Build July (2016)

Build Magazine 21 Company: Green Building Initiative Email: [email protected] Phone: 503-274-0448 Web Address: www.thegbi.org This is a vision that Vicki is vehemently passionate about pursuing. It has come to form the bases by which the GBI conducts its business, by not only raising awareness among their clients about the positive impact they are making by opting for a more sustainable project, but also taking steps to limit its control over clients. This accentuates the tremendous importance placed upon Green Globes, which underpins the leading customer service that Vicki believes sets the Green Building Initiative apart from competitors in the industry. “Project teams that are engaged in sustainable building assessment are typically more eco-friendly than their counterparts that are not. Although sustainable features and policies can be implemented without a third party verification, there is an unsurpassed level of accountability that comes with an unbiased, independent assessment. “Furthermore, Green Globes is more of a ‘referee’ than a policing agency. This means that project teams undergoing assessment will learn how to construct and/or operate a sustainable building. The Green Globes process provides a road map to project teams in the form of a survey that helps them understand what’s expected in a truly sustainable building. “Finally, GBI clients are encouraged to become more eco-friendly, because Green Globes is a flexible rating system that rewards them for being innovative and sustainable. Because technology advances so quickly, there is no way for any rating system to include every innovation or possibility. Therefore, we enable our assessors to interpret the intent of each credit as it applies to a specific project, award partial credit, and designate credits as non-applicable if appropriate, thereby empowering the assessors to reward clients for pushing the envelope and trying new things.”