Putting a Number to the Quality of Life

Frank Lloyd Wright was often asked to name his favorite building that he designed. He would always answer, “My next one.” That’s not bragging, that’s optimism. And it is optimism that is fueling the most significant change to the design, construction and operations of buildings in the last century, that Green High Performance Design will both improve the Quality of Life and enhance your Return on Investment. Ask yourself, why have GE, PNC Bank, Toyota and Ford committed to Green High Performance Design?
 
We face enormous urban and environmental challenges for our century, the 21st. Yet we are in better position to address these problems than ever before. And many of the solutions are right at hand. Green High Performance Design combines common sense standards with proven technologies to create integrated, consensus-based design. By incorporating the needs of Owners and Users with the initiatives of Architects, Engineers and Contractors, projects are delivered by considering the entire cycle of design, construction and operations. The opportunities include:
·    Reduced Energy Costs by 20-50%
·    Reduced Liability
·    Increased Worker Productivity by 4-19%
·    Increased Student Test Scores by 21-26%
·    Increased Market Differentiation
·    Increased Recruitment and Retention    
The AIA Ohio Committee On The Environment is dedicated to coordinate the people, ideas and technology for High Performance Design in Ohio. We will be the collective leader for all organizations statewide to encourage the adoption of High Performance standards for the design, construction and operation of all facilities funded with state money. High Performance Design can work for any project, but it is especially useful in saving significant sums of money for institutional clients. Within the last three years, virtually every federal agency has chosen to pursue High Performance Design, including all branches of the military, the State Dept., Interior Dept. and the General Administrative Services, the largest building owner in the US. Also within the last three years, 16 states have adopted, or are in the process of adopting High Performance Design standards. These include our neighbors of Michigan and Pennsylvania.

What gets measured gets done. The proven path to the benefits of Green High Performance Design is by using common national green design measurement standards, such as the US Green Building Council LEED Rating System. The use of a rating system to evaluate the impact of buildings on their surroundings and inhabitants, emphasizes new strategies for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality that not only bring life cycle savings but increase user comfort substantially.

Frank Lloyd Wright was well known for his insistence in designing with nature, yet modern demands insist upon achieving more predictable results and increasing property value. It is reassuring that with the proper application of Green High Performance Design guidelines your building can be designed to enhance both Quality of Life and the bottom line at the same time. 

Alan J. Warner, AIA is a LEED Accredited Professional and the Principal-in-Charge of Sustainability at GBBN Architects. Alan is the Chair of AIA Ohio Committee On The Environment and was a representative for the US Dept. of Commerce/USGBC 1st Trade Mission to China earlier this year.

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