LEED-ING LOCALLY AT TK1SC
An evening at tk1sc recently was crafted for us to SEE, touch and sense how LEED certification is playing out in a local office of MEP engineers. Roger, Ray, Ron, Eileen and Peter (whew!) hosted the AIAOC event to fill us on in on their first hand experience of LEED for Commercial Interiors. Offering us the unique perspective of acting as both the engineer AND the client.
Ray leading the tour (in great shoes). And those straight/rotating spot light are simply, awesome.
Business As Usual points VS. Stretch points
I thought this was a great way to put it. We've been fortunate to play a part in many LEED certified projects over the last few years at all levels. Add in the fact that working in the state of California by default ups any project's sustainability quotient and you start to have pretty sustainable Business As Usual criteria.
Know the Real Costs
One of the classic questions raised when talking whether or not to go for LEED certification on a project is, how much more will it cost the project? Well, when you are doing Business As Usual you could say not much. To take it one step further Roger stressed knowing to the best of your ability the Real Costs of those stretch points. Like any rating system, it can also turn into a game of points. And sometimes those for those points are going to cost more. Realistically, but a bit dry in subject is also the need to account for general administration fees and the hours per credit that you incur. All $ to account for.
How about some LEED CI takeaways...
- space out the 2x4 light fixtures. 30 footcandles is working pretty well for them with a little supplemental task lighting as desired.
- commissioning is a given, and even some HVAC commissioning done prior to construction helps.
- the building and its owner play a role
- a 1st generation space is a great advantage for some points where just the fact of doing something new is business as usual. But there are many points not applicable due to the lack of re-use opportunities.