Meeting the challenges of building green.

Since the United States Green Building Council's (USGBC) founding in 1993, its vision to guide the creation of environmentally sound buildings has quickly become the platinum, gold and silver standard coveted by owners, architects, engineers and contractors. The USGBC's widely popular Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED[R]) certification program is the flagship rating process for certifying buildings that promote excellence in resource efficiency, healthy design and construction.

From coast-to-coast, contractors are building extra time into production schedules and owners are making considerable investments in pursuit of a prestigious LEED rating. Building green requires a new approach to project development, design and construction and a thorough understanding of the intricate process. The LEED rating system provides a standardized framework for assessing building performance and meeting ambitious goals in the areas of sustainable sites, water and energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. A project is awarded a rating based on credits earned: platinum (52-69), gold (39-51), silver (33-38) or certified LEED (26-32). Platinum certification signals a facility built to the "highest possible green standards" and an owner that is interested in maximizing environmental stewardship.

According to the USGBC website (www.usgbc.org), there are currently 1,794 LEED-registered projects with an additional 188 projects which have completed the LEED certification process. These registered and certified LEED projects represent 215 million square feet of space in all 50 states and 12 countries. In addition, the USGBC estimates that annual U.S. market for green building products and services is approximately $5.8 billion.

Contractor Expertise

It is increasingly important that contractors be able to provide LEED consulting and administration services to an owner and/or architect. The general contractor/construction manager of a LEED project is responsible (in full or in part) for at least 18 of the total 69 credits of the rating system, with additional opportunities for "innovation" credits. A general contractor's knowledge of the LEED rating system is critical because:

* As early as the estimating phase, the contractor must be aware of the importance of each credit being attempted, and must make sure each credit is achieved, especially during value engineering exercises, which typically are aimed at short-term budget savings.

* Meticulous project supervision on the contractor's part can earn a project up to three credits for exemplary waste management and recycling on site.

* A contractor can assure credits by procuring building materials locally, thereby decreasing environmental impacts associated with highway travel such as emissions and fuel use.

* The contractor is responsible for writing and managing a construction indoor air quality management plan, which minimizes impacts associated with mold development and/or gas-producing finishes.

* The contractor must understand the rational behind material specifications because a small deviation can jeopardize the LEED credit.

* Because the rating system for new construction has only been in place since 2000, the contractor must closely supervise subcontractors and suppliers who may be unfamiliar with USGBC's goals, objectives and requirements.

Pre-construction Process

Although a general contractor/ construction manager's duties will vary, the company should be pre pared to provide the following services for an owner pursuing a 'green' building:

* Conduct a LEED charrette (peer review) prior to the preparation of final construction documents to establish LEED as a primary project objective. During the charrette, LEED goals should be communicated to all team members and LEED credit feasibility evaluated.

* Develop an Execution Plan detailing the project's objectives, budget, schedule, and procurement strategies.

* Provide guidance to the owner and design team through a detailed review of the project's specifications, recognizing opportunities to reduce costs or earn additional credits.

During Construction

The contractor's role continues throughout the construction process. LEED compliance requirements must be included in all subcontracts, and it is advisable to link compliance with payment. In addition, the schedule must reflect the efforts required to achieve LEED credits.

One of the LEED system's most significant impacts on the contractor is the extensive documentation, which may require additional staffing. For example, the LEED credit associated with regionally manufactured, regionally extracted, and/or recycled content materials require considerable documentation.

While it is certainly helpful for the contractor to have one primary LEED champion to oversee the progress throughout construction, the entire project team--including the field staff--should be involved in green building management duties.

Locally, Skanska has been actively involved in incorporating the LEED standards into its EMS System. Skanska is an ISO 14001 company and must comply with their accredited Environmental Management System. In addition Skanska has the backing of New York state by Governor Pataki's Executive Order 111, which mandates that all agencies under state control must build minimum energy standards into their construction and renovation projects.

Nationwide, Skanska is involved with 27 LEED projects, a number the company anticipates will increase quickly as more clients become aware of the advantages of building green.

ROBERT LICOPOLI, DIRECTOR ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH & SAFETY, SKANSKA USA BUILDING INC.