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New Construction

Commercial

Sustainability from the Ground Up

From planning and design through post-construction, we will help optimize the sustainability, accessibility, and resiliency of your new commercial property.

  • Offices
  • Hotels and Hospitality
  • Retail
  • Restaurants
  • Education
  • Cultural Institutions
  • Recreational Facilities

How do you know which green building certification is right for your commercial project?

Or maybe you’ve selected a green building program, but are not sure how to navigate the path toward certification?

Whether you are pursuing green building certification as a route to compliance, or are looking for a way to make your building stand out to potential tenants, we provide consulting services that take your project from design to post-occupancy.

Since each program and project is different, our services are tailored to meet your needs and guide you through each step of the process.

Green Building Certification Programs

Our Green Building Certification Services for Commercial New Construction Include:

  • Project planning and prioritization to address:
    • Inclusion of on-site green infrastructure strategies
    • Interior and exterior water usage reduction
    • Access to alternative transportation infrastructure
    • Health and wellness goals
  • Identifying necessary compliance measures, as well as potential incentive programs
  • Partnering with project team during design phase to incorporate green construction methods and optimize energy efficient design elements
  • Monitoring and verifying adherence to green construction program specifications
  • Submitting green building program applications

Contact us to discuss your next project

We examine every opportunity to save energy, increase tenant comfort, and ensure durability for your commercial project, from the inside out.

By optimizing performance during the initial design stages, we help you to minimize the total cost of ownership (initial construction, monthly utility expenses, and annual maintenance costs) by eliminating operational, mechanical, and technological inefficiencies.

Many of the commercial performance incentive- and- certification programs require designs and analyses that are beyond the typical contractor’s scope. We have the experience to fill the gap, and ensure ongoing success by providing plan review, design recommendations, field training, construction field verification, and technical oversight as needed.

Our Energy Efficiency Services for Commercial New Construction Include:

Building Enclosure Design and Consulting

Our team of building enclosure experts specialize in air and moisture management and thermal performance analysis with an emphasis on high performance buildings. For new construction, we provide architectural reviews; detail development; analytical tools; laboratory and field mock-up testing oversight; product and systems recommendations and specifications; and construction administration services.

Our goal is to support you in the design, construction, and operation of high performance buildings through careful attention to detail and a whole building approach.

Services for new construction include:

Design Review and Construction Administration to optimize building performance, support certifications, maximize efficiency incentives, and comply with local laws and energy codes.

Enclosure Commissioning to provide a review process of the design and construction to achieve performance requirement.

Enclosure Services for Green Building Programs including those to meet the requirements of the Passive House standard and Envelope Commissioning requirement for LEED.

Energy Modeling

Understand the complexities of your building’s energy use before it is even built. Our analyses are based on using whole building simulation tools, such as eQUEST and EnergyPlus, and we are versed in current industry standards (ASHRAE 90.1 Appendix G). We’re also able to make recommendations for solar photovoltaic (PV), combined heat and power (CHP), and other forms of renewable energy systems that you are considering for your project.

Commissioning of Building Systems

Installing efficient mechanical systems for your new commercial project is a good start, but to ensure a lasting investment, you need to verify that these systems are performing according to design intentions. Our commissioning services provide a systematic quality assurance process for the integration of your building’s mechanical systems including:

  • HVAC Components and Controls
  • Lighting, Lighting Controls, and Daylighting
  • Life Safety Systems (fire alarms/prevention)
  • Water Systems Including DHW
  • Building Management Systems (Computer Interfaces)

 

Renewables and Onsite Generation

As solar photovoltaic (PV) technology, Combined Heat and Power systems (CHP / Cogeneration), increased storage capacity in battery technologies, and other forms of renewable energy systems and onsite generation move into the mainstream, the opportunity to leverage these energy alternatives are becoming more economically sensible. There are many opportunities to secure public funding for these measures if your project is pursuing resiliency and sustainability measures.

Whether you need help with siting, community planning, Ecotect modeling, design specifications, bid reviews or commissioning, our engineers have been at the forefront of newest and most innovative technologies in building science for decades.

 

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We’ve Got You Covered

Our passion for helping clients create buildings that are accessible to all is what drives us to deliver exceptional and reliable solutions-driven consulting services. From design through construction close out, our accessibility consultants will ensure that your new commercial development complies with all applicable accessibility requirements.

accessibility

We can help your commercial property comply with accessible design and construction requirements included in:

  • The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • State and Local Human Rights Laws
  • International Building Code (IBC)
  • State and Local Building Codes
  • Universal Design

Services for Commercial New Construction

Plan Reviews: We collaborate with architects, engineers, interior designers, and other design team professionals from schematic design through construction documents to help achieve full compliance with regulatory and building code requirements for accessible design and construction. After careful review of plans, specifications, submittals, and related documentation, our accessibility consultants work with with the design team to ensure that final design and construction documents comply fully with applicable accessibility requirements.

Field Inspections: We conduct field inspections during all phases of new construction and alterations projects to ensure compliance with regulatory and building code requirements for accessible design and construction. Our accessibility consultants work with the construction team to help ensure that full compliance is achieved in the field.

Technical Assistance: We aim to deliver consistent and reliable technical assistance on all aspects of accessibility compliance.

Contact us to discuss your next project

 

Projects

See all Commercial New Buildings

Why Choose Us?

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Top of the Class

SWA is a leading partner in all New York and New Jersey financial incentive programs. We have been a NYSERDA FlexTech provider since the program’s inception and also provide support through implementation of all projects.

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Size

We offer a more comprehensive set of services than any competitor: Commissioning, ASHRAE 90.1 modeling, Accessibility Consulting and Passive House (PHIUS) certification.

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Building Science

We have led a variety of U.S. Department of Energy, HUD, NYSERDA, and high profile industry R&D and advisory projects the results of which inform our energy audit and design work by providing a deeper understanding of technical issues from a variety of perspectives.

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Established History

We have shaped the LEED, LEED for Homes, and the HERS (Home Energy Rating System) Rating Systems from the ground-up.

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Leadership

Our team actively gives back to the industry by performing cutting edge research and presenting the findings at regional and national conferences, advancing the state of the art in building performance. We participate in the Mayor’s Carbon Challenge and regularly engage with the Department of Buildings and the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability.

Expertise

Our accessibility team collectively have over 70 years of experience providing accessibility compliance and consulting services.