Promoting sustainable building operations is an increasing focus in many organizations. VFA Green Building Assessments help organizations to:

• Estimate the costs and benefits of potential sustainability investments
• Determine where to focus "green" dollars for the greatest impact
• Integrate sustainability programs into the capital planning process

Our assessment teams, which include LEED-accredited professionals, focus on five key areas of sustainable buildings consistent with guidelines for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED®-EB):

• Energy Efficiency
• Water Conservation
• Indoor Air Quality and Environment
• Site Sustainability
• Materials and Construction

Depending on an organization’s needs, VFA provides two different levels of Green Building Assessments.

• Level 1 targets relatively low-cost initiatives that can deliver short-term paybacks by reducing energy and natural resource consumption. Some examples include lighting controls, mechanical system tune-ups, and water saving controls.
• Level 2 provides a comprehensive assessment of greening opportunities that can provide both short and long-term environmental, social and economic impacts. Level 2 assessments may be conducted, for example, in support of major building renovations, large-scale master planning programs, or the acquisition of a long-term property holding.

With either service level, VFA identifies and prioritizes sustainability initiatives based on costs and estimated payback, as well as other benefits that support strategic business goals. VFA delivers:

• A Recommended Actions Report, including costs and timeframes
• A summary of expected benefits to occupants and environment
• Estimated operational cost savings over a given time period
• Detailed data on related building requirements and costs