During the first SITES Quarterly Call of 2018, our panel of experts from GBCI and Design Workshop dissected the various stages of the SITES certification process. From communicating the value of performance-based design to goal setting and documentation, here are the top three tips you need to know:
1. Ensure the entire project team understands the SITES Scorecard prior to project design.
The SITES Scorecard—the tool that provides project teams with a complete set of prerequisites and credits used for measuring site sustainability—is a critical component of achieving SITES certification. With the requirement to form an integrated design team at the project’s outset, it’s important that the entire team understand the SITES Scorecard prior to project design. Updating your Scorecard often through ongoing design reviews is immensely important and helps keep projects on track.
2. Define coordination needs before construction.
Before breaking ground on your project, it’s important to have very clear technical specifications for construction projects that meet your sustainable design requirements. Sharing the SITES v2 Materials worksheet is crucial, because it will help you figure out how each of your materials will be sourced and enable you to determine if, or how, each one will contribute to your SITES certification.
3. Set measurable goals.
Goal setting is a key driver for success when teams navigate their way through the SITES certification process. Following clear goals and performance metrics that align with SITES helps project teams understand the critical success factors of their projects.
To learn more about efficiently navigating the various stages of the SITES certification process, including fee setting and documentation, check out the Q1 2018 SITES Quarterly Call On Demand.