TABLE OF CONTENTS The trick to getting started is to meet, then meet again, and then meet again. Integrated building design is the cornerstone for creating sustainable projects. If the systems and components that make up the facility are only looked at independently, then the result usually will not be optimal for performance, sustainability, and cost. It is important that all aspects of the project be viewed as interrelated.
Initial meetings with all the project team members who have already been identified are crucial to the success of the project. At these initial meetings, basic project scopes and requirements are reviewed. With respect to the incorporation of green concepts in the project, it is beneficial to start reviewing the prerequisites and credit opportunities of the LEED rating system. Project members should be asked to start identifying the necessary steps and design features needed to meet all the prerequisites. They should also be asked to review the list of possible credits and start identifying credits that may or may not be feasible to incorporate into the design while maintaining the project scope and objectives.
Many large projects hold early formal meetings commonly referred to as charrettes. Invited participants are the owner, stakeholders, identified project team member representatives, and other potential participants in the design and construction community, in addition to public and regulatory participation as appropriate. Charrettes are intensely focused, collaborative efforts. They can help create momentum to meet project goals in...
