green firm certification: is your firm ready?

Barbra Batshalom, Executive Director

SPI Green Firm Certification Program: Is Your Firm Ready?

1. Purpose of program

2. OVERVIEW: STATE OF THE INDUSTRY:What’s not working and why?

3. WHERE THE COMMUNITY REALLY IS:Industry Survey Results

4. DEFINING THE PATH TO EXCELLENCE: Framework, Strategies, Metrics

5. DISCUSSION: Questions & Answers

Agenda

ARE WE “THERE” YET?

With all the progress we’ve made to ‘green’ our built environment, we have a long way to go. We face crises of climate change, public health, habitat devastation and economic implosion – so the question remains: What will it take to get “there” – to be on a path towards sustainability?

“END OF PIPE” SOLUTIONS AREN’T ENOUGH

Building codes and rating systems are “end of pipe” solutions. They help us determine a target and allow us to measure what we’ve done. That’s important, but not enough.

USGBC and LEED have dragged us (kicking & screaming) to a place where we finally base our work on performance, using metrics and accountability – but that has not been enough to go ‘up the pipe’ and transform professional practice.

The “root of the problem” is that we are still trying to use the same processes, behavior and mindset to deliver a new product.

Green building, LEED, net zero – whatever the project’s goal is – we can’t succeed without addressing our way of doing business. We need to reset our perceptions, expectations and increase collaboration to succeed.

Design and construction companies who have done this have realized success and delivered performance!

WE NEED TO ADDRESS “THE ROOT” OF THE PROBLEM

So we need a logical, methodological and rational approach to these issues. The SPI green firm program has done that - and provided a framework to translate behavior and culture to metrics and performance criteria.

THE CLASSIC CHALLENGE

As engineers, architects and builders, we are generally logical, rational and analytical. The “left brain” is where we thrive, solving problems, delivering solutions.

We are a “left brain” community struggling to address “right brain” problems!

We’re less comfortable dealing with “right brain” functions needed to implement sustainability initiatives: holistic synthesizing, subjective judgments, emotions and creativity.

HOW GREEN IS YOUR FIRM?…INDUSTRY SURVEY RESULTS

Before we share our framework and metrics, we’d like to share some context…

Links to blog with survey details:Part 1: http://bit.ly/cuIrMa Part 2: http://bit.ly/dhwZvc

Our framework has evolved from over 10 years of working in the industry and seeing the challenges companies face.

This industry-wide survey we conducted illustrates why our program is needed and what we need to change to succeed .

Following are some summary excerpts of the survey. Complete information and statistics can be found at the links below:

INDUSTRY SURVEY PARTICIPANTSDESIGN & CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES

Of the hundreds who participated in the survey, there was an even distribution between executive and senior company leaders and company or project managers.

Firms varied in size from 10 employees to 45,000 (with the majority being in the mid to large size companies)

LEADERSHIP & STRATEGY

Commitment to sustainability is in public mission statement, website, marketing materials?

Leaders at all levels make clear to staff that sustainability is part of the job?

“SMART” goals are consistently set for projects & organization?

Although public statements are consistently focused on commitment to sustainability, leadership does not consistently communicate that expectation to staff.

Goals are not usually SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, time-bound) and there is often a lack of clear accountability structure for sustainability.

PROJECT DELIVERY

All project achieve clear performance goals?

Every project manager incorporates life cycle costing into projects?

Project management is rooted in an integrative, collaborative process?

Clear performance targets not yet being set for every project (regardless of whether its pursuing LEED, BREEAM, etc. or not).

Integrative design not yet consistently used as the foundation for managing projects.

Inconsistent application of life-cycle costing to evaluate key systems decisions.

INFRASTRUCTURE & SUPPORT

Green design and spec standards are maintained & used consistently?

Clear roles are defined & accountable to support sustainability?

HR supports green practice: performance reviews, prof dev, etc

Green specifications not always maintained or used consistently.

Lack of clear roles and accountability for implementation of sustainability.

Critical tools and resources not always available and not used consistently on projects.

Performance reviews don’t evaluate sustainable design capability for key roles.

PARTNERING & COLLABORATION

Roles, responsibilities, and decision making processes mapped clearly on every project?

All contracts, scopes & fees create conditions conducive for success?

Consistent teambuilding with partners?

Contracts and team structures often create a barriers for integrative project delivery.

Teams rarely map their decision making process to achieve key performance targets.

Very little proactive team building happens among partners, between project commitments.

METRICS – OUTCOMES - PERFORMANCE

Company has a program & strategies to reduce its environmental impact over time

Company tracks (in any way) performance of its portfolio

Not tracking anything – either operations or portfolio!

Although 25% of these companies are not tracking anything, more than 40% have put some sort of program in place to reduce environmental footprint.

Over 30% are beginning to track the performance of their portfolio of work!

OBSERVATIONS FROM THE FIELD

WE HAVE A LOT OF “GAPS” TO ADDRESS:

• LACK OF LEADERSHIP, COMMITMENT• LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY STRUCTURE• LACK OF CONSISTENCY• LACK OF INTEGRATIVE PROCESS• LACK OF QUALITY CONTROL• LACK OF TOOLS & RESOURCES• LACK OF SHARED LEARNINGS• DEPENDENCE ON LEED AS A CRUTCH

HUMAN NATURE DOESN’T HELP….(DON’T WE JUST LOVE NEW THINGS?)

THE JOURNEY TO EXCELLENCEDEFINING THE PATH

?This way to excellence in sustainable design!

So now the question is…where are you on the path to design excellence?If you have organizational “gaps” to close…what path will you take?

Our roadmap can help you.

THE ORIGINS OF SPI GREEN FIRM CERTIFICATION

SPIEXCELLENCE IN DESIGN

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

OWNERSHELPING TO CRAFT RFPs DESIGN TEAM SELECTION

PROCESS FACILITATIONPEER REVIEW

STRATEGY

A/E/C TRAINING

CAPACITY BUILDINGPROJECT COACHINGTOOLS & RESOURCES

GREEN FIRM BOOT CAMP

TRIBUTARIES LEADING TO CREATION OF SPI CERTIFICATION

…Building on12 years of work with A/E/C and Owners

WHAT IS THE SUSTAINABLE PERFORMANCE INSTITUTE (SPI)• TOOLS • RESOURCES• TRAINING• ORGANIZATOINAL CERTIFICATION

SPI CERTIFICATION EVALUATES AND RECOGNIZES ORGANIZATIONAL CAPABILITY TO DELIVER CONSISTENT, HIGH QUALITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN SERVICES

…ACROSS ALL ASPECTS OF THE COMPANY AND AT ALL LEVELS

BEING CERTIFIED TELLS PROPERTY OWNERS THAT YOU ARE RELIABLE AND CAPABLE

Program Partners Include:

THE JOURNEY TO EXCELLENCEWhere are you?

JUSTSTARTING

OUT

“EN ROUTE!”ON YOUR

WAY

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

RELIABLECAPABILITY

CERTIFIABLE

Companies are at different places on their journey to achieving excellence in sustainability practice. No matter where you are – SPI supports you – or recognizes your achievements!

PROJECT DELIVERY

SUPPORT & INFRASTRUCTURE

OUTCOMES & METRICS

PARTNERING PROCESSES

LEADERSHIP STRATEGY & POLICY

SPI Certification Framework

= TRULYGREENFIRM

For each category we will summarize:•What it is

and then:• Issues•Solutions•Metrics

PRODUCTION INFRASTRUCTUREPARTNERING OUTCOMESLEADERSHIP

CommitmentVisionGoals & PurposeClear accountability at all levels, in all departments

Strategic Plan to achieve goals over time

Policies that support goals and implementation

LEADERSHIP

ISSUESTalk doesn’t

match actionsLack of SMART

goalsStaff don’t feel

empowered

SOLUTIONSArticulate clear goalsMake expectations and

priorities clearShift culture to align

with goalsImplementation /

strategic planMandate sustainability

on all projects

METRICSPublic materialsInternal

communicationsSURVEYS !!!Accountability

structure

LEADERSHIP

EVIDENCE of CONSISTENT application of sustainable design principles as a basis of design excellence – and ‘institutionalization’ of sustainability approach

Integrative design & project delivery is the basis for project management, on all projects

Clear performance goals, decision roadmaps and use of analysis to inform decisions applied to all projects.

Clear decision-making mapped out to address key performance targets

Drawings, specifications and models consistently incorporate green design standards.

PROJECTS

ISSUESNo clear goalsOnly ‘on

demand’Specs/dwgs not

consistentLow

performance

SOLUTIONSClear project goalsIDP as a foundation

for proj. mngmt.WorkplansLife cycle costing and

other analysis

METRICSMeeting notes /

agendasWorkplansAnalysisDrawings & SpecsBldg. CertificationsPerformance

tracking

PROJECTS

CRITICAL RELATIONSHIPS are highly collaborative

Creating “TEAMS” – project based and ongoing proactive team building

Intentionally creating conditions conducive to success: contracts, scope, deliverables, expectations

Enabling IPD and use of key tools, like BIM, amongst a team

PARTNERING

ISSUESBarriers to IPDLack of

intentional TRUST building

No collaboration plan

SOLUTIONSProactive team

buildingProject structure and

planProcess Mapping

METRICSScope/fee

charretteContractsMinutes, agendas,

workplansSURVEYS –

internal, external

PARTNERING

Tools and Resources (green products, analysis, etc)

Design/spec standards (institutionalized)

Professional Development through many methods (team learning, project based coaching, lecture, etc)

HR: Handbook, performance reviews, job descriptions, incentives (non financial)

Investment – ongoing – in projects, R&D, etc.

INFRASTRUCTURE

INFRASTRUCTURE

ISSUESLack of critical

toolsLack of internal

standardsLack of effective

prof. dev. plansHR doesn’t

support sustainability goals

SOLUTIONSClarify perf.

expectationsBuild critical tools Tie prof dev to

institutional performance goals

Institute clarity in job descriptions, perf reviews

Intentional learning and feedback

METRICSSurvey to all staffHandbook, office

manualNew employee

orientationsJob DescriptionsPerformance reviewsTemplates for agendas,

workplans, Tools & resourcesProfessional

Development plan

Track metrics and feedback loops for two scales of your business:

• Portfolio-wide performance of projects over time

• Environmental footprint of your corporation

OUTCOMES

OUTCOMES

ISSUESNo feedback

loops!No baseline or

plan to reduce footprint

SOLUTIONSRequest & track

performance dataStart baseline and

prioritize strategies to reduce footprint

METRICSLEED – especially

EBOM – Estar, etcStandard letter /

communication institutionalized

Client SurveysEnvironmental

Footprint baseline begun, executed and priorities identified.

RECOGNITION & TRANSFORMATIONObservations of best practices from SPI companies

Signs of Change…positive changes that we’re seeing:

Clearer Roles & Accountability: Director of Sustainability, other…

Institutionalization of standard practices/processes (IPD)

Partnering: Proactive relationship building using BIM workshops

Investment in green on projects from overhead, even when clients don’t ask for it

Change in workflow – moving integration function to earlier in the project – lowering costs, reducing risk

Project performance improves !

Baseline projects meet LEED without extra effort

Importance of Being Intentional !Successful firms have used a rigorous, strategic and systematic process.

Define Your Practice Now• What’s your market?• SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opps, threats)• What’s your baseline – how green are you now?• What are your biggest challenges as a business?• What are the key systems, processes and practices that

you use currently?

Set Your Goals & Indicators• What are your BHAGs (big hairy audacious goals)• SMART goals? SMART =

(specific, measurable, achievable, realistic & time-bound)• What indicators & metrics will be tracked as feedback?

Define Strategies to Achieve Goals• Both long and short term strategies• Create early successes that you can measure• Make sure indicators are tracked to adjust as needed

Set Your Goals & Indicators

What’s your vision for the future? What are your goals?

Set achievable SMART* goals...

…understanding your current capabilities, future vision, and how you might get there.

*SMART = specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, Time-bound

Choose Paths to Achieve Goals

Create a Strategic Plan to Achieve Goals & Implement

…don’t forget:

• Identify and prioritize steps in the plan

• Assign people to be responsible for

implementation

• Indicators & Metrics need to be tracked

• Reporting should occur regularly

• Put a timeline on achieving your goals

• Test and adjust the tactics

Profitability and Financial ManagementGrowth (expansion into different markets)Staff Attraction and Retention (quality)Quality Control - Consistency in design and deliveryExposure/LiabilityManagement - staff and budget, company and projectTransfer of Knowledge and Knowledge MngmtMentoringRelationships

client (repeat and attraction)consultants

WHAT DEFINES ANY BUSINESS?HINT: if you base your internal discussions of goal setting in the context of basic business issues, you will have more ‘buy-in’. Start by addressing these fundamental questions and then tie sustainability back to them to understand your baseline:(see the “Sustainability Sample Plan” on our website)

1. Register on our website www.greenroundtable.org/certification

or email tova@greenroundtable.org 2. Intake information: company profile and context

3. Assessment and then one of two paths to certification:3a. AUDIT ! (If sustainability is truly institutionalized)

3b. GAP identification (if you have “gaps” to close)

We can provide support to address gaps in policy,strategy consulting, education & training, coaching

4. Certification

5. Annual, brief, Check-In

6. Every 3 years, re-certification

SPI Certification ProcessDec 10 Lock in Price

Owner and Company Endorsements

“Knowing a firm is certified tells me they have the leadership & systems in place to back them up. It sets them apart, makes

them a leader”Lawrence Healey,Dir. Real EstateBlue Cross/Blue Shield

Its in our hands

FOLLOW UP READING

Truth about green firms, “prequel”: http://bit.ly/greentruth

Links to blog with survey detailsPart 1: http://bit.ly/cuIrMa Part 2: http://bit.ly/dhwZvc

“The Integrative Design Guide to Green Building: Redefining the Practice of Sustainability” by 7group, Bill Reed

“Integrated Project Delivery: A Guide”, AIA Nat’l, AIA CA “Roadmap for the Integrated Design Process”, Stantec

ANSI standard for IPD – Whole Systems Integrative Process

Request a workshop in your area

Have “gaps”?

* Set “SMART” goals and identify strategies to achieve them

• Create an implementation plan to institutionalize

sustainability in an efficient, cost-effective way.

SPI Certification “Boot Camp” workshops can help:

½ day or 1 day format

Public, private or ‘team’ workshops possible

Working sessions to establish strategies

Contact us…

THANK YOU

617-374-3740

www.greenroundtable.org

info@greenroundtable.org