Building Relationships with General Contractors: Transforming Standard Practice

Mary Jane Poynter, Vermont Energy Investment Corporation
Mark Gilbert, CREE Consulting, LLC

Keywords

Abstract

Much time and effort have been spent investigating and implementing strategies to achieve long-term behavioral changes among the building design communities of architects, engineers, and specifiers. However, the realm of impacting a General Contractor’s (GC’s) construction practice remains relatively uncharted territory.

Working with GCs can be an effective way to achieve long-term market transformation toward construction of high-performance, energy-efficient buildings. Up-front investments in relationship building, education, and incentives can create a decreased need for financial assistance and efficiency program staff involvement over time. As GCs come to recognize the value of energy efficiency for their clients, they become willing to spend time and resources to develop their capabilities in delivering high quality, energy-efficient buildings.

This paper describes one example of GC transformation, as evidenced by the evolution of the company’s construction practices on a series of seven multifamily buildings. In this case, the GC had experience in constructing multifamily buildings, but was not familiar with many of the building systems and practices necessary to achieve a truly energy-efficient building. Types of assistance provided to the GC included: (1) education in the value of energy efficiency; (2) training in key technical components of efficient building envelopes, mechanical systems, and
lighting design; (3) upgrading standard plan details; (4) on-site demonstration of key construction details; (5) development of quality control methods; and (6) customized financial incentives. Through this assistance, the GC has become a committed partner, and a true advocate for construction of energy-efficient buildings, even without direct involvement from efficiency program staff.