Trustees go for LEED

NORTHEAST GLENDALE — Trustees voted unanimously Monday to approve eco-friendly certification of new construction at Glendale Community College’s Garfield campus, one month after tabling the vote because of lingering questions over price.

Trustees had long agreed to build new construction to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver standard, but had split whether the $30,000 to $50,000 cost for certification was necessary.

“I expect the contractor to deliver on what the product is that we’ve asked for,” trustee Tony Tartaglia said. “I don’t need a third party to verify a contractor did their job.”

Building to eco-friendly standards does not ensure the building is carbon neutral or fundamentally sound, Blair Seibert, an architect at Verde Concepts, told the board.

“The difference between building to a LEED-certifiable level?.?.?.?is making sure it was done correctly,” she said. “They increase the quality of the process. When subcontractors know things are going to be commissioned?.?.?.?they know there’s going to be someone coming out to check these things.”

Still, board President Vahe Peroomian said he wanted assurances that commissioning would not raise construction costs.

Tartaglia said College of the Canyons, a community college in Santa Clarita, is building structures to gold LEED standard, but forgoing certification.

“Then it’s not really gold standard,” Seibert said. “Commissioning is a requirement for certification.”

LEED specifications reduce energy costs and save owners money. Building owners with long-term investments typically opt for LEED certification, Seibert said.

“In the higher-education category, they’ve found energy savings at 11%,” she said.

A local affiliate of the Sierra Club and a campus environmental group requested the board’s unanimous approval during public comments.

LEED commissioning agents oversee building water management and cooling systems, construction material and indoor environmental quality. In a survey of 26 new LEED-certified building projects, more than 80% of sites relied on employees with the U.S. Green Building Council to develop a commissioning plan, verify construction, test systems and diagnostics, oversee contractor training, and review operations.

“Why commission? Ultimately it improves energy performance over the long haul,” Seibert said. “It helps with comfort, air quality, occupant comfortability and improved test scores.”

Tartaglia, who ultimately voted to join the majority, said he did not want to be the sole dissenter if trustees supported certification.

“This is not a sword I am going to die on,” he said. “I am supportive of building to LEED standards, but the certification process concerns me.”