Abney + Abney Green Solutions is a full-service commercial and residential consulting firm that supports sustainable business practices through the entire life cycle of the building process. From the earliest stages of design, through construction and intro the operation phase, we will guide and support you to make the best decisions for your project.

Our clients include owners, developers, architects, interior designers, engineers and builders. We specialize in providing sustainable solutions for every project and since they are all unique we offer a variety of services.

We are often asked, “which certification is best for my project?” The answer depends on the overall project goal and intentions. The nationally known rating system, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), was developed by the US Green Building Council. In addition to LEED, Florida projects have the choice of following certification standards set forth by the Florida Green Building Coalition.

Abney Green can provide a turn-key approach to managing any green building certification process for both commercial + residential projects. Below is just a sample of the services included in a typical certification management agreement.

• Serve as the conduit and "Point of Contact" for coordinating, organizing and assisting in the implementation of the Green Building Standard criteria.
• Organize and facilitate an eco-charrette in collaboration with client, design and construction team to including the following:

• Develop agendas and assignments for the eco-charrette in concert with architect and owner
• Recommend participants for the eco-charrette
• Facilitate the eco-charrette in concert with architect, owner, contractor and consulting engineers
• Moderate the eco-charrette
• Develop and route minutes to attendees
• Develop a Certification Schedule and track assignments to all participants
• Development of overall certification guidelines detailing specific credits targeted, associated credit requirements, development of strategies to meet the credit requirements, list action items required and the assist the responsible parties.

• Provide consultation to the project's design team regarding: Design / Materials / Methods.
• Review of drawings with architect, engineer(s) and owner to discuss options concerning methods and means of documents as designed to meet the requirements of a Certified Green Building.
• Conduct research and recommendations of materials and systems to achieve the appropriate requirements.
• Assist owner and contractor in recommendations for sourcing of materials to meet all Green Building Certification requirements.
• Assist responsible parties with all necessary calculations for site, water, material and indoor environmental quality related credits.
• Facilitate, moderate and coordinate the Green Building Certification related meetings as necessary throughout the construction phase and into management implementation.
• Coordinate the assembly of the final Certified Green Building documentation submittals.
• Submit credit interpretation reviews and/or submissions when necessary and coordinate the appeal process of denied credits if required.

Abney Green will verify that the project's energy related systems are installed, calibrated and perform according to the owner's project requirements, basis of design, and construction documents. The benefits of commissioning include reduced energy use, lower operating costs, reduced contractor callbacks, better building documentation, improved occupant productivity, and verification that the systems perform in accordance with the owner's project requirements.

• Report directly to the Owner with all results and findings from the commissioning process.
• Review the Owner's Project Requirements (OPR) and the Basis of Design (BOD) for consistency and completeness. The Owner documents the Owner's Project Requirements (OPR) and the Basis of Design (BOD) is developed by the design team. Both are provided to the CxA for review.
• Incorporate commissioning requirements into the construction documents.
• Develop a commissioning plan.
• Verify the installation and performance of the systems to be commissioned.
• Complete a summary commissioning report.

• Review of OPR and BOD prior to mid-construction documents phase and back-check review comments in the design submittal.
• Review contractor submittals for the building energy systems.
• Develop a systems manual for operating staff for their use in optimally operating the building energy systems.
• Verify the training requirements for operating personnel and building occupants.
• Review building operation within 10 months after Substantial Completion with Operations and Maintenance staff and occupants; develop a plan for resolution of outstanding commissioning issues.

By using computer-based tools to simulate the energy use of a building throughout an entire year of operation, Abney Green can quantify the savings attributable to the proposed green design. Energy modeling can help optimize the building design and allow the design team to prioritize investment in the strategies that will have the greatest effect on the building's energy use.

Abney Green is an approved certifying agent for all three available green home certifications in Florida.

• USGBC — LEED for Homes
• FGBC — Florida Green Home
• NAHB — National Green Building Program