by Pam Worner, ABC Green Council Chair
To those of you familiar with
Rafn Company’s long history of leadership in ABC and in the industry, it should come as no surprise to learn that the firm is a leader in green building as well. Under the direction of the company’s Director of Sustainable Building Practices
Ann Schuessler, Rafn has won accolades for its many LEED™-certified projects.
At the ABC Green Roundtable on Sept. 4,
Debbie Page and
Justin Anderson shared the inside scoop on two LEED™ projects they’ve recently headed for Rafn: Broadway Crossing (mixed-use affordable housing) and the Terry Avenue office building on South Lake Union. Although both projects were very successful, Debbie and Justin identified several ways meeting LEED™ requirements impacted project costs and schedules.
Product Sourcing Finding products that meet LEED™ requirements for VOC content, formaldehyde content, or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification can still be challenging, especially when it comes to balancing those requirements with specific performance needs.
Product Delivery As demand grows for these products, demand may outpace supply, resulting in back orders and long lead times. Shipping can also become more complicated if, for example, the only product that meets your specifications comes from overseas.
Data Collection As Debbie and Justin demonstrated, every LEED™ project culminates in a huge binder of receipts, photos, MSDS sheets, and other detailed documentation. They learned quickly that collecting that data was a major undertaking in itself. They developed new subcontractor forms and encouraged the foreman, carpenters and other Rafn personnel to take a digital camera with them each time they walked the job to get the pictures they needed.
Rafn’s solution to all these issues is to plan ahead and not panic. Debbie and Justin both concur that, while your first LEED™ project can feel overwhelming, by your second one, you’ll feel like a pro!
In addition to chairing the ABC Green Council, Pam is ‘Top Dog’ of Green Dog Enterprises, a green building consulting firm specializing in third-party verification and marketing of residential projects.