• Improved Air, Thermal, and Acoustic Environments
• Enhanced Occupant Comfort and General Health
• Increased Quality of Life

• Minimized Strain on Local Infrastructure
• Increased Employment for Local Crafts and Tradespeople
• Strengthened Local Economy
• Improved Design Quality

• Reduced Operating Costs
• Enhanced Profits and Asset Value
• Improved Productivity #& Satisfaction of Employees,Students, Overall Users
• Optimized Life-Cycle Performance
• Marketing Potential

• Enhanced and Protected Ecosystems and Biodiversity
• Improved Air and Water Quality
• Limited Waste
• Conserved Natural Resources

Improved sustainability and energy efficiency may be achieved at many levels:

Fundamental No-Cost or Low-Cost Strategies

• Careful Site Planning
• Minimize Area
• Save Mature Trees #& Plantings
• Minimize Paving
• Use Water #& Energy Efficient Fixtures
• Maximize Daylight
• Consider Local Materials
• Natural vs. Mechanical Ventilation
• Eliminate Unnecessary Finishes

Quick Payback Strategies

• Tight Building Envelope
• Efficient Mechanical Systems
• Use of Building Controls #& Zoning

Active & Experimental Strategies

• Alternative Energy Solutions
• Rainwater Collection
• Educational Components

Construction Strategies

• Construction Waste Management Plan
• Construction Indoor Air Quality Plan
• Protection of Building Materials
• Use Local Subcontractors #& Suppliers
• Monitor Site Energy #& Water Use

Beyond Construction

• Commissioning
• Real Time Monitoring

The key to achieving green buildings is assembling a fully integrated project team when the project is but a seed of an idea. This team is diverse in experience and knowledge, and collectively able to develop innovative strategies for successful projects.

The Integrated Team

• Clients
• Architects
• Planners
• Construction Project Managers
• Cost Estimators
• Systems Engineers
• Civil #& Structural Engineers
• Environmental Specialists
• Historic Preservationists
• Community Members
• Utility and Alternative Energy Representatives
• Specialized Consultants
• Other Project Stakeholders

Bread Loaf houses much of this integrated team under one roof. With input from a client and other stakeholders, we design, develop, and implement building solutions that are socially, ecologically, and economically responsible.

What is LEED™?

“Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance, green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance.” - U.S. Green Building Council

LEED encourages an integrated approach to project planning, design, and construction. The LEED rating system is a point-based system that recognizes GREEN building strategies and overall sustainability in the following areas:

Why is LEED Important?

Bread Loaf staffs LEED Accredited Professionals on every project. They are trained to administer the LEED certification process. These people are our architects, engineers, estimators, and construction project managers who bring extensive experience with GREEN design and construction to every project. Bread Loaf has experience designing, managing, and constructing LEED buildings.

Additional Benefits of LEED

The LEED rating system ensures owners, occupants, investors, architects, builders, and the general public that specific project goals have been met. It is not unlike the labels on packaged foods.

LEED Buildings may be rated Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum

Bread Loaf and LEED

• Third-Party Validation of Green Design Features #& Degree of Sustainability
• High Visibility of a ’Leadership’ Building
• Greater Access to Financial Incentives
• Significantly Lower Energy Consumption
• Benefit of the LEED Brand for Marketing Initiatives

Bread Loaf and GREEN

At Bread Loaf, GREEN is what we do! We believe that natural systems must thrive in the presence of human development.

Green buildings, their owners, designers, and builders are continually recognized for environmental leadership across multiple disciplines.

The industry is changing.

Technologies are allowing great advances in building science, energy efficiency, and design accuracy.

To take advantage of these advances, we need to leverage the talents of the designers, builders, and other integrated team members early in the project process. The effective collaboration of these people is a formula for success.