As green building continues to receive more and more attention in the construction industry, we recognize this issue is becoming of greater importance to our clients. This is why we are especially excited to officially welcome Shayna Prunier as the newest Shawmut Hospitality team member. Shayna is not only our west coast Director of Business Development but she is a LEED Accredited Professional, Certified Green Building Professional, Green Point Rater, and is extremely passionate about sustainable building and design. She has served as a consultant for residential and commercial projects on sustainable design and environmental issues and is eager to share her passion and extensive knowledge with Shawmut’s clients. Shayna practices what she preaches as she is currently in the process of building her own fabulous green home consisting of numerous sustainable elements. Growing up in the rolling hills of western Massachusetts under the strong influence of her father has helped Shayna to become conscious and enthusiastic about preserving the environment. Shayna explains, “Our food came from the garden, we recycled, we composted, and the house was always kept cold for true energy efficiency.” She has a little bit of a head start in the sustainable living department and that’s why we are so pleased to have her helping us lead the green building charge in the hospitality industry.
Shawmut recently completed Rouge Tomate in NYC which incorporated sustainable elements in its design and construction.
While restaurant and hotel owners and operators are beginning to embrace sustainable building and design, Shawmut has been busy building a strong portfolio consisting of 23 LEED projects including the Platinum certified Yale University Sculpture Building. We have also compiled a team of seasoned LEED Accredited Professionals. We are beyond excited to bring our extensive experience and knowledge to the hospitality world.
The final decision to make a building a LEED or green project is in the client’s hands. Although the number of LEED projects that Shawmut has built and or has under construction continues to grow, a majority of our projects do not have a goal of LEED certification. We strive to make an impact on all projects, not just the projects whose clients and architects are committed to green. We have several areas where we can directly impact the construction process, and three of these are major initiatives that Shawmut monitors and enforces on a company-wide basis:
- Construction & Demolition Waste Management: We are currently launching an initiative that encourages our project teams to maximize C&D waste recycling on all projects.
- Indoor Air Quality Management: Shawmut takes safety very seriously, and proper construction indoor air quality management is valuable to the health of our employees, our clients, and building occupants. IAQ is also an important target for any LEED or green project, and Shawmut has made outstanding Indoor Air Quality management a Best Practice for all projects.
- Green Jobsite: Shawmut’s goal is to go beyond what is required of us as construction managers. Our site offices recycle all office waste, and we have challenged our project teams to think innovatively and take advantage of unique project opportunities to be green on all Shawmut jobsites.
In fact, our own Vern Rich, managing director of corporate interiors, was recently interviewed by Green Space Today where he was asked to share construction and design details on Shawmut’s new green office space as well as industry leading sustainable construction tips and techniques he’s currently utilizing on his projects with LEED and sustainable aspirations.
Click here to read Vern’s article.
Check out some useful sites to help you build and live a little greener…
