e4inc
New York e4inc.

Services

Professional services may include, but are not limited to:

High Performance Building Workshops

e4, inc. facilitates high performance workshops or sustainable design charrettes with relevant experts and the project team early in the design process. The workshop can provide structured brainstorming sessions that will explore high performance building opportunities and establish energy/environmental goals and performance benchmarks that then guide the design as it moves forward. The workshop can also begin the critical process of integrating the project team. A recent study indicated that the most significant energy and cost savings are achieved not from the application of technology, but from the close collaboration of the project team, with clear performance criteria and a managed delivery process. TOP

Green Project Management

e4, inc. works to ensure that the environmental goals of the project are achieved at the lowest possible cost. What makes our services unique in the marketplace is our hands-on management and follow through. We don't just tell you what needs to be done. We make sure that it happens. TOP

In addition, we can manage the process to ensure early and thorough consideration of the owner-selected requirements (e.g. LEED Gold); assist in the cost evaluation of the greening strategies; evaluate the need for other consultants and provide other support that the client may require through the life of the project. TOP

Government Funding and Incentives

Pamela Lippe has successfully secured funding from a variety of sources for many projects she has worked on, including a $3 million cost share from the US Department of Energy. e4, inc. was a NYSERDA New Construction and FlexTech provider for four years. Ms. Lippe and others at e4 are extremely familiar with this type of program and can coordinate the application for and management of the relationship with any funding agency that might help underwrite the project. TOP

Materials and Technology Research

e4, inc. supports the project team by researching and providing multiple sources (when possible) for cost-effective, environmentally responsible technology (e.g., low flow water fixtures, combined heat and power options, water and air filtration, etc.) e4 can also support projects with research and recommendations for products that meet criteria for recycled content, local and regional sourcing, sustainably harvested, rapidly renewable and low emitting materials. This can include a review and suggested revisions of existing specification language. TOP

Support for LEED Implementation

e4, inc. works closely with the project team and provides assistance as needed to research and implement LEED prerequisites and points. Individual members of the project team are usually focused, as they should be, on designing and constructing the building. e4 supplements their expertise by researching similar projects, relevant topics and LEED credit interpretations or other advisory opinions. e4 manages the LEED process to make sure that the requirements are explored and addressed as early as possible when potentially required design changes are least expensive. This helps ensure that implementation is completed at the lowest possible cost, frees the project team from LEED administration and allows them to focus their attention only on the details where their expertise is needed. TOP

Construction Plans and Reporting

LEED requires an Erosion & Sedimentation Plan, a Construction Waste Management and a Construction Indoor Air Quality Plan to be developed by the Construction Manager and implemented by the contractors and/or subcontractors. e4 inc. can assist in the development and/or review of the specification language and the draft plans. We help ensure that the required plans are in place in a timely manner, that their intent and requirements have been fully communicated to the relevant subcontractors and that they are effectively managed to ensure compliance with all LEED requirements. We can assist in the development and review of reporting forms to ensure that if a problem exists, it is identified while it can still be addressed, not after the project is completed. TOP

Credit Interpretation Requests (CIRs)

e4, inc. can take primary responsibility for writing and submitting credit interpretation requests to LEED for the project. It is not unusual for complex projects to need multiple interpretations because LEED was developed for commercial office buildings, not for the many building types it has before it now (e.g., multi-unit residential or healthcare facilities). e4 is currently involved with several projects which are requiring many interpretations. Fortunately, we have had excellent results in resolving these issues in our client's favor. TOP

Subcontractor Education

e4, inc. can help educate and provide support to subcontractors for LEED implementation and documentation. e4 can assist the project team in developing a process to monitor and improve (if necessary) subcontractor activities. This is one of the most challenging and difficult tasks. No matter what the design team does, if it is not followed through construction, points will be lost and LEED certification may be jeopardized. Ongoing education, monitoring and corrections are absolutely critical to success. TOP

Documentation Coordination and Submission

The project team has many responsibilities, most importantly designing and constructing the project on schedule and on budget. e4's role helps ensure that their "LEED time" is focused primarily on the discrete tasks needed to implement and document the points and prerequisites. Executing this work during design and construction minimizes the costs and streamlines the process. Depending on the project's preference, e4 can create and maintain the notebook that will be provided to LEED or support a member of the project team in compiling the submission required for certification. TOP

Meetings

e4, inc. can coordinate regular LEED meetings to help manage implementation and documentation with key members of the project team and relevant consultants. In addition, we often organize meetings to delve into specific topics and further explore LEED requirements with subcontractors or smaller sub-groups of the full project team. TOP
 
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