TG Gallagher CEO Becomes LEED Accredited Professional
Date: October 10, 2008
Cambridge, MA – Brian Potter, CEO of Thomas G. Gallagher, Inc., has earned certification as a LEED Accredited Professional. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Rating Systems are well-known and widely accepted standards for sustainable green building and development practices.
“More and more of our clients are requesting LEED certification for their projects,” says Potter. “Becoming a LEED AP was a good way to understand what is required and how to help them achieve those goals.”
The LEED Green Building Rating Systems™ have been developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), in an open, consensus-based process led by volunteer committees made up of a diverse group of practitioners and experts. Certifications have been developed for a range of project types, including new construction, existing buildings, commercial interiors, schools and healthcare.
“LEED certification is the measuring stick that everybody is using,” says Potter. “It shows that you really understand and practice the green, sustainable way of building.”
To achieve LEED certification, architects, owners, engineers and contractors collaborate to earn points in a variety of categories, including sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental qualities. Points are based on specific, measurable criteria, and verified by independent third parties. Depending on the points earned, a building may be Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum.
The collaboration is an essential part of the process, says Potter. “There’s a lot of elements that have an effect on other elements, and you can help each other out. Mechanical systems can account for up to 35% of the achievable points, so often we’re one of the larger players, in conjunction with the engineers who design the systems.”
To achieve his LEED Accredited Professional certification, Potter went through an intensive eight-week course culminating in an exam. “It was difficult,” he says. “There was a lot of memorization. They want to establish that you know the formulas and a lot of the facts and figures that are behind those credits.”
Other TG Gallagher staff members are now taking the LEED AP courses with the aim of becoming certified. “That way, our clients will know that there’s somebody on the project who knows what it takes to get the LEED credits,” says Potter, “and understands the green, sustainable way of getting things done.”
