Step-by-step, Navy going to green design

Building Operating Management, Nov 1998 by Douglas, Kristin Ralff

NEW POLICIES BASED ON YEARS OF BROAD-BASED EFFORT

At the U.S. Green Building Council's first annual membership summit in August, Terrel M. Emmons, FAIA, associate director for engineering, Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), moderated a session on green buildings from the owner's perspective. Terry, a primary driver behind NAVFAC's new sustainable design policies, opened the session by stating, "Owners need to demand green facilities."

In June, NAVFAC implemented a series of new policies to incorporate sustainable design principles and concepts into all projects, consistent with budget constraints and customer requirements. NAVFAC's experience and activities offer a lot of ideas on how to implement a green facilities program.

First, NAVFAC has been conducting sustainability workshops at its Engineering Field Divisions and training personnel in the basics of sustainable design since 1995. These workshops generated hundreds of ideas and a grassroots sustainable design culture that contributed to the formation of sustainable policies.

Second, the organization's pilot project program, initiated in 1995, demonstrated that sustainable features can be implemented without necessarily increasing first costs.

Third, NAVFAC adopted an integrated design process that states that "an integrated design approach, where the evaluation of any building element, material or system is not viewed solely on the basis of its own isolated merit and cost, but is designed and then appraised as an integrated part of the entire building, facility or infrastructure system" is critical.

In addition, NAVFAC is committed to hiring architectural and engineering teams that have experience in applying sustainable principles on an integrated design basis.

Finally, the Navy plans to adopt industry-recognized standards, codes, criteria and other guidance in support of sustainable design rather than establishing its own. The Navy is participating in USGBC's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating system Pilot Program, which was launched this summer.

-Kristin Rallf Douglas is managing director of the U.S. Green Building Council.