Consulting Services

Process Management

Green Building Rating Systems

Services supporting any of the following green building rating systems or standards: Collaborative for High Performance Schools, Federal Guiding Principles for High Performance Sustainable Buildings, Green Communities Criteria, Green Globes, EarthCraft Virginia, Energy Star, International Green Construction Code, LEED Green Building Rating System, Living Building Challenge, Net Zero Energy Buildings, Parksmart Certification and Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System and WELL Building Standard.

Project Planning / Team Selection Support

Project goal-setting and incorporation of sustainability requirements into Owner solicitation documents and project team processes.

Feasibility Assessment

Analysis of project potential for meeting green building criteria.

Charrette Facilitation

Project team Charrettes and related services to develop green building programs and early design priorities with participation from various stakeholders.

Process Management

Packaged services including feasibility assessment, project goal-setting, design integration, technical consulting, project management, documentation coordination and submission for certification and/or related approvals.

Advisory Services

Professional guidance for experienced design teams that wish to manage and coordinate the green building process internally; initial construction team training with ongoing peer review and support for contractor responsibilities.

Project Review

Pre- and post-submission peer reviews of green building project documentation packages.

Documentation Assistance

Final stage documentation support and quality control assistance for green building submission on projects managed by others.

Technical Services

Concept Design Assistance

Studies and concept design guidance for early project site and building selection and design decision-making.

Green Building Technical Consulting

Project-specific research and recommendations on planning, site design, water, energy, materials, and indoor environmental quality issues for sustainable design, construction, operations, and maintenance. Reports and presentations.

Sustainable Design Assessment and Drawing Review

Project review at any stage for sustainable design opportunities and areas of concern. Recommendations and design guidance based on project goals and constraints.

Specifications Review and Editing

Expert review of outline or fully-developed project specifications incorporating sustainable design criteria. Initial review with section-by-section recommendations and full green specifications editing.

Daylight Modeling

Simulations and analysis of natural daylight and exterior sun shading strategies.

Energy Modeling and Review

Creation of original and review of existing energy modeling reports for compliance with ASHRAE standards and compliance with green building certification requirements. Concept level and fully developed models.

Performance Benchmarking

Rough component data incorporation into a workable basis for comparison of whole-building design strategies.

Tenant Design and Furniture Selection Guidelines

Development of sustainable design and furniture selection guidelines for tenant fit-out of new and existing facilities.

Program Development

Corporate / Institutional Sustainability Programs

Creation, expansion, or updating of organizational programs, including facility, operational, administrative, tracking, reporting, and outreach elements.

Communications Planning

Assistance with public- and private-sector sustainability messaging and materials for public relations and outreach campaigns.

Award Application / Case Study Development

Project or program award applications to major publications and professional organizations. Documentation of project or program statistics in online or print format.

Green Curriculum Development

Preparation of classroom-ready green building and related educational materials for k-12, higher education, and professional training environments.

Facilities Services

Post Occupancy Evaluations

Performance assessments for compliance with building and system design intent.

Energy and Water Efficiency Auditing

Auditing program development and implementation for small and medium-scale existing buildings.

Operations and Maintenance Support

Preparation of policies, plans, guidelines, and tracking systems for facility management teams. Procurement and quality assurance strategies for green cleaning, grounds keeping, energy, water, solid waste, operational supply, indoor air quality, and transportation management.

Green Leasing Support

Integration of green building design, construction, operations, and maintenance criteria into building leasing documents and marketing strategies.

Value Assessment

ROI-Based Assessment of Alternative Strategies

Analysis of alternative capital investments based on specific return-on-investment and payback requirements.

Financial Incentive Applications

Project or program applications to obtain tax credits, tax deductions, grants, or other financial incentives.

Capital Investment Planning

Assistance with preparation of long-term capital expenditure plans for facilities and investment portfolios.

Building Performance Advantage

Valuation of professional investment by SDC and related consultants in proven performance terms.