Page 263 - Green Building Through Integrated Design

OCCUPANCY AND OPERATIONS 239

standards expected. Shawmut was fantastic at holding all of the subcontractors up to the
standards that were set out in the design documents and specifications. Shawmut’s care-
ful attention to product sourcing and performance standards as well as their construc-
tion standards and methods were critical. Had they not paid such careful attention to the
environmental aspects of the project, we would not have made it to Platinum. That con-
firms lessons we’ve learned on other projects: when you have an attentive, dedicated
construction manager, achieving a high-performance building is much easier. If you’ve
got an inattentive or dismissive construction manager, it’s a nightmare.

Occupancy and Operations

Too often overlooked in the daunting task of getting a project built is how it will be
operated over its lifetime. Recent USGBC studies demonstrate that LEED-certified
buildings are in fact getting about 30 percent average energy savings as predicted by
computer models. However, the studies also found a wide variation in individual
outcomes, suggesting that individual buildings operations are critical in achieving
desired results.* Here are a few key questions you need to ask that will optimize the
environmental benefits of building operations in the future.

1 Will end-users be fully oriented to the systems when they take over the building,
and are there provisions for an operating manual and/or interpretive information to
help future users learn about the building design?
2 Is there a contract in place for near-warranty-end review of the commissioning of
all key mechanical and electrical systems, along with water-using systems?
3 Have we committed to a periodic survey of occupant satisfaction with thermal
comfort during the first 6 to 18 months of occupancy, especially one called for in
the LEED rating system, and are we committed to making adjustments as needed
to increase satisfaction levels?
4 How will maintenance staff be notified and instructed in future years to check
calibrations on all HVAC, carbon dioxide and lighting sensors?
5 Can the energy performance and the lighting systems be monitored from the
engineer’s office for ease in troubleshooting the systems?
6 Have we begun collecting energy and water use data from the measurement and
verification system, for comparison with projected (modeled) energy and water use?
7 Have we incorporated educational objectives into the project through signage,
public relations, brochures, tours, seminars, and other means?
8 Is there a commitment and a budget to begin the process of LEED-EB certification
within the next 2 years, to see how our long-term operations are affecting energy
use and environmental quality metrics?
9 Can we begin collecting data now that will assist in future LEED-EB certification,
such as commuting patterns and recycling rates?

*New Buildings Institute, study for the USGBC, 2008, www.usgbc.org/docs/NBI%20and%20Group%20Release%
20040108.pef, accessed April 1, 2008.