Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Sustainability Certification topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Building committee debates LEED certification and timing for Runlet project
Summary
Committee members and project staff discussed whether to pursue New England CHIPS or LEED certification for the Runlet School project, costs and timing; staff said the team needs a near‑term decision to include certification requirements in contract documents.
The Concord School District building committee discussed whether to pursue green‑building certification for the new Runlet School during the Feb. 5 meeting. Project staff told the committee that New England CHIPS is being phased into LEED and that including certification requirements in contract documents requires early decisions.
Presenter (speaker 11) said the team registered for the state rating system earlier but CHIPS is transitioning toward LEED; he added that LEED registration and two formal reviews (design and construction) carry review fees that typically amount to several thousand dollars. “We really should know soon, like, by the next building committee meeting potentially,” the presenter said, because requirements must be in specifications and drawings before construction advances.
Why it matters: Certification affects contract language, construction submittals, tracking of recycled content and waste and (for some bidders) contract management costs. The committee must weigh whether the program’s documentation and review fees yield sufficient operational or educational benefits to justify the additional work and potential fees.
Cost and schedule considerations: The presenter said registration costs had already been paid and that the typical LEED/CHIPS reviews would be included in bidders’ general conditions; he estimated design and construction reviews can each cost roughly several thousand dollars. Committee members asked whether requiring the contractor to track sustainability items without formal certification would yield the same operational benefits while reducing fees; staff said some tracking can be required contractually but certified review processes provide additional verification and accountability.
Next steps: Committee members asked the sustainability committee to meet and provide a recommendation, and the project team will confirm with the construction manager (referred to as Harvey in discussion) whether omitting formal certification would lower the construction manager’s general conditions and overall cost. The committee set a near‑term expectation to decide whether to proceed with certification before the next building committee meeting so the requirement can be incorporated into bid documents if chosen.
No vote was taken at the meeting.
