LEED Accredited Professionals are very active on the Council developing and sharing technology on the latest green design thinking.
Sustainable Design Linked to the Client’s Vision
Sustainability and potential LEED certification of a building must always be viewed within the context of the owner’s strategic plan for a property. In the wider environmental movement, a balance must always be struck between potentially lowered carbon footprints and what it costs to achieve them. On the individual building level, the benefits to the owner in the form of prestige, building marketability, tenant goodwill and institutional advancement must be weighed against the costs of materials and labor, including the administrative costs associated with the LEED certification process.
Because the client's interests are central to our thinking about LEED, we always begin the discussion from the point of view of the owner – Should a LEED certification be undertaken, and if so, which LEED certification best suits the projects goals? What are the costs versus the benefits? Many profound environmental benefits can be achieved through sustainable design and building practices with or without formal LEED certification while still providing sound operational cost savings.
Green In Multiple Spheres
C3 has been involved in numerous LEED projects across the entire USGBC matrix – NC-New Construction; CI-Commercial Interiors; and CS-Core and Shell, and others. For existing buildings – LEED EB – C3 has developed a proprietary three-phase process. See some relevant Case Studies of these projects and their outcomes. The first phase is a cursory review of where the building stands in regards to LEED before any modifications are made. Budget costs are assigned to each point and opinions are rendered as to the feasibility of each. Phase 2 involves carrying out the detailed calculations, technical review and project submission. Phase 3 encompasses any long-term services such as Commissioning.