Page 172 - Green Building Through Integrated Design

148 INTEGRATED PROJECT MANAGEMENT—COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF GREEN BUILDINGS

LEED Rating System and EVA

The LEED rating system provides teams with a wonderful framework of green build-
ing focal points. Each credit’s performance standards lead to Triple Bottom Line
results. This chapter uses the LEED-NC rating system and examines several credits to
analyze how this process applies to actual project decision making. The chapter in par-
ticular analyzes the following LEED credits:

■ Sustainable Sites
■ Credit 6: Stormwater Design
■ Credit 7.2: Heat Island Effect; Roof
■ Water Efficiency
■ Credit 1: Water Efficient Landscaping
■ Credit 3: Water Use Reduction
■ Energy & Atmosphere
■ Credit 1: Optimize Energy Performance
■ Credit 2: Onsite Renewable Energy
■ Indoor Environmental Quality
■ Credit 3.1: Construction IAQ Management
■ Credit 8.2: Daylight & Views; Daylighting

When evaluating credits for possible inclusion on a project, the team should con-
sider the following impacts:

■ COST IMPACTS
■ Soft Costs (Will additional design, engineering, or consulting be needed?)
■ Hard Cost (Will additional construction-related elements or services be needed?)
■ TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE IMPACTS—EVA log
■ Planet/Environmental (Which elements does this credit support?)
■ Profit/Economics (Which elements does this credit support?)
■ People/Social (Which elements does this credit support?)

Let’s start now with the analysis and see how this method helps generate alterna-
tives and assist with decision making. We’ll also look at the cumulative cash flows of
each alternative, considering both costs and benefits.
This approach is not unique to this book. For example, Dan Heinfeld of LPA, says:*

We created a proprietary software program that we use for all of our projects and it
has become an essential tool in the sustainable charrettes that we conduct. It follows
the LEED format. The software creates a living document that assigns responsibilities,
costs, points taken, points not taken, and further study elements using an online
process. The document gets revised and updated at all stages of the project and in

*Interview with Dan Heinfeld, LPA, Inc., March 2008.