In today’s economic climate, the question of sustainability is on everyone’s mind. Building owners, property managers and corporations in particular are in the midst of a green balancing act between spending precious dollars wisely and making economically responsible investments in sustainable practices. At Spencer, we create new ways of viewing real estate. Our clients partner with us in order to use real estate decisions as a tool in achieving their business goals. To help evaluate the issue of "green," Spencer has developed the LEED® Gap Analysis.
Spencer’s LEED® Gap Analysis follows our traditional client approach. We begin with an understanding of our client's real estate condition - an evaluation of how "green" the building or company is in its current state. We determine optimal future state by identifying key areas for improvement and then developing a progressive strategy for long-term conformance. The scope of a LEED® Gap Analysis is uniquely developed as the project progresses, and will follow the method outlined below.
Discovery
- Interview key personnel involved in maintenance and operations
- Review current building and vendor policies and procedures
- Inspect mechanical systems and discuss procedures with engineering staff
- Review on-going operations and maintenance procedures
- Evaluate current energy and water consumption, systems and efficiencies
- Assess the Energy Star rating utilizing the EPA’s Portfolio Manager
- Research existing air quality measures
Current State Analysis
- Compare current state of building with high performance building best practices
- Determine available points using the LEED® Green Building Rating System™
- Identify key areas of improvement and develop a LEED® conformance strategy
Future State
- Provide resources and assess industry best practices
- Determine feasible alterations to provide higher building performance
- Development of a LEED® feasibility study
Recommendations Development
- Provide a milestone schedule for implementation of higher performance
- Provide an itemized matrix of anticipated measurable improvements
- Provide recommendations to achieve LEED® certification
- Develop cost guideline for the implementation of the program
Implementation
- Serve as the LEED® Consultant in the USGBC’s LEED® Portfolio Program
- Manage implementation to move towards LEED® certification
- Track improvements in conjunction with USGBC point system
- Submit application for LEED® certification
- Assist lease language modification to address sustainability
Employee Training and Education
- Establish best practices forum for employees
- Provide USGBC and LEED® educational material to employees
- Develop an e-learning module system for employee education
- Instruct employees on sustainable practices and processes
