One Language for Sustainable Design of Buildings
LEED Creates Common Vocabulary for Architects and Engineers
Aug 28, 2009
An ancient and unresolved debate between architects and engineers has centered on soundness versus aesthetics in architecture. Architects complain engineers design ugly buildings. Engineers retort architects compromise building durability by paying scant attention to building science principles.
LEED unites both groups to achieve sustainable goals. It gives them a common language to speak and ensures they understand each other. The dispute over beauty versus utility is not dead, but at least both sides are collaborating on a shared objective.
Most sustainable building projects use an integrated design approach that begins with pre-design and runs through to commissioning of the completed building. Stakeholders in the integrated process include the design team (building owners, architects, engineers and consultants), members of the construction team, maintenance staff and building occupants.
Under the leadership of the Project Architect and LEED Accredited Professional, the design team reviews LEED prerequisites, or the minimum requirements for the building, together with LEED credits, i.e. categories where points can be earned to certify the edifice.
Trade offs must be made, balancing cost with concerns of a social, ecological and cultural nature. Sharing one language facilitates dialogue and expedites the design process.
Soundness in Sustainable Buildings
When architects and engineers discuss a green building project, their deliberations focus on how to most efficiently and effectively realize the client’s objectives in the context of LEED certification. There are six categories in LEED and acquiring points or credits can take several forms:
- Sustainable site design ensures that erosion and sedimentation of waterways and municipal infrastructure are controlled. Design features to achieve this LEED perquisite may include landscaping features like ponds and bioswales.
- Water efficiency measures include the selection of landscaping that reduces water demands, and reusing grey water from bathroom sinks or collecting runoff from rain water for irrigation purposes.
- Commissioning of the building verifies the various mechanical components are properly calibrated and functioning effectively to achieve environmental objectives.
- Selection of renewable and green power technologies like solar and geothermal energy diminish the negative impacts of buildings, by substituting energy sources that do not contribute to green house gas and carbon dioxide emissions.
- Interior air quality is designed to be healthful and comfortable for occupants. Harmful toxins are eliminated from interior surfaces and airflows carefully managed to ensure thermal comfort.
- The final category, innovation, takes any one of the above categories and demonstrates new or more artful ways to apply it.
LEED is a performance-based code, meaning that it is up to the design team to decide how to realize a credit's intent. By drawing on their experiences with past projects, architects and engineers can position the client to make wise choices. This collaboration also enhances the potential for design innovation.
Sustainable Design of Complex Buildings
The integrated design process is especially critical in complex buildings like hospitals. Programmatic demands for new hospitals are daunting. Mechanical systems designed by engineers must support the technology deployed in health care settings, meet program objectives and ensure thermal comfort for patients and staff.
Regardless of the building type, green building systems must perform optimally. Sharing the same language and goals for LEED certification makes allies of architects and engineers for the benefit of occupants and the environment.
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