Thomas Worlledge, AIA founder of Proactive Architecture PLLC, has just been named a LEEDTM accredited professional, one of only 160 in the country.

Charleston, West Virginia (July 19, 2001) -- Thomas Worlledge, AIA founder of Proactive Architecture PLLC, a registered architect and a voting member of the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) 90.1 national energy code standards committee has just been named a LEEDTM accredited professional, one of only 160 in the country. LEEDTM an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design sponsored by the U.S. Green Building Council is a building rating system that evaluates environmental performance over a building's life cycle, providing a definitive standard for what constitutes a "green building".

Proactive Architecture PLLC
Design for the next generation!

Specializing in architectural design services and sustainable design consulting

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:    Thomas Worlledge, AIA
Proactive Architecture PLLC
Phone:    (304) 340-4267
Fax:    (800) 699-1813
E-mail:    trw@proactivearchitecture.com

Charleston, West Virginia (July 19, 2001) -- Thomas Worlledge, AIA founder of Proactive Architecture PLLC, a registered architect and a voting member of the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) 90.1 national energy code standards committee has just been named a LEEDTM accredited professional, one of only 160 in the country. LEEDTM an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design sponsored by the U.S. Green Building Council is a building rating system that evaluates environmental performance over a building's life cycle, providing a definitive standard for what constitutes a "green building".
Green Building or Sustainable Design is a movement in the building industry that looks at a buildings performance related to a host of environmental issues including energy efficiency and indoor air quality. But rising energy prices and litigation over indoor air quality are not the only reason for the trend towards greener buildings. Federal agencies, states, counties, cities, colleges and universities, and top companies such as The Gap, Wal-Mart, Ford Motor Company, and Herman Miller have all adopted green policies ranging from federal mandates to business plans focused on sustainable goals. Why such an interest in being green? You thought green design was just about straw houses with grass roofs? Think again! Green design is about making money!
Studies have shown what common sense dictates, that a better indoor environment begets more productive employees. Productivity gains of up to 16% have been documented by applying simple environmental strategies to the design and remodeling of buildings. A typical office workers salary is worth $130 per square foot per year, while the cost of the building and total energy used are worth $21 and $1.81 respectively. Therefore, making workers more productive is more cost effective than saving money on construction. The interesting thing about green design is that it doesnt have to cost more than conventional construction if the environmental goals are set high enough. It will cost more if the goal is to make the building only 20% more efficient because of the added cost of more expensive materials. If the goal is to save 50% or more then some of the systems can be down sized or eliminated altogether, lowering the cost of the construction to at or below the cost of a conventional building. The savings continues throughout the life of the building by reducing the amount of resources needed for day-to-day operation.
Thomas R. Worlledge, AIA will be speaking on Sustainable Design for Commercial Construction" at the West Virginia Sustainable Fair Being held at West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, WV on Saturday July 28th at 4:00 PM. Registration is only $5.00 for a whole weekend of environmentally related events.