I was in an architectural finalist interview last week, and one of the members of the client's interview team asked, "if we were to tell you that we want LEED Gold instead of LEED Silver for this project, what will you do differently?"
The architect's sustainability consultant responded that it wasn't so much what the team would do differently, but rather what the client/owner would be asked to do differently, both in terms of upfront cost as well as ongoing operations and maintenance.
There doesn't seem to be a lack of interest in sustainable or green practices in the area of design these days. One architect that I work with has opined that in five years, there won't be any "green architects" - it's fast becoming part and parcel of the practice of the profession. Engineers of all stripes - mechanical, electrical, structural - as well as specialty consultants such as audiovisual - have jumped on.
Where I see some of the greatest challenges in the area of "GreenAV" is in working with clients on issues where sustainable design butts up against best audiovisual practices (or, if not "best", at least "common"). Some of these include:
- Mixing daylighting and front projection
- Operable windows with videoconferencing
- Frequent switching of power sources to/within a facility where distributed AV networks may not all be UPS protected
These all have the potential for problems if people are not thoughtful in how they approach the design process as well as the priorities and philosophies that are embedded in the design work of others.
Will Craig CTS-D CDT