Green certifications verify that a building has been built to meet outlined sustainability metrics- from energy, air quality, and materials, to occupant health and structural performance. Each green certification has its own requirements, and the EarthCraft Certification is no different. The EarthCraft certification program speaks toward the challenging energy, water, and climate conditions in the Southeast U.S. market. When achieving green certifications, the process starts before any construction begins. The construction manager (CM) plays a pivotal role once a certification is chosen, working diligently to create the building to function as it’s meant to. They will also secure trade partners that are familiar with the chosen certification to build the best team for the job. The most recent job where we have seen this come to life is the Elizabeth River Project Ryan Resilience Lab, in Hampton Roads, VA. Before construction began, the EarthCraft certification was intended to be achieved with key considerations in the planning, design, and construction process.
EarthCraft Certification
EarthCraft is a green building certification program that was designed to address climate, energy, and water challenges that are unique to five states in the Southeastern United States (Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia). The EarthCraft program has separate designations for single-family homes, multifamily units, light commercial spaces, community developments, and renovation projects. Having an EarthCraft-certified building assures property owners that their facility passes all inspections and has reached its sustainability requirements.
Planning and Design: Setting the Sustainable Foundation
The site selection for The Elizabeth River Ryan Resilience Lab.
Site selection is critical when it comes to planning for a green building certification. Selecting a sustainable site fosters a reduction in the environmental impact by preserving natural habitats, soil quality, and ecosystems. That’s one reason why the site for the Ryan Resilience Lab project was chosen. The Ryan Resilience Lab project sits on Knitting Mill Creek and will be a living laboratory that protects the ecosystem as sea levels rise. The site was also chosen to incorporate a living shoreline of restored wetlands, oysters, and native plants. A living shoreline buffers floods, stores carbon, and attracts wildlife to form habitats.
Some key design considerations to consider when building a green building are having an energy-efficient building envelope layout, selecting sustainable materials and finishes, and including ways to integrate renewable energy sources. Ryan Resilience Lab has an energy-efficient envelope and fenestration along with a rainwater recycling system with two 5,000-gallon cisterns that collect stormwater runoff from the roof. The water is then filtered and used for irrigation. Upon completion, the goal is to be solar-equipped with net zero energy consumption.
Two 5,000-gallon cisterns will recycle and collect stormwater runoff from the roof.
From the start, it is important for architects, engineers, and contractors to collaborate on sustainable construction projects. Preconstruction planning is essential to the success of any project, specifically projects with such high sustainability goals. Communication to achieve a green building certificate starts at the first team meeting and making sure everyone involved is informed about what boxes need to be checked off to make sure the building meets its sustainability goals.
Construction Phase: Bringing Sustainability to Life
CMs play a pivotal role when it comes to managing green construction. They come up with many ways to manage construction waste on the job site as well as promote recycling across all field teams. They also take the lead in monitoring indoor air quality and ventilation during construction. Dust, chemical fumes, and moisture are just a few substances that aid in poor indoor air quality. Having a secure ventilation system in these instances is critical. Another role the CM manages is the water conservation measures. Finally, at the end of the day, the CM is responsible for making sure the building functions properly and efficiently.
An aerial view of The Ryan Resilience Lab.
EarthCraft Certification: The Green Stamp of Approval
EarthCraft is a regional leader when it comes to green building, as it offers many benefits to builders and building occupants. A few of those benefits include:
Every project that is actively trying to achieve EarthCraft certification should follow the certification process shown below:
Determining the eligibility of a project is the first step for a project participating in EarthCraft certification. Architects, engineers, and contractors will meet with an EarthCraft Technical Advisor to determine which certification best fits the project. This step is completed before any work is underway to allow all project team members to be well-equipped to understand all certification criteria.
Step two is to register the project with EarthCraft. This includes identifying the EarthCraft builder responsible for the project and the technical advisor who verified that the project meets EarthCraft standards.
Step three is to review the design. An EarthCraft builder, technical advisor, and the design team meet to discuss how the project will achieve EarthCraft certification. This meeting will include an overview of the EarthCraft Program worksheet, program requirements, and clarification of all party’s responsibilities.
Step four is a checkpoint during construction. An EarthCraft technical advisor will report a mid-construction review which includes site assessment and documentation of all construction to ensure the project is on track for the certification.
Step five is the final review before achieving the EarthCraft certification. The technical advisor will perform a final walk-through and complete diagnostic testing to verify project completion and that it meets all standards of EarthCraft.
Step six is achieving the EarthCraft certification. Once all documentation has been turned in, reviewed, and submitted by an EarthCraft project administrator, the project is awarded with its certification.
Once the project is awarded with the EarthCraft certification, project owners should be excited to share this accomplishment. EarthCraft has multiple ways of marketing the new achievement and will provide marketing guidelines to help promote it best.
Pioneering Sustainable Construction with EarthCraft
EarthCraft is known as the regional leader when it comes to green buildings and the benefits it brings to builders, developers, and residents. EarthCraft buildings are high-performance structures and achieve a minimum of 15% energy savings annually when compared to similar-sized structures. EarthCraft provides strategies that are built and designed to protect the environment by conserving water, energy, and timber during construction and throughout the building’s lifetime. Before the first shovel hits the ground, the client and CM decide on which certification to achieve and how to go about reaching those requirements. The benefits that come with achieving the EarthCraft certification have lasting impacts on the building, its occupants, and the environment.
