The Lincoln Business Journal | March 15, 2015
"LEED-certified buildings help to save money, reduce environmental impact"
Pat Birch, AIA, LEED AP BD+C
Schemmer Senior Architect Pat Birch, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, was recently quoted in The Lincoln Business Journal regarding the broad scope of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified building requirements, which cover “seven distinct categories,” and the benefits of sustainable design for the owner.
“It starts with sustainability of the site, and includes such things as water efficiency, energy use, natural light, and where materials are resourced,” said Birch.
She emphasized that utilizing sustainable design principles have invaluable advantages for the owner and building tenants alike. The biggest benefit for the owner being reduced energy consumption resulting in lower energy bills, which in turn add up to “huge savings over the life of a building.” Studies have shown that employees profit by having “fewer sick days,” and “children’s learning is improved” when natural light elements are kept in mind throughout the design phase.
The challenge, however, is that owners can overlook the benefits of sustainability when determining the initial construction budget by focusing on the “long-term operational cost.”
“Embarking on a LEED project is a collaborative effort between owner, architect and engineers, and during construction with the contractors,” Birch said. “This collaboration is central to gaining LEED certification – it’s not until the building is built and in operation that the certification level achieved is determined.”
Schemmer has achieved various LEED certifications, such as, LEED-Platinum Certification for OPPD Omaha Center, as well as “two senior living projects,” and “several for the Iowa National Guard.”
To read the article in its entirety, view page eight of The Lincoln Business Journal.
A list of Schemmer’s recent LEED-certified projects are:
- OPPD Service Center, Omaha, NE - LEED Platinum - Certified
- National Parks Service Visitors Center, Nebraska City, NE - LEED Silver - Certified
- Davis Monthan Air Force Base POL Operations Facility, Tucson, AZ - LEED Silver - Certified
- IANG Security Police Facility, Sioux City, IA - LEED Silver - Certified
- Iowa Veterans Home (Fox Pavilion and Ulery Nursing Home), Marshalltown, IA - LEED Gold - Certified and LEED Silver - Certified
