C+S April 2020 Vol. 6 Issue 4 (web)

April 2020 Vol. 6 Issue 4

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CONTENTS

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THE COVER Illustration by Maisie Johnson

CHANNELS ENVIRONMENTAL + SUSTAINABILITY 10 Buro Hapold has Eye on Green, Equitable Future for City of West Hollywood 11 Indiana's First LEED V4 Certified Building 13 Cleveland Bridge Group: How We Reduced Our Carbon Footprint BUSINESS NEWS 15 Linstroth & Green Badger "LEED" the Way STRUCTURES + BUILDINGS 16 The Timber Revolution: A Guide 18 Retro-Commissioning and Commissioning K-12 Schools 20 What is LEED for Green Buildings? WATER + STORMWATER 23 News on Tap: New York City Drinking Water 26 Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Approaches Meet Community Treatment and Large Commercial System Demands 28 Black Mesa Project Lowers Flooding Risk in Albuquerque's South Valley GEOTECHNICAL 33 Real-Time Monitoring Advances Landslide Risk Management SOFTWARE + TECH 37 Streamlining Building Projects with Slam Technology LAND DEVELOPMENT 40 Common Ground: A Challenging Urban Infill Benefits from Broad Expertise and Material Certainty 42 Planning for Smart Cities and New Urbanism 45 Get to know the Utility Valuation Process and How it can Help You RESIDENTIAL 46 Construction Challenges of Rail in an Urban Environment BUILDING MATERIALS 48 A Window to a Greener World: How Composite Windows and Doors can Boost Energy Efficiency

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departments 8 Events

49 Benchmarks 50 Reader Index Columns 5 How are AEC Firms Reacting to COVID-19? Christy Zweig-Niehues 6 Engineering Front Line: Earthquake Disaster at a Crossroad Kit Miyamoto

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The situation is changing quickly, but versatility and fast decision-making have become necessary. On March 12th, Zweig Group launched a survey to see how AEC firms are reacting to challenges presented by the situation surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19). As of March 20, 133 firms from nearly every geographic region of the U.S., size range, and AEC discipline, had responded to the survey. The majority of the respondents to the survey were firm leaders, directors, and managers with decision-making capability in their organizations. Please note that the numbers reported below are likely to change rapidly as the situation progresses and we continue to gather responses to this survey. On Sunday, March 15, 2020, just 9 percent of firms had suspended all business travel. By March 20, 21 percent of firms had suspended all business travel, with the majority of firms (46 percent) conducting business travel on a case-by-case basis. Eighteen percent stated travel policies remained unaffected. With many organizations across all industries encouraging or requiring employees to work remotely, more than 11 percent stated they do not currently allow for any employees to work remotelyandhadnot issuedanypolicychanges in response toCOVID-19. WGI, a 600-person national design and professional services firm, was early to institute policy changes: “At WGI our number one priority is the health of our associates and their families. Our Crisis Management Team is working hard to review countless sources of information from a diverse array of experts and communicate across 18 offices in eight states in a calm, consistent, and clear voice. The reality is that there is no crystal ball that provides perfectly clear guidance on how to proceed. The data and trends are alarming and the COVID-19 pandemic is a very fluid and quickly changing situation. In real time we must evaluate the data before us and use our best collective judgement. Our goal is to implement a plan that addresses the potential serious health and operational consequences without adding to the fear and overreacting,” said Michael L. Davis, senior vice president and chief strategy officer, WGI. Firms that already have the policies and technology in place to allow for remote work have a leg up, but are still seeing some challenges related to the virus. Blackstone Consulting LLC, an environmental firm with 55 employees, has a completely remote workforce. “Being a nationwide consulting firm allows us to be in many markets, and the flexibility is incredible for employees,” said Stephen E. Manelis, principal, Blackstone Consulting LLC. How are AEC firms reacting to COVID-19? Christy Zweig Niehues

Manelis also cites investments in technology for virtual meetings, presentations, and the ability to share documents, as important steps in allowing for this type of workplace to flourish, as was an intentional hiring strategy of individuals who are “self-starters” and appreciate teamwork. Another benefit of this strategy: “It’s very good for retention – we have very little turnover here,” said Manelis. First analysis of the Zweig Group survey on week one, reported the average amount of workforce at an AEC firm that could work remotely was only 55 percent. By March 20 this had risen to 62 percent. Obstacles to remote work included a workforce that routinely works on-site at project locations (for example, land surveying, construction sites), and a lack of computers/ equipment that could be used away from the office. As far as planning for an economic downturn, Blackstone’s remote workplace has a few other advantages: “Looking at our own fixed costs, knowing that we don’t have leases really helps us, but still, a lot of revenue is derived from traveling and we have to be very careful right now and do not want to contribute to the spread of this virus.” As of March 20, 40.6 percent of the Zweig Group survey respondents stated that no projects had been cancelled and no cancellations or delays were currently anticipated. Only 9.7 percent of firms had cancelled or delayed a project, but 30.8 percent were experiencing client-related delays, and the other 23.3 percent were still considering. 67 percent of respondents felt their revenue would be impacted in 2020 by an average decrease of 16 percent, and nearly 78 percent of firms stated they felt the virus would affect their overall business development activities in the next 12 months. Firms are reacting quickly, with 57 percent reporting they are considering budget changes by an average amount of 25 percent. Despite fears surrounding the logistical challenges presented by firms’ individual and government mandated responses to try to stop the spread of the virus, most firms are feeling OK about the economy at present, with a slim majority, 38 percent, stating economic conditions in their market are “the same” as one year ago, and 35 percent of firms stating economic conditions are “somewhat better.” On the other end, 17 percent reported that conditions are “somewhat worse.” Small percentages reported they felt the current economy was much worse or much better. Looking forward, the bulk of respondents, 47 percent, stated they felt that the economy would be in “somewhat worse shape” in another 12 months. The best advice of all? “‘Crisis does not make leaders, it reveals leaders.’ Those firms with open eyes and a plan can address the challenges and perhaps come out strong,” said Davis.

CHRISTY ZWEIG NIEHUES is director of Research & ECommerce at Zweig Group. She can be reached at czweig@zweiggroup.com.

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Puerto Rico: Earthquake Disaster at a Cross Road H. Kit Miyamoto, Ph.D., S.E.

The Caribbean sun is beating down. Sweat is falling from my forehead. As I walk through the Ponce heritage area, I see earthquake damaged old buildings everywhere. Ponce, Puerto Rico is an absolutely beautiful southern coastal city of 120,000 people. During colonial times, it was Spain’s capital for the whole commonwealth. You can see the old wealth of the era. These colonial houses are huge: often exceeding 10,000 square foot. Some are National Registered Heritage Buildings. The magnitude-6.4 earthquake on January 7, 2020 damaged many of them. These buildings now tagged as “dangerous” are identified as unsafe, too dangerous to even

enter. The earthquake and its aftershocks were moderate compared to other recent earthquakes globally, but social impact is huge. What’s known as ground acceleration at the epicenter was 50 percent of gravity – the equivalent to something we expect in seismic regions like California or Japan. The earthquake damaged about 10 to 20 percent of buildings in affected towns. Many were concrete residential buildings. The building code here is the latest version of International Building Code and the education and licensing system is similar to what we have in California. Unfortunately, it is estimated that only about half of all residential buildings ever received valid construction permits. Many houses sit on slender columns without proper steel reinforcement or walls. Since the weather is usually great, these common areas are used for BBQ parties, gatherings or as parking. But seismic engineers know this as a deadly construction type called soft story construction. It is the weakest link of the structure. Most of the collapsed structures here in Puerto Rico had soft stories. There are still more than 150,000 of these dangerous buildings standing on this island. More than a quarter of the schools in the earthquake-hit area are damaged and one collapsed. Most of the damaged schools were built prior to 1987 when the building code was updated with proper seismic provisions. They are all concrete structures with non-ductile construction. It was fortunate that the earthquake happened during school holidays, otherwise we would have lost a few hundred students. Back in January, when we met municipalities, there were lot of confusion. After all, it was the first earthquake in more than a century. The island was totally unprepared even though they experience large hurricanes often. Unfortunately, earthquake disasters are completely different from hurricanes. Before hurricanes hit, there is a warning, and there’s a beginning and end. Not for earthquakes. Aftershocks are still rumbling here on a daily base and it is March. Anyone can see water, roof, or window damage caused by hurricanes, but cracks caused by earthquakes are mysterious. Even for engineers, it can be hard to judge if it is superficial or deeper structural damage. This uncertainty is causing deep anxiety and social unrest. I must say the government and municipalities are acting decisively. There were more than 8,000 displaced people in tent cities and more than 10,000 buildings damaged in January. When our team arrived in January, they were just establishing rapid damage assessment system. Just eight weeks later, 80 percent of buildings have been assessed with proper damage assessment systems. I recently visited some of the displacement camps and noticed how they have emptied. Fortunately, Rental Housing Assistance vouchers decompressed the camps to less than 600 people. Most families have relocated to rented housing, apartments and hotels. I must say the response was one of the best I have witnessed. I know how government was slow for devastating Hurricane Maria a couple years ago, but I can see that municipalities and government learned a lot from these failures and doing the best they can this time. But this is only the beginning of disaster recovery. Still, there are great challenges ahead. We need to deal with 10,000 to 20,000 damaged residential buildings and repair the heritage buildings. These buildings are a part of the history and culture of these communities. The usual quick solution is to demolish these buildings as fast as possible. Unfortunately, FEMA funds are geared toward this destructive approach. This must be avoided at all cost. The majority of these houses can be repaired and retrofitted per the International Building Code at a fraction of cost and timeline of total demolition and reconstruction. Once the buildings are taken down, it will take years for the city to come back. There are numerous examples of this from Italy to New Zealand. There are always grand plans to reconstruct the city to the grander state, but it often ends up with empty parking lots. It is very difficult to bring back private investment with too many empty lots as neighbors. Quick and excessive demotion will kill future investment and the city. Luckily, there is a solution to avoid this tragedy. Each damaged building can be examined for repairability and retrofit. This can be done fairly rapidly by using latest technology. This engineering analysis will determine the future of this country. H. KIT MIYAMOTO, PH.D., S.E., is the CEO and a structural engineer for Miyamoto International (http://miyamotointernational.com), a California seismic safety commis- sioner, and president of the technical nonprofit Miyamoto Global Disaster Relief. He specializes in high-performance earthquake engineering and disaster mitigation, response, and reconstruction.

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Upcoming Webinar

Ask the Experts: Becoming a Mobile Workforce Wednesday, April 29, 2020 12 PM - 1 PM CDT Your projects have no room for error, yet many engineering projects have several challenges that can make this seem impossible. The fact that teams are working out of the oce more than before – either from a home oce, or at a job site, or visiting clients – means that they need immediate access to project documents or the most current project status, plus be able to collaborate with team members in real-time. Making use of mobile applications and other processes that can allow team members to quickly nd, view, and manage project information on-the-go has never been more critical in today’s modern work environment.

How are engineering rms adopting mobile processes that meet the information-rich demands of their projects?

Join Newforma alongside special guests from Thornton Tomasetti and WSP to learn how they are leveraging processes that make project information accessible to all team members whenever and wherever they need it.

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1854155241916833036?source=Magazine

events + virtual Events

may 2020

july 2020

advanced design topics in wood construction engineering may 19-20 – blacksburg, va The selection of the twelve topics to be presented was based on the significance of the topics during the various stages of a wood construction project. Specifically, we will focus on load and material specifications, design methodologies, and implications of both design specifications and methodologies on the likely in-service performance of structural components and assemblies. http://www.cpe.vt.edu/woodcon/index.html Solid financial management is crucial to the success of any company, and firms in the AEC industry are no exception. This course provides an overview of business financial management – specifically tailored to our industry – to help firm leaders make informed decisions. Topics include: interpreting financial statements; key performance metrics; benchmarking and predictive cash flow management; and how strategic decisions drive the value of the firm. https://shop.zweiggroup.com/collections/events/products/financial- management-for-non-financial-managers?variant=15425604845603 june 2020 The Principals Academy is Zweig Group’s flagship training program encompassing all aspects of managing a professional AEC service firm. Elevate your ability to lead and grow your firm at this impactful two-day program designed to inspire and inform existing and emerging AEC firm leaders in key areas of firm management leadership, financial management, recruiting, marketing, business development, and project management. https://shop.zweiggroup.com/collections/events/products/the- principals-academy?variant=30871400841251 Practical leadership skills are vital to the health and success of every company in any industry. Effective leaders motivate their teams to achieve exceptional results, inspire others to be better than they thought possible, and create an environment where their team is focused and working towards a common vision. Zweig Group’s team of management experts – who have extensive experience working with AEC firms providing solutions to the challenges facing AEC firms today – deliver practical solutions that technical professionals can put to work immediately to lead their firms to success. https://shop.zweiggroup.com/collections/events/products/leadership- skills-for-aec-professionals?variant=30889848569891 Learn The Language of Business: Financial Management may 27 – dallas, tx The Principals Academy june 11-12 – washington, D.C. Leadership skills for AEC Professionals june 17-18 – seattle, wa

ceo roundtable retreat rescheduled: july 9-10 – atlanta, ga

The CEO Roundtable Retreat is a unique opportunity for AEC firm leaders to engage and interact with industry peers to discuss current issues facing firms today, explore industry trends and next practices, and confront the biggest challenges they face leading their firms. Zweig Group’s CEO Chad Clinehens, PE, moderates the program guiding group conversations, encouraging integration and networking, and ensuring attendees gain valuable insight, new ideas and tools – and a new network of colleagues – to foster effective leadership at their respective firms. https://shop.zweiggroup.com/collections/events/products/ceo-roundtab le?variant=30872177377315 The Principals Academy is Zweig Group’s flagship training program encompassing all aspects of managing a professional AEC service firm. Elevate your ability to lead and grow your firm at this impactful two-day program designed to inspire and inform existing and emerging AEC firm leaders in key areas of firm management leadership, financial management, recruiting, marketing, business development, and project management. https://shop.zweiggroup.com/collections/events/products/the- principals-academy?variant=30871416864803 august 2020 During the next 10 years, over 50 percent of AEC firms are expected to increase their use of doer-sellers, yet many do not have the training or skills to succeed. In order to grow into a position of leadership, they need the skills and know-how to strategize, build and deepen relationships, and win more work. Zweig Group’s Elevating Doer-Sellers: Intensive 2 Day Workshop is designed specifically for technical professionals in AEC firms. https://shop.zweiggroup.com/collections/events/products/elevating- doer-sellers?variant=31274832789576 AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2020 is the global stage for everything unmanned — from state-of-the-art propulsion technology, sensors, energy storage and UAS mitigation solutions to what’s coming over the horizon in AI, 5G, edge computing and more. As the largest, most significant event for the unmanned systems industry, you’ll find your edge as you explore the latest technology innovations, develop new perspectives as you hear from industry luminaries, and cultivate creativity at special networking events where you will meet some of the most influential leaders in the unmanned and autonomous space. https://www.xponential.org/xponential2020/public/enter.aspx The Principals Academy july 23-24 – portland, or elevating doer-sellers august 5-6 – chicago, il AUVSI Xponential rescheduled: august 10-12 – boston, ma

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Project Management for AEC Professionals rescheduled: august 12 – dallas, tx

Driving Financial Results Webinar 1 pdh

This one-day training course covers the critical focus areas every AEC Industry project manager should be familiar with and is presented in lecture, tutorial, and case study workshop sessions.Attendees will leave armed with a comprehensive understanding of the characteristics, skills, and techniques successful project managers must have to flourish in their role. https://shop.zweiggroup.com/collections/seminars/products/ excellence-in-project-management?variant=30890361323555 september 2020 This one-day event is open to all and for anyone interested in learning more about how to solve the AEC industry’s top challenge: recruitment and retention. The ElevateHER symposium will gather together leaders in theAEC industry, Zweig Group’s ElevateHER 2020 Cohort members, and speakers on topics related to hiring, retaining valuable employees, and fostering a diverse and equitable workplace. https://shop.zweiggroup.com/collections/conference/products/ elevateher-symposium?variant=31530063265864 The Elevate AEC Conference & Awards Gala (formerly the Hot Firm & A/E Industry Awards Conference) is the AEC industry’s premiere experience to connect global leaders, solve industry issues, present next practices, and celebrate the most successful firms in the built environment. https://shop.zweiggroup.com/collections/conference/products/2020- elevate-aec-conference?variant=30365800988707 virtual Research & Design Tax Credits: Why Designers Qualify This 4 module virtual workshop serves as an overview of current rules and legislation governing the Federal Research and Development (R&D) tax credit, how it applies to theAEC industries. Learn about recent law changes and the types of activities that qualify for the R&D tax credit and expenses included in the tax credit calculation. https://shop.zweiggroup.com/collections/webinars/products/research- design-tax-credits-why-designers-qualify?variant=15589901336611 Zweig Group's research shows that recruiting and retention are the #1 challenges AEC firms have faced in the last few years. This webinar discusses current data from exclusive industry survey results that can be used to effectively develop your firm's recruitment and retention strategy in any type of job market. https://shop.zweiggroup.com/collections/webinars/products/recruiting- retention?variant=31792090054728 elevateher symposium september 30 – denver, co elevate aec conference september 30-October 2 – denver, co Recruitment & Retention Webinar .5 pdh

Solid financial management is crucial to the success of any company, and firms in the AEC industry are no exception. This short course provides an overview of business financial management – specifically tailored to our industry – to help firm leaders make informed decisions that drive results. Topics include: interpreting financial statements; key performance metrics; benchmarking and project cash flow management. https://shop.zweiggroup.com/collections/webinars/products/copy-of- recruitment-retention-webinar?variant=31805139320904 The way we work, do business, and interact is constantly evolving and changing. Leaders are the first we look to when we need to adopt a change or understand how change affects us personally. You and your team must understand how to lead and adapt to an ever-changing environment. This seminar is designed to help you proactively lead your firm or team through change. You’ll learn what makes change challenging, several models and systems to lead change efforts, you’ll learn how to define and accept your role in change and gain practical frameworks for becoming an effective change leader. https://shop.zweiggroup.com/collections/webinars/products/change- management-webinar?variant=31811496476744 Financial statistics and ratios are crucial to assessing your firm’s financial health. Zweig Group’s Financial Performance Report of AEC Firms helps firms compare their performance against industry norms, comparable firms, and specific performance categories. This webinar will highlight several key financial statistics, how they are calculated, and what the industry trends for each measure look like over the last five years. https://zweiggroup.myshopify.com/collections/webinars/products/ understanding-key-financial-statistics-in-the-aec-industry- webinar?variant=31816904441928 Change Management Webinar 1 pdh Understanding Key Financial Statistics in the AEC Industry .5 pdh

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Buro Hapold’s Christopher Rhie, an urban planner and sustainability strategist, will lead the team as they build upon the city’s existing pro- grams designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions such as the Green Building Program, Go Solar West Hollywood, and the Clean Power Alliance among others. The team will also be working alongside mem- bers of West Hollywood’s current leadership including sustainability planner Robyn L. Eason. The city of West Hollywood already has a great track record when it comes to enacting meaningful sustainability programs and ideas. The team at Buro Hapold intends to use this as a baseline, first determining how much progress these programs have made in terms of reducing the city’s carbon footprint. However, West Hollywood’s progressive sustainability policies and programs make the city a unique challenge for the team in that there is no “low-hanging fruit.” In other words, there are no easy problems left for the firm to solve. Each challenge is tougher, and they require “transformative approach- es”. These approaches are going to be identified by a team led by Sabrina Bornstein, Buro Hapold’s head of climate resilience in Los Angeles. Bornstein is tasked with developing a climate vulnerability assessment, which begins with a Climate Change Impacts and Vulner- ability analysis that has five main aspects:

Buro Hapold has Eye on Green, Equitable Future for West Hollywood By Luke Carothers

Buro Hapold is no stranger to helping cities plan for a greener future. The firm already has a strong reputation in green engineering, having completed climate action plans for several other cities such as New York and Cambridge, Massachusetts. Buro Hapold’s work with New York City is particularly important as it was the first climate action plan to comply with the Paris Climate Agreement. For these reasons it is no surprise that the city of West Hollywood, California tapped Buro Hapold to help them reduce the city’s carbon footprint. The goal for Buro Hapold’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) is to “define a new set of emissions goals and guidelines for the growing city and lay out an approach to overcoming climate change-related obstacles through the middle of the century” per the official press release. More specifically, the goal is to “aggressively re- duce carbon dioxide emissions and improve the city’s resiliency across mobility, housing, industrial and civic sectors.” The projected finish date for the project is the Summer of 2021, but there is a lot of work to be done between now and then.

1. Exposure—the climate change effects West Hollywood will experience

2. Sensitivity—the key community structures, functions, and populations that are particularly susceptible to climate change exposure

3. Potential Impacts—how the climate change exposure will affect West Hollywood’s structures, functions, and populations 4. Adaptive Capacity—West Hollywood’s current ability to account for uncertainty, timing, and adaptive capacity 5. Risk and Onset—the impact assessment to account for uncertainty, timing, and adaptive capacity For the project, Buro Hapold will be work- ing with Pueblo Planning who received the 2019 American Planning Association’s Los Angeles Emerging Planning and Design Firm Award. Working with Pueblo Planning allows the team at Buro Hapold to work to- wards their goal of giving the West Hollywood community a voice in each step of the project. LUKE CAROTHERS is the Editor for Civil + Structural Engineer Media. If you want us to cover your project or want to feature your own article, he can be reached at lcarothers@zweiggroup.com.

West Hollywood Hilltop View

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The space at 1221 Pennsylvania Street was originally the Indianapolis FBI headquarters built in 1968. Guidon purchased the space in 2018 to renovate to be their new headquarters location in Indianapolis. The building was abandoned for many years and is now a transformational project for the Old Northside neighborhood. Guidon Head- quarters (Guidon HQ) received the first LEEDv4 Platinum certification in the state of Indiana in October of 2019. The following is a bit about the LEED certification process and the credits that were achieved at Guidon HQ. When an owner approaches a team with a desire to obtain a LEED certification for their building, the first question to ask is where the building is located. Building location sets the tone for the rest of the project’s certification. The first Indiana’s First LEED v4 Certified Building By Hannah Fleck

Guidon Exterior

cache of points is allocated under the category of Location and Trans- portation . Preliminary research on the property location will indicate how many points the project can receive in this category. For example, at Guidon HQ it was determined there was a nearby bicycle network and providing bike racks and shower rooms could earn these points. Secure bicycle storage and showers encourages employees to incorporate alterna- tive transportation options into their personal lifestyle. Furthermore, the building is located near local amenities and basic services including the Monon Trail, the cultural trail, downtown public library, and a variety of restaurants. Mass transit stops are located within walking dis- tance of the building. An electric vehicle charging station is also available. Electric vehicles have zero emissions and do not rely on fossil fuels to keep people moving. The next category to explore is Energy andAtmosphere . The most points are housed here, and it is good practice to start looking at these points early. Engagement by the team and the owner early in the process can set the project up for remarkable success down the road. An owner needs to push their team to deliver a high-performance building that integrates architecture, mechanical engineering, and commissioning. Early conver- sations between the owner and team members create alignment around aggressive energy goals. A key goal of Guidon HQ was a very low 28 kbtu/sf/yr EUI (energy use intensity) goal. The team focused on the building envelope, the mechani- cal systems, and the commissioning process to meet this objective. The Guidon HQ building envelope uses a combination of spray foam and batt insulation. These +R19 walls introduce continuous insulation that seals the perimeter and keeps costs low. The team evaluated energy models at the beginning of the process to se- lect an HVAC system. An air cooled Variable Refrigerant Volume (VRV)

system was selected, to balance efficiency with first cost. This highly ef- ficient system paired with an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) works to reuse all available heating /cooling in the building. Guidon HQ performs 85 percent better than an average office building and 50 percent above ASHARE 90.1 2010 baseline. There is a photovoltaic system which in- cludes 92 panels, providing 32 kW of power. This accounts for 30 percent of the building’s projected energy use over the course of the year. The commissioning process ensured the systems and envelope were working as designed. The sites team should be engaged early during the LEED Certification process. Building orientation and heat island effect can have dramatic ef- fects on the energy consumption as well. The Sustainable Sites category has points allocated for site design. Guidon HQ was bound by a zero-lot line, making achievement in this category difficult. The project earned exemplary performance in the Heat Island Reduction category. This was achieved using a white TPO membrane roof, small green roof installation, and covered parking. Engagement by the plumbing engineer is essential to meeting the points in the Water Efficiency category. They set the schedule for the fixtures which can have a big impact on the building’s performance. Owners can be reluctant to incorporate low-flow fixtures into their project for fear of complaints, but there are some good products on the market that perform well and are low flow. Guidon HQ uses ultra-low flow toilets (1.1 gallons per flush), waterless urinals, faucet aerators (0.35 gallons per minutes), and low flow shower heads (1.5 gallons per minutes). This results in a total savings of nearly 52,000 gallons per year. The interiors team will need to get more involved as design progresses to ensure that the Materials and Resource credits are set up for suc-

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25 percent of the purchased materials in the building by cost have recycled content. The Indoor Environmental Quality points are an op- portunity for the owner to showcase their commitment to the health and well-being of their employees. Early in the design, daylighting was identified as a key project goal. A lightwell with a vegetated roof turned an unat- tractive portion of the building into the space with the best light and views. To provide daylight in interior offices, daylight diffusion (Solatubes) was incorporated. Spaces are paired with daylight sensors and dimming to harvest daylight and reduce the overall electric use in the build- ing. Over 50 percent of the regularly occupied space met the requirement for the daylight credit threshold. The products used in Guidon HQ were carefully selected and monitored to ensure the best possible indoor environ- ment for building occupants. Adhesives, sealants, paints, and interior finishes have low or no emitted chemicals to improve the indoor air quality and reduces occupant irritation and allergies. Over 75 percent of these products meet strict regulatory requirements. Finally, the Innovation in Design category is an oppor- tunity for the owner and team to go the distance on credit achievement either through earning exemplary perfor- mance in one of the credits or through a custom credit achievement path. Guidon HQ earned the Biophilic Design Point through a close study of the opportunities presented at the site. These included maximizing park-like views of the neigh- boring President Benjamin Harrison Site’s lawn to the west of the site. A more urban view can be found at the east side of the building. Collaborative space and a con- ference room were programmed next to this view shed to maximize the amount of people who can experience the different sides of Indianapolis. To further the celebration of culture in Indianapolis each meeting space is named af- ter a different local neighborhood. These create gathering points that honor our urban culture, an important tenant of biophilic design. Guidon HQ supports ongoing sustainability efforts of track-

Guidon exterior front

Guidon panels

cess. Product selection and specification review are equally important to achievement of these credits as the role of the contractor who will purchase and document these products. At Guidon HQ over 50 percent of the original exterior building surface (exterior brick) was reused. Over 75 percent of the existing structure was reused and the original 1962 terrazzo stair was restored at a fraction of the cost of a new stair. All the materials in the building were carefully selected based on the amount of recycled content, regional content, availability of a product lifecycle analysis, availability of an environmental product declaration, and emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Over

ing performance and encouraging responsible waste handling including things like composting food waste, recycling, and quarterly durable elec- tronic recycling drives. To learn more about Guidon Design visit www.guidondesign.com.

HANNAH FLECK has worked for Guidon since 2014 as a sustainability engineer. At Guidon, she has designed green infrastructure projects and led teams through the LEED certification process. She has been involved with USGBC Indiana for the past 6 years and is the recorder of the Market Leadership Advisory Board and chair of the local Women in Green committee.

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In total, we work with more than 400 providers, each supplying vital products, materials, and equipment for our construction projects. In terms of delivery miles alone, this large supplier base represents a po- tentially significant carbon footprint, if not managed proactively. Our solution was to turn to the wealth of businesses in our local area – and this initiative has been a huge success. Today, more than 75 percent of our supply orders are sourced from the North East of England, very close to our headquarters in Darlington, with only specialist equipment being ordered from further afield or overseas. As a direct result, the carbon footprint of our supply chain has been considerably reduced, alongside lead times. Furthermore, our renewed emphasis on local content is not exclusive to the Northeast – it also extends to our construction sites. As Chris Droogan, Managing Director at Cleveland Bridge reveals, “To mini- mise the carbon footprint of any given project, we aim to maximise local resources, where possible. For example, our recent project at Bridge Street, Newport operated with more than 50 percent of local labour and materials sourced in that region.” Our lean manufacturing As one of the biggest contributors to our carbon footprint, a complete overhaul of Cleveland Bridges traditional manufacturing was required. In its place, we sought to implement lean manufacturing principles that

At Cleveland Bridge Group, we firmly believe that sustainability is a pre-requisite for doing business in today’s world. As such, the entire steel industry must take responsibility for their impact on the environ- ment and embed the values, practices, new techniques, and solutions across all aspects of their businesses. While we understand that this is no simple task, our own efforts to go green have proven that the rewards are worth the work. In fact, we have successfully implemented over 300 separate initiatives that not only reduced our carbon footprint, but also improved our day-to-day processes and cost of operations. Our local supply chain As an international company, one of the biggest obstacles to reducing carbon emissions was the sheer size of our supply chain. Cleveland Bridge Group: Howwe reduced our carbon footprint

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would change both the culture and processes of our day-to-day opera- tions. We started with our most prized asset: our staff. From efficiency improvements to waste- reduction ideas, to pro- cess improvements and energy reduction we educated our workforce to identify, suggest, and implement carbon foot- print initiatives of their own. The aim of the training was to facilitate a change in mindset throughout the entire company, providing the foundation for a more sustainable future. In terms of initiatives with more immediate benefits, we improved

the production machinery. For example, we invested in advanced multi-functional equipment that completes more tasks with fewer machines, rationalising equipment, improving flow, and minimising downtime. Additionally, we improved production efficiency and mini- mised energy output, by implementing a greater degree of automation in our equipment – particularly in our cutting and welding operations. Chris Droogan, Managing Director at Cleveland Bridge, believes that these manufacturing improvements result in benefits all along the sup- ply chain, “Due to the scale of our plant and equipment, we can pro- duce larger and more complex steel girders – up to 56 metres in length. When compared to shipping multiple smaller components, these large girders help reduce transport costs and thereby carbon emissions. And, with our improved production machinery, we can even carry out trial assemblies to ensure fittings and product dimensions and buildability is industry leading.” Our energy efficient offices In addition to our ambitious improvements to manufacturing and the supply chain, we also implemented several smaller – yet, equally im- portant – initiatives in our offices and production facilities, supporting Cleveland Bridge being more energy efficient. We started with the simple solutions – the easy, energy efficient chang- es that would quickly reduce our carbon footprint. For example, our maintenance team started to recycle all grey water, significantly im-

proving our water utilisation. Another example was our plan to prevent lights being left on unnecessarily, we installed zonal, passive infra-red and sound sensitive switching as well as LED lighting throughout our offices. Within operations we installed LED lighting, providing sig- nificant carbon reduction when multiplied over our operational area of 30,000m2. Similarly, we also invested in a fleet of energy-saving photocopiers and printers and upgraded our heating system to enable greater zonal control and improved efficiency. As Chris Droogan, Managing Director at Cleveland Bridge, explains, “The real challenge was deciding which initiative to prioritise to im- prove our existing office equipment and processes.” One of the answers to this problem, for instance, was to update our IT servers with the latest processing technologies. This innovative im- provement not only granted our servers a far greater energy-efficient ratio but also allowed us to scale down the number of IT servers by over 60 percent, further reducing our offices’ carbon emissions. In all areas of the business, Cleveland Bridge has instilled a cultural change, which has been integral in the success of our carbon footprint initiatives. An example of this is the decision to install electric vehicle charging points prior to any employees utilising electric cars, this pro- vided a catalyst for change. We hope the rest of the industry will join us in our efforts to create a more sustainable future.

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In the current industry, there is almost a compulsory nature about the LEED documentation process. With an impetus on not only achiev- ing LEED certification but tmaintaining it as well, many in the AEC industry are in need of accurate and efficient software capabilities to support their LEED documentation aspirations. This is where Tommy Linstroth comes in. Tommy Linstroth is the founder and CEO of Green Badger, a software company that allows companies to manage and automate LEED documentation. Linstroth saw the need for a more efficient guide through the LEED documentation process when he was running a consulting business that helped customers and clients across the U.S. design, develop, and man- age green buildings. It allowed him to use his experience of managing millions of dollars of real estate to say what worked on paper and what worked in practice. What his experience running that consulting business told him was that his way of documenting and managing LEED certification materials might not be the most efficient. Not only that, but everyone in the industry was pretty much stuck in the same position. Linstroth recalls using labor-intensive tracking methods such as “dozens and dozens and dozens of spreadsheets.” He also recalls there being no other way. No better way. So, he built a better way. The idea for Green Badger was originally formed around 2013, but the company didn’t go to market until 2015. Green Badger started as a tool for Linstroth’s consulting business. He would go on site walks as a consultant and notice contractors hav- ing small discrepancies, causing them to lose LEED points. Linstroth wanted a tool that contractors could just point and scan. The first prototype was a database and a scanner. It began as a tool for the construction sector. Today, the number of contractors who trust Green Badger to manage their LEED documentation is growing rapidly. They have hundreds of projects currently active over the span of the U.S. and Canada. This includes contractors both large and small. Linstroth believes this rapid gain in market traction is likely due to its transformative nature. He believes that his job isn’t as hard as convincing an Android phone user to switch to an iPhone because a few of the features are better. The switch to Green Badger is a much Linstroth & Green Badger “LEED” the Way By Luke Carothers

more transformational shift; it is a leap forward for those who had been tracking the documentation manually. This means that the product, Green Badger, “sells itself”. People are so amazed by the shift and the ease that it becomes easy to adjust to the transition. Linstroth knows from experience that people hate the old process, and he knows how liberating the switch to digital documenta- tion can be. One challenge for the growth is a constant need for change. On top of listening to users and implementing changes to make the software easier to use, Linstroth and his team must keep up with the ever- changing nature of LEED regulations themselves. LEED is currently in its fourth version (LEED v4.1). On top of that, the USGBC offers quarterly updates to the LEED regulation code. Green Badger is able to adapt to these changes and make it easy for contractors to focus on the project at hand rather than trying to follow regulation. Linstroth doesn’t believe that this is simply a tool, however. He believes that Green Badger can be a force that positively pushes the envelope in the industry. Just as the LEED regulations are updated to reflect progress towards greener, healthier buildings, Green Badger is able to facilitate and reinforce these steps forward by helping contrac- tors adhere to the most recent guidelines. One of Linstroth’s hopes is to grow the green building market in North America where he sees us lagging behind other regions such as Europe in the sense that our regular building codes do not necessarily promote sustainable construction. In other words, the projects taking place within the green building market are able to stand against any in the world, but those who are not actively seeking sustainability certifica- tion need to catch up to international standard. According to Linstroth, the green building sector represents roughly 30 percent of the construction market in the United States. He believes that number will increase to 40 percent in the next few years. Based on the tremendous amounts of growth the market has seen since LEED was finalized in the early 2000s, Linstroth believes there is no reason that number won’t increase to near 80 percent past a decade or so. Click here to learn more about Tommy Linstroth and his work at Green Badger.

LUKE CAROTHERS is the Editor for Civil + Structural Engineer Media. If you want us to cover your project or want to feature your own article, he can be reached at lcarothers@zweiggroup.com.

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The Timber Revolution: A Guide By Holly Lennihan, RA, LEED AP and Thomas Corrado, LEED AP It’s no secret that buildings are a major contributor to carbon dioxide emissions. For years now, architects, engineers, and the design com- munity as a whole have taken measures to reduce the industry’s impact on climate change, fervently pursuing innovative solutions that could help remedy – if not reverse – the damage. Enter: the resurgence of wood construction, now in the form of mass timber. Mass timber is a readily renewable construction material that sequesters carbon from the atmosphere for the lifetime of its usage. Its sustainable qualities combined with its aesthetic appeal and structural capabilities have captured the attention of American architects such that over 220 projects in the country currently feature mass timber – and the number of opportunities is expected to rise. Heightened awareness of climate issues, government mandates, and a consumer demand for environ- mentally conscious options have driven an increased exploration of materials like mass timber that will not only address sustainability concerns, but help aesthetically differentiate properties as well. At Hickok Cole, we’ve spent the past three years working internally and alongside industry partners, including Arup, DPR Construction, and Davis Construction, to learn as much as we can about the oppor- tunities, challenges, and capabilities of building with mass timber. To help prepare for the inevitable mainstreaming of mass timber, we’ve pulled together a primer to share a few things you should know: Marketplace Perception Currently, much of mass timber is manufactured in Europe, Canada, or the West Coast which can translate to longer lead times for projects in the United States, specifically those on the East Coast. Fortunately, these lead times can be offset by the speed of mass timber construction. Unlike with concrete or steel, mass timber can be assembled with a much smaller team in much less time – sometimes within the course of a few weeks. Another challenge that comes with importing mass timber is the sub- sequent increase in cost, making the decision to use mass timber over its more competitively priced counterparts a difficult one. Positioning mass timber as a differentiator within a competitive marketplace has been a successful strategy for increasing its use. In Washington, D.C., for example, the material is perceived by buyers as a unique aesthetic advantage, allowing for owners to offset the material cost by charging a premium on rent. Addressing Codes & Safety Precautions Stick built systems fell out of fashion following the industrial era when fires ravaged much of Chicago and San Francisco. Even with the

SE corner showcases new tenant terrace and roof canopy

technological advances of today, a cautionary approach remains sur- rounding the construction of large, commercial buildings out of wood. As with many forms of technology in their infancy, there is a limited amount of tested product available from which to base findings from, identify challenges, or point to solutions. In order to address these kinds of barriers to entry, it’s crucial to get to know the local officials and open a dialogue well in advance around the regulations and restric- tions that surround mass timber construction. Resources In addition to local officials, there are several resources available online that have proved helpful for our design teams. From advocacy groups like Wood Works and the American Wood Council to mass timber sup- pliers themselves, these organizations provide helpful guidelines for getting started. Connecting with like-minded firms within the industry can also prove very helpful for sourcing supplemental information. Consider reaching out to past partners or clients to ensure that all aspects of design and construction have been thoughtfully considered. Assembling a strate- gic team that includes engineers, builders, and designers is not only efficient but cost effective. It allows each team member to investigate their own area of expertise, strengthening the group’s collective knowl- edge and creating a web of mass timber advocates within the industry. The Planet Finally, and of utmost importance, is the sustainability component of this story. In cities like Washington, D.C., buildings can contribute over 70 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions produced. Identifying in- novative solutions to decrease the built environment’s carbon footprint is of paramount importance and it is crucial that the design community leverage their knowledge of mass timber to propel the movement forward. Case Study: CLT Goes to Washington Washington, DC-based architecture firm, Hickok Cole anticipated the mass timber trend and sought to mainstream the material within the local marketplace. Focusing on Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) – a type of mass timber consisting of several boards stacked and glued together in alternating directions – the team partnered with Arup and

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