LEED / SUSTAINABLE DESIGN. If Sustainable Architecture is one of your important concerns, the design professionals at BSA are committed to meeting your intended environmental goals. We recognize the impact building construction and operation has on our environment. Designers are faced with rigorous challenges in a world where the economy and population are expanding while resources are dwindling. We are prepared to meet the demand for new or renovated facilities that are accessible, secure, healthy and productive while minimizing our impact on the systems of the natural world. Our goal is to create buildings that are responsive, responsible and defensible. To that end, our buildings are competently planned, functionally suitable, appropriate in form, cost-effective, constructible, adaptable, durable, and contextual. Our methodology, extensively applied at the DNR facility and the Cross Plains Library, supports an increased commitment to environmental stewardship and conservation, and results in an optimal balance of cost, environmental, societal and human benefits while meeting the mission and function of the intended facility. There are six fundamental principles we incorporate into our design philosophy: OPTIMIZE SITE POTENTIAL. Creating sustainable buildings starts with proper site selection, including consideration of the reuse or rehabilitation of existing buildings. The location, orientation, and landscaping of a building affect the local ecosystems, transportation methods, and energy use. MINIMIZE ENERGY CONSUMPTION. A building should rely on conservation and passive design measures rather than fossil fuels for its operation. It should meet or exceed applicable energy performance standards. PROTECT AND CONSERVE WATER. In many parts of the country, fresh water is an increasingly scarce resource. A sustainable building should reduce, control or treat site-runoff, use water efficiently, and reuse or recycle water for on-site use when feasible. USE ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERABLE PRODUCTS. A sustainable building should be constructed of materials that minimize life cycle environmental impacts such as global warming, resource depletion, and human toxicity. In a materials context, life cycle includes raw materials acquisition, product manufacturing, packaging, transportation, installation, use, and reuse/recycling/disposal. ENHANCE INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (IEQ). The indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of a building has a significant impact on occupant health, comfort, and productivity. Among other attributes, a sustainable building should maximize day-lighting, have appropriate ventilation and moisture control, and avoid the use of materials with high-VOC emissions. OPTIMIZE OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE PRACTICES. A sustainable building should be designed to take into account the energy and environmental impacts of operating and maintaining the building. Designers are encouraged to specify materials and systems that reduce the need for maintenance, and/or require less water, energy, and toxic chemicals and cleaners to maintain.
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