TO BUILD SUSTAINABLY

A conventional design and construction approach is no longer adequate, given the pace of change facing the global community today and the degree of worldwide interconnectivity and increasingly scarce fiscal and material resources.

West Edge Architects has long made it a priority to identify as many green building opportunities as realistically possible. These values translate to spaces invigorated by fresh air, daylight and access to the outdoors in order that they are pleasant and healthy. This also means WEA’s building projects are more economical to operate and, in the aggregate, have a downward impact on the cost of building.

The firm’s collaborative methodology allows for the entire team — client, consultants and architect — to participate in the formation of the sustainable design strategy. This approach leads to the discovery of synergies where a single strategy or building feature achieves multiple objectives. West Edge Architects see this as good economics — for the owner, the building occupants, and the environment.

LEED Certification
As a practical matter, the identification of potential LEED points and sustainable strategies must be undertaken early with comprehensive consultant and client input. This is when the greatest opportunity exists for the highest level of success. WEA first evaluates the relative advantages of one LEED program vs. another (i.e.: New Construction, Commercial Interiors, Existing Building, etc.) for the effort at hand in order to make a recommendation as to how to proceed. Specific points are evaluated under competing systems so that a balance between initial cost and number of points can be struck. These strategies are always reviewed with the client and agreement is reached as to which system will be utilized, how many and which points will be pursued.