Construction Association Releases Green Building Pocket Guide

Dan Bulley, senior vice-president of the MCA of Greater Chicago and executive director of the Green Construction Institute, comments on the merits of LEED

To help member contractors to understand the LEED rating system, Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA) of Greater Chicago has released a booklet entitled, Thinking About Building LEED? Copies of the booklet have been printed on recycled paper, but member contractors can also receive the booklet in a paper-free electronic format.

“LEED has proven itself as the premiere–if not the only–legitimate rating system for commercial green buildings,” said Dan Bulley, senior vice-president of the MCA of Greater Chicago and executive director of the Green Construction Institute. “Even so, some owners and even designers don’t feel that LEED certification is necessary. While that decision is up to the project owner, the decision-makers involved should consider the merits of LEED certified buildings.”

According to Bulley, these merits include:

·         An increase in the value of the building, both for sale and lease

·         Major savings through the conservation of energy, water, and materials

·         A healthier, more comfortable environment for tenants and employees, which increases occupancy rates and lowers absenteeism and sick days

·         Substantially reduced impact on the environment

·         Tax rebates, expedited plan review, fee waivers, and zoning allowances (availability subject to the building’s location)

“It would be possible for you to create a green building without LEED certification,” Bulley said, “but you would have no criteria for gauging the building’s effectiveness. It would be like buying an automobile without a mileage rating, or food without a list of ingredients.”

Once the decision has been made to build a LEED building, Bulley said, it is important for the owner and other decision-makers to take the time to research their options, because the different levels of LEED certification greatly affect the cost and time involved in a project.

Bulley stressed that research is an owner’s best friend when it comes to a LEED project. “If you know what you want from the start,” he said, “you can expect savings in operating costs, while increasing the value of the property. The actual value of your building would be much greater than that of a comparable non-LEED building.”