Professional Documents
Culture Documents
David Riley, Associate Professor, Department of Architectural Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, 104 Engineering Unit A, University Park,
Pennsylvania 16802, USA (driley@engr.psu.edu)
Kim Pexton, Sustainability Director, James G. Davis Construction Corporation, 7600 Colshire Drive, McLean, Virginia 22102, USA
(kpexton@davisconstruction.com)
Jennifer Drilling, Research Assistant, Pennsylvania State University, 104 Engineering Unit A, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
(jmd327@psu.edu)
Current perceptions
Through case studies of over 20 green building
projects and interviews with more than 40 indus-
try professionals in the US, the perceptions of
owners, design professionals and construction
organizations concerning the contractors role in
green building projects were assessed. The pur-
pose of the first phase of this investigation was to Toyota Motor Corporations US Financial and Customer Service Headquarters,
define factors that could increase or diminish the Torrance, California
engagement of construction organizations on
green building projects.
Several parallel and contributing factors were
identified:
Green building projects demand open lines of
communication between disciplines They typi-
cally involve more complex interdependencies
between building systems and project organiza-
tions than do traditional projects. Thus they are
thus best serviced by inclusive and integrated pro-
ject teams.
The LEED rating system has been rapidly
accepted, as the US construction industry was
starved for a set of metrics to assess the greenness
of a building. However, what began as an assess-
ment mechanism for the final product a green
building has resulted in significant process
implications for designers and builders. These
processes (how to best make green buildings) are
still largely undefined.
In the US the leading owners seeking green
Pentagon renovation project in Washington, D.C.
buildings are government agencies such as the
General Services Administration, the US Navy, ly broaden as the industry becomes more adept at While there is no shortage of differing views and
and many state and local governments. At the delivering green buildings. opinions, particularly between traditional design
same time, a large number of these agencies are The next phase of this research was to examine firms and progressive construction firms, trends
moving towards the use of design-build delivery green building case studies in detail to garner and consistencies are emerging that help shape a
systems in which construction organizations are impressions from owners, designers and con- more systematic movement towards achieving sus-
highly involved during project design. struction professionals on the key roles of con- tainable construction goals. Among these, one
Most owners and professionals hold the opin- struction organizations. Many differing opinions notable trend is recognition of the valuable contri-
ion that green buildings cost more than tradition- were revealed. Owners were found to have the butions of members of an integrated project team
al ones. While a longer-term view of sustainable broadest perspective with respect to how con- that includes construction organizations.
buildings makes initial premiums paid for higher struction firms can assist during both design and
performance facilities seem small in comparison construction; design professionals as a group had Value added by construction
to potential gains in energy efficiency and worker the narrowest perspective. organizations
productivity, we must face the reality that the The most significant ways in which construction As progressive construction organizations gain
industry will be slow to move away from a short- firms can contribute include the most obvious, experience with green building projects, they will
sighted first cost perspective. such as estimating and jobsite recycling. Neverthe- be better equipped to articulate specific services and
Progressive and forward-thinking construction less, case studies show clearly that construction competencies that could contribute to the success
firms are adopting lean principles proven in the firms, given the opportunity, have the potential to of these projects. Four key areas of contribution
manufacturing community to reduce waste and make useful contributions to all phases of green have begun to surface as the most vital: estimating,
inefficiencies in construction processes. Green building projects including the areas of material green building materials, waste minimization and
principles and lean principles are closely aligned selection, indoor air quality management, and the recycling, and indoor air quality management.
in their goals of maximizing total process efficien- vast need to educate specialty contractors about
cy and reducing waste. green building methodologies and processes. Not Estimating
Each of these factors implies that perceptions surprisingly, the broadest and most comprehensive The value of construction organizations in pro-
of the role of construction organizations will like- point of view came from design-build teams. viding estimating services on a green building pro-
ject is indisputable. This value is amplified when invaluable in this effort. cled content materials. This allows owners to see
accurate estimating in the early phases of design Contractors have increasing responsibility to no net cost increase for choosing recycled materi-
permits accurate cost information to be included become familiar with the environmental impacts als and, perhaps more importantly, helps drive the
in the preliminary selection of building systems of building materials. A baseline understanding emerging market for recycled building materials.
and materials. may be a good start for long-term benefits to pro- Through experience and alliances with waste
Case studies of green building projects clearly jects and to their own company, but a deeper haulers, many construction firms have become
show that implementing sustainable project understanding of environmentally sensitive prod- quite adept at recycling and the related jobsite psy-
requirements mid-stream will result in cost pre- ucts is needed. Additionally, contractors role of chology and infrastructure needed to fully imple-
miums for add-on sustainable features. Howev- ensuring proper handling, storage, installation, ment a waste minimization and jobsite recycling
er, if sustainable project features are made a finishing and cleaning, and training maintenance plan. Often these company based policies result
priority in a projects earliest stages, it is widely personnel on long-term care of materials, increas- in diversion rates of up to 80%, far in excess of a
held that these features will not have to add to the es their understanding of the characteristics of mandated recycling programme.
projects overall cost. High performance and sus- green materials.
tainable project features need to be selected based When presented with unfamiliar materials in Indoor air quality
on the owners budget and priorities and on accu- project specifications, the first reaction of con- Achieving a healthy building is a primary tenet of
rate cost information. With this in mind, the role struction organizations is suspicion of poten- green design and construction. Construction
of construction organizations in project estimat- tially higher costs, more complex or unfamiliar methods have direct implications for indoor air
ing is vital for green building projects during plan- jobsite handling and construction methods, and quality. Examples include protecting HVAC sys-
ning and preconstruction as it provides timely cost lower productivity. If they are given the opportu- tems from pollutants, building time into con-
information about design decisions. nity to investigate the true impact of a new mate- struction schedules to purge buildings of harmful
From a broader perspective, it is also the con- rial on a project, construction organizations can emissions, and sequencing work to minimize
tractors responsibility to understand the high more accurately determine whether the material exposure of materials to potential contamination,
integration of systems on a sustainable building is best suited to the project and provide realistic particularly wet materials that could lead to
project. As building systems become more inte- costing information, rather than prices inflated growth of mould and paints and finishes that con-
grated, incorporation of green elements can due to undefined potential risks. tain harmful volatile organic compounds.
require a redesign of other systems. For example, Detailed sole-source specifications place mate- As demonstrated by the Toyota case, Turner
more reflective paint can improve the efficiency of rial vendors in a position to charge whatever they Constructions efforts to manage indoor air qual-
an indirect lighting system and allow reductions wish, typically resulting in higher costs. Con- ity during construction proved highly valuable to
in the size of electrical and cooling systems. In struction organizations routinely solicit competi- the commissioning process. Toyotas Director of
many cases, however, these interdependencies are tive materials pricing from multiple vendors and Corporate Facilities, Sanford Smith, singled out
not fully exploited. Instead, redundancies in can often utilize collective purchasing to obtain commissioning as the most important element of
building designs are maintained. lower prices. One approach taken by more expe- delivering a facility. He stated that Construction
An emerging concept called total project cost- rienced owners (e.g. the US Department of is the building of a continuum, referring to the
ing advocates the practice of seeking cost savings Defense and the US Navy) to mitigate this prob- interwoven nature of construction and operations
in a projects less crucial areas to facilitate the high- lem is to adopt performance-based requirements and the value of a commissioning process that
er initial cost of energy efficient building systems that replace detailed specifications and give con- ensures a building is functioning as intended.
and environmentally friendly building materials. tractors the opportunity to find innovative solu- During this study most architects and contrac-
Thus it is the role of construction organizations tions that achieve the performance goals of tors were found to agree that if indoor air quality
to assist the design team with pricing methods materials and systems. requirements are not specified on a project, they
that acknowledge the interlinked benefits of a would not be met. However, recent threats of
variety of systems (i.e. moving from materials- Construction waste minimization mould and related liability issues are increasing
based to system-linked cost estimates, so that the and recycling the value of steps taken during construction to
calculated life-cycle costs and integrated system Many design and construction professionals state maintain indoor air quality. In addition, signifi-
costs clarify the benefits of green building sys- that the green role of a construction organization cant research has shown the increased risk of infec-
tems). While some construction organizations are is limited to jobsite recycling. As contractors are tion due to hospital and laboratory construction.
quite capable of implementing this approach, only beginning to be asked for wider services on For these reasons alone, many contractors have
their input will be muted if it is not embraced in sustainable building projects, this may often be the learned that commissioning costs will be reduced
the early stages of a project. case. However, implementing a jobsite recycling and exposure to mould or water damage mini-
plan just because it is mandated in project specifi- mized by focusing on indoor air quality manage-
Green building materials cations is a one-dimensional approach to sustain- ment during planning and construction. These
A wide variety of new environmentally sensitive ability. In most regions of the US it is cheaper to efforts will also drastically minimize the risk of any
building materials are available. Many design pro- landfill waste than to recycle it. Recycling can and present or future contamination of the building
fessionals surveyed as part of this project viewed must be market driven, and be initiated by legisla- and its occupants. As contractors get better at
the selection of materials as being strictly the job tion or regional constraints that make landfill more managing these new risks, their expertise will help
of design firms, with construction organizations expensive than recycling and reward recycling contribute to meeting indoor air quality require-
only needing to follow detailed specifications to efforts. ments on green building projects.
meet sustainable material requirements. However, Once infrastructure is developed for recycling
contractors can complement this process, as construction waste, and a market is created for Making a case for integrated teams:
demonstrated by many case study projects. Caulk, recycled content products, contractors will not renovation of the Pentagon
joint sealants, drywall compounds, fireproofing need to be convinced or need to be required to The largest office building in the world is the home
materials, adhesives, duct cement and insulation do it. The State of Washington led the US in ini- of the US Department of Defense. The Pentagon
are all items that should be selected with the same tiating a recycling paradigm at both public and is emerging as one of the countrys best examples
environmental considerations as those for finish private levels. As a result, Seattle-based Sellen of green design through the processes used and the
materials. A more holistic approach to procure- Construction was among the first to suggest that design solution for its 585,000 m2 renovation.
ment of building materials that meet a projects the money saved by diverting construction waste Some key project features include:
environmental objectives is needed. The knowl- from landfills should be incorporated in the pro- maximum use of daylighting and materials made
edge of general and specialty contractors can be ject budget to defray the higher costs of using recy- from recycled content such as carpet and ceiling tile;
68 UNEP Industry and Environment April September 2003
Sustainable building and construction
a high-performance mechanical system that must be woven into estimating and planning the LEED rating system, it has become clear that
requires minimal ductwork for air distribution, processes, subcontractor education and overall they will need to evolve. More guidance is needed
drastically reducing the space needed for mechan- business practices. Some organizations will make in defining the contracting methods, organiza-
ical equipment in rooms and ceilings; this shift voluntarily. Others will only do it when tional structures and services that enable green
a Universal Space Plan that permits modular forced by competition. It has already become clear buildings. For example, the LEED system recog-
and repetitive construction processes and mini- that a construction companys environmental pol- nizes inclusion of a LEED accredited profession-
mizes the effort and waste generated by frequent icy is an important way to differentiate itself to al but does little to encourage integrated teams
reconfigurations of spaces; owners seeking construction services on green formed through design-build contracting and
prefabricated smart walls which include all building projects. design-assist services by construction firms.
power and communication systems and are com- Several progressive builders stated that their cur- As more construction organizations gain
bined with high-tech support spaces to simplify rent efforts in embracing green building at the design-build experience on green building pro-
construction sequences, facilitate reconfiguration, company level were spurred by positive experiences jects, they will be better equipped to align them-
and minimize waste during construction; on their first green building projects. The James G. selves and develop preconstruction services that
recycling requirements authored by the project Davis Construction Corporation is an excellent will enhance the green design process. Also,
teams which, because of the projects massive size, example. Success in the greening of Davis came increased use of performance-based project require-
have spurred development of a recycling infra- from within, through pooling the experience of ments that include more direct construction relat-
structure in the region that will benefit other pro- those in the organization who had an interest, if ed elements such as pollution prevention and
jects. not a passion, for environmental issues. As in any resource conservation measures, lean thinking in
How was this accomplished? The credit goes transitional processes, executive-level support of sitework and pre-assembly techniques, and the
to the Pentagon renovation team, including a these initiatives played a key role in embracing education of subcontractors and vendors will pro-
management organization that crafted perfor- green construction as an organization. The goal at vide creative incentive programmes that would
mance-based specifications for the project a Davis is now to leap beyond a project-based fund a part of this learning curve. Competition
large collaborative design-build team that em- response to green buildings, to a more complete could then work to move the US construction
braced the sustainability goals of the owner. approach to environmental management. industry forward towards a better definition of
Still under construction, the Pentagon renova- green construction.
tion also provides an excellent example of the syn- Conclusions One truth is clear. Just as the idea of sustain-
ergies between sustainability and constructability, Construction organizations clearly have both the ability broadly defines the relevant environmen-
and how construction organizations can con- potential and the responsibility to enhance green tal costs, the teams whose job is to achieve
tribute to the design of an energy efficient and building project teams through the fundamental sustainability in the construction industry must
environmentally conscious solution and observe tools of the trade, from value engineering to mate- also be broadly defined to include all players in the
significant savings in productivity through waste rial procurement to subcontractor communica- process.
minimization and elegant design-build solutions tions and pricing. One consistency identified in
that simplify construction. As these synergies are case study research is that this potential cannot be David Riley will make a presentation on this subject
recognized by project teams, they will help further fully realized unless construction organizations are at the CIB 2003 International Conference on Smart
embrace construction organizations contribu- included on the team during design. and Sustainable Built Environment (SASBE2003)
tions to the growing green building movement. Broad change is hindered by the fact that green on 19-21 November 2003 in Brisbane, Australia
building efforts are largely being led by the design (www.sasbe2003.qut.com/).
The greening of construction profession the segment of the industry which is
organizations still most resistant to integrated teams that include References
If construction organizations are to maximize the construction organizations. Perceived as a Drilling, D. (2003) The Role of the Contractor on Green
their contributions to green building projects, threat to the design process, many design profes- Building Projects. Fifth Year Senior Thesis, Department
of Architectural Engineering, Penn State University.
they must shift their paradigm away from a frag- sionals are most comfortable when contractors are
mented and bid package perspective towards a relegated to a low-price commodity on a building Reed, B. (2002) About Natural Logic. Smart Design3
more holistic and integrated view of projects. The project rather than a valuable service provider to a Conference, Washington, D.C.
inextricable relationships between water, site, project team. Zeigler, P. (2002) What is a Green Building? Technical
energy and indoor environmental quality issues In the scramble to implement new metrics like Report, Pennsylvania Green Governmental Council.
Skanska is currently gathering information on projects that have shown ings in regions where temperature and moisture are at a level that allows
particularly interesting results related to more sustainable construction. mould to grow. Already in the 1970s, sick building syndrome was rec-
Two such cases, which have been submitted to the UN Global Compact, ognized as a health issue. Mould is one of the most important air quality
are bridge building in Honduras and a hydropower project in Sri Lanka. issues. Related health risks are allergic reactions and respiratory infection.
In the project (ending in 2003) Skanska examines options to further min-
Honduras imize risks associated with mould by assessing and developing construc-
Our activities have included special efforts to work with local communities tion methods and material use.
and raise the bar on environmental management at projects in the develop-
ing world. One of the clearest examples has been in Honduras. Skanska was Environmental performance
commissioned by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Skanska implements many projects whose environmental standards are
Agency to build 11 bridges and 5 kilometres of road in that country follow- beyond legal requirements. A yearly analysis of all major construction pro-
ing Hurricane Mitch in 1998. We began by rebuilding infrastructure in some jects worth over USD 1 million indicates that Skanska and its clients are
of the worst hit areas. The project delivered most bridges several months gradually raising environmental performance standards. Skanskas analy-
ahead of schedule; the key reason identified was effective cooperation and sis of order bookings in 2002 shows that 667 large construction projects
mutual respect between Skanska staff and local Honduran workers. Provid- representing about 45% of total order value, were being implemented with
ing good and clean working conditions resulted in low staff turnover. Skilled higher environmental standards than legally required. In close cooperation
and motivated workers do a better job, have fewer accidents, need less super- with the client, we assess options for improved environmental perfor-
vision and make better use of materials, vehicles and equipment. Commu- mance, costs and benefits of alternative designs or building materials, and
nities affected by the construction work were consulted, and some local costs related to operation and maintenance. In this way we aim to influ-
suppliers were supported with quality and environmental management. Even ence environmental performance throughout the value chain. In particu-
small initiatives like providing bank accounts for all employees can be impor- lar, our Build-Operate-Transfer projects provide excellent opportunities to
tant (this helped reduce the number of robberies on pay day). aim for improvements starting at the design stage, during construction,
and while operating and maintaining infrastructure and buildings.
Sri Lanka Evaluation of our environmental efforts indicates that the most com-
Skanska was commissioned by the Ceylon Electricity Board to build a small mon priorities for Skanska and its clients are energy efficiency, waste man-
run of the river dam for power generation in the Kukule Ganga river 70 kilo- agement, and local environmental impacts such as noise, dust and
metres southeast of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. Skanskas involvement emissions to water and air. Figure 1 shows the relative distribution of Skan-
in the Kukule Ganga hydropower project (HPP) started in June 1999 and ska and client priorities for environmental improvements in 2002. Skans-
ended in April 2003. It mainly entailed tunnel blasting and concreting. Once ka gave highest priority to waste, including hazardous waste (30%). Clients
construction work is completed, a certain amount of water will continue to be gave highest priority to noise and emissions (29%).
released to the original river channel to protect river fauna. Most of the water, The most important threat to the global environment is climate change
however, will be diverted from the river channel, led through a long mountain associated with greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. The most
tunnel to two turbines, and then discharged back to the river channel. important cause of these emissions is use of fossil fuels. The construction
Surrounding the project is the Sinharaja Forest Reserve, a UNESCO sector therefore faces a major challenge since around one-third of the ener-
World Heritage Site, which is one of Sri Lankas last untouched rainforests. gy used by humans is related to buildings and their utilization. A large pro-
This area is rich in biodiversity and highly vulnerable to human distur- portion of this energy use can be avoided. Given todays technology,
bance. Farmers in the area cultivate rubber and tea. Skanska has shown that it is possible to improve energy efficiency by over
Skanskas work at Kukule Ganga HPP is pioneering, in the sense that 30% in new construction, for example by using adequate insulation, high
this is the first international waterpower project completed within the performance windows with tripple glazing, and efficient ventilation sys-
framework of the ISO 140001 certified environmental management sys- tems with heat recovery.
tem, which covers a number of practical issues and activities such as waste Many hazardous substances are used in the construction sector. To
management and control of chemical products. The project has established reduce use of the most hazardous, several Business Units have developed
new practices and served as a pilot for other projects. It has been external- their own black and grey lists of substances not to be used, or to be
ly evaluated by the Stockholm School of Economics for the UN Global phased out. One challenge is to obtain access to relevant information from
Compact Learning Forum. suppliers of chemical products.
Healthy buildings Skanska has published its Sustainability Report for 2002, which presents the
In 2002 Skanska took the initiative to address moisture and mould in the companys economic, social and environmental performance. For copies, con-
construction sector in a special project. This is not a new problem for build- tact www.skanska.com or axel.wenblad@skanska.se.