Archives for July 2013

Has USGBC Shifted its Focus?

That’s the question posed by Greg Metz and Ted Lott of Lott3Metz Architects  in the Grand Rapids Business Journal (Click here to read the article).

Messrs. Metz and Lott were early, and proud, adopters of LEED certified designation for professionals who have wearied of the additional fees and re-certification required of their practices, which they see as little more than a new USGBC profit center.

Moreover, a sense of fairness is at play.  When they were accredited, the implied bargain was that the credential would last for life.  The revised rules, and their accompanying fees, unfairly change the terms of the relationship.  While Lott3Metz remains firmly committed to sustainable design, they are fed up with USGBC’s demand for ongoing tribute.

So instead of bellying up to the cashier window, Greg Metz would like to see, “…what is the next thing?  What’s the next LEED that everybody is going to want to have?”  Well Greg, the next thing is here.  It’s credible, it’s affordable, and it’s SERF.

Motor City Miracle

It is all too easy to hear of the financial meltdown of the City of Detroit government and assume that all is lost.

Hardly.  People and organizations who love their city are doing exciting things in Motown.  It was my pleasure to present a SERF Certification plaque to Kathy Makino of Shelborne Development on her company’s magnificent adaptive reuse of the historic Chalmers building as Chalmers Square.

In addition to 47 new, energy-efficient housing units, this mixed-use gem features 17,000 square feet of street retail to further bolster the revival of the resurgent East Jefferson corridor (www.jeffersoneast.org).  This corridor, originally known as the Jefferson-Chalmars Historic Business District, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

We believe in architect Carl Elefante’s maxim that the greenest building is the one that is already built.

Kathy Makino and Detroit’s Jefferson East community demonstrate that the greenest neighborhood is the one that is already built.