LEED Green Building
VCA Green offers a practical, cost-friendly approach with regards to its service philosophy. In our Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) services, we utilize our design, construction, and building operations experience to ensure your project is aligned with sustainability and budgetary goals.
VCA Green is an industry leader in the green building arena, and this is especially true with regard to the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED program. Having certified millions of square feet worth of projects, our in-house LEED Accredited Professional staff has backgrounds in architecture, MEP, construction and building maintenance with experience working on LEED Homes, LEED commercial new construction, and LEED for existing buildings. Whether your project is a commercial interior or a complex mixed-use high-rise tower, VCA Green can tailor a program to fit your budget and your timeline.
Considered one of the top LEED consulting firms, VCA Green stays up to date with the latest versions of LEED certification and LEED program management. The LEED process should start as early as possible in the design phase to provide an opportunity to make changes to design with minimal impacts to time and costs. Depending on local green building codes or energy efficiency codes, like in California for example, LEED is often very easy to achieve. Further, energy code compliance nationally and internationally is creating better alignment with LEED, helping projects earn extra points in the Energy & Atmosphere category.
Projects registered with USGBC through VCA Green receive a discount since we are a USGBC Member Organization. Once your project is registered, a LEED design kick-off meeting or charrette is initiated. This meeting includes but is not limited to key design team members such as the owner, architect, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, interiors, civil, and landscape designers. The team will determine the feasibility of each credit and produce a preliminary score utilizing the LEED project scorecard.
Once the project goals are set, the design phase is initiated. VCA Green will begin to assemble the design documentation data and establish green building policies needed for certification. Through our practical approach, VCA Green recommends credits that minimize costs and are well aligned with building codes. The design team is informed on what needs to be included in plans and drawings.
Most design phase prerequisites and credits are addressed prior to building permitting. VCA Green will also address building energy modeling early in schematic design. This step provides critical early feedback as to whether or not designed systems are meeting green building and energy code objectives.
Once the project is permitted, the construction phase begins. The LEED construction process involves an early meeting after key trades are selected. The construction kickoff meeting is critical because it communicates strategies, addresses potential issues, and allows the team to learn about and apply green building practices. VCA Green will also review key product and equipment submittals for conformance to building codes and LEED. Quality assurance is delivered through visual verification visits and diagnostic testing such as Home Energy Rating System (HERS) testing and LEED commissioning.
Once all the design and construction phase prerequisites and credits are complete, VCA Green submits the LEED certification package to USGBC for review.
Our LEED services include:
- Green Building certification management and facilitation
- LEED for New Construction & Major Renovations
- LEED for Core & Shell
- LEED for Commercial Interiors
- LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance
- LEED for Schools
- LEED for Homes and LEED for Homes Midrise
- LEED for Retail
- LEED for Hospitality
- LEED documentation assistance
- Pre-LEED and GreenPoint Rated submittal reviews
- Manufacturer and product sustainability consulting
- Financial and LEED feasibility studies
- Sustainable O&M Guidelines