Start-Up-Story

As with many HGCI programs, we began small and grew over time into a robust and professional program. What follows is a summary of the key turning points in the four-year development process of this program:

Timeline

July 00 HGCI presentation and meeting with Harvard Real Estate Services (HRES).

August 00 Director of the HRES Project Management Unit established the Sustainable Buildings Steering Group to work with HGCI and asks project managers to volunteer to trial LEED guidelines.

Initial members : Peter Riley, Ted LeBlanc, Alexa Dailey, Minakshi Amundsen, Jonathan Lavash, Maile Takahashi, Karen Powers, Kate Loosian, Denise Ferris, Leith Sharp, Rogelio Flores. Group continues to meet monthly.

Sept 00- April 01 Trial LEED projects underway in 1 Western Ave and 60 Oxford St. 17 Grant St and 4-6 Athens go for 5 Star Energy Star Rating. HGCI provides specialist consultant support to design teams. Steering group meets regularly to share lessons and review progress.

June 01 - Sept 01 Student internship established and co-funded by HGCI and HRES to review and document lessons learned by LEED and Energy Star trial. Amy Sheehan from GSD employed. Final report produced and used to establish the HRES Sustainable Buildings Program one year later.

Sept 01 - Jan 02 Student internship project funded by the Directors of Commercial and Residential Real Estate Units with core focus on environmental procurement research. Internship culminates in major presentation of a range of trial results to 40 staff within the Commercial and Residential Units. (Click here to view the presentation slides.)

Jan 02 HGCI Director presents proposal to Director of HRES for development of HRES Sustainable Buildings Program – requesting funding for one full time coordinator. Proposal outlines plan for Project Management, University and Commercial Real Estate and Residential Real Estate to share in funding program. Proposal approved and HGCI hires coordinator (previous student intern to HRES).

Feb 02 – Present Sustainable Buildings Program continues to develop services that are tailored to the needs of each HRES department.   Specific services include:

  • LEED administration and other high performance services for Project Management
  • Building audits, peer-to peer training workshops, portfolio assessments, Green Renovation Guidelines, and continuing procurement and recycling trials for University and Commercial
  • Building audits, portfolio assessments, and procurement and recycling trials (*everything from low VOC paints, recycled carpets and lighting sensors to environmentally preferred toilet paper and hand towels) for Residential Real Estate
  • Planning strategies to incorporate green into the campus master planning (Harvard Planning and Allston Initiative)