Somerville's Sustainable Design Scoop
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David W. Delfosse AIA, NCARB, LEED® AP
Project Architect / Corporate Sustainable Advisor
Greetings,
And welcome to the first ever quarterly column, “Somerville’s Sustainable Design Scoop” (say that five times fast, whew!). As my first opportunity to address you, I wish to thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to read this column. By this, you express your involvement, support, and/or interest in sustainability in architecture. Let me begin by offering you a brief history of my involvement with the subject.
During the first few years following my completion of graduate school in 1999, I was lucky enough to be exposed early to Green Architecture; I recognized the exigency of the situation and quickly realized I had found my true architectural passion.
I grabbed every opportunity I could to educate myself on this “new” trend and became a LEED® Accredited Professional in 2002. I spent time researching sustainable materials, environmentally friendly design, worked on energy modeling, and made an effort to learn what I could about cutting edge sustainable technology. I also had the good fortune to be able to provide sustainable/ energy consulting services for numerous projects throughout Wisconsin for Focus on Energy’s – New Commercial Building’s Technical Assistance Program and gained even more real-world experience in sustainable design.
For the next few years I helped clients realize their sustainable goals on a wide range of projects. I helped them to better understand the LEED® program which was rapidly gaining momentum across the country. During that time, I learned that “Green” design seemed to have two associations with the public at large. They often thought “environmentally friendly”, but they also thought “more expensive design”. Fortunately, I had teachers along the way who taught me how well-informed design could produce sustainable results while rarely adding additional expense. And quick return on investment always alleviated the pressure in the instance of additional cost.
In 2005 I joined Somerville, Inc. and finally felt I had found my “home.” Since then, I have been able to work on the most rewarding projects of my career and have been able to show our clients the importance of sustainable design. I enjoy working with like-minded people who understand the inherent value of long-term thinking in relation to the dynamic impact a project’s design can have not only on the environment but on the health of the building’s inhabitants.
Earlier this year, we challenged ourselves as a firm to rethink what great client service and great design truly means. As a result, the tag line “Design Matters” was created. We realize that this simple tag line not only encompasses the way the building looks and functions, but the way a building is received. Critical components such as effective communication, teamwork, and environmentally responsible decisions are more of what constitute great design. Whether a student, a mother, a teacher, or a doctor each of these components leads to you, the individual. And we elevate your importance.
We are committed to exploring sustainable options as we work toward each project solution. From the simplest of sustainable measures to complete LEED® certified designs, we have repositioned ourselves to offer our clients a custom level of sustainable design that satisfies the uniqueness of each individual client’s goals.
As we move together into a more compassionate future, we’d like to help you sift through the mountains of "Green" literature you have undoubtedly encountered. One way we can accomplish this is by offering you this column where I’ll be highlighting green products, sustainable industry trends, and first-hand stories of the sustainable projects Somerville is working on.
If you see something useful, please share it with others. As Mike Volkema, Chairman of the board for Herman Miller Furniture is quoted, 'When it comes to commitment to the environment, there are no trade secrets.' On that note, please consider me a resource in the industry; I encourage you to contact me at any time. I look forward to sharing ideas with you and hope you will find it useful and thought provoking.
Respectfully yours,
Dave Delfosse
ddelfosse@somervilleinc.com