Energy Ace Inc., an Atlanta-based sustainability consulting firm, has publicly announced it will guarantee LEED certification for its projects. Of course, there are limitations to the guarantee:
"Energy Ace is guaranteeing LEED™ certification on projects where the firm is able to oversee LEED™ administration, Fundamental Commissioning and Energy Modeling, and where the project team is committed to LEED success."
Let's go through those conditions one at a time:
1. "The firm is able to ovesee LEED administration"
Since Energy Ace is a LEED consulting firm, I assume "LEED administration" means overseeing LEED certification paperwork. Energy Ace doesn't appear to serve any design or construction role. Remember, important decisions are made at both the design and construction stages that impact achieving LEED certification. How can Energy Ace be comfortable that LEED administration is enough?
2. "The firm is able to ... oversee Fundamental Commissioning and Energy Modeling."
This one makes sense. Commissioning and modeling are key components of buildings that eventually achieve LEED certification.
3. "The project team is committed to LEED success."
As a construction attorney, this sentence makes my stomach roll. Please, seriously, someone explain this to me. How do you define "committed to LEED success"?
Despite all of this, Energy Ace knows what they are doing. Check back on Friday and I will explain why.
Chris Cheatham, J.D., LEED AP, is a construction attorney in the Washington, D.C., Metro Area. Chris writes the blog Green Building Law Update, where this post originally appeared.
Image by brainloc.