Beck Signs Commitment to Sustainable Building Practices in Construction
- May 19, 2021
The Beck Group, the integrated design-build firm, is proud to announce its Dallas office signed The Contractors’ Commitment to Sustainable Building Practices. It is one of the first firms to sign the commitment in its pilot year and implement the measures on at least 30 percent of its Dallas-based operations.
BuildingGreen’s Sustainable Construction Leaders (SCL) peer network created The Contractor’s Commitment. It is an initiative that provides guidance and tracking for sustainability measures in the construction industry.
“As leaders in sustainability, Beck is excited about the opportunity and the momentum it will build in our industry. We care deeply about design and construction’s impact on the environment. It is why Beck is a founding member of SCL and helped develop this framework,” said Jeff Forbes, Regional Director of The Beck Group’s Dallas office.
The framework consists of five categories: carbon reduction, jobsite wellness, waste management, water management, and material selection. These categories outline practices general contractors can implement.
It also allows for a clear and measurable way of tracking sustainability. Similar to other sustainability rating systems, it uses a tiered approach with strategies for achieving “Good,” “Better,” and “Best” management practices that build on each other.
The SCL started in 2018 when Beck and other industry leaders recognized the need for a sustainable movement in construction. Unlike the phases of design and building operations and maintenance, there were no guidance or standards for sustainability and wellness in construction. After forming, the SCL established a task force to develop a cohesive, relevant, and achievable framework.
About Beck’s Sustainability Practice
Each Beck project embraces sustainability by incorporating the highest energy and water efficiency, healthy building materials, and occupant wellbeing aspects that the budget allows. Using the AIA 2030 Commitment goals and the AIA Framework for Design Excellence as metrics, the firm provides high-performance buildings with a holistic approach to health through sustainable best practices.
By considering these issues from a project’s start, the firm seamlessly incorporates its responsible design into projects. The sustainability team and more than 35 percent of the firm’s LEED Accredited Professionals are champions of responsible design and, now, construction.
Some of the first and most significant facilities to use sustainable strategies are Beck projects, including the Wayne N. Aspinall Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse. The facility is a site net-zero energy project on the National Register of Historic Places and an AIA COTE Top Ten award recipient.
Beck’s sustainability group offers a full suite of services. It is a LEED Proven Provider and ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager Partner. It also uses energy efficiency analysis, Life Cycle Cost Assessment, solar studies, and financial incentives for building efficiency.