We feel collaboration on many levels is an essential component of sustainable building design, i.e.:
Collaboration in Design – Many people have a mental image of what they want their home or office to look like. For some it is well defined and they can easily represent it with photographs, words or sketches. For others, it may be a fleeting mental image or something that hasn’t yet manifested itself visually. We feel that it is our job to help our clients identify, define and create (or re-create) that mental image in their project.
Collaboration in Construction – Too often, Architects and Builders work independently of each other, which can lead to misunderstandings regarding available skills, materials or design intent (especially with newer materials or processes’). We view collaboration between the Owner, Builder and Architect as an essential part of the design process. In most cases, we recommend that a contractor be chosen while the project is still in the Schematic Design or Design Development stage. This allows the contractor to have direct input into the creation of the construction details. In addition, it allows the Architect and builder to work out any issues regarding specialty items before the construction has started. (Both examples translate into less uncertainty, faster construction and lower cost).
We believe collaboration goes hand in hand with sustainability. In today’s increasingly smaller, more complex world, governments, businesses, individuals and religions should all work together to tackle such issues as global warming, poverty and fossil fuel dependency. We view the potential educational aspects of sustainable building design as a small but invaluable part of the process.