Building background

The LORD Green Real Estate Strategies, Inc. headquarters is a 6,663 square foot building located nine miles northeast of downtown Dallas in the Highland Meadows neighborhood. Originally built in 1959, the building features a mid-century modern design and has undergone several renovations including additions in 2006 and 2013. As a leading global sustainability consulting firm, LORD Green Strategies decided to purchase the building in 2017 to fit the growing needs of the company, as well as incorporate sustainable practices and strategies it has developed and offered to its clients for more than ten years. As an industry leader, LORD Green Strategies is aiming to achieve all relevant green building certifications at its headquarters, including BREEAM USA-In Use, to demonstrate the company’s commitment to sustainability, as well as assess relevancy of various certification systems.

The BREEAM USA in-Use rating system provided the framework to benchmark our building’s sustainable performance, as well as the guidance and resources needed to increase performance moving forward. We are excited at the opportunity to implement lessons learned and work with our clients to pursue BREEAM certifications at their buildings.

Mychele Lord, Founder & CEO, LORD Green Real Estate Strategies 

Challenges – Overview of Green Strategy and Environmental Challenges

Moving into a new building presented many challenges for LORD Green Strategies. One of the major challenges was that the building was not operated efficiently under previous ownership.  Halogen lamps were prominent throughout the building and watering practices were not sustainable among other issues. The project team’s strategy was to quickly address the inefficiencies so that one year of good performance data could be collected and input into the BREEAM In-Use Online Tool to assess the building’s performance.  The goal was to establish a baseline and to use the Online Tool to increase the benchmark rating over time.

Solutions and Benefits

How has the BREEAM assessment benefited the project?

The BREEAM assessment allowed the project team to benchmark the current performance of the building and identify areas of improvement. In order to achieve a Good rating, several improvements were implemented including a whole building LED retrofit, the installation of a weather-based irrigation controller, and the addition of secure bicycle storage. Additionally, several existing green features of the building contributed to earning the rating including operable windows, proximity to public transport, and extensive planted areas featuring native plants and a shaded rest area for employees.

What value does certification bring to the development?

LORD Green Strategies found that BREEAM certification addressed the challenges faced and complimented the company’s commitment to sustainability by addressing areas such as resilience, health, and wellbeing. The holistic assessment approach meant all issues were addressed, resulting in a more comfortable and resilient work environment. Additionally, the certification guided the project team to formalize many policies and procedures such as an environmental management policy and asustainable procurement policy.

As a BREEAM Assessor, achieving BREEAM USA In-Use certification at our own facility allowed me to better understand the perspective and needs of building owners and operators. As a result of this process, LORD Green Strategies is now in a position to better serve our own clients in achieving future BREEAM USE In-Use certifications.

Alex Herold, Director of Green Building Certifications

Outcomes and Achievements

In addition to providing a better work environment, the BREEAM rating system provides the tools and guidance to increase building performance over time. The project team plans to pursue a higher benchmark rating within three years as well as pursue Part 3 Occupier Management to further demonstrate the property’s commitment to sustainability.