Partnerships Build Credibility

Many of our sustainable building experts have aligned themselves with other companies, community groups, and collaborators to create a stronger case when recommending solutions. Strength in numbers applies here. Leverage your combined and individual expertise to change the conversation and develop solutions.

Conferences and online summits are great places to meet others in the sustainability space. Pinpoint the expertise and connections you need and look to these gatherings as a means of expanding your circle.

"We tend to partner with companies that share our desire to create carefully thought-out buildings that benefit their communities. We share values with community non-profits. We strive to design the tools and facilities that help them realize their missions.”

Richard Berliner, AIA, LEED AP, Principal, Berliner Architects

"We often work in coalitions with environmental and other organizations to broaden our reach and effectiveness.”

Gordian Raacke, Executive Director, Renewable Energy Long Island (reLI.org)

"We are extremely fortunate to be surrounded by people whom we respect greatly in our professional endeavors. These individuals are equally passionate about our business, always seeking the next challenge to improve the way we operate.”

Iwan Nassimi, Executive VP, Nassimi

"Most often we will engage independent third-party building or energy engineers to quantify potential savings and validate cost/benefit value propositions that a contractor might have estimated.”

Peter Grabell, Senior Vice President, Dividend Finance Inc.

"We partner with companies that are providing innovative ways to address waste-related challenges: sensors for reporting, reusable service ware to tackle corporate cafeteria waste, etc.”

Anna Dengler, Senior Sustainability Advisor, Great Forest

"Our partnerships in the consulting world have evolved to include engineering firms with specific expertise and knowledge in sustainable development and cutting edge energy initiatives.”

Vince Myers, AIA, LEED AP, President, DIGroup Architecture LLC

"We try to partner with organizations that unify and focus industry efforts towards accelerating decarbonization. The Carbon Leadership Forum and Building Transparency are great examples of the industry-leading organizations that we are working with. As partners, we share our respective experiences, cross-collaborate with peers, coordinate research efforts, and develop new tools and methodologies for emission reduction. Our collective expertise helps us build a stronger case for high-performance, innovative buildings.”

Dalton Ho, LEED AP BD+C and Senior Sustainability Advisor, Perkins&Will

"My partnerships are more than business collaborations-- they come together to form a community of changemakers. Having a sense of community unites us and allows us to be part of something that is greater than ourselves. When adding to this, I tend to select entities that have the same ideas as me. In particular, I seek out organizations and companies with the same attitudes and perspectives toward nature.”

Keng-Fu Lo, managing director of the Chain10 Architecture & Interior Design Institute

"I belong to several groups (I serve on the AIA GA board, and was the past chair of AIA Atlanta's Committee on the Environment (COTE) ) and try to collaborate with other groups such as USGBC and NOMA (National Association of Minority Architects). Partnering with nonprofits who know the issues on the ground best is probably a great way for companies to set genuine equity goals and genuine impact.”

Ganesh Nayak, Principal, Metier Inc.

"Design-build partnerships offer enormous sustainability potential. We are currently working on a representative project with general contractor Hensel Phelps for a new medical center on the University of California, Irvine, campus. Daily operations on the 11.6-acre site will be powered by a first-of-its-kind all-electric utility plant on the premises. CO Architects worked with Hensel Phelps on a design that blankets the 1,400-spot parking structure in solar panels, and client UCI Health negotiated an energy-purchasing agreement with the solar provider. This is an example of all stakeholders collaborating early in the design process, with a common LEED Platinum project goal.”

Jenna Knudsen, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Managing Principal, CO Architects