Liberty Property Trust LEED Industrial Prototype Profile

In 2015, Liberty Property Trust (LPT) approached Design Management Services (DMS) to develop a LEED Volume Program prototype for their industrial facilities. LPT's Senior Vice President - Development wanted to pursue the program due to an interest in the multitude of benefits flowing from the LEED Volume Program, including financial savings, consistency across the board, and an expedited path for the certification process. The process of developing the prototype began with an analysis of LPT's industrial LEED certifications; the goal was to determine the commonalities for the credits pursued and the manner in which they were achieved. Next, the team collectively reviewed LPT's internal development and management processes and its expectations related to the LEED certification process. This review was carried out with the objective to ultimately develop a prototype that incorporated a highly flexible process to accommodate different approaches for design, contracting and construction methods, lease variations, regional differences, and project management styles. A prototype has many components, including a narrative approach, technical documentation, an education plan, and a quality control plan. All of the different components need to be addressed in the narrative and then consistently cross referenced to ensure cohesion. One of the biggest hurdles during the prototype development was managing the massive amount of information gathered from LPT and applying it to the design and construction approaches, roles, and responsibilities. To keep track of the components, DMS created a comprehensive Gantt chart that included all of the activities, flows, predecessors, and responsible parties required to assist in coordinating the effort and preparing for submission to GBCI for review. After working with USGBC and GBCI on the best paths forward, prototype implementation could start. As LPT and DMS undertook the education sessions, it found some initial hesitation from some project team members, who were concerned their involvement would require additional time and resources. After participating in a project and seeing how the prototype was carried out, the project managers realized the benefits of the more efficient certification process. Following the prototypes unveiling, LPT and DMS learned some of its aspects needed to be highlighted during the design and construction education sessions to improve the efficiency and overall adherence. Beyond that, additional approaches have been created, which add even more flexibility. After two years, registration of numerous projects, and four certifications, both partners believe LEED Volume has been an absolute success for LPT and its project team members across the nation.