Wayne L. Morse United States Courthouse

Lessons Learned

The design of the courthouse was a collaborative effort, supported by the owner, tenants, design team, and general contractor. Early in the process, all members of the project team signed agreements ensuring support for all agreed measures, including those relating to green design. By creating clear expectations for performance at the beginning of the design process, all team members were able to be actively involved in all decisions leading up to the completed built form.

A green design charrette allowed the team to explore all possible green building measures to be incorporated. The early proposal of green features was critical to reaching agreement on the intent for the project and responsibilities of various parties.

The commissioning agent was involved throughout the project; the agent performed several duties, including the oversight and verification of the commissioning plan, the review of the contractor’s submittals, the production of a commissioning manual for ongoing operations, and the submittal of contracts for ongoing reviews during the first year of occupation.

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Our thanks to the ENERGY STAR program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and to the U.S. Department of Energy, and to BuildingGreen, Inc. for hosting the submission and judging forms.

For more information about the AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Projects, contact AIA/COTE. For help on how to use this Web site, contact .