Page 165 - Green Building Through Integrated Design

INTEGRATED DESIGN CAN REDUCE COSTS 141

cautious and to be able to pull an element out of the project if necessary, to help
adjust the cost. But it is, from time to time, an agonizing kind of decision to make.
Similarly, I’m sure on the architectural side, when asked to value engineer, the archi-
tects is continually agonizing over the extent to which making a particular substitu-
tion or doing something differently compromises the architectural vision to the point
that it’s no longer valid. We’re both agonizing in our own ways about how much we
have to compromise what we think the project needs in order to meet the budget. Of
course, it’s really tough because every project that I’m working on right now is over
budget, because construction prices are rising at a fairly rapid rate. I believe that a
lot of building owners are not really realistic about the extent to which this escala-
tion is going on and they have, as people say, eyes that are bigger than their wallets.

With the necessity to cut initial costs to remain within budgets, the conclusion is
that key design decisions are often made without considering long-term operating
costs. Most developers, building owners, and designers find that a better process for
creating green buildings involves an integrated design effort in which all key players
work together from the beginning. Developers and owners have discovered cost sav-
ings in building design and construction through the use of integrated design
approaches as well as other “nontraditional” measures, which might include bringing
in the general contractor and key subcontractors earlier in the process to help with
pricing alternative approaches to achieve required comfort levels in a building.
Integrated design has one other major benefit. It makes it nearly impossible to “value
engineer” too much out of the building. For example, adding south-facing external
shading devices adds cost. When asked to remove these from the design, the engineer
might respond with a request for more HVAC capacity, and that might cost even more
than the reduction in shade cost. Hence, the shading will stay in the design.

PLATINUM PROJECT PROFILE
Child Development Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
Completed in August 2007, the Child Development Centre houses a child care
center, the Calgary Health Region offices, researchers, clinicians, and community
practitioners. The 125,000-square-feet, four-story building cost $23 million to
build. Designed by Kasian Architecture, the facility was designed to reduce
energy costs by over 70 percent and reduce water use by 55 percent. A wall-
mounted photovoltaic system is capable of producing 65,000 kilowatt-hours of
electricity per year. Additional sustainable, high-performance features include
heat recovery wheels, FSC-certified wood, renewable cork flooring, dual-flush
toilets, water-free urinals, radiant cooling panels, and operable windows.*

*Bradley Fehr, University of Calgary Child Development Centre Opens: LEED-Platinum-certified building sets
Canadian and world records, Journal of Commerce, November 12, 2007 [online], http://www.joconl.com/article/
id25047, accessed April 2008. Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd (October 22, 2007). “Kasian
designs LEED Platinum certified building.” Press release. Retrieved April 2008.