TLC Engineering for Architecture provided sustainable design services for first LEED®-certified building in Florida and remains a pacesetter through continuing education and vigorous participation in the U.S. Green Building Council. TLC has LEED-Accredited Professionals and ACG-Certified Commissioning Authorities in all 10 of our offices in Florida, Tennessee and Texas. Since engineering the first LEED-Certified project in Florida in 2003, we have provided sustainable design services for more than 300 projects in 14 states, plus Italy and the United Arab Emirates. Our 65 LEED-Certified projects total more than 7.7 million sf of certified sustainable space. In addition, we are committed to the 2030 Challenge and have current experience in reaching net zero design solutions with a focus on Integrated Project Delivery.

Not only do we provide sustainable design and consulting services, we have become a greener organization in practice. Three of our offices are LEED CI certified. Our employees do their part by turning off lights in work spaces and conference rooms when they aren't in use and shutting down computers and other electronic equipment at night and on weekends. Water-conservation and recycling measures are also in place.

"This endeavor illustrates TLC's firm belief that we are all stewards of the environment. As a firm, we are passionate about sustainability, not just in green building design but in the way we live our lives," said Chief Executive Office Debra Lupton, AIA.

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For more information about the USGBC or selected chapters, click on the links below.

USGBC
http://www.usgbc.org/

Central Florida Chapter USGBC
http://www.usgbc.org/chapters/centralflorida/

North Florida Chapter USGBC
http://www.usgbcnf.org/usgbcnf/Welcome.html

South Florida Chapter USGBC
http://www.usgbc.org/chapters/southflorida/

Middle Tennessee Chapter USGBC
http://www.usgbc.org/chapters/middletennessee/

Gulf Coast Chapter USGBC
http://fgcc.roundtablelive.org/

Florida Capital Region Chapter USGBC
http://chapters.usgbc.org/floridacapital/

Green buildings are buildings that minimize the impact they have on the environment.  This includes:

• How the building uses energy,
• How the construction materials are derived, and
• How, over the life and eventual demolition of the building, it will diminish the finite resources of our planet. 

Green design includes the impact that the building environment will have on its occupants, especially in terms of comfort, health and well being.  In short, green buildings are healthy buildings.

The operation of the building, including the way it is maintained, also has an effect on the environment.  This includes the use of solvents in cleaning; disposable materials from air conditioning filters to lamps to carpeting; and in the use of non-renewable energy resources such as fossil fuels.  Green buildings are sometimes called "High Performance" buildings because they cost significantly less to operate and have substantially higher value compared to "standard" building stock.

A high performance green building is an efficient building. Savings in energy costs of 20% to 50% are common through integrated planning, site orientation, energy-saving technologies, on-site renewable energy-producing technologies, light-reflective materials, natural daylight and ventilation, and downsized HVAC and other equipment. Green building owners realize significant savings during the life of a building through other measures, such as natural landscaping, water-saving equipment, low-maintenance materials, salvaged construction debris and smart building controls. With the help of these kinds of efficiencies, green buildings can save money throughout their life cycle.

What are the benefits of green buildings?

• Economic benefits are realized in building operations, asset value, worker productivity, and the local economy.
• Occupants benefit from health and safety features. This also relates to risk management and economics. The average American spends more than 90% of his or her time indoors, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. The U.S. EPA concurs, and adds that indoor air quality can be two to five times worse than outdoor air quality.
• Community and municipal benefits include: lessened demand for large-scale infrastructure such as landfills, water supply, stormwater sewers, and their related development and operational costs; and decreased transportation development and maintenance burden (roads) and increased economic performance of mass transit systems.
• The local and global environment benefits from protecting air quality, water quality, and overall biodiversity and ecosystem health.

TLC professionals play an ongoing role in crafting sustainable design standards for the healthcare industry, including helping to author the American Society of Healthcare Engineers Association 2001 Guideline for Green Healthcare Design and Construction, which became the basis for the ASHE Sustainable Building design award.  Senior staff is also active in the LEED Application Guide for Healthcare and LEED Application Guide for Labs core committees; the LEED Energy and Atmosphere Technical Advisory Group subcommittee for combined heat and power applications; the Green Guide for Healthcare Steering Committee, and the GGHC Water and Energy groups subcommittee.

Why have Green Healthcare Buildings?  To:

• Enhance the quality of patient care
• Reduce capital and operating costs
• Enhance the recruitment and retention of staff
• Improve the public image and community relationships
• Demonstrate corporate responsibility
• Manage risk
• Meet future mandatory regulatory requirements