113 LEED projects and counting for Green Building Services

A few weeks ago, after reading that Portland sustainable design office Green Building Services had achieved its 100th LEED-rated project, I wound up chatting about the milestone at the firm's downtown Portland offices with principal Ralph DiNola, CEO Jay Coalson, and marketing manager Andrew Scott. When I got there, they told me the LEED project count is actually up to 113 by now...and counting. If you look at a list of LEED rated projects in Portland, their name is on almost every one.

GBS started in 2000 as an offshoot of Portland General Electric, but became a separate entity in 2005. In that time, they have consulted architects, building owners and engineers on a wide array of sustainability issues. Green Building Services' first two projects were also landmarks for LEED in Portland: Viridian Place and the Ecotrust building, the latter of which was the first LEED-rated historic renovation. Another project, Providence Newberg hospital, was the first LEED gold-rated medical center. "Those project really set the stage for our expansion and growth," DiNola said. At the same time, he adds, "We don't think so much of ourselves as to only work on leading-edge projects. I still love seeing that light go on," when new sustainability converts come on board.

Besides projects in Oregon, GBS has worked around the country, from academic buildings at Florida Atlantic University and a green bank in Texas to analysis on expansions to the San Francisco airport. DiNola also has a longtime relationship with the US Green Building Council itself (which administers LEED). He's on the team that writes LEED user manuals, and also interprets credit requests.

In addition to consulting and other services, GBS also offers training, which is something DiNola says is key for architects during a downturned economy. "Everyone is waiting for something to happen," he explains. "Training is all the more important now. It gets you prepared for what's next."

Speaking of the recession, DiNola notes a shift in green buildings: more clients are looking at existing buildings to renovate green instead of starting from the ground up. "New office buildings that didn't happen because of the economy, those owners are upgrading green instead," DiNola said.

With increasing green renovations, though, there is more chance for friction between the strictures of building sustainably and historic preservation. DiNola originally studied historic preservation as an undergraduate (before getting his master's degree in architecture), and believes more old buildings ought to be allowed to transform without such rigid historic strictures.

DiNola suggested the National Trust for Historic Preservation National Park Service consider a multi-level system in which certain historically significant buildings are designated worth preserving as close to the original look as possible, but others have more leeway to, say for example, enlarge windows to allow in more daylight. "It's black and white the way the National Trust does it today," DiNola added. "We ought to be able to say, 'This building is maybe less architecturally significant, so we can do more to it.'" Europe is much more open about enriching old buildings, for example.

He also cited green programs like the Living Building Challenge. "You're more apt to be successful with new than old projects," DiNola said. "But that embodied energy (of a renovation project) is just sitting there."

Green Building Services isn't the only office of this kind providing consulting, analysis and training for sustainable buildings. Brightworks would probably be classified as a competitor, and that firm has done much for green building in Oregon too. But GBS and DiNola, who was one of the first sustainability experts I interviewed over a decade ago, deserve some kudos for their role in Portland's green revolution.

Comments

[Henry]

It is yet another great value added to have Ralph DiNola and GBS in our community! The Green Building Council and LEED certification has come a long way from the 1970's "Appropriate Technology" mantra. The point that Mr. DiNola makes about "embodied energy" in historic buildings is a correct point but a little out of context for the issue at hand. I have a poster from the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) dated 1980 that speaks to this point. The image is of a construction worker kneeling next to a TNT plunger ready to blow up a high style Queen Anne. The comment is that "Replacing this building would require the consumption of NEW energy equal to 64,334 gallons of gasoline". This is when gas was less than $1.00 a gallon! The embodied energy in old/historic buildings is only dormant and not lost but added to the value of rehabilitation in a green manner. The new LEED standards should be addressing this information and point of view. Two additional brief points, the performance of LEED certified buildings are based on projected energy saving calculations and not monitored building performance after the fact. I believe that the local chapter of the AIA is working on this concern. A nicely written article about this fact can be read by Henry Gifford: “LEED sets the standard for green buildings, but do green buildings actually save any energy?” http://www.energysavingscience.com/

Finally, the NTHP does not set national historic building preservation standards or even consult ob this subject. That is the role of the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. The are the keepers of the Standards and Guidelines for Historic Preservation projects. The NPS is also charged with review and compliance for the federal investment tax credit (ITC) program as is the state SHPO in many if not all cases. There is considerable flexibility in the "Standards" if one knows how to interpret them. A building can be listed on the National Register under at least one of 4 criteria and one of them is architecture which means that a building must have integrity of design, place, setting, workmanship, materials and context to names a few. Paul Falsetto with Calton/Hart will be teaching a class in Historic Preservation and Energy at the UO White Stag Building this spring. Check the UO listing for place and time.

[Ralph DiNola]

Henry,

Thanks for the comments. Brian and I talked about a lot of things in our discussion and I did not get to review the story prior to posting. You are correct, the National Park Service is the organization that maintains, promotes and uses the Standards and Guidelines when reviewing projects seeking tax credits or if there are actions that effect properties on or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. I worked for the National Park Service for five years and worked on numerous project which utilized the Standards and Guidelines in the Section 106 review process.

I would also point out that there is currently a lot of lively debate about the relative value of accounting for "embodied energy" of existing buildings versus "avoided effects" or "avoided impacts" resulting from building reuse. These are exciting times for the historic preservation community with renewed interest in building reuse. Stay tuned. And thanks again!