Why is Nunn the Right Choice for Your Green Building?

Nunn Construction has the experience and expertise to make your green project a success.  Our personnel has the right skill set to help your project from pre-construction through punch list.  Nunn has built numerous green projects.  If you are seeking a LEED Certified project, we can help you with the process.  Nunn built one of the first LEED certified projects in Colorado Springs, the Pikes Peak Regional Building Development Center.  The Pikes Peak Regional Building Develpment Center included numerous green features ranging from pervious paving to ice storage cooling systems.  Or, maybe your goal is to build the most sustainable building you can and not go through the LEED certification process.  That is the type of project that Nunn has successfully completed many times.  One recent example is the Christa McAuliffe Elementary School for District 11 in Colorado Springs.  The school had many wonderful green features such as intricate lighting controls, an extensive day-lighting system, and an extremely efficient Geothermal heat pump HVAC system.

What is Green Building?

There are as many different definitions of green building as there are applications of it.  The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive defines green building as;

"the practice of 1) increasing the efficiency with which buildings and their sites use energy, water and material, and 2) reducing building impacts on human health and the environment through better siting, design, construction , operation, maintenance and removal -the complete building life cycle."  - The Federal Commitment to Green Building: Experiences and Expectations, 18 September 2003

While the 1987 UN World commission on Environment and Development provided the following definition of "sustainable development" as that which

"meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

We at Nunn Construction simply define green building as "The responsible way to build."

Why is Green Building Important?

Currently buildings use large portions of the world resources.  Through a building's construction and life, it will consume large amounts of energy resulting in large CO2 emissions.  Typical construction consumes vast portions of the world raw materials.  The operation of a building requires large supplies of potable water.  Additionally, construction generates large amounts of solid waste that have been traditionally disposed of in landfills. 

The thought of all the impacts one new building can have are a bit overwhelming.  However, there is good news.  The growing use of green building techniques can reduce or eliminate the impacts that buildings have on the environment.  The amount of energy used can be reduced through more efficient systems which in turn cut the amount of CO2 emissions.  The use of products made with recycled materials requires less of the world's raw materials.  Utilizing landscaping plants that are native to the project climate can greatly cut the amount water used for irrigation.  And today those giant dumpsters we see at construction sites don't have to be taken to the landfill.  Through proper construction waste management, large amounts of waste that were once buried in landfills can be recycled.  This recycling of construction waste further reduces energy and raw material consumption.  These few examples just scratch the surface of the green or sustainable options and alternatives that are available.

What are the Benefits of Green Construction?

So far we have highlighted the benefits of green building techniques on a broad view, but green building can provide significant benefits for each building owner, tenant and occupant.  For the building owner, the operating costs can be reduced through efficient systems.  Employee productivity can be increased through greater amounts of natural light and improved indoor air quality that can increase morale and reduce sick days.  Even student test scores have been shown to be higher for schools built with the green building principles.  Whichever type of building you want to build or remodel, it can benefit from green building.

What is LEED?

LEED is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green building rating system which is developed and administered by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).  The USGBC is a non-profit organization dedicated to the green building movement.  Nunn Construction is a proud member of the USGBC.  The USGBC LEED rating system provides a "measuring stick" to help you identify how green your building project is.  The LEED certification process provides 3rd party verification of your building's green features and benefits.  Additionally, the USGBC offers an accreditation process for building professionals.  This accreditation gives the building professional an opportunity to prove their green building knowledge and their understanding of the LEED rating system.  Many members of Nunn's Staff are proud recipients of the LEED Accredited Professional designation.

So are you ready to build that green building?  If so, contact Nunn Construction, the experienced and dedicated green builder.

Still not sure if a green building is what you need?  Please come talk to us and let us show you how a few sustainable features can pay dividends throughout the life of your building.