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ENGINEERS has been involved with green buildings since the
inception of the movement. The firm is a member of the USGBC with many of
its employees LEED certified. The firm has provided LEED
consulting services to other design professionals as a certified
Technical Assistance Provider under New York State Energy Research and
Development Authority's (NYSERDA) New Construction Program. Early in the design, we typically organize and facilitate a one-day workshop or charrettes with the design team to evaluate a project's potential to achieve a LEED rating. A LEED check-list is used to evaluate which LEED credits may be achieved. The result of the workshop is an estimate of potential LEED credits and possible rating the project can achieve by incorporating specific design strategies. Starting at the Schematic Phase, a preliminary computerized energy model is prepared to generate energy consumption estimates for alternate mechanical systems and to begin to size up the number of credits that can be achieved that can be under the Energy and Atmosphere LEED category. ads has extensive experience using and designing computerized energy models. The firm originally did modeling using main frame computers and has traced the evolution of sustainable software. Currently ads uses Trane Trace 700 as it's main simulation program - a program capable of modeling a wide variety of mechanical systems. A LEED computerized energy model is updated at the end of each document phase. The model compares a LEED acceptable Base Case to the intended design. Information regarding the LEED model shall be filed as part of the project's LEED application. These requests for information are coordinated and cataloged among the design and construction parties. Documents are prepared for filing with USGBC to obtain LEED Rating. "Engineer, Architect and Contractor Letters" related to LEED aspects of the various trades and specialties are requested from the appropriate parties. These requests for information are coordinated and cataloged among the design and construction parties. Design team members are educated on various credit requirements and they are assisted with template submittal process. Design team responsibilities are organized as they relate to obtaining LEED certification. LEED check-lists are maintained and coordinated among the Owner and all consultants. Assistance is provided to architects and spec writers in developing specifications for construction materials with low VOCs and high recycled content, for example. Contractor submittals are also reviewed to see that such materials are installed as specified. The key steps for a LEED (or NYC Local Law 86) building can be summarized as follows: - Conduct LEED Charrette/Workshop - Facilitation of the design process (ideally beginning during programming or schematic design) - Environmental programming and goal setting - Utilization of the LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Green Building Rating System developed by US Green Building Council. - Selection of environmentally - preferable construction materials - Identification of energy efficient and sustainable design strategies - Computer energy modeling of the a Base case design and the preferred design - Preparation and coordination of LEED filing |