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Sustainable Design Research Studio

A Good Idea

Description

Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum, PC has grown to become the largest architecture/ engineering firm in the world. The company acknowledges that their actions regularly lead to the consumption of vast quantities of resources to create buildings and built environment, creating numerous environmental impacts and contributing to unhealthy environments. In response, HOK's Sustainable Design Research Studio has created a Healthy and Sustainable Building Materials Database, which serves as a clearinghouse for environmental information about building materials and products.

Goal / Mission

The goal of this project is to identify environmentally preferable building materials and products, to specify them in HOK's own projects, and to guide others in the profession in doing the same.

Results / Accomplishments

The primary result of HOK's efforts was the product itself, an extensive reference that can help drive the market to develop improved products and processes. HOK's 15-year commitment and contributions to the "green" building movement have been honored by the U.S. Green Building Council with the "Organizational Excellence" award in the 2006 USGBC Leadership Awards program.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum, PC
Primary Contact
Sandy Mendler, Director of Sustainable Design Services
Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum, PC
Canal House, 3223 Grace Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 339-8700
sandy.mendler@hok.com
http://www.hok.com/
Topics
Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants
Environmental Health / Air
Organization(s)
Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum, PC
Source
UN Habitat and Together Foundation
Date of publication
1998
Location
Washington, DC

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A Good Idea meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program funding source, program implementation steps and outcomes.
  2. The program evaluation is limited to descriptive measure(s) of success/accomplishment (i.e., program participation rates, number of services/education sessions/radio messages provided). Note: oftentimes, the program has been newly implemented and a program evaluation has not yet been conducted. Programs that have not yet been evaluated, but which show promise in improving health or quality of life, are classified as Good Ideas until an evaluation is conducted.