A model for balancing sustainability vs. security

Doors and Hardware, Oct, 2007 by Rita Oberle, T. Pohlman, Kathy Roper

With this information in hand, the project team can work together more effectively throughout a project's life cycle, using a "whole building" approach, to develop successful, efficient solutions for a high performance and secure building. Note that this approach does not consider the potential synergies and conflicts with other building design objectives. Refer to other sections of the WBDG for discussions of the following: Aesthetics, Accessible, Cost-Effective, Functional, Historic Preservation, and Productive. Standards other than those of the DoD are also not considered explicitly herein. However, the reader may use the basic premises as many may apply to non-DoD applications.

It is important to understand that while security is required, the specific level of required security varies from project to project. In order to facilitate the appropriate level of protection and countermeasures to meet the security challenges, a comprehensive threat assessment, vulnerability assessment, and risk analysis should be conducted to identify the appropriate level of security for the building. This will help ensure that project funds are directed at real needs in a focused manner, thus allowing other project aspects such as architectural expression and other amenities to be developed.

In the same vein, some LEED credits are not applicable or feasible for some projects. As such, a sustainable design/LEED charrette or workshop should be conducted during the planning and/or concept design phase. The workshop entails a credit by credit discussion of all the LEED credits. At the same time, goals and initial strategies for each applicable credit are developed. Conclusions and recommendations from the threat and vulnerability assessments and risk analysis should be taken into consideration during the charrette so potential conflicting or synergistic approaches can be identified and addressed early.

The Model

Whole buildings design not only looks at how materials, systems and products of within a building connect and overlap, but also looks at how the building and its systems can be integrated with supporting systems on its site and within its community. A successful whole buildings design is a solution that is greater than the sum of its parts. The fundamental challenge of whole buildings design is to understand that all building systems are interdependent.

The following gives some examples of interdependencies (excerpts from the Whole Building Design Guide). The choice of a mechanical system, might, for example, impact the quality of the air in the building, the ease of maintenance, Global Climate Change, operating costs, fuel choice, and whether the windows of a building are operable. In turn, the size of the mechanical system will depend on factors such as the type of lighting used, how much natural daylight is brought in, how the space is organized, the facility's operating hours, and the local microclimate.

Other interdependencies highlighted in the Whole Building Design Guide consider that it can be difficult to produce a truly integrated design when highly specialized disciplines prepare separate pieces of the design. Current design practice fosters an environment where designers focus on specific areas of expertise, rather than the whole building. There is a tremendous volume of project documentation needed to support claimed LEED[TM] points, and it is difficult to keep up with the many products and materials available in the burgeoning "green" market.