LEEDing Houston
Houston LEEDing the way to green construction
Houston is joining the trend, which has roots on the East and West coasts, of green building.
Six Houston buildings are in the registration process for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, offered by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED is a standard rating system for high-performance and sustainable buildings.
"This is really driving the market. It allows companies to get all of the benefits of building competitively without all of the hard costs, and they're able to save money over time," says Rebecca Bryant, a LEED-certified professional who is sustainability coordinator for Houston-based Ray Bailey Architects Inc.
Just utilizing a light-colored roof can help reduce the Urban Heat Island Effect, which can make cities 2 to 10 degrees hotter than surrounding areas, she says.
Among the buildings seeking LEED certification are The University of Texas Health Science Center's School of Nursing and Student Community Center and two buildings recently designed by Kirksey for SpawGlass Construction Corp.'s corporate headquarters, which opened in January, and an office building.
SpawGlass officers had seen LEED construction in Austin and decided to adopt the standards for its own buildings, says John English, senior vice president.
The increased use of glass and resulting natural lighting already have increased productivity, according to English.
"People have said they feel better here," he says.
In another "green" touch, materials from the construction site were recycled, something English says takes minimal effort, but has a lasting result on the environment.
SpawGlass is seeking Silver certification for its buildings. English says the certification is expected to be completed by April and could make the new constructions the first LEED-certified buildings in Houston.
The UT Health Science Center's nursing building and student center is seeking Gold, or possible Platinum, certification. It will be the Texas Medical Center's first green building.
The $64 million facility will open in February 2004 and will include such features as an "eco-roof" of plants to hold water and insulate the building and cylinders to catch and recycle rainwater and run-off from air-conditioning units.
"We started using LEED when it was not really popular," says Brian Yeoman assistant vice president for facilities planning and development at UT. "To combat many naysayers, we decided to keep things readily available for everyone to read."
UT developed a Web site to display its sustainability reports as well as information for its development courses called "Natural Step," that educate on having sustainability in life as well as in the environment.
Kirksey, the architect for SpawGlass and for the American Heart Association headquarters building, which is also registered for Silver certification, has created an initiative called "Basic Green," that can be applied to every project.
Brian Malarkey, AIA, LEED, is leader of Kirksey's Green Initiatives program and handles much of the LEED consulting for the firm.
"There is a base level of green that can go into many projects, many of them that are at no cost to clients," he says. "We try to identify the free ones such as using paint, carpeting, adhesives and sealant that are better for the environment and can be used at no extra cost."
LEED is most prevalent in commercial and retail buildings as well as government buildings such as police and fire stations and schools.
Corporations represent 35 percent of those using LEED standards, but closely behind is local government at 26 percent, with state and federal governments at 12 percent and 10 percent, respectively, according to Bryant.
"Even though corporations show a larger percentage, the various levels of government, taken together, add up to more," she says.
Dallas City Council recently passed an ordinance requiring that LEED standards be adopted for construction of all municipal buildings, and Bailey has been working with the city of Houston's Building Services Department to formulate its own LEED regulations.
The department has approximately $538 million in capital improvement plan projects — 80 percent to 85 percent being renovations — so it makes sense to use LEED as a guideline, says Raymond Morin, deputy director of the design and construction division.
"Even going for the Silver certification is not farfetched," he says. "The next step is to educate the council on the extent of the savings so they feel comfortable to vote for this."
Since registration and other costs are involved in seeking LEED certification, it is not for everyone.
However, several Houston architects say they may incorporate many LEED standards into their design, regardless of whether the building will apply for certification.
"We have been incorporating green into our designs for years, but it has been a challenge to get clients to buy into it," says Kathleen English, AIA, LEED, managing principal of Pearson English Architectural Design. "On a budget of $50,000, the costs could be 10 percent of the budget."
Pearson English has a plan to have every member of its 16-member firm to have LEED accreditation.
Currently, LEED standards are available for new construction and major renovations, but there are pilot programs being developed for existing building operations and commercial interiors projects.
Kirksey has registered its corporate headquarters for LEED Existing Building certification.
"Especially in Houston, there are a whole collection of existing buildings to address," Malarkey says. "We may not be able to replace all of the glass or the HVAC unit, but the occupant could start a recycling and waste management program or retrofit its electricity."
Because being LEED-certified is now being used as a marketing tool, many companies are boasting that their products carry the certification. But certification is limited to only buildings and individuals, Bryant says.
"A person selling the product can be LEED accredited," she says, "but their product cannot be."
