SEOUL, Republic of Korea — The U.S. Government to include all branches of the military have a requirement to have 15 percent of their buildings meet sustainable guidelines. For this purpose the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Far East District continuously places emphasis on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification.
John Bendon, a consultant from Green Building, LLC, conducted a two day workshop July 14-15 to help prepare a group of FED engineers and interns for the LEED accreditation test.
“Why is LEED important if you are a civil engineer? Why even take the test?” asked Bendon.
The answer Bendon gave was integration. Jennifer Yoon, a civil engineer with FED, definitely plans on becoming LEED accredited in the near future.
“I think LEED is important to everyone, not just people in design and construction,” said Yoon. “LEED supports building practices that are environmentally responsible throughout the lifecycle of the building, not just during construction. It promotes profit, the planet, and people. Everyone should strive for sustainability, not just builders and designers.”
LEED is a consensus based process and everyone has a part to play. Bendon emphasized that engineers, contractors, building owners, and even the tenants are all part of LEED certification for a building.
“If you think you’re too small to make a difference then you’ve never been in a sleeping bag with a mosquito,” said Bendon.
Several times a year the opportunity arises for continuing education at FED, especially in LEED certification. This year previous classes were taught in February and April.