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...often overlooked understated details. The team also discussed the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Research Facility in Golden, Colo. The NREL actual costs were compared to the EarlyEco[C] computer run using the NREL parameters.
ROUNDTABLE OVERVIEW
The purpose of the LEED Laboratory Roundtable was to discuss sustainable solutions for research laboratories and to identify the potential costs and savings for those sustainable solutions. Mortensen Construction has just competed the NREL Research Facility in Golden, Colo., which was approximately an $18,800,000 facility with 72,200 gross square feet. MHTN Architects Inc. has developed the E$pec[C] and EarlyEco[C] software programs to anticipate and forecast potential LEED costs. Both Mortensen Construction and MHTN Architects, Inc. have agreed to share their sustainable cost estimating knowledge with the readership. LEED for Laboratories has not yet been issued by the USGBC. The Cost Roundtable is anticipating that the LEED for Laboratory requirements will soon be issued by the USGBC. Note that not all credits were investigated and discussed.
The roundtable included moderators Bruce Haxton and Michelle Hucal, and participants Dan Amon, Janet Baum, Glen Beckstead, Cara Carmichael, Gabriela Klieman, Paul Mathew, Geoff McMahon and Sean Wennerstrom. Full biographies on the experts can be found below. Here is significant selection from the two-day event's transcript.
LEED LABORATORY COST ANALYSIS OVERVIEW
Haxton - Mortenson Construction has just completed the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), in Golden, Colorado. They supplied the team with input forms for EarlyEco that consists of 40 items. The EarlyEco works by itself or works in tandem with the E$pec estimating system and anticipates what the LEED costs and savings on a credit-by-credit basis. The EarlyEco program output identifies LEED credits, cost per square feet, relative first cost, annual savings, simple payback in years, LEED-related professional design fees, and total approximate cost. The last two column lines permit the owner to identify what they feel is most sustainable for them. By dividing the total approximate cost by the sustainable index you obtain the cost per sustainable unit. This cost per sustainable unit permits the sustainable professional to identify the most cost effective credits with the highest sustainability for the site and client.
At the beginning of design, MHTN presents the full list of sustainable opportunities for a project, showing the wide range of potential options. The client can then describe their vision of the project and what their specific sustainable goals and budgetary parameters are. Once their goals and budget are defined, the design team can focus on how to accomplish those goals within the client's budget. When both E$pec and EarlyEco are used together, they can anticipate both the traditional construction cost and the LEED credit costs. The EarlyEco system also has the design synergies built into the computer program formulas within the program. However since the software system is not automatic it still requires experienced sustainable team members like Glen Beckstead, Bruce Haxton, or Cara Carmichael and other very experienced sustainable consultants and estimators to use the software in an intelligent fashion to include potential synergies among sustainable design solutions.
MHTN has been asked numerous times if the EaryEco and E$pec software are for sale. The computer systems need the experience of the MHTN staff to fully utilize their capabilities; therefore the systems are not for sale. However MHTN is sharing its knowledge with the readership in hope of furthering cost effective sustainable designs.
LEED LABORATORY PROGRAMMING PHASE
Baum -- In the early part of the design process, we start with programming, and when we are doing a project that we know will be LEED Certified or even just complying with LEED guidelines, we look at the exhaust devices that might be required in the laboratory and understand the operating or performance characteristics of the ventilation system. For cost control, we start in programming to model construction costs. Because the cost is intimately connected with the square footage, we track any changes in the square footage.
ENTIRE BUILDING SYSTEMS DESIGN APPROACH
Carmichael -- It seems like each credit has very individualized cost implications when really, buildings should be thought of as many systems working together. If we consider the idea of tunneling through the cost barrier where there are capital cost additions as well as cost subtractions. I wonder if we could create an alternate reference list on what other factors might weigh into this. For instance, on a site where a green roof were incorporated which reduced overall stormwater runoff and resulted in smaller drain-age systems, perhaps the calculator could indicate the synergies between strategies?
LEED LABORATORY MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
McMahon -- I want to go back to something that Cara Carmichael said in the last section relating to whole building solutions. That is the key to cost control. Having cost estimating capability coupled with energy cost impact analysis--plus additional first cost analysis--is critical to the process. By doing that, you can enhance the team's ability to make good decisions about which measures to incorporate into the design process.
LEED LABORATORY CREDIT COST DISCUSSION
Haxton -- The cost analysis team discussion consisted of four hours of discussion regarding sustainable laboratory designs, costs, savings and LEED credits. The narrative was significantly reduced into an article to describe to the readership the impact of costs on each LEED credit. The LEED credit cost discussion is listed below by LEED section, credit, and prerequisite.
SUSTAINABLE SITES
SS PREREQUISITE 1: CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY POLLUTION PREVENTION
Beckstead -- Many jurisdictions are making this a code requirement. Do not consider it a cost for LEED if it is a code requirement. It is difficult to price in a particular building without understanding where the facility is at, and knowing the various conditions such as slope, but a good average is about $.07...
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