December 16, 2009

Construct Canada 2009

LEED standards just a beginning, industry experts say

PATRICIA WILLIAMS

staff writer

While designing buildings to achieve LEED certification is becoming increasingly common, the construction industry is still in “the infancy stages” of implementing truly sustainable building practices, says Vanbots estimating director Compton Cho.

“LEED is probably short-term thinking,” Cho told a contractors’ roundtable on green building at Construct Canada. “We should be thinking in terms of the long-term aspects of how we build as an industry.”

Cho, his company’s in-house champion of sustainability, was one of four contractors who participated in the interactive session. All had first-hand experience working on LEED projects.

Murray MacKinnon, vice-president of sustainability at Ledcor Construction Ltd, and a LEED-accredited professional, said the rating system is in many ways comparable to a ruler.

“Is it hidebound in some areas? Absolutely. Is it easy to apply? Not so much. But they keep raising the bar. The program is constantly being pushed forward and I think that is positive.”

LEED recognizes performance in five key areas: sustainable site development, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials and indoor environmental quality.

Cameron Blair, manager of sustainable building services in eastern Canada at EllisDon, said his firm has seen “a doubling” over the past year in the number of its projects which either involve LEED certification or have sustainable features.

EllisDon is “constantly” encouraging staff to become LEED accredited, he said.

The company has also launched a consulting service to aid small and medium-sized contractors implement LEED.

Klaus Gloge, district building systems manager at PCL Constructors Canada Inc., which has 300 LEED professionals on staff across North America, said PCL has noticed a “kick-up” in levels of certification sought by owners.

PATRICIA WILLIAMS

Compton Cho of Vanbots, Klaus Gloge of PCL and Cameron Blair of EllisDon discussed sustainable building at Construct Canada.

“In five years, we’ve virtually gone from zero,” he said. “Silver and Gold now seem to be where it is at.

“We’re seeing people going right from Silver to Gold. But we’ve also seen some back-off in people going for Platinum.”

When it comes to retaining an architect to design a LEED building, MacKinnon said simply “hiring your favorite architect” isn’t necessarily a good idea.

“You need someone who knows how to do this stuff,” he said.

Blair agreed.

“There are design professionals who are on top of the (green building) game,” he said. “There are people who get it and people who don’t.”

Blair also recommended that LEED consultants be brought on board in the early stages of designing a building.

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