Examples of Our Consulting Work
Microsoft School of the Future
A bookless, wireless school where learning is "continuous, relevant, and adaptive“ while being environmentally responsible.
We worked with the Philadelphia School District and Microsoft to create an innovative learning environment where students learn and teachers customize lessons according to each one's ability, without grades. The building itself is also entirely environmentally friendly and all surfaces and spaces are potential learning areas. The project developed a 9 acre site for a 160,000sf, $60 million high school for up to 1,000 students. LEED Silver was the minimum required certification level. We worked integrally with the design and construction teams to develop and oversee the integration of all sustainability strategies, LEED requirements and related consulting services such as commissioning, energy modeling, daylighting modeling, construction waste recycling management and indoor air quality assurance. We exceeded the client’s expectations by achieving a LEED Gold certification within budget.
Sustainable innovations included:
Extensive daylighting design and natural ventilation with integral building controls
Thermal storage (ice) for air conditioning, shifting load to less expensive times at night
Rainwater catchment system to flush all toilets saving one million gallons of water yearly
Net zero storm water to eliminate runoff and thereby reduce stress on CSO system
Building integrated photovoltaic glass at the main atrium as a live education tool & roof top solar with online data management system for use in school lessons
11,000sf green roof to absorb stormwater, be used in curriculum and provide a more pleasant view from classrooms above
Healthy and environmentally responsible materials used throughout, including elimination of VCT flooring for polished and stained concrete instead, saving $450,000 used to fund other sustainable features, reducing maintenance costs and reducing toxic materials and cleaning products in the building.
Impact:
LEED Gold Certified
50% Energy Reduction
56% potable water savings
Net zero stormwater design
Building Integrated Photovoltaics
On time & On Budget
Carbon Neutrality Master Planning
Helping clients assess their current carbon footprint and achieve carbon neutrality.
We look comprehensively at all sources of carbon emissions in Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 to benchmark their footprint, identify reduction goals, assess reduction strategies, develop a practical and fundable implementation plan and timeline and provide a detailed set of recommendations.
One of our innovations is to prioritize the reduction strategies using the triple bottom line approach (People, Planet, Prosperity) and allowing clients to weight this metric according to their own priorities.
Plans typically include full energy, water, waste audits of each building, development of gnat chart timeline for implementation of all recommendations with expected impacts and creation of a financing model.
Our portfolio of work to date covers buildings representing about 4 million square feet, 600 acres, 60,000 tons annually of carbon emissions and 64,000 staff and residents.
Universedad de Monterrey RGS
LEED consulting on a new sustainable gateway to the University.
We were retained by UdeM to create a new sustainable gateway to the campus which houses the industrial design and architectural programs. Using energy and CFD ventilation models, we evaluated the concept of a naturally ventilated concrete building and identified that it would not be effective in the climate or orientation of Monterrey. We identified alternatives to the original proposal of air conditioning an all-concrete building without insulation, as originally proposed, given the cost. Our proposed solution identified insulated concrete panels as an alternative, preserving the aesthetic the client wanted and saving the project $500,000 in first costs for the AC system.
As part of this project, we provided comprehensive LEED certification oversight, as well as commissioning services.
Sustainable innovations included:
Integrated lighting design, high-performance HVAC & building controls,
High performance building envelope – insulated concrete panel construction
Healthy and environmentally responsible materials used throughout
Building as a teaching tool curriculum and tours
CFD & Energy Modeling as design tools
Impact:
30% Energy Reduction
30% potable water savings
High Performance Building Envelope
Energy & CFD Modeling to inform design
LEED Silver Certification