Sustainability
Charter Member, Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure
Merrick is committed to sustainable design and construction practices and supports the sustainable and renewable initiatives through its participation in various organizations, including:
US Green Building Council
Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure
American Wind Energy Association
CleanTech Open
Renewable Fuels Association
The firm is celebrating 15 years in renewables – a commitment to sustainability that began in 1996 with the development of a bio-feedstock-to-ethanol plant. The plant was subsequently expanded and Merrick has continued its foray into the biofuels/bioprocessing/renewable energy fields with involvement in algae biofuels, biochemicals, wind farms, and solar farms.
LEED & Sustainable Design
Merrick has designed over 120 projects incorporating sustainable principles over the last several years. Of those, 16 are currently in process and registered with the US Green Building Council for LEED® Silver Certification. Over 65 projects are designed to meet or exceed EPAct 2005 requirements and, since 2000, Merrick’s sustainable design has resulted in over 400 billion BTUs of energy savings and the reduction of CO2 emissions by over 200 million pounds.
Merrick currently has 55+ LEED® accredited professionals on staff with design teams continually working toward the incorporation of sustainable design philosophies into projects in order to reduce the negative impacts on the environment. The firm’s goal is to provide cost-efficient, high performance, environmentally responsible buildings that improve the health, productivity, and comfort of occupants, while meeting clients’ missions and functions for the building.
Sustainable Infrastructure & Standards
Merrick’s commitment is also demonstrated by its involvement in sustainable infrastructure. To lead this charge, Peter Binney, PE holds the role of National Director of Sustainable Infrastructure. Binney played a key role in the development and recent establishment of standards for sustainable infrastructure and is a member of the Founding Board of Directors of the new, non-profit Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure. This newly established group will provide the rating system for assessing the sustainability of a wide range of infrastructure projects as well as support sustainable approaches to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of how infrastructure projects are approached in the future. The Institute was founded by three organizations, the American Council of Engineering Companies, the American Public Works Association, and the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Building Commissioning
As part of its focus on sustainable design, Merrick has been providing commissioning (Cx) services to our clients for more than 12 years and is a “Commissioning Provider Firm” registered with the Building Commissioning Association. This registration signifies that the Merrick team is staffed with professionals who are dedicated to the growth and education of the commissioning industry and who regularly make presentations or provide training at a variety of industry events. Additional information about the firm’s commissioning services is located at:
Merrick Building Commissioning Services
For information about specific markets where Merrick incorporates its sustainability practices:
As part of its sustainability program, Merrick maintains an active Corporate Social Responsibility program, with a strong commitment to the environment as part of the program. Merrick Corporate Social Responsibility Program