Green Building
Common Sense Building & Sustainable Design
The building industry currently consumes over 50 percent of the world’s natural resources and produces over 40 percent of the solid waste stream. How building projects are designed, constructed, and operated in today’s environmentally conscientious world, with its limited resources, is becoming more and more important. The emerging field of “green building” technologies and sustainable design is based upon the need to reduce human impacts on the environment.
Positive Environmental Impacts
- Changes to the local natural environment are minimized.
- Materials installed have less of an impact on the environment.
- Less reliance on fossil fuels.
- Energy and water resources are more efficiently consumed.
- Healthier and ergonomic indoor environments are created.
- Less waste is generated and more materials are recycled.
- Environmentally friendly procedures in the operations and maintenance of buildings are established.
“Green Buildings” Can:
- Reduce energy costs.
- Improve the health and attitude of the building occupants.
- Reduce consumption of resources.
- Reduce maintenance and operation costs. o Increase flexibility and functionality of space.
- Increase productivity and efficiency of the occupants.
We Make It Easy To Be Green…
Through the use of LEED and NYSERDA programs our design team and consultants are leaders in assessing the potential of your project to benefit from green building design and technology. Through detailed payback analysis and life-cycle costing of building products and mechanical equipment, we can evaluate and inform owners of opportunities available to them. Keeping owners aware of emerging technology and how it may benefit both operation and maintenance costs and improve the health and attitude of the inhabitants is something we pride ourselves on.
Knowing each project is unique in program, site selection and budget, we have the ability to recommend green building features that will be cost-effective to owners. Some projects may utilize only the minimum “common sense” approach, while others may choose to pursue green building technology to the greatest extent practicable. In either case, we can work with owners to supply them with the necessary information to make an educated decision when investing in sustainable building practices on any level.
Detailed analysis and LEED’s certification can require a considerable effort by the design team and the owner. If desired, our team can evaluate the potential of each project and the effort that will be required to meet sustainability goals and certification requirements.
Seven LEED Professionals on Staff Including…
Michael R. Phinney
RA AIA NCARB LEED AP
Principal Architect
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Steven J. Dodds
RA AIA NCARB LEED AP
Senior Architect
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Brennan D. Drake
RA AIA NCARB LEED Green Assoc.Architect / Senior Associate
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7 LEED Certified Projects:
- First LEED certified project in the Adirondack Park – the Bio Building at the Natural History Museum, Tupper Lake, NY
- First certified LEED Platinum home, Saratoga Springs, NY
- Certified LEED Silver Private Residence, Saratoga Lake, NY
- First LEED certified project in NY State – The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Building, Albany, NY*
- Rockland County Community College, LEED certified technology building, Suffern, NY**
- GE Power & Water, LEED certified Renewable Energy Global Headquarters, Schenectady, NY**
- Virginia Tech, Davidson Hall, LEED silver certified building, Blacksburg, VA**
*While under employment at Woodward, Connor, Gillies, and Seleman Architects, Albany, NY
**While under employment at EYP Architecture and Engineering, Albany, NY