Randall Manufacturing — an Elmhurst, Illinois, building solutions company — recently launched a series of interviews with commercial building experts discussing the “green” building trends that can be expected over the next several years. The interview series is based on the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program launched by the US Green Building Council.
The series, entitled LEEDing Questions, is available for free on the company’s website.
Interviewed were representatives of three leading design-build firms: AM King Construction, based in Charlotte, North Carolina; ESI Group USA, based in Hartland, Wisconsin; and Hansen-Rice, of Nampa, Idaho.
Environmentally-Friendly Building Methods
Christopher Jocham, VP/Sales & Marketing for Hansen-Rice, said the biggest trend he has seen is an increase in awareness in LEED building methods among his company’s clients. This may be caused by an increased overall concern about environmental issues among the public at large, he said.
“It is certainly becoming a hot topic, especially with higher profile companies,” Jocham said in an interview. “Clients that produce products that are marketed toward environmentally aware customers are more likely to inquire about LEED. For example, if a company produces organic or natural products, they are more likely to research and invest in the certification process.”
Bob West, business development manager or AM King, agreed that there is a trend toward heightened awareness of the environmental impact of new construction projects.
“What we are seeing in the marketplace today in new construction as well as renovations are LED lighting with very sophisticated control systems, day light harvesting systems, variable frequency drive motors as well as solar hot water heaters,” King said in his interview. He added that his firm spends time educating both its employees and its vendors on the benefit of LEED.
Use of Alternative Building Materials
At ESI Group USA, regional vice president Timothy Nguyen said he has noticed a move toward recycled and green building materials.
“In the past, a project team would take a conventional design and then look for areas to use alternative materials or improve efficiency,” Nguyen said in his interview. “Today, architects, engineers and contractors are able to select or specify the green materials or equipment during the conceptual phase of the project. There has been a paradigm shift and the baseline, conventional building is ‘greener'”.
Another trend is building structures that utilize their space for maximum environmental benefit, he said.
“A facility that is 90% utilized is greener than one that is 40% utilized,” Nguyen said. “Our customer are realizing this and investing more in industrial engineering and space planning”.