Sustainable Land Development Today - February 2009 - (Page 30)

SLDT THE LAST WORD Team Building for Green Design By Wendi Goldsmith, CPG, CPSSc People frequently ask me questions like: “Why bother with green building?” or “How is the sustainable design process different from conventional procedures?” I have answered these questions in subtly different ways in the 18 years I have been involved in the field, but at this point I would say it all comes down to creating the proper team to do the right thing the right way. In many respects, green design is no different from any past standards or processes used by architects, engineers, and builders—it is just smarter and better. First ask, “Why isn’t green building already the norm?” and I believe you will find that the reasons have to do with poor team players along the way, either by failing to identify and cultivate alliances and dependencies where they can or should exist, or by simply dropping the ball through inattention, low skill, or lack of conviction—things that would make any team lose. Hence, formulating the right team up front and getting everyone to follow the rules of the game with full team spirit can make a world of difference. Do any of these poor team players sound familiar to you? I Disconnect between builder and user costs and benefits I Missing link of initial intent and vision—if it’s not in the scope/budget, why/how would the designer do it? I Lack of information and modeling tools to correctly assess lifecycle costs and impacts I Absence of sustainable design training for architecture, engineering, and construction management personnel I Perception that Green Building brings high risk to initial schedule/budget, unproven materials/methods, or general unknowns I Lack of recognition that low environmental impact equals high net community benefits Eventually you must ask “Who is the team to best support green design?” The answer is that all parties who contribute to or benefit from the sustainably designed project must be included on the team at some level. Much sustainable design has focused on energy efficiency of the building through thoughtful selection of HVAC systems, glazing tailored to improve heating and cooling costs, and, of course, heavy thermal insulation. Energy efficiency is, of course, quite worthwhile and has become increasingly possible to quantify and model through simulations, and often has a rapid return on investment. Energy efficiency emphasizes the building envelope, its mechanical systems, and notably, the benefits are often highest to the building owner/operator rather than to the neighboring community. Clearly the architect and engineer are on the team, and should be cooperating closely. But benefits can be broader if you consider the health and comfort of the eventual user of the building, as well as rapid project permitting and general community support which eliminate delays. Conservation of energy, water, and air quality, and reducing waste are all common focus points for green building projects that touch on selection of sites, materials, and equipment. By considering the site, and especially its role in generating or processing stormwater runoff, linking to transit options, serving habitat and air quality functions, and also regional aesthetic values, sustainable site design can provide benefits to the building owners/users as well as to the surrounding community. The site is where the project meets the community. In order to foster truly sustainable design outcomes that are supported by the community, you must assemble an effective interdisciplinary team to address ecology and earth science thoroughly, to better inform the engineering and landscape architectural site design process. The team begins with a collaborative determination of how a project site can remain, or become, ecologically productive while serving conventional project objectives. Investigation of the physical characteristics of the impacted project site through analysis of landforms, soils, and hydrology can provide information about past and future sustainable conditions to inform and refine project goals and objectives. Listen to public concerns and ideas. Engineers and landscape architects then devise technical solutions that foster ecological productivity on site and reflect regional considerations. Instead of relying on sterile structural technologies, they can harness natural processes such as streamchannel dynamics, native plant community productivity, and nutrient/contaminant removal mechanisms, often resulting in significant savings in site infrastructure and maintenance costs. Add the right science and community engagement professionals to the team and you can succeed with green design. SLDT About the author: Wendi Goldsmith is the founder of Bioengineering Group, and a member of the Sustainable Land Development Today Editorial Board. She can be reached at 978-740-0096, wgoldsmith@bioengineering.com or go to http://bioengineering.com/. 30 February 2009 Sustainable Land Development Today http://bioengineering.com/

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Sustainable Land Development Today - February 2009 Contents Our Voice Modern Flood Disasters Origin of the Sustainability Movement SLDI in Focus Calendar Build Smart Product Innovation Takeoff and Cost Management Industry News Products & Services Advertiser Index Editorial Board SLDT Resources Last Word

Sustainable Land Development Today - February 2009

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