Page 040 - Green building requires a new way of thinking and approaching
Source section: Section 3 - Sustainable Thinking at Work - New Processes for Building Green PDF page: 40 Guide page: 33 OCR quality: high (380 words)
OCR Text
Green building requires a new way of thinking and approaching
the design, construction, operation, and renovation of buildings
and communities. Basic elements of this approach were presented
in Section 2. The concepts of green building are valid for many
types of buildings at all stages of development and questions will
likely arise as you begin to apply them. How do teams organize as
part of an integrative process? How does systems thinking change
the way sites are developed? How does life-cycle assessment
affect materials selection? In short, how does this new approach
work in real life?
This chapter focuses on the processes surrounding green building—how these concepts can change the
way you do things—and describes successful approaches to green building, with case examples of actual
projects. The strategies and technologies of green building—what is done—will be discussed in Section 4.
GETTING STARTED
SEVERAL PRINCIPLES FORM THE FOUNDATION FOR
SUCCESSFUL PRACTICE:
PROCESS MATTERS. How you approach projects is crucial to what you do and are able to accomplish.
In other words, a good process is essential to good outcomes.
GET IN EARLY. The commitment to green building should be made as early as possible so that it can assist
in framing effective goals. Trying to add green features to a project late in the process is the most expensive
and least effective approach. For community or neighborhood projects, the commitment should be made
at the beginning of the land-use planning phase so that it can inform land-use decisions and zoning, design
of transportation systems, and layout of infrastructure. For new construction, early means before the site is
selected and before the team is selected, if possible. For operations and maintenance projects, commitments
need to be established before any action toward change is taken.
FOLLOW THROUGH. The commitment to green needs to continue throughout the life of the project.
The green building process does not end when the project team hands the site over to the owner, facility
manager, or tenant. Follow-through is needed at all stages to ensure that the strategies and technologies
are maintained or adapted as necessary to remain effective. Additionally, ongoing training ensures
knowledgeable operation and maintenance of these strategies and technologies, as well as an opportunity
to provide feedback on the challenges faced and lessons learned. » z 2 & ) Ww un 33