REES Earth History of Sustainable Design
REES has a 35-year history of providing energy efficient facilities with components and systems that are now considered “sustainable” or “green.” Our company continues to emphasize the principals and lessons that environmental stewardship has to offer. As sustainability has gained momentum throughout the last decade, REES has formalized the expectation that our employees will become fluent in the language of the green building, creating a comprehensive training program for LEED Accreditation.
It is no surprise that our commitment to environmentally responsible design permeates our firm culture. Currently, 70% of our design and technical staff are Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professionals (LEED®AP). We are also proud to say that all of our senior officers are LEED APs. We have a Director of Sustainability that guides the firm’s environmental policies and design efforts.
Though what became known as sustainable principals were implemented on projects from the very beginning of the firm’s existence, KAUT was the first project, completed in 1982, that assembled several strategies into one project. Our “maiden” sustainable project incorporated strategies such as building orientation and earth-berming. The real crowning achievement was the building’s ability to self heat even when outside temperatures reached -5 degrees.
We practice what we preach. Our offices have many features that we felt were important for us to incorporate. The REES Oklahoma City office has sustainable elements such as recycled carpet, steel structure and framing, and abundant daylighting and views. The REES Dallas Office is designed according to LEED, and the REES Atlanta Office has recently achieved LEED Silver.
REES commonly utilizes green building elements in our projects. These are even further enhanced when the project is LEED Registered or reaching for LEED Certification (a list of Common Sustainable Elements is available <here>.
In recent news, the Federal Bureau of Investigations Field Office in Louisville, Kentucky has also achieved LEED Silver Certification and Longhorn Village, a prominent Senior Living community in Austin, Texas, has received a three star green building rating from the Austin Energy Green Building program.
Each of our specialties has the distinction of completing sustainable projects. Mission Critical / Broadcast, Corporate / Interiors, Education, Government, Healthcare, Justice and Senior Living all carry examples of projects that are green.
Sustainability is a factor in nearly every decision that our team makes throughout the design process. From Pre-Design through Construction Administration, our professionals strive to make environmentally-friendly choices through building orientation, selection of efficient systems, daylighting elements, and specification of finishes, water management, and numerous other methods. REES is adept at finding cost-effective or cost-neutral methods to implement sustainability into any project, large or small. Ultimately, we believe that the choices we make as designers and planners not only have a positive impact on the Earth but serve to make the built environment a healthier and more productive place to inhabit.
