By Pat Del Ponte
Discover the ideal balance of capital costs, sustainable design and delivery.
For many, when they think about a green design and construction project, they are only conscious of the environmental impact. But, building sustainably is about far more than just the environment. Building green should be comprehensive — where every decision is considered in relation to four critical components:
- Healthy, productive environments
- Budget-driven capital costs
- Sustainable design and delivery
- Value-added lifecycle cost savings
When every decision takes into consideration all of these elements, solutions are reached that can have tremendous impact. The challenge for building professionals is to carefully guide clients so that they plan, design and construct a facility which minimizes the impact on the environment and produces a healthy and effective space for congregants, staff and guests.
A comprehensive approach clarifies your social responsibility to the community and positively contributes to the bottom line of the church – both in lower first-cost and in savings throughout the life of the building. We call this all-inclusive approach to sustainability the “POWER of g.”
It’s the power to realize the benefits of sustainability — without sacrificing the budget. When that happens, pastors, staff, lay leaders, the congregation, and the community all appreciate the attributes of the building.
Gaining Harmony
There are many benefits that come from harmonizing these four critical components. One recent example involves significant energy savings through proper planning. When the design team began their due diligence and considered energy modeling options for the building’s HVAC system, one team 
member sensed that the prescribed chillers might be larger than necessary. Simulation energy models were run considering occupancy trends, the climate of the region and other building-specific variables.
The conclusion was that the initially suggested chillers would only be required in infrequent and unlikely conditions. The team also determined that the indoor temperature might fluctuate up or down a mere two degrees from the ideal temperature of 75 degrees if all of these extreme, but infrequent, conditions occurred concurrently.
When the decision makers heard that the smaller chiller would cost less, be even more efficient and reduce demand charges from the utility provider, they promptly concluded, “We’ll take that small, calculated risk.” In four years of operation, they have yet to press the capacity of even the smaller chiller.
Integration is important
An integrated approach is critical to maximize sustainable design and construction and ensure that church facilities operate effectively and efficiently. With this outlook, all stakeholders can look, with the greatest peripheral vision, for environmentally friendly solutions from the very beginning.
This approach emphasizes planning, communication, owner consensus building and brainstorming; involving the entire project team from the start; and encouraging the articulation of alternatives and new ideas throughout the project.
Utilizing an integrated approach, the facility not only received the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Platinum certification, but achieved 63 out of a possible 69 points under LEED-New Construction v2.2 — the highest LEED-NC Platinum rating in the United States.
Discover the ideal balance of capital costs, sustainable design and delivery, lifecycle cost savings and heal-thy, productive environments. By using this comprehensive approach, you’ll be certain to enjoy a project that delivers on your goals, makes a statement and leaves a legacy.
Pat Del Ponte is director of Planning Services for Hoffman LLC, a Wisconsin-based planning, design and construction firm. www.hoffman.net
