Build for Impact host and LEED fellow, Daniel Huard, spoke with long-time friend, Dennis Berlien, Chief Operating Officer at Glumac. Berlien leads operations that focus on technical and operational best practices for green buildings.
Berlien and Huard discussed building techniques and strategies that are tailored to geography as well as minimizing environmental impact. Berlien elaborated on how different locations are prone to particular natural disasters such as wildfires, earthquakes, and flooding, and how buildings can be designed to be resilient to these dangers. He further commented on the progress in building techniques to minimize carbon footprint, reprocess water, and reduce energy consumption.
The transition in building codes was another key topic of their discussion. “Codes are constantly changing and what the building departs are holding us accountable for are ever changing”, Berlien said. “Commissioning is definitely critical.”
The pair also took a look at materials transparency in MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing), and the strides being taken to streamline and improve material selection with regards to embodied carbon and sustainability.Building
Lastly, the two examined building design with regards to wellness. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought this topic to the forefront as personal health and wellbeing are taking center stage in building design. Berlien touched on readiness and return to work surveys, air particle testing, and how the HVAC systems distribute air and its effects on the spread of infectious diseases.
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