Design Organization, Inc. has embraced the basic concepts of sustainable design since the late seventies. At that time, DO focused on methods of energy conservation to reduce society’s dependence on limited natural resources—passive solar techniques utilizing building orientation, glazing and daylighting; site considerations like landscape shading and earth sheltering; and more traditional building construction techniques that utilize better building envelope insulation and natural ventilation.
DO believes that a shared philosophy of sustainability, advanced through education and awareness is critical to our continued existence as a society. To that end, DO seeks to stay at the forefront of this important approach to building and design by the continuing education of staff and clients. The principles of sustainability and conservation have been with us for centuries, but the energy crisis of the 1970s and current climate concerns have called for the acclerated application and continued development of these principles. DO is committed to that course.
In 1995, the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) was formed and released the first draft of its “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” Reference Manual (LEED Version 1). DO quickly became a member of the USGBC, and has LEED-accredited staff who continue to participate in research and continuing education programs to keep current with LEED activities nationally. DO applies the principles of LEED to its projects to offer a more holistic approach to design. DO is committed to more than making energy efficient buildings; it embraces the idea that the principles of sustainability are basic elements of all good buildings. These principles are integrated into all DO projects as one of several components of facility programming that also includes functionality, design, schedule and budget goals. For DO, sustainability is not an “add-on” but an integral part of our design process.
Although the USGBC’s LEED Certification program has provided a much-needed yardstick for evaluating the sustainable qualities of a project, the program is performance based and is not a prescriptive outline. Whether LEED certification Is an owner’s goal or not, DO assists the owner In evaluating and integrating LEED/sustainable criteria to add value to each project.
Download our Sustainability Handout.
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