Sustainability

Our sustainability experts have extensive experience in multiple sustainability rating systems, including all versions and rating systems of LEED, Green Globes, Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), Living Building Challenge (LBC), Core Green Building Certification (CORE), Fitwell, WELL Building Standard, and SITES.

• Our team has helped certify over 300 projects through the LEED system in Colorado alone. We also have a staff that includes 20 LEED-Accredited Professionals.
• Group14 is a LEED Proven Provider with GBCI, a designation that streamlines the LEED project review process for experienced organizations that demonstrate consistent excellence in LEED administration.
• We run early design charrettes to help teams determine the best rating system for their project by aligning program goals with specific rating systems.
• For multifamily and affordable housing projects, Group14 offers expertise in a variety of Green Building Certification programs. These include HERS, Energy Star for Homes, Zero Energy Ready Homes, National Green Building Standard (NGBS), and LEED for Homes.

From strategy to implementation, Group14 uses an objective lens to measure an organization’s internal practices, guiding clients on how to achieve their environmental goals. Our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) services help organizations benchmark against industry standards, identify areas for improvement and establishing action plans. Finally, we work with organizations to develop their impact reports.

• Group14’s CSR/ESG services have numerous benefits beyond improving organizational resiliency. Our services enhance brand value and reputation, boost employee engagement, and help attract investors.
• We have helped corporations and municipalities align with and disclose to various reporting frameworks. These include GRI, GRESB, JUST, BCorp, UN SDGs, and CDP.
• Additionally, we assist clients in setting science-based targets and developing climate action plans.

Life-Cycle Assessments measure the environmental impacts associated with all phases of a building’s life cycle. This includes extraction, processing, transport, construction, operation, and decommissioning. LCAs are an emerging tool providing scientific justification for design and construction decisions.

• Group14’s life-cycle assessments provide an accurate picture of the environmental and cost trade-offs inherent in system and product selections.
• We work closely with design and construction team throughout the life of a project to help identify sustainable, cost-effective solutions.
• Group14 guides clients on how to maximize investment dollars while minimizing their environmental footprint.

Group14 specializes in organizational resilience and resilient design strategies for the built environment. Using our understanding of climate change vulnerabilities, we evaluate a project’s ability to adapt and manage risk. Resilient design helps to preserve the value of building assets and the safety of building occupants.

• Group14 conducts vulnerability assessment for clients to identify site specific hazards.
• Hazards include utility outages, hail/severe snowstorms, extreme heat waves, flooding, and lack of potable water.
• Based on the resiliency assessment, we present evidence-based strategies that will best suit individual projects to mitigate risk and enhance asset value.
• Group14 certifies resiliency in design through several green certification systems.

It is essential that the built environment considers equity, wellness social impact and health.  Group14 works with project teams to create positive social impact. We also guide design teams, developers, and building managers on community-specific strategies that enhance the health and well-being of occupants.

• We work with social impact and health ratings systems, including the Living Building Challenge, Fitwel, WELL Building Standard, and SEED.
• Group14 guides project teams in addressing mental health and wellness by incorporating elements of Healing, Trauma-Informed, and Biophilic Design.
• We ensure access to clean air with air quality monitoring & testing, and healthy material selection.
• Group14 incorporates occupants’ lived experience into building designs through various forms of stakeholder engagement including surveys, focus groups, and community outreach.