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We are committed to sustainable design strategies. Both
Principals as well as five staff members are LEED accredited
professionals. As charity begins in the home, so does our commitment
to sustainable design. We used green systems in
our own office including cork floors, recycled content gypsum board,
re-use of existing mechanical system, and extensive day lighting. We
are currently working on a plan to reduce/offset our carbon footprint
by lowering electricity/resources use and implementing a tree
planting program.
To help our clients, we have developed a green matrix that
allows our firm and our clients to commit to sustainable solutions at varying
degrees. These include a level of green building options that have a minimal
impact to the final construction cost, to more extensive green building
solutions that will have a major impact on energy and water savings but may
also have a significant cost implication. An example of a green building
practice that has minimal impact on construction cost is directing the
contractor to sort demolished material and dispose of it in a way that takes
advantage of recycling programs. This often saves money. At the other end of
the scale might be the design and construction of geothermal heating and
cooling systems that might be expensive, but will eliminate all need for
oil, gas or electricity for heating and cooling a home, and will pay for
themselves in lower utility bills in a matter of years.
We are committed to continuing to grow and learn about sustainable
design. |
