Slumps in the construction economy are good times for firms to rethink many things, including the philosophies that underlie their design work and the way they collaborate with consultants. One strategy that potentially accomplishes all of these things, according to consultant Barbra Batshalom, executive director of the Boston-based Green Roundtable, is to “green” your practice. Many U.S. firms are already encouraging staff to earn LEED certification and research sustainable materials, but she believes this is not enough. Truly greening your firm requires a substantial restructuring of firm culture and design processes.
High-performance buildings are not simply a collection of new materials and equipment plugged into conventional shells. Rather, they require attention to sustainable goals during programming, siting, and massing design. This means inviting mechanical engineers to collaborate from the outset. If they get involved in design early, they can provide data that informs shell design, for instance. If a curtain wall responds well to sun and wind, the building can rely more on natural energy, and the mechanical equipment can be smaller. But such opportunities for sustainability are lost if the engineer sizes cooling units based on the assumption that the building’s skin will be conventionally, and therefore poorly, designed. This may be the hardest part of greening your firm, Batshalom says. “It’s easier to figure out how to make your internal standards or your specifications LEED-compatible, but to change the process of design and your relationship with your mechanical engineer takes a lot longer.”
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