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The Little Green Book by Bread Loaf Corporation

Little Green Book

What is Green Building?

Green building is a responsible design and construction practice that promotes the health and well-being of people, communities, the natural environment, and the economy: SUSTAINABILITY.

Health Benefits

  • Improved Air, Thermal, and Acoustic Environments
  • Enhanced Occupant Comfort and General Health
  • Increased Quality of Life

Community Benefits

  • Minimized Strain on Local Infrastructure
  • Increased Employment for Local Crafts and Tradespeople
  • Strengthened Local Economy
  • Improved Design Quality

Economic Benefits

  • Reduced Operating Costs
  • Enhanced Profits and Asset Value
  • Improved Productivity #& Satisfaction of Employees,Students, Overall Users
  • Optimized Life-Cycle Performance
  • Marketing Potential

Environmental Benefits

  • Enhanced and Protected Ecosystems and Biodiversity
  • Improved Air and Water Quality
  • Limited Waste
  • Conserved Natural Resources

Achieving GREEN Buildings

Improved sustainability and energy efficiency may be achieved at many levels:

Fundamental No-Cost or Low-Cost Strategies

  • Careful Site Planning
  • Minimize Area
  • Save Mature Trees #& Plantings
  • Minimize Paving
  • Use Water #& Energy Efficient Fixtures
  • Maximize Daylight
  • Consider Local Materials
  • Natural vs. Mechanical Ventilation
  • Eliminate Unnecessary Finishes

Quick Payback Strategies

  • Tight Building Envelope
  • Efficient Mechanical Systems
  • Use of Building Controls #& Zoning

Active #& Experimental Strategies

  • Alternative Energy Solutions
  • Rainwater Collection
  • Educational Components

Construction Strategies

  • Construction Waste Management Plan
  • Construction Indoor Air Quality Plan
  • Protection of Building Materials
  • Use Local Subcontractors #& Suppliers
  • Monitor Site Energy #& Water Use

Beyond Construction

  • Commissioning
  • Real Time Monitoring

Integrated Project Management

The key to achieving green buildings is assembling a fully integrated project team when the project is but a seed of an idea. This team is diverse in experience and knowledge, and collectively able to develop innovative strategies for successful projects.

The Integrated Team

  • Clients
  • Architects
  • Planners
  • Construction Project Managers
  • Cost Estimators
  • Systems Engineers
  • Civil #& Structural Engineers
  • Environmental Specialists
  • Historic Preservationists
  • Community Members
  • Utility and Alternative Energy Representatives
  • Specialized Consultants
  • Other Project Stakeholders

Bread Loaf houses much of this integrated team under one roof. With input from a client and other stakeholders, we design, develop, and implement building solutions that are socially, ecologically, and economically responsible.

What is LEED™?

#"Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance, green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance.#"

- U.S. Green Building Council

LEED encourages an integrated approach to project planning, design, and construction. The LEED rating system is a point-based system that recognizes GREEN building strategies and overall sustainability in the following areas:

LEED Building Strategies

  • Sustainable Site Development
  • Water Savings
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Materials Selection
  • Indoor Environmental Quality
  • Innovation and Design Process
LEED Rating Systems

The LEED rating system is continually adapting and evolving to meet the needs of its administrators, and ultimately building users. The 2009 LEED rating systems include:

  • New Construction
  • Commercial Interiors
  • Core #& Shell
  • Schools
  • Retail
  • Healthcare
  • Homes
  • Neighborhood Development
  • Existing Buildings (Operations #& Maintenance)
USGBC Logo

Why is LEED Important?

Bread Loaf staffs LEED Accredited Professionals on every project. They are trained to administer the LEED certification process. These people are our architects, engineers, estimators, and construction project managers who bring extensive experience with GREEN design and construction to every project. Bread Loaf has experience designing, managing, and constructing LEED buildings.

Additional Benefits of LEED

The LEED rating system ensures owners, occupants, investors, architects, builders, and the general public that specific project goals have been met. It is not unlike the labels on packaged foods.

LEED Buildings may be rated Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum

Bread Loaf and LEED

  • Third-Party Validation of Green Design Features #& Degree of Sustainability
  • High Visibility of a ’Leadership’ Building
  • Greater Access to Financial Incentives
  • Significantly Lower Energy Consumption
  • Benefit of the LEED Brand for Marketing Initiatives

Bread Loaf and GREEN

At Bread Loaf, GREEN is what we do! We believe that natural systems must thrive in the presence of human development.

Green buildings, their owners, designers, and builders are continually recognized for environmental leadership across multiple disciplines.

The industry is changing.

Technologies are allowing great advances in building science, energy efficiency, and design accuracy.

To take advantage of these advances, we need to leverage the talents of the designers, builders, and other integrated team members early in the project process. The effective collaboration of these people is a formula for success.

HCRS Field Meeting
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Green Article

= Green/Sustainable Article

The Little Green BookConfused about all this talk about Green Building? Let us break it all down for you. This book takes a look at sustainable design and construction and highlights the strategies and benefits of Green Building.
Healthy Building = Healthy Peopleby Andrea Murray, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP A look at how the Integrated Design-Build Process takes sustainability into the workplace. Published in Design-Build Dateline, October 2007.
Design-Builders to the Rescue...by Andrea Murray, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP This article examines how an integrated approach to building makes it easier to lessen our impact on the earth and increase our contribution to the overall global system. Published in Design-Build Dateline, October 2006.
Small Town Justice - Focus on Local Police Facilitiesby Andrea Murray, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP Design-builders are emerging as the preferred providers of building solutions for small-scale justice projects. Examine the advantages of a Design-Build process in the context of small town police facilities. Published in Design-Build Dateline, May 2005.
Partnering with Small Colleges to Envision the Futureby Andrea Murray, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP Understanding the challenges that small colleges face today, and using our Integrated Project Management (IPM) to help them realize and achieve their goals. Published in Design-Build Dateline, December 2005.
If You Design and Build It...They Will Comeby Andrea Murray, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP Read how the creativity, responsiveness and flexibility of our Integrated Project Management(IPM) helps us deal with the tight schedules, limited public funds and demands of sports and recreation clients. Published in Design-Build Dateline, October 2004.
Realizing the Client's Vision : Design-Build Creates A Landmark for Orvisby Bread Loaf Corporation See how using design-build project delivery on the Orvis flagship store project was integral to project success Published in Design-Build Dateline, March 2004.