Jul 7 2010
AUI Contractors of Fort Worth was recently named a Certified Green Contractor by Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABC), a national construction trade association. ABC's Green Contractor Certification program recognizes construction companies that implement green practices and principles in the workplace, including headquarters, branch offices and jobsite offices.
To achieve certification by ABC's National Green Building Committee, AUI Contractors submitted an application detailing its green efforts and underwent a third-party onsite assessment.
AUI President Doug Alumbaugh said of the award, "We're honored to be the first general contractor in the state, and one of just a handful nationwide, to receive this recognition. Leadership and support of this sustainability effort has come from all levels of our organization, making this certification a real TEAM achievement."
The Green Contractor Certification process involves a list of 13 prerequisites ranging from distributing documents electronically to establishing an aggressive recycling program. Companies are required to fulfill at least 12 of 36 elective items that include conducting a professional energy audit, water conservation efforts, and providing incentives for carpooling or using public transportation. Each company must achieve four education and training benchmarks, including instructing employees on sustainability issues and requiring at least 25 percent of managers to receive green building awareness education.
"ABC members have been on the forefront of the green building movement since its inception," said W. Brewster Earle, chair of the ABC National Green Building Committee. "The Certified Green Contractor program is another step in ABC's goal to provide support and recognition for those members who are setting an example for the industry by promoting sustainability practices within the workplace as well as in their construction practices."
Specific actions that AUI undertook to earn the certification include installing low-flush toilets and urinals; installing motion sensor-controlled faucets in bathrooms; purchasing office supplies from local companies; using non-toxic biodegradable cleaning practices; using filtered water systems or 5 gallon water bottles (on the jobsite); using washable tableware; copying documents on both sides of paper when possible; using recycled or managed growth forest paper; and ensuring that at least 25% of eligible managers have received a minimum of 8 hours of green building awareness education and/or training.
"Decisions and practices employed during construction will impact a facility for the duration of its life, typically anywhere from 20 to 50 years," remarked Michael Kawecki, CEO of Axiom Sustainable Consulting and a recognized authority on sound environmental practices. "The ABC Green Contractor Certification program is an important step in encouraging and rewarding corporate responsibility towards sustainability. I applaud companies that strive to achieve Green Contractor Certification, as it shows that they not only recognize the importance of sustainable practices in the workplace, but also that they are willing to invest the time and resources to actually implement and track these practices in their own firms."
Source: http://www.auigc.com/